Getting help for your pet We offer several free options to help regardless of your pet’s behavior! Frequently Asked Questions
Loose Leash Walking There are many ways of teaching loose leash walking, and you may want to use several of the methods below. The most important thing is that, while you are teaching this skill, you must NEVER allow the dog to pull on the leash. We understand that this is hard because…
Is your horse fit to be tied? by Brent Winston, equine trainer Well, it’s that time of year when we’re all excited to get out and enjoy the great outdoors on our horses! Some of us ride around our neighborhoods, some of us trailer to horse shows and various events, and others pack up and hit the…
Introducing Your New Dog to Your Resident Dog Animals that live in groups, like dogs, establish relationships, through which the individuals involved interact and live together. The roles that the individuals play within the relationship can change with each new day or situation. These relationships also take time to build, so proper introductions are important to help the…
Introducing Your New Cat to Your Resident Cat While some are more social than others, cats are wonderful companions to each other. An 8-year-old cat that has never been around other animals may need several weeks or even months to learn to share her territory (and her people) with other pets in the household. However, a very young…
Introducing Your New Cat to Your Other Pets It’s important to have realistic expectations when introducing a new pet to a resident pet. Some cats are more social than other cats. For example, an eight-year-old cat that has never been around other animals may never learn to share her territory (and her people) with other pets in the…
Introducing House Rabbits Before attempting an introduction, the rabbits must be spayed and neutered and you should wait for a full two weeks after the surgery before proceeding with the introduction. This delay both ensures proper healing and gives the hormones a chance to dissipate. This delay is especially important with a newly…
How to Interact Safely with Dogs Dogs are complex animals that may display a variety of different behaviors in any given situation. Any dog–from your best friend at home to the stray dog on the street–will react differently, and possibly unexpectedly, to people, places and other animals. Animal behavior can shift from moment to moment, so…
Housetraining a Puppy Housetraining a puppy requires time, vigilance, patience and commitment. By following the procedures outlined below, you can minimize house soiling incidents, but virtually every puppy will have an accident in the house (more likely several). This is part of raising a puppy and should be expected. The more consistent you…
Happy Feet If you own an equine–whether it’s a horse, donkey, pony or mini–chances are good that you’ll need to have its feet maintained on a regular schedule. Equines’ hooves are continually growing, and unless they’re walking 20 miles a day or more on rough terrain, the hooves will have to be…
Handling “Spooky” situations by Brent Winston, equine trainer As winter began and the busy part of riding season came to an end, a lot of folks started calling Harmony to recap their rides or ask for advice on issues that had come up for their horses over the summer. One of most common…
Getting Started with the Clicker The easiest way to start clicker training is to teach your dog to hand target. During this process your dog will learn that the click sound ALWAYS means a treat is coming, and he’ll learn that offering a specific behavior earns a click/treat. This will become the foundation for teaching…
Fearful and Excitement Urination Does your dog pee when they are excited or scared? We explore the reasons for fearful and excitement urination, why some dogs urinate when they have big emotions, and what steps you can take to help reduce the frequency of fear, excitement, and submissive urination accidents.
The Barking Dog Barking is the result of either anxiety or your dog being pre-genetically deposed to barking, like hounds. If you own a breed that is known to bark, then work on teaching your dog the “quiet” command (see below), provide plenty of outlets, and provide toys to keep them busy. Anxiety-related…
Establish Your Personal Space Horses, donkeys and mules are very big animals. This may seem like an obvious fact, but it’s crucial to keep it in mind any time we interact with or train horses. Every day I get to work with these awesome creatures and teach folks how to act around them. More…
The Canine Escape Artist Escaping is a serious problem for both you and your dog, as it can have tragic consequences. If your dog is running loose, he is in danger of being hit by a car, being injured in a fight with another dog, or being hurt in a number of other ways.
The Fearful Cat When cats feel threatened, they usually respond in three ways to the object, person, or situation they perceive as a threat: fight, flee, or freeze. Some cats become so frightened they lose control of their bladder or bowels and eliminate right where they are. Each cat has his/her preferred way…
