#owner training problems

[mandana-the-service-pup]

Trying out some commands at a distance for the first time to see what she actually knows.

[taravali-the-service-pup]

Comments on raising an owner-trained service dog as a disabled person.

If you are disabled and have raised/trained your own service dog (with or without outside help) please contribute your wisdom along with the age & breed or type of dog. You don’t have to reveal if your dog has washed but please keep that in mind when adding your comments and how your advice might affect future handlers.

[crisisensues]

Typical morning 🌅

[the-most-humble-blog]

Is My Dog a Racist Asshole?

Let’s face it: dogs are supposed to be man’s best friend—loyal, loving, nonjudgmental. But lately, I’ve been having some serious questions about my furry companion’s moral compass. Is my dog…a racist asshole?

It all started when I noticed a pattern. Every time my neighbor (who just happens to be Black) walks by, my dog loses his mind. Barking, growling, foaming at the mouth like he’s auditioning for Cujo 2: Cancel Culture Edition. But when the FedEx guy, who looks like the living embodiment of a suspicious character, shows up? Nothing. Not a peep.

Dinner Table Diplomacy

I’ve tried addressing the issue like an adult. We’ve had countless conversations over dinner—well, I talk, and he wolfs down his food, completely ignoring me like I don’t exist. No eye contact, no apology, nothing. Just chomping on kibble while I’m pouring my heart out about the importance of equality and being a decent canine citizen.

At this point, I’m questioning everything. Does he even know the Civil Rights Movement happened? Does he have some internalized biases I didn’t catch in puppy training? And why, in the name of all things good, does he only chase the mailman when he’s wearing a turban?

Unpacking the Problem

Let’s break this down:

Selective Barking:

The white lady jogger? Silence.

The elderly Black man walking to church? Full-on DEFCON 1.

Is this coincidence or deeply ingrained prejudice?

Playdate Preferences:

Loves the golden retriever from next door.

Growls at the Doberman two houses down (also Black).

I’m starting to see a pattern, and it’s not great.

Ignoring My Attempts to Educate:

I bought books on inclusion (The Paw in Social Justice, anyone?).

Played Martin Luther King Jr. speeches during cuddle time.

Even tried enrolling him in a dog diversity workshop (turns out, those don’t exist).

But no matter what I do, my dog just doesn’t seem to care. He looks at me like I’m the one being unreasonable, then proceeds to lick his balls like I’m not even talking.

Is He Redeemable?

I’ve thought about hiring a dog therapist. Maybe he’s just misunderstood, or maybe he watched too many reruns of Cops while I was at work. I want to believe he can change, but every time he sniffs another dog’s butt, I can’t help but wonder—what’s he really thinking?

And let’s not forget his friends at the dog park. Have you seen the way he wags his tail at the German Shepherds but snubs the pit bulls? It’s like a canine caste system, and I’m starting to think he’s the problem.

Final Thoughts

Maybe I’m overreacting. Maybe it’s not racism—it’s just really bad manners. Or maybe, deep down, my dog is the four-legged version of every uncle who “doesn’t see color” but mysteriously clutches his wallet a little tighter around minorities.

Either way, I’ve got work to do. Because if my dog is a racist asshole, I refuse to sit idly by. He’s going to learn, even if it means cutting back on treats until he stops barking at people who don’t look like the cast of Friends.

Until then, I’ll keep trying to talk sense into him over dinner. Wish me luck.

[fjordfolk]

also first hike of the year where we've met strangers, and both girls did very well with their trail manners. i always ask them to sit on the side - uphill or on a rock, ideally, because it gives them a bit more mental barrier - while i stand between so people won't have to pass them directly.

sparty has always been good with this because she values food rewards over socializing with people. troj is different and while she won't approach people unless spoken to, if people look at her and talk at the same time, she sees it as an invitation. i haven't been hard on it because she's very calm and the people we've met have seen it as a friendly gesture (which it is) but its happened a few times now and its definitely one of those Things That Make Sense To Troj.

anyway an old man with trekking poles commented on our "good cooperation" which was nice

[darkwood-sleddog]

Can the balanced dog trainers please stop fucking talking about positive reinforcement as if those dogs are not “obedience trained”? A majority of competition obedience dogs I know were trained with R+. Letting your dog wander on the end of a line because you want to do so does not = untrained. It is simply…a choice.

[cozylittleartblog]

∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿ya boi made washi tapes, please consider Purchasing them. at cozylittleartshoppe on etsy. good print, good sticc, i am obsessed

[ignisgayentia]

An update on new yard for miss jellybean.... SHE LOVES IT 😭 she gets to sniff, run, and play in her private space without having to worry about mean reactive dogs from our old apartment 🥺 It's sooo nice to just sit outside while vibing and playing with her 😭

[parkwatcher]

"there are no bad dogs, just bad owners uwu" so youre just admitting youre a bad owner then...........

