Shake On It Pet Behavior Consulting

09/25/2026

We've been working on cooperative care since Toshi was a puppy. It's been so worth it. Everyone should focus on cooperative care training with their puppies. Your future self will thank you.

09/04/2026

3 down 5 to go 😅

08/27/2026

I've been doing cooperative care training with Toshi since I got him at 9 weeks old. He has to start getting adaquan injections at home for arthritis now, and we are able to do it without restraint or fuss. Proud of him!

07/04/2026

I have beef with automatic litter boxes!

https://shakeonitpettraining.com/dog-and-cat-behavior-tips/2026/7/4/automatic-litter-boxes

Are you spending a lot of money on a product that is setting you and your cat up to fail?

06/15/2026

Toshi did awesome with his live rattlesnake avoidance training today! Don't forget, this was trained completely positive, no shock collars.

Rattlesnake avoidance training practice with a live rattlesnake.

06/05/2026

The wheels are in motion for me to make my way to becoming a dynamic dog practitioner. I too seem to be running into case after case that seem to have some missing puzzle piece holding up progress, and I believe that missing piece is pain.

I am going to say something that might ruffle some feathers and I genuinely do not care.

DO THE FU***NG PAIN MED TRIAL.

I have a dog in my program right now. She came to me for biting people in the house when being touched. Which, yes, that is a serious behavior. But before we do anything else, we do the right thing. We rule out pain first. So we sent her to the vet for a full workup. X-rays. The whole thing.

Hip dysplasia confirmed.

And the vet cleared her.

"She is not limping. The hip dysplasia does not seem to be bothering her."

She is biting when touched. She is crying out during normal activity. She cannot settle. She is escalating.

I am not a vet. I want to be really clear about that. But I have been doing this long enough to know that not limping does not mean not hurting. Stoicism is a survival mechanism. Dogs are wired to mask pain. That is not a green light. That is a dog doing exactly what dogs do when their body hurts and nobody is listening.

And here is the thing I keep coming back to. I wrote about this a few months ago when my own back was out and I noticed how much shorter I was with my dogs. How sounds that never bothered me suddenly did. How Rumor's normal snuggling felt impossible. My behavior changed because my capacity changed. Pain does that. To all of us.

Research out of the Autonomous University of Barcelona found a direct link between pain and aggression in dogs. The most common cause? Hip dysplasia. Dogs with no previous history of aggression who developed pain became more impulsive, bit more frequently when handled, and were more likely to assume a defensive posture than dogs who had shown aggression before. And their owners were often completely blindsided because nothing in that dog's history prepared them for it.

Sound familiar?

When a dog is in pain, the brain shifts into survival mode. The pathways that normally handle sensory input, coordination, and emotional regulation get taken over by pain signals. You cannot train your way around that.

You cannot train your way around that. Behavior modification does not fix a body that hurts. The downside of trying is minimal. The downside of not trying is a dog who keeps suffering while everyone looks for answers in the wrong place.

About 80% of my cases have a medical component. That was not something I set out to specialize in. It just kept showing up case after case until I could not ignore it anymore. And now I feel a responsibility to say something when I see it being missed.

So I am genuinely asking, not coming for anyone. What is the hesitation with a pain med trial? What do you actually lose? A few weeks and the cost of the medication. What do you lose by not doing one? A dog who keeps getting labeled a behavior problem while her body is quietly screaming that something hurts.

She is telling us. In the clearest way she knows how.

You don't lose anything by doing the trial but you have everything to lose if you don't.

Picture of Roulette just because.

03/08/2026

Socialization is about helping your dog learn how to behave appropriately in society.

11/21/2025

Basement fun!

11/06/2025

🐾 GIVING TUESDAY 🐾
Early one morning, Salt Lake County Animal Services received a call about a dog who had been lying in a front yard since 8 a.m. The property owner thought she might leave, but hours passed and she still hadn’t moved. When our officers arrived, they noticed she couldn’t put weight on her back left leg — and something was clearly wrong.

With no microchip and no owner in sight, this sweet 2-year-old Siberian Husky/German Shepherd mix froze as officers gently lifted her into the kennel. She didn’t growl or resist — just quietly waited, trusting us to help. That’s how Rocket’s journey with us began on April 1st.

After an exam and X-rays, it was discovered Rocket had a femur fracture that required specialized surgery. Thanks to our Injured Animal Fund, Rocket was able to receive the care she desperately needed.

Dr. Erin Corbin at Granite Veterinary Specialists performed an open reduction and internal fixation surgery, using a plate and screws along the outside of her femur and a pin placed through the center of the bone. The procedure cost $3,274.73, fully covered by our Injured Animal Fund, which exists entirely because of community donations.

The surgery went smoothly, and Rocket is now recovering beautifully. Her veterinary team is optimistic she’ll regain full use of her leg and live a happy, active life.

Rocket’s story is one of strength, compassion, and second chances — made possible because of donors like you. 💙

Your support gives injured animals the opportunity to heal, to love, and to find their forever homes.
Join our Giving Tuesday challenge — Team Dog 🐶 vs. Team Cat 🐱 — and show your support for pets like Rocket!

🔗 Donate through this link! https://cbo.io/bidapp/index.php?slug=slcoasdonations

Comment “dog” or “cat” with your donation and help your team win the Giving Tuesday donation battle!