Spicy Dog Mama

Happy Spicy Dog Mama Monday (A mini series)Start your week off with a reminder that you are awesome. "Two steps forward and one step back is still one step forward"- Rosa Diaz, Brooklyn 99 Reactivity is hard. You are allowed to be frustrated, tired, discouraged. But keep showing up for you & your dog. Want to join the conversation?Send me a message reesecanineco@gmail.comFollow me on instagramFollow Reys journey!Check out my book Rescuing Reese a story about a fearful Pitbull finding his forever home. He taught me so much and I'm forever grateful for this dog.  Support the show

Ah it's been a while hasn't it. That seems to be how I do things lately. Please join me in an unedited update on my life. (Okay I edited a LITTLE- but I just don't have time for that anymore!)Life is wild... in a good way. And I want to share what's been going on, if you care! Remember... this is  a judgement free zone Join the conversation! Send me a message :)reesecanineco@gmail.comwww.instagram.com/spicydogmamawww.instagram.com/mylittlepibbleRESCUING REESE  - the story of how a fearful pitbull finds his forever home www.reesecanineco.com Support the showSupport the show

Happy National Kids and Pets Day! A not at all made up, totally familiar, and obviously nation-wide celebrated as the day to appreciate the relationship between children and their companions... Did you sense the sarcasm? I hope I'm not the only one who just found out about this day, but it's a good excuse for an episode! I'm going to chat about my experiences with kids and dogs and what I'm doing right now to raise one little boy to be so well versed in dog behavior and the most respectful to all animals.Not all dogs like kids, not all kids like dogs, and there is nothing wrong with that. Join the conversation! Send me a message :) info@reesecanineco.comwww.instagram.com/spicydogmamawww.instagram.com/mylittlepibbleRESCUING REESE  - the story of how a fearful pitbull finds his forever home www.reesecanineco.com 

As a spicy dog mama to my beloved bully, Rey, I am all too familiar with breed discrimination and am a huge advocate for "Don't Bully My Breed". For this episode I reached out to dog mom, Sarah (better known on instagram as @MolsonandMyatheMaltese) to discuss the "bullying" or struggles that she goes through as the owner of small dogs who also get too much hate, and what it has been like dealing with reactivity. Her less than 5lb hiking buddies are not toys, nor does their reactivity does make them "little demons". Give them a follow on Instagram:www.instagram.com/molsonandmyathemalteseHappy New Year!!www.reesecanineco.com - Order Rescuing Reese! The story of a fearful pitbull finding his forever home despite his distrust and behaviour towards humans.www.instragram.com/SpicyDogMamawww.instragram.com/MyLittlePibble - follow Rey's adventures and fashion!Questions? Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out!info@reesecanineco.com

And we're back again! With an honest update of the last few months and what I haven't shared on social media. As our reactivity journey continues with its ups and downs, we cannot help but compare ourselves, our training, our progress and fall backs, with what we see on the dogstagram. We had come so far and then things changed so drastically; we aren't where we used to be while others continue to succeed. And it's hard. Oh and I'm 35 weeks pregnant. Instagram: @spicydogmama / @mylittlepibbleRescuing Reese - tales of a rescue available at www.reesecanineco.comReese's birthday sale running August 1st to 14th 50% OFFHonourable mentions: Canine Steele - custom biothane muzzles made in Canada @canine.steeleDoggett Style Dog Training - Nova Scotia, Canada @doggett.style

Another unedited update on our lives and the big changes that we've gone through in the last three months. After a year in our apartment Rey was regressing and her reactivity/anxiety was getting really bad. After a few months we were able to find a house to move into with my partner Devan in January 2023. We have discovered new challenges living in our home and we have been navigating these together. Trying to help Rey with all of these changes has been a journey in itself, dealing with additional stresses, exhaustion and other health changes, and I'm constantly learning and growing with her. In the midst of all of these big changes we have yet another surprise for Rey Rey and it will bring new challenges that we are very excited about and I'm also very excited to share this with everyone. Stay tuned for more adventures! www.spicydogmama.comspicydogmama@gmail.cominstagram.com/spicydogmamainstagram.com/mylittlepibble

