Why Your Dog Guards Their Food Bowl and What to Do About It

Why Your Dog Guards Their Food Bowl and What to Do About It

Why does my dog growl when I approach their food bowl? It’s one of the most common questions the team at Dances with Dogs hears from Miami-area dog owners. You walk into the kitchen to refill the water bowl, and a low, steady rumble from across the room stops...
Why Does My Puppy Seem Out of Control?

Why Does My Puppy Seem Out of Control?

Recently, one of my clients called me feeling completely defeated. Her four-month-old puppy had been an absolute handful for the past few days, and she could not figure out what had changed. He was jumping, nipping, getting into everything, and just would not settle....
Why Isn’t My Dog Listening?

Why Isn’t My Dog Listening?

The hidden cost of misinformation, inconsistency, and quick fixes I want to share something that happens more often than you might think. I walk into a home for a training session, and everything starts out exactly as expected. We begin working, the dog is learning,...
Managing Expectations in Dog Training: Why Your Dog Isn’t “Bad”

Managing Expectations in Dog Training: Why Your Dog Isn’t “Bad”

One of the most common sources of frustration in dog training is not actually the dog’s behavior. It is the expectation behind it. A puppy mouths your hands and someone says, “He knows better.” An adolescent dog pulls on leash or ignores a cue outside, and suddenly...
How Novel Environments Build Dog Confidence

How Novel Environments Build Dog Confidence

Confidence is not something a dog is simply born with; it is something that develops over time through experiences. One of the most powerful ways to nurture confidence in dogs is by gently introducing them to novel environments, meaning places, sights, sounds, and...
Living with a Reactive Dog in a Miami Apartment

Living with a Reactive Dog in a Miami Apartment

Living in Miami comes with stunning views, vibrant neighborhoods, and a skyline filled with luxury high-rises. From Brickell to Edgewater to Coral Gables, vertical living is part of our culture. But if you share an elevator with dozens of neighbors — many of whom also...