[mandana-the-service-pup]

Mandana Training & Health Update

TLDR: We’re getting a certified vet behavioralist (ACVB) involved.

A while back we tried to work on some new found resource guarding around dogs because we wanted Mandana to be comfortable when the new puppy arrives in December. We tried classes and private sessions at two separate training centers. The last one referred me to a canine behavior consultant. As of today, that consultant is passing me on to another Fear-Free vet at our clinic who is more knowledgeable about behavior than our current FF vet and she will be working with an additional certified vet behaviorist on our case. (There’s only about 80 in the US so they are very hard to come by and expensive but our insurance should cover it)

Mandana is kind of a conundrum. She is so happy, optimistic and eager to please and has an amazing foundation but she’s not responding to science based training in a way trainers expect. As of now, she’s not a danger. She isn’t growling or biting dogs or making any type of aggression towards people. All the trainers who’ve worked with her think she’s a great service dog candidate (I pulled her from PA a while back) who could go back to working once we smooth over a few minor issues, but she’s not responding to science based training in a predictable way so her case continues to get escalated to the next expert.

Mandana is still a pleasure to live with and a wonderful training partner. She continues to do all of her tasks even though I’ve shifted away from service work and public access. I am focusing on helping her live comfortably in her body. It will take time but the prospect puppy will hopefully take some of the pressure off her in regards to service work and maybe if we figure out these issues Mandana can go back to working part time but if not that’s ok too ❤️

[witchcraftingboop]

After one employee's role with the company was reallocated to-- he was fired, there was a lot of talk about starting active shooter drills, and while most of the shop floor guys were like yeah no we definitely know who triggered that particular HR move, I was moreso looking at my bosses like "so you knew he was crazy this whole time and still said nothing? ... For six years???" Gaslighting your own employees is a feat in and of itself, but for six years you kept telling every one else that they were crazy for thinking Sir Whacko was crazy?? Six years

[azulca]

# cats cats cats

I have been finding that my two kitties will make purposeful messes before I leave to make me stay and clean up.

[cosmosarcana]

wondering how much of my personality Nettle's adapted as her own

[foldingfittedsheets]

When deciding who to work for there is a sliding scale of employers that goes from lil mom and pop shops up to corporate monoliths. I have worked at both ends of the spectrum and I can pretty definitively say that tiny businesses are hands down the most insane employers.

The sweet spot is a place that has like 10-20 stores; that’s the best possible work environment. They’ll be polished enough to have protocols that make work structured, but not so bogged down with bureaucracy that nothing can ever get done.

This story is not from that sweet spot. This story is from my time working at Oil and Vinegar. Now, like many little franchise stores, the idea was solid. There was on tap imported olive oil and vinegar and it was really delicious. Top shelf. Unfortunately, each location was like the Wild West because owners varied wildly.

My owner was the human embodiment of Mr. Krabbs. His eyes were just constant dollar signs. Throughout my training he informed me of the price of every single piece of equipment I touched and how much it cost to replace it.

He had cameras set up to watch us, and an app on his phone to access the live feed. He’d call us to ask what we were doing when he’d just checked a camera to make sure we were being honest.

Now, the trouble was he had two locations. His location further south did amazing. It was way more centrally located and got three times the foot traffic. The one I worked in was in the snottiest mall possible in Arizona and consequently the rent was through the roof.

It was not going well for my store. We didn’t get as much traffic, so there was only so much I could do in a day. I could dust, sweep, and wait for customers. I read a lot and was frank when he called to interrogate me. I always asked for additional tasks but he never had any. What could I do to prop up a failing business?

But this man was convinced there was some Secret Reason that the store I was in was doing worse. He crunched numbers, looked at staff, and eventually hit upon the most insane possible solution.

We used too much toilet paper.

We were probably stealing toilet paper! Bleeding him dry one single ply square at a time! How dare we need to use the bathroom?! His south location used half as much toilet paper as we did, we must be thieving little monsters!!!!

Friends. The south location was populated entirely by men. My location had three people on staff who had to sit to pee. It was so blindly transparently the source of the discrepancy but this man was convinced we were making off with toilet paper to bankrupt him.

So he implemented what he believed to be an entirely reasonable response to this base treachery. We were allowed to have one roll of toilet paper. At any given time, one roll was permitted to us. This was so transparently unhinged that we protested but he insisted. If we were low on toilet paper we needed to call him to drop off a roll that he brought from his home. Smiling jovially, he assured us he lived so close by that it would be no problem!

When we needed to call him often for more he started tearing his hair out. What were we using toilet paper for?! Why wasn’t his genius plan to stop our scandalous waste working??!

Finally, the manager, the only man on staff had to pull the owner aside and be like, “Look, man, their bladders are smaller. They need to wipe every time they pee. They need to pee even more on their period. Is this really the hill you want to die on?”