Your dog wants you to take care of yourself.If you are feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, stressed, frustrated... then your dog is probably feeling it too. You are doing so much, working so hard, putting your all into your dog. That is AMAZING! But you can get burnt out, and you need to make sure that you are also taking the time to take care of YOU. This episode happened by accident when I was talking to Cait (@FreddyandtheStorm) about her relationships & breakups involving dogs, as part of the dogs and dating series. But when things took a turn we ran for it at full speed because this is such an important conversation and one that I very much so needed to hear. You need to take care of yourself in order to truly take care of your dog. You matter. THANK YOU for an amazing 2022 journey. Two short seasons came out since July (17 episodes in total) and it was an absolute blast. www.instagram.com/spicydogmamawww.instagram.com/mylittlepibblewww.spicydogmama.comspicydogmama@gmail.com

We don't talk enough about the grief that comes with a break up. We also don't truly know the pain of losing a dog until it happens to you. What about losing a dog during a break up...? That is a pain only a few understand. But then there is the other side of it. You keep the dog but they lose a very special person in their life. Perhaps your dog lost a furry sibling. On Part Five of the dogs & dating series we take a turn and talk about something not everyone can relate to but that hits home for a lot of people. Breaking up With Dogs.Sydney is dog mom extraordinaire to THREE dogs. All with reactivity struggles to some degree and she is absolutely nailing it. Her day to day is not perfect but she does so well taking care of her dogs. She has also gone through.... a lot. Sydney shares her (two) experiences of break ups that involve dogs. Losing a dog... her dog going through heart break and overcoming those obstacles.This is the final instalment of the dogs & dating series. Part one: The Dog Father (the dog dad perspective)Part two: Dogless & Dating (the female perspective)Part three: Dating Dog Moms Part four: How to Date a Dog MomNext week: Taking a break for your mental health. Its dark out by 4pm. You're exhausted. Your dogs reactivity has taken a turn. You are at your wits end. Take. A. Break.You still matter. Your mental health matters.I get to have a wonderful unplanned conversation with dog mom Cait about taking a break for your mental health. Which I think is very timely over the holidays when everyone is uber stressed and stretched thin. This will be the final episode of Season Two because truth be told. I need a break as well. instagram: www.instragram.com/spicydogmamawww.instagram.com/mylittlepibblewww.spicydogmama.comspicydogmama@gmail.com

The fourth part of the dogs and dating series; the dog mom perspective. A collection of experiences, thoughts, opinions and expectations when it comes to dating and owning dogs. Though dog moms & dog dads value, care and love our dogs all the same - there are still some differences when it comes to what we want & need in a relationship! I got to have two interviews, one with Charleigh and one with Ashleigh, both dog moms to non-reactive dogs, though have experiences with reactivity (friend's or previously owned dogs) and I also had experiences sent into me by a few of my followers on Instagram as well as a good friend of mine. Part One: The Dog Dad PerspectivePart Two: The Dog-less Female PerspectivePart Three: The Dog-less Male PerspectivePart Five: Next week we end off the series with Breaking Up With Dogs. Sharing my own and a friend's experience going through a breakup and both losing a dog and dealing with our dogs heartbreak of losing one of their people. www.instagram.com/spicydogmamawww.spicydogmama.comspicydogmama@gmail.comREY www.instagram.com/mylittlepibble

Tyler, 'the mostly harmless accounant', share's his experience in the dating world as a single guy in this thirties who does not own a dog. We got to talk about some of his thoughts, opinions and feelings on dating dog moms. He has many stories to share, and unfortunately not all could make the cut, but the parts that made it in could potentially be very valuable to us dog moms especially those who are single and dating. (Or at least some food for thought).Part One : The Dog Father - single dog dads and their thoughts on datingPart Two: Dogless and Dating - single woman's experience dating dog dadsPart Three: Dating Dog MomsUP NEXT Part Four: The Mind of the Dog MamaMake sure you're subscribed so that you don't miss any episodes! Be sure to like, rate & review.Follow me on instagram @spicydogmamaGive Rey a follow too! @mylittlepibblewww.spicydogmama.com

