Our Blog
When Dog Play Turns Dangerous: Spot the Shift Before the Fight
Do You Really Know What Dog Play Looks Like? You’re standing in your backyard. The dogs are running, chasing, wrestling. It’s loud, it’s fast, but it all looks like fun—until it doesn’t. One sharp yelp. A shift in posture. Suddenly, one dog is pinning the other. Teeth...
Surviving the Multi-Dog Household
What No One Tells You (Until It’s Too Late) Do you ever feel like your dogs are running the show in your multi-dog household, and you’re just there to open the treat jar? You’re not alone. And you’re not imagining things. Living in a multi-dog household can be...
Dog Bite Prevention Starts With You: Real Tips That Actually Work
How well do you really know the dog in front of you? That’s not a trick question. Whether it’s your own dog, your neighbour’s doodle, or a friendly-looking pup at the park—if you assume a dog will tolerate your approach just because it hasn’t bitten yet, you’re...
Approaching a Dog: 5 Common Mistakes You Need to Avoid
The Right Way to Approach a Dog: Tips from a Professional Dog Trainer A while ago, I posted an Instagram reel showing the right (and very wrong) way to approach a dog in public—and it took off. The comments section was filled with dog owners nodding in...
Tick-Borne Diseases: What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know
What a lifetime with dogs has taught me about these silent, fast-spreading threats. Have you ever known a dog struggling with a tick-borne disease—like tick fever or Lyme? It's more common than most owners realize. I’ve seen it firsthand, in more than one...
Teaching Your Reactive Dog to Stay Calm: Art of Doing Nothing
Does Your Reactive Dog Bolt to the Door Every Time Someone Moves? Here’s How to Fix It Ever feel like your reactive dog has a sixth sense for when someone gets up off the couch? You shift slightly, and suddenly, your dog is charging to the door, barking like an...
Dog Dental Care: Why It’s More Important Than You Think
Ever Wondered If Your Dog’s Teeth Need Cleaning? Let’s be real—how often do you check your dog’s teeth? If you’re like most owners, probably not as often as you should. I get it. We think, dogs in the wild don’t brush their teeth, so why should we worry? But here’s...
Before You Consider Rescueing Beach Dogs, Consider This…
Have You Ever Thought About ‘Saving’ a Beach Dog You Meet while on Vacation? Have you ever vacationed in the tropics and thought to yourself, these poor dogs on the beach are homeless, It would be great to save one or more of them? You see them wandering the...
Dog Rescue in Costa Rica: How It’s Different from the West
Ever Wondered How Dog Rescues Work in Other Countries? If you’ve ever set foot in a North American dog rescue, you know the drill: rows of kennels, barking dogs, staff members hustling to clean and feed, and adoption forms that sometimes feel more intense than...
Street Dogs and Freedom: The Hidden Side of Canine Happiness
Street Dogs of Costa Rica: Are They Happier Than Our Pets? Have you ever wondered what life would be like if dogs had complete freedom? No leashes, no fences, no humans constantly managing their every move? During my trip to Costa Rica, I witnessed something...
Achieving Work-Life Balance in Your Dog Training Business
Have you ever looked at business owners traveling to exotic places like Costa Rica and wondered, “How do they manage it all?” Well, I’m Karen Laws, The Ontario Dog Trainer, and I’m here to show you how having a solid work-life balance is the key to making it all work....
Dog Fights: What to Do When Play Turns Ugly
Who Do You Think Is Most Likely to Instigate Dog Fights? A Golden Retriever or a Belgian Malinois? If you guessed the Belgian Malinois, you’re wrong. This story involves my buddy, Prince, a Belgian Malinois who helps me with everything from training to chasing...
Ontario Dog Trainer
Copyright © 2022 Ontario Dog Trainer.
