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Your husky may have been bred to pull. They still need to learn how to walk calmly with you.

Your hound may have been bred to hunt. They still need impulse control.

Your border collie may have been bred to herd. They still need to learn how to stay regulated around movement.

Breed matters. Genetics matter. Drive matters.

And we should absolutely honor what our dogs were bred to do.

But honoring the breed does not mean handing them the keys and hoping they make good choices.

Your dog’s genetics may explain the behavior. They do not excuse a lack of guidance.

If left to decide for themselves, your husky may turn you into the sled. Your hound may turn your neighbor’s chickens into prey. Your herding dog may turn your children into livestock.

That’s not your dog being bad.

That’s your dog doing what they were created to do without enough direction from you.

Give them outlets. Give them fulfillment. Give them appropriate ways to use their instincts.

But don’t use their breed as a reason to avoid teaching them how to live in your world.

Research the breed before you bring the dog home. Not just the size. Not just the coat. Not just how cute they are as puppies.

Research the drive, the temperament, the energy, the history, and the lifestyle that dog was built for.

Because your dog’s breed tells you what you’re working with.

It does not give you permission to opt out of leadership.

We can’t believe we’re writing yet another goodbye post to one of our pack members. This summer feels like we’ve lost so many amazing dogs.

Woody is no exception. This boy had the most hilarious personality. He never spent a day with us where he didn’t make us laugh. We wish we had more time with him. But that’s true for all the best dogs.

Rest in peace, Woody. We’ll miss you, buddy.

Excitement is one of the most misunderstood emotions in dogs.

Because unlike fear, anxiety, or aggression, excitement usually doesn’t make us uncomfortable.

In fact, we often encourage it.

We laugh when our dogs lose their minds when guests come over. We love when they can’t contain themselves before a walk. We think it’s cute when they’re bouncing off the walls because we’re about to throw a ball.

A dog that is screaming, jumping, spinning, pulling, barking, and unable to think clearly isn’t demonstrating joy.

They’re demonstrating a lack of self-control.

That doesn’t mean excitement is bad. It just means excitement isn’t automatically healthy.

The goal isn’t to eliminate excitement. The goal is to teach your dog how to experience excitement without losing themselves in it.

Because the same dog that can’t regulate themselves when they’re excited often struggles to regulate themselves when they’re frustrated, fearful, or stressed.

Emotional regulation isn’t something we teach only during the hard moments. It’s something we practice during the fun ones, too.

A dog that can stay connected to you when they’re excited can stay connected to you when it really matters.

Head to Paw Partner to sign up!

Chiropractic and MagnaWave services will be offered on Thursday, 9/3. We'll be closed on 9/7 for Labor Day.

Wishing the happiest of birthdays to the one and only Maverick!

Maverick has been with our pack since he was just a tiny puppy! Over time he has learned so many skills. He now sets a good example during play in our pack and has some great obedience skills. Mavericks happy go lucky and goofy energy has our team smiling every day! There is never a dull moment when hanging out with Mav.

We love this boy and are so excited for all of the years to come.🤎

Testimonial Tuesday!!

Last week we said goodbye to Wasabi, and I’m still not sure there are words that really do her justice.

Some dogs come into your life and leave a mark that feels completely disproportionate to the amount of time you actually get with them. Wasabi was one of those dogs. Everything about her was big — her personality, her opinions, her ability to make you laugh, and the space she took up in the hearts of everyone who knew her.

Getting to be a small part of her story was such a gift. I got to watch her grow, learn from her, and watch the relationship between her and her people become something really special. There’s something beautiful about seeing a dog end up exactly where they were always supposed to be, with people who loved her just as fiercely as she deserved.

There are dogs you remember because of what you taught them, and then there are dogs you remember because of what they taught you. Wasabi will always be the latter for me.

What a privilege it was to know and love you, Wasabi. You made a whole lot of lives better just by being exactly who you were, and you’ll be missed more than words can really say.

Treats have their place.

But if your dog only understands what to do when food is involved, then they’re responding to the treat—not the information.

Dogs already understand pressure and release. They use it with each other every single day through movement, space, body language, and social interactions.

The leash allows us to communicate in a language they naturally understand.

It provides direction. It provides clarity. It provides information.

The goal isn’t to lure your dog through life. The goal is to teach them how to respond to guidance.

Because eventually there will be moments where you don’t have food in your hand. In those moments, communication matters. Teach your dog what the leash means.

You'll always have a leash on your leash walks. You might not always have treats.

Today we’re saying, see you later, to Petrie, Bronco, and Valerie!

This sweet pack has been part of our days for years, and we’re going to miss having them around. Each one brought something different to our packs, and we’ve loved getting to watch their personalities shine. Each one has also made a huge amount of progress since we met them. The dedication their mom has shown is unmatched!

We’re excited for their next adventure out of state and hope their new home has plenty of grass to roll around in, new places to explore, and lots of fun ahead!

Good luck, Petrie, Bronco, and Valerie! We’ll miss you guys! ❤️

Help us welcome Libby to the team!

Libby is no stranger to the dog world and MIK9! She has a background of many years working with dogs in different capacities. You may have seen Libby learning and participating at our MIK9 Workshops or learning on our membership page MIK9 Extended.

We are so excited to watch her grow and help our pack grow as well.