The bark, the bite & the blog

Notes from the kennel

Honest, practical writing on aggression, reactivity, and living with a difficult dog. No fluff, no filler.

Training

The Place Command Explained: Why It's One of the Most Powerful Commands You Can Teach

How the place command works, why it builds calmness and impulse control, and how to use it successfully at home and in public.

Owner Guides

How to Choose the Right Dog Daycare: 10 Questions Every Owner Should Ask

Choosing a daycare is about more than convenience. How to evaluate safety, structure, supervision, and reactive-dog policies before you trust a facility.

Aggression & Reactivity

Why Dogs Don't Bite "Out of Nowhere": A Trainer's Analysis of a Child Dog Attack

Think dogs bite without warning? A breakdown of the warning signs, the supervision mistakes, and the body language that came first.

Aggression & Reactivity

Reactive Dog Daycare: Can Daycare Help, or Make Your Dog Worse?

Aggression & Reactivity

Why My Dog Is Reactive to Certain Dogs, and What Most Owners Miss

Owner Guides

How to Choose the Right Dog Trainer: Honest Answers to 10 Common Questions

Aggression & Reactivity

Rehabbing Severe Aggression: What It Actually Takes

Aggression & Reactivity

Dog Aggression Isn't Random. It Has Hidden Triggers

Aggression & Reactivity

Aggression in Dogs: An In-Depth Training Example

Owner Guides

What to Do If You Own a Reactive Dog

Aggression & Reactivity

Controlled Socialization for Reactive Dogs

Training

Why 'Heel' Is the First Command We Teach With an E-Collar

Training

Boundary Training: Claiming Space at the Door (Video Session)

Training

Your Dog Is a Physical Animal. And My Review of the Miami Dog Whisperer

Training

Training Profile: The Cane Corso

Training

Training Profile: The Boston Terrier

Owner Guides

Common Owner Habits That Quietly Hurt Your Dog

Owner Guides

What to Do If an Off-Leash Dog Approaches You

Owner Guides

Does Uber Allow Dogs in Chicago? What About Lyft?

Owner Guides

5 Toxins to Watch Out For This Fall

Facility & News

Lakeview Pack Walks Are Back

Facility & News

Introducing the Bark, the Bite, and the Blog

Start here

Book a consultation.

We'll meet your dog, watch the behavior in person, and tell you honestly what's realistic. No pressure, no upsell. Just a straight answer from someone who works the hard cases.

Book a Consultation Register for Daycare

Training (872) 294-4940 · Daycare & Boarding (773) 661-6762 · 2926 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60612