A service dog that lunges isn’t “just protective” or “just excited to see ___” It’s out of control and under the ADA, that matters. A service dog has to be under the handler’s control at all times. Staff can ask you to remove a dog that isn’t, if you’re not taking effective action. Out of con

A crate is typically part of a Disney trip with a service dog. Some attractions don’t let service dogs ride. Disney’s own page lists two options: Rider Seap with a member of your party, or a kennel that is on site provided by the parks. If you’re handling solo, or there’s no one to swap with, th

No training plan covers gum in a parking lot. Nalu stepped in some on our way into Target tonight. We ducked into the bathroom to get out as much as we could, then I soaked her paw in olive oil when we got home. Her pads and fur are okay, thank goodness. Most of public access isn’t the tas

Your service dog doesn’t have to wait in the car. Nalu came with me this morning. Under the ADA, polling places have to let voters with disabilities bring their service animals into the areas open to the public. If it isn’t obvious what the dog does, staff can ask two things: whether the dog

Most service dog work looks like nothing from the outside. Nalu was watching Dancing with the Stars with me, looking at the screen. Then she alerted, grabbed my meds, and brought them to me. That’s what tasking looks like: noticing something, telling me, and doing something about it. She’s

My Aussie is giving all the Australian shepherd sass because she believes she is being fed late #daylightsavings #dogmom #dogmomlife #australianshepherd

I can be pro rescue and still choose a breeder. I grew up with rescues, to the point even our fish were rescues. When I needed my first service dog, a breeder wasn’t something I could afford at the time, and finding a rescue to train as a service dog felt like a no brainer. Could I have wai

I’m so thankful that he has been hotspot free even without cytopoint for three years now! #greenscreen #dogallergyrelief #dogsupplements #hotspots @pawTree

I kind of feel like I should go back for the shorts🫣 but seriously, I was not expecting a dog mom line when I walked into Aerie the other day! #aerierealmakers #aerie #dogmom #dogmomlife @aerie

I’ve been trying for 2 weeks to figure out this coreo. I want the figure eights to be tighter so they look different than the leg weaves and do it with more space, but this song by @Jamie Miller has been stuck in my head for weeks. #dogdancing #babydoll #dogtricks #trickdog

I’d already started coughing by the time we let her out. This is Nalu, my 18 month old Australian Shepherd and service dog in training. She was barking in her crate, so my boyfriend opened it to see what she’d do. You can’t see that part in the video, but this is what she did next: she came stra

Today is POTS Awareness Day, and I wanted to show what this actually looks like at home. POTS is postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. It’s a form of dysautonomia, which means my autonomic nervous system doesn’t regulate things like heart rate the way it should. A lot of it is invisible fro

He’s holding that stay like he’s never been stepped on. This is Sebastian. He’s a 5 year old German Shepherd husky, and he’s huge. Under a restaurant table, his tail or a paw always ended up sticking out. When he was my service dog, he got stepped on constantly. Eventually he started popping

The Haloweener Derby in Seaside, FL is the cutest Halloween Event on the Emerald Coast. Dachshunds, dogs in costume, a farmers market, local vendors, and a whole community coming together to raise money for H.E.A.R.T. Animal Rescue. This is why I love living along 30A! Send this to your favo

Your sign to book a dog-friendly stay in Midtown Atlanta. We stayed at the Kimpton Shane Hotel during our Atlanta dog show trip, and it was such a great home base for showing my friend from California around the city! 📍 Conveniently located near the Woodruff Arts Center and Atlantic Station,

We just finished our FOURTH dog show, and I think it’s time for an honest conversation. Everyone talks about wanting younger generations to get involved in dog sports, especially in conformation, but then you hear the things said ringside about other handlers and their dogs. You never know wh

They say fast cat is the gateway sport for dog sports people and they are so right. Unfortunately it’s a very expensive hobby, especially when you add a second dog. But it’s so fun to see how fast your dog can run! Nalu, my Australian shepherd, ran her first actual fast cat today and ran 23.95 m

Your first dog show can feel like learning an entirely new language. I remember how much I didn’t know walking into my first show, and how thankful I was to have a friend there who could help me navigate the little things that experienced handlers probably don’t even think twice about anymore.

Sometimes the biggest improvements come from upgrading your tools AND putting in the work to learn how to use them. I’ve been working hard on my grooming skills and learning how to get Nalu’s topline to lay flat. Between practicing my technique and upgrading my blow dryer, today’s bath and blow

Sometimes, it takes a storm to remind you just how much good there still is in the world. As we traveled home yesterday, we saw something that restored a little bit of our faith in humanity. Linesmen traveling from all over Florida to help restore power, cellular crews working to reconnect p