Part two of the Dogs & Dating series I get to talk with my sister Courtney, dog auntie extraordinaire. She is a single woman who does not own a dog and shares her stories, opinions and expectations when it comes to dating men with dogs. She has experience with my three dogs and how very different they were, and has been a huge part of their lives - she also understands so much about dog behaviour and reactivity because of it!As dog owners there could be some things we can learn from a single & dogless person about what it's like from her perspective dating people with dogs. She doesn't speak for all women in her position (of course), but it is still interesting to hear about what she has gone through and what her thoughts are.Stay tuned for further perspectives:Dogless & Dating (the Male Perspective)The Dog Mom PerspectiveBreaking Up With DogsSuccessful Dogs & Dating Stories. Be sure to follow me on Instagram @spicydogmama and my girl Rey @mylittlepibbleYou can also check out my blog spicydogmama.com

This week was supposed to be part two of the Dogs & Dating Series. But I took a step back because I am lacking the energy and mental capacity to work on that series right now. So instead I thought I would be vulnerable, transparent and honest in an unedited update of the unfortunate events in my life that have brought me to this moment. Owning a reactive dog is hard and it's also a roller coaster. There are highs and lows, and sometimes you ride that high for so long that you forget what being in the low parts feel like. Well let me remind you, it is not easy.Rey and I are trying our best right now but things are not going great and I want to share that openly so that others who are struggling know that they aren't alone. We are in this together and we will get through it together. If  you need a safe space to rant, I'm your girl. Reach out any time to share what you're going through. I don't have to offer any advice or suggestions. I can just listen. Because that is sometimes all that we need. www.instagram.com/spicydogmamaspicydogmama@gmail.comThere is no blog post for this episode but feel free to check out prior posts at spicydogmama.comComing soon:Part Two: Dogs & Dating - All the Single Dog-less LadiesA single woman who has not or ever owned her own dog, and what it's like dating.... dog dads. 

Part One of the Dogs & Dating series we get to hear from four different dog dads.Hayden, Eddie, Tyson and Jeff are all single dog dads who share their perspective on what dating is like while owning a dog. What their priorities, expectation, and deal breakers are.You may remember Eddie from Season One, he is a dog trainer at Classic Canine K9 and also a dog handler at a structured doggy daycare. He was on Episode Nine 'Handling Reactivity' where we heard more about his story. Owning dogs is not always a 'walk in the park' and neither is dating. So I wanted to chat with as many people as possible to hear their stories and thoughts on dogs AND dating. In this series we first have the dog dad perspective. Coming up we will also get the dog mom perspective, the perspective of trying to date a dog dad, trying to date a dog dad, breaking up when dogs are involved, and successful relationships with dogs. If you want to share a story, your thoughts, opinions, etc. Send me a message! You can find me on instagramwww.instagram.com/spicydogmamaSend me an email spicydogmama@gmail.comOr reach out on my blog www.spicydogmama.com - Here you can also read more about my journey, and I share each episode in an easy to ready blog format (with photos). 

Julia joins us to talk about her one year old Belgian Malinois/Border Collie mix, Kilo.  She shares her training journey- getting  a mix of two incredibly high energy, high drive working breeds. Breaking stereotypes about the breeds and training in a way that matched her values and works for her dog! He's not a reactive boy. But with experience with reactive dogs and from hearing about others to the dog community. It has affected the way that they train and live their everyday life (in a good way).He is one handsome and wonderful boy, and his account has been growing steadily in popularity. But things aren't always as glamorous as they look. Instagram: www.instagram.com/malinois_kilowww.instagram.com/spicydogmamawww.instagram.com/mylittlepibbleRead it on the blog!www.reesesnpieces.comEmail me: spicydogmama@gmail.comJoin our community on Facebook! Balancing Reactivity Canadian Dogs https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107741093406927A safe, supportive, and encouraging environment to share our stories, our wins and ask questions. 

Dog handler/trainer Eddie from Classic K9 Academy based in Toronto shares his experiences with his first dog, having absolutely zero dog experience and from there what he's learned and how he got to where he is today. Finding a professional trainer is such an important step in your journey with your reactive dog. Do your research into trainers that will suit you and your dog and align with what you want to achieve and also what you believe in. Any experience/training processes or methods mentioned in this podcast is not to be used for your dog without the guidance of a professional trainer. What works for some dogs doesn't work for other dogs so please be careful and ensure the safety and wellbeing of your dog.  If you want to read the podcast, check out the blog! www.reesesnpieces.comFollow us!www.instagram.com/classick9academyhttps://www.classick9academy.com/https://www.theoriginaldoghouse.com/www.instagram.com/spicydogmamawww.instagram.com/mylittlepibble

