Smiling Leash 10/20/24 Smiling Leash 10/20/24

When Everything I Do Is Futile

Learned helplessness describes a psychological state in which an individual, including dogs, stops responding to any stimuli around them. The dog has been subjected to stressful stimuli, difficult situations, even harm, on repeated occasions, over and over. With the passage of time the dog understands that there is nothing they can do regarding the outcome of such situations, and they stop trying to influence change.

Smiling Leash 9/17/24 Smiling Leash 9/17/24

Should you trust your dog?

Dogs need to have agency in their lives, but they should not be expected to handle things they are not naturally equipped for. How can we tell when to trust our dog and when that would be unfair?

Smiling Leash 6/23/24 Smiling Leash 6/23/24

Mind the easy ones

Some dogs exhibit very obvious behaviours that show us they are having trouble, like barking, lunging, destructiveness and so on. Others do no such thing. Does that mean they are problem-free?

Smiling Leash 1/19/24 Smiling Leash 1/19/24

When Puppies Have a Difficult Start in Life

When dogs are puppies, infants of the canine species, we should ensure they are nurtured. That we surround them with love and safety. They will pass this period feeling safe and protected, allowing the puppy to develop without worry.

Smiling Leash 4/21/23 Smiling Leash 4/21/23

Dog Breeds

Trainers and behaviour consultants, should know the type of dog they have in front and what kind of tasks the dog was originally bred for. We must have information about breeds, study them and understand their purpose.

Smiling Leash 7/10/22 Smiling Leash 7/10/22

Observing is Learning

When we give our dogs time to observe and notice things that are happening around them, they make sense of the environment, they process all the information that the senses provide, and they are able to learn from the experience.

Smiling Leash 10/3/21 Smiling Leash 10/3/21

Really Seeing Your Dog

It is not necessary to give a name and an explanation for every dog behaviour. Trying to maintain a positive relationship with our dogs comes from not translating our own feelings and understanding their motivation and the meaning for those behaviours.

Smiling Leash 7/18/21 Smiling Leash 7/18/21

Observe and learn

Dogs have different ways of learning , and observing is one of them. Allowing our dog the time to observe helps them understand the world around them.

Smiling Leash 6/12/21 Smiling Leash 6/12/21

Feel No Pain

In this article we discuss some of the signs of pain and recent experiences amongst the Smiling Leash Team members that can help with identifying pain and discomfort.

Smiling Leash 6/6/21 Smiling Leash 6/6/21

Your dog is watching you

Dogs are really good at communicating with their body language and at observing and understanding body language of others, including us, humans. Yet we often have no clue of what we are communicating to our dogs.

Smiling Leash 3/28/21 Smiling Leash 3/28/21

Taking your dog to public places

We often see dogs taken to public places such as coffee shops, stores, etc. Yet many of them are not fond of the trip. There are definitely dogs who enjoy visiting such venues, but let’s explore what can go wrong for a dog.