Canine Development and Testing
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Tired of sifting through the sea of dog training advice? Look no further!
10/06/2026
Thank you Noor!
It was very rewarding to work with Bhalwaan through some of his challenging teenaged months. We are so proud of the progress he made in his 6 weeks with us and even more excited for you to continue building on that foundation at home!
Just saying….
What’s the most unhinged sleeping position your dog has? Show me!
10/03/2026
For humans, research increasingly supports nature-based walking for mental well-being, including reductions in stress, anxiety and rumination.
For dogs, research has associated daily exercise with lower prevalence of some anxiety-related behaviours, while experimental work has shown exercise combined with human interaction can reduce physiological measures of stress in shelter dogs.
And now researchers are beginning to examine the intersection of all of it:
Nature + movement + the human-dog bond. They call it **bonded green exercise.**
I think there's something worth paying attention to there! Not because nature is magic, or because I think a walk cures all behavioural problems.
But because both species evolved to move through an environment, interact with it and experience the world outside four walls. Sometimes doing something good for your dog can be pretty damn good for you too.
Book a park today: www.parksforpets.com
*Halling et al., Animals, 2026; Ma et al., Current Psychology, 2024; Tiira & Lohi, PLOS ONE, 2015.*
10/03/2026
Dog training can get really frustrating when you’re doing all the things and still wondering, “Why the hell are we not getting anywhere?”
So try a 3–2–1 check-in this week:
3 things that are going well
2 things that are holding you back
1 thing you’re going to focus on next week
And I’m especially curious about 2.
What is actually making progress difficult right now?
Is it consistency? Time? Not knowing what to do in the moment? Your dog is great in training but falls apart in real life? Too many conflicting opinions? You’ve made progress but hit a plateau? Something else entirely?
Tell me ONE thing in the comments that’s holding you and your dog back right now.
09/29/2026
Turns out owning a high-energy dog comes with hobbies of its own.
Collecting absurdly niche accessories. Spending money to do things you could technically do for free. Driving ridiculous distances to stand in a field. Adult beverages (duh). And, inevitably, deciding another dog will solve everything.
Seems reasonable.
What did I miss?
Not every walk needs to be about obedience. 🐾🌿
Decompression walks give dogs the freedom to sniff, explore, move at their own pace, and simply be dogs. That mental break can make a huge difference in their overall stress levels and well-being.
Book a dog park today!
https://www.parksforpets.com
Want a more resilient dog?
Stop making everything easy.
My baby bird dog is learning one of the most important skills I can give him: how to struggle a little, stay in the game, and come out the other side successful.
It’s a little like microdosing adversity, and it doesn’t only apply to bird dogs.
Our reactive, anxious and fearful dogs may benefit the most from learning how to navigate small, manageable challenges without becoming overwhelmed.
This is the idea behind stress inoculation: exposure to manageable stress, followed by successful coping and recovery, can help build resilience and improve how our dogs responds to future stress.
We’re not throwing them into situations they can’t handle. We’re giving them challenges they have the capacity to solve.
Whether I’m developing a baby bird dog or working with a reactive, anxious or fearful dog, I’m here for the challenges.
Forever grateful for Westrock Kennels for the support with my bird dogs. And for reminding me that a little struggle is all part of the process.
09/26/2026
We talk a lot about exercise as an energy-management tool. But, there's more to it than that.
Researchers studying shelter dogs provided 25-minute sessions that included exercise and positive human interaction.
Dogs participating in the sessions had lower salivary cortisol levels and better behavioural-test scores than dogs in the control condition.
The researchers concluded that the protocol: “diminishes stress and improves the welfare of dogs housed in shelters.”
Exercise was combined with human interaction, so we can't attribute the results to movement alone. However, the overall welfare outcomes matter.
Exercise isn't just something we use to make dogs tired enough to live conveniently in our homes. It's a part of meeting their needs.
Looking to improve your dog’s welfare and your relationship? Schedule a walk at Parks for Pets: www.parksforpets.com
*Menor-Campos, Molleda-Carbonell & López-Rodríguez, Veterinary Record, 2011.*
Imagine this; your reactive, anxious dog can navigate a busy park with you, with only subtle communication between you. You know when they need support, and they know to look to look to you for direction when they’re unsure.
Life post training looks a lot less like a robotic dog who has no personality, and a lot more like the dog you love, only calmer and more coachable.
Interested in what life post training can look like for your dog? Text or call to chat 403-457-8811
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