Now that the hottest summer months are here, the risk of your dog getting dehydrated and overheating is extremely high. Here’s what you need to know about heat stroke in dogs, what to do if your dog seems overheated, and how to avoid your dog getting too hot in the first place.

Digestive issues in dogs can range from minor upset stomachs to life-threatening illnesses.

Of course, you’ll always want to look after your dog and ensure as best as you can that your canine friend doesn’t experience any kind of health problems. So, you should be aware of the following five most common dog digestive issues.

Preventing separation anxiety in dogs is far easier than trying to treat it once panic behaviors have set in. The process should begin the day your new puppy or rescue dog comes home and continue anytime your household routine, environment, or work schedule changes. Many cases arise when dogs adopted during holidays or work-from-home periods get constant attention—only to struggle when suddenly left alone for hours once normal routines resume. By building independence from the start, you can keep your dog calm, confident, and content when home alone.

Five Key Steps to Prevent Separation Anxiety

• Gradual Alone-Time Training: Begin with short absences of 1–5 seconds, then gradually extend the time only when your dog remains relaxed.

• Predictable Goodbye Cues: Use a calm phrase like “back soon” to signal departures and avoid emotional farewells that fuel anxiety.

• High-Value Enrichment: Offer food puzzles, stuffed Kongs, or lick mats reserved just for confinement training to create positive associations with alone time.

• Safe, Comforting Spaces: Set up a crate or gated area with cozy bedding, soothing background noise, and a familiar scent from you.

• Balanced Daily Routine: Combine exercise, play, and mental stimulation through training games and enrichment to ease restlessness.

By consistently practicing these preventive strategies—and adjusting them after vacations, moves, or major changes—you’ll raise a dog that feels secure when left alone and avoid the struggles of separation anxiety later in life.

Excluding the cost of feeding, the single largest expense that dog owners encounter every year is typically veterinary care. We love our dogs and want to keep them healthy, of course. Depending on where you live, the cost of doing so, on average, can be about $300. And that’s just for routine exams and vaccinations.

The alpha myth is everywhere. Google “alpha dog” on the Internet and you get more than 85 million hits. Really. While not all the sites are about dominating your dog, there are literally millions of resources out there – websites, books, blogs, television shows, veterinarians, trainers and behavior professionals – instructing you to use force and intimidation to overpower your dog into submission. They say that you, the human, must be the alpha. They’re all wrong. Every single one of them.

If you’re thinking about adopting a puppy for the first time, there’s A LOT to consider beyond how cute and adorable they are: It’s also a really big commitment - anywhere from 12-18 years, to be exact - so it’s not a decision to make lightly or impulsively.

As a dog trainer who advocates for taking your dog on new adventures, one of the things I love most about living in Echo Park, Los Angeles is that it is filled to the brim with dog-friendly places to go.

So, if you have a bored dog at home, I recommend exploring the city with them whenever you can, and here are a few of my favorite, east side, dog-friendly hotspots.

Dogs and puppies bark for a variety of reasons. The first step in reducing the amount of barking a dog or puppy does, therefore, is identifying why they are barking in the first place. This is because different kinds of barking require a different application of training protocols in order to successfully curb the behavior.

Doggie Decompression is a way of using restraint or confinement to induce a dog or puppy to settle down and can act as a step towards solving canine separation anxiety.

Dog Training Tips: Learning how your dog thinks and makes decisions is the “KEY” to getting your dog to do what you want, when you want, without the need for yelling, intimidation or constant supervision.

Dog Training Los Angeles: It’s Your Choice (IYC) is a critical core foundation game because it sets the stage for teaching self-control over all future reinforcers (reinforcers = anything your dog likes or enjoys). It teaches our dogs that all things of value must be earned. The premise of the game is that the “work” is what earns the reward not just the presence of those rewards in the environment.

Dog Trainer Alexandra Bassett demonstrates how to train a dog to walk with a loose leash, meaning that they’ve learned not to pull you in order to get where they want to go,. Leash manners are taught in incremental steps starting by teaching a dog how to respond to leash tension, know as “leash communication,” and where you want them to position themselves while walking on a leash, which can be achieved by playing stationary and moving reinforcement zone games..

Dog separation anxiety is one of the most stressful behavior challenges for both dogs and their guardians. It occurs when a dog experiences overwhelming panic the moment they’re left alone, often leading to destructive or even dangerous behaviors. By learning to recognize the signs, understand the root causes, and apply proven treatment strategies, you can help your dog build lasting calm and confidence.

Common Symptoms of Separation Anxiety in Dogs

• Barking, howling, or whining shortly after you leave

• Destructive chewing, digging, or scratching at doors and windows

• Pacing, drooling, or panting triggered by pre-departure cues (like grabbing keys)

• House-soiling despite reliable potty training

• Escape attempts that may cause injuries such as broken teeth or nails

What Causes Dog Separation Anxiety?

• Pack instincts that compel a dog to follow you

• Missed early independence training during puppyhood or adoption (crate or playpen training)

• Sudden lifestyle changes—new job hours, moving homes, or new family members

• Past trauma, including rehoming, shelter stays, or sudden abandonment

• Lack of physical exercise or mental stimulation in daily life

Treatment and Prevention Strategies

• Gradual desensitization and counterconditioning to reduce stress around departures

• Enrichment tools like food-stuffed toys and chews to keep your dog engaged when confined

• Predictable routines and calming departure cues to prevent anxiety spikes

• Guidance from a certified trainer or veterinary behaviorist; medication or calming aids when recommended

• A balanced daily schedule combining exercise, training, and restful downtime

By addressing separation anxiety with science-backed, positive reinforcement methods, you’ll turn stressful goodbyes into calm departures—and give your dog the confidence to thrive when home alone.

Dog lovers get ready: America’s first art exhibition for dogs, dOGUMENTA, debuts at FIGat7th in DTLA this September!

Puppy training tips from a Los Angeles dog trainer: Puppy training can start as soon as you bring your pup home and can be as simple as taking a few minutes at mealtimes to create positive associations with your pup’s name, a slap to your thigh, and a pointed finger. 

Dog & Puppy Training Tips: Dogs are social creatures that benefit from being included in family activities. However, if a dog is afraid of fireworks, Independence Day can be a terrifying experience for them. To ensure the 4th of July doesn't turn into a traumatic experience for both you and your dog, it's important to have a plan for keeping your dog safe and comfortable when the fireworks go off. Here are some tips from a Los Angeles dog trainer on how to get your dog or puppy ready for Independence Day.

Doodle dogs are fast becoming the most popular dog breed in America because of their friendly nature and hypo-allergenic and low-shedding coats. There are many kinds of Doodle dog breeds of various sizes depending on the Poodle variant with which they are mixed, however the most popular are the Goldendoodle, the Labradoodle, and the Double Doodle.

Puppy training requires structure, consistency, and patience. Get a professional dog trainer’s 5 top puppy training tips and mistakes to avoid when bringing a new puppy home. Being prepared from the start is the key to successful puppy training!

Los Angeles Dog Trainer Aims To Change Public Perception Of Dog Training

PRESS RELEASE (February 26, 2018) - Leash reactive dogs—dogs that bark and lunge aggressively at other dogs or people while on a leash—have become an epidemic in Los Angeles. 

Puppy Training Tips: How to Socialize Your Puppy Before They’re Fully Vaccinated

Socialization is how you help your puppy build positive associations with the world around them during their critical early development stage—between 4 and 16 weeks of age. But if your puppy hasn’t had all their shots yet, how can you safely expose them to new people, sounds, and environments? We’ll show you how.