Yes. It was. The manager was fired unrelated reasons and denounced as a traitor. The toilet paper ration lasted until I quit and probably until the store closed six months later.

[thinkinonsense]

Sit Still｡𖦹°‧

—gif credit: not mine!! i can't remember where i found it but if i can find it again or the owner comments, ill add their username <3

logan howlett x fem!reader

cw: cockwarming (sorta?), innocence kink, p in v, logan attempts to teach reader how to ride.

a/n: apologies for this being so short but chapter two of bewitched should be out friday or saturday! also i'll be responding to some requests soon too in case i spam lmao

"a-are you sure 'bout this, lo?"

your timid voice echos around the bedroom, capturing logan's attention again. he's been dreaming for months of this sight in front of him; you sitting pretty in his lap, only wearing a pink lacy bra and a pair of matching panties.

"you want me to make you feel good, right sweetheart?"

a small sigh escapes you as you attempt to grind onto him again. logan places his large hands on your waist to stop you from wiggling around. he knows you can't help it, you're still new to this after all.

it started a month ago when you and logan were left alone together in the mansion. everyone was on a field trip a couple hours away. you were recovering from a cold and logan simply didn't want to chaperone. instead, he offered to stay back with you.

late one evening, he came in to check on you and ask if there was anything you needed. that's when you asked him the question that nearly killed him, 'will you take my virginity?' you didn't see a problem with it. the two of you weren't strangers, you trusted logan, and he obviously has experience since he's much older than you.

ever since that night, you two have been going at it like rabbits. tonight, logan promised to help you get used to being on top. more importantly, training you to take him from this angle.

"c'mon, baby..." he coos with one hand on your hip and the other holding a cigar to his lips. "do it just like i told ya'."

swiftly, logan removes the rest of the material between the two of you before resting back against the mattress. anxiously, you line him up to your entrance and slowly sink down until you're sat fully on his lap again.

"nice 'n slow for me, sweetheart. that's it, stay still..." logan hums, lost in your tight, wet heat. he can hear every little noise coming from your lips. "atta girl."

it's a struggle to take all of him at once. you can feel him deep in your gut, nudging that sweet spot inside of you. logan can tell that your nerves are still tangled in knots, practically strangling his cock.

"lo, i c-can't do it." you huff, upset at yourself. "too full to move."

"poor fuckin' baby." logan teases with faux sympathy. "how 'bout we try something else for now?"

too caught up with the soft grind of his hips, you nod your head mindlessly to his proposal. logan brings his thumb to his lips, replacing the cigar which is now back on the nightstand. he sits up, making you whimper as he does so. you lean forward to capture his lips with your own, whispering how badly you needed him to just fuck you himself. instead, logan's got something else in mind.

"ah!" you gasp as he starts to rub your button with the wet pad of thumb. "f-fuck, right there..."

the soft rocking of your hips makes your toes curl and fingers pull at his little kitten tuffs. logan's mouth moves south to your chest. one nipple in his mouth then the other until both are swollen and kiss bitten. vibrations pour from his mouth as he groans at the tight squeezing of your cunt around his girth.

"ah-ah." he tsks, hand coming up to grip your jaw, pinching your cheeks together gently. "what did i say 'bout staying still?"

"s-sorry, lo.." you whimper voice muffled by your squished pouty lips.

despite having incredible stamina, logan was ready to release just from looking at your pretty face. he never been this close to cumming so soon but feeling you tense around him and wiggle in his lap made his head spin. all of this movement from only his thumb drawing circles.

"christ..." he grunts in your ear, moving faster now and with more pressure. "you're tryin' a kill me, sweetheart."

all logan gets in response is incoherent babbles of 'don't stop' and 'please, please, please'. he knows you are close when you claw at his back and start to bounce on him little by little, just enough to make you see stars. it all feels too much yet not enough at the same time. logan's circles start to get sloppy as he approaches his high too.

"l-logan!" you squeal, heavy eyes trying to focus on his face. "wanna feel you..."

in a rush, logan picks up the pace, torturing your button with his thumb. a loud moan falls from your lips, trying to wiggle out of logan's grip as your orgasm washes over you with intense euphoria. logan growls in your neck from your tight fucking grip on his cock, pumping his load inside of your walls. some of it spilling out of you and drenching the sheets.

the two of you catch your breath in silence for a moment. your nails scratch his scalp softly while logan pulls you down to kiss him. after a second, you move back, smiling down at him in a way that makes him harden again.

"thought you were gonna show me how to ride?" you tease.

logan shoots you a cocky eyebrow raise before leaning back again, one hand on your hip and the other returning to his cigar on the night stand.

"alright, baby..." he chuckles, re-lighting the cigar and paying little attention to the roll of your hips. "let me see what you got."

[just-a-cinnamon-bun]

I just got a new job and I’m relieved by how much I like it so far.