Being face with the same scenarios repeatedly (off leash dogs in on-leash areas, "don't worry he's friendly", and the dirty looks or snide remarks when you ask them to leash their dogs), leave us frustrated and angry. Over time we grow increasingly tired of the same barriers and obstacles that we face while trying to help our dogs with their reactivity, we may find ourselves growing quite reactive ourselves... Or maybe it's just me. The question is, am I more reactive than my dog? There have been situations that Rey has actually been impressively calm and handled it beautifully meanwhile I'm in full rage mode and it takes me a few moments, hours, a rant and glass of wine later for my hackles to come down. When you are frustrated, fearful or just anxious, it's okay to have a reaction (just likes it okay if our dogs react - we just have to help them). So I also had to work on my own reactivity in order to better help my dog! To be calm in situations where she needed me to guide her. I'm sure many can relate to the many scenarios I describe in this episodes as these encounters are FAR too common. Instagram:www.instagram.com/spicydogmamawww.instagram.com/mylittlepibbleEmail: spicydogmama@gmail.comBlog: www.reesesnpieces.com/blog

On our second guest interview we get to talk to Emily, dog mom to Dolly, a rescue potcake from the Bahamas. She shares her story about adopting Dolly, the obstacles that they've faces along the way and what she has learned on their journey to get the where they are today. From thinking that her dog was friendly with all dogs and people, to the realization that she is in fact selective with all dogs and people and how she manages her environments to keep Dolly safe, to trust Emily as a handler and is able to thrive with her new lifestyle. Every reactivity journey looks different but there is also so much that we've been able to relate to and learn from each other. Join my Facebook group for a community of reactive dog owners who are sharing their stories, providing support and encouragement, in a safe environment with absolutely zero shame or judgement.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107741093406927Instagram:www.instagram.com/spicydogmamawww.instagram.com/mylittlepibbleBlog: www.reesesnpieces.comContact me at spicydogmama@gmail.com

Adjusting my expectations for the dog and puppy that I thought I was going to have, versus what I ended up with.You dreamed of raising your puppy or adopting a dog into your life that could go on adventures with you and love absolutely everyone and everything, but turns our your dog is not as social as you thought they would be; they don't enjoy all dogs or maybe none at all. It's difficult coming to the realization that you may never have the dog you thought you would, and that the way your dog is, is absolutely okay.Reactive dogs are not uncommon, dogs that are dog-selective is normal. I, myself, do not do well in all social situations, it's not necessarily the situation that I want to be in. Why do I put higher expectations on my dog?Read it: www.reesesnpieces.com/blogJoin the Facebook Group! Balancing Reactivity Canadian DogsInstagram:www.instagram.com/spicydogmamawww.instagram.com/mylittlepibbleReach out! spicydogmama@gmail.com

The things that reactive dog owners want everyone else to know and do differently. Owning a reactive dog is hard and we are constantly facing obstacles in and outside of our home. But there is something that other dog owners, the 'friendly' dog owners can do differently which would make a huge difference in our ability to train our dogs and feel safe.  I was once the unknowing dog owner, who didn't have a clue that other dogs can  be anxious or not like other dogs, and what harm can my little untrained Shih Tzu do, off leash in an on-leash area. (I was also twelve). What would you add to this letter? Let me know!spicydogmama@gmail.comInstagramwww.instagram.com/spicydogmamawww.instagram.com/mylittlepibblewww.reesesnpieces.comJoin our Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107741093406927

What are you first thoughts when you see a dog with  a muzzle? Are they aggressive? Should you be nervous?Muzzles have been a huge part of our training journey and have helped us tremendously to get to where we are today. There are so many different reasons why a dog may be wearing a muzzle and I want to dive into that. I want to change the way people see muzzles. Muzzles = a responsible owner. Muzzled dogs are good dogs. Resources for muzzles/muzzle training:www.instagram.com/muzzle_up_projectwww.instagram.com/the.muzzle.movementwww.instagram.com/trustyourdogTrainers mentioned:www.mangodogs.comFacebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107741093406927Blog:www.reesesnpieces.comFind us:www.instagram.com/spicydogmamawww.instagram.com/mylittlepibble

On