Dog adoptions rose 30-40% during the pandemic over the last year. A lot of first-time dog owners are trying to figure out how to handle these energetic new members of their families. To help out, Shelly Boucher talks training tips with dog trainer and pet custody mediator Karis Nafte. They talk about dealing with separation anxiety and leash manners. The discuss the idea of “smart” dogs and what that really means for owners. They chat about the challenges of adopting different sized dogs. And they cover how to handle a variety of bad habits like chewing, barking, and digging, and how to curb them. It’s a great conversation that can help new and old dog owners alike in working with their pets to create better behaviors.

About Karis

Karis has worked professionally with dogs, cats, birds and their people as a dog trainer and animal behavior consultant since 1996. Originally from the USA, Karis moved to South Africa in 2005 where she has been lucky to work with cheetahs, elephants as well as household dogs. Helping dogs after divorce who were displaying signs of stress and behavior problems brought her attention to the need for animal-focused mediation about ‘who keeps the dog’ so that the best plan for the dog’s future well being is put in place. Her training as an accredited family mediator allows her to combine the expertise in the area of divorce mediation with her knowledge of dog behavior. These two skills, mediation and animal behavior, enable her to keep the best interest of the dog in the forefront of the conversations and stay in a neutral position between the people at what can be a hugely stressful and emotional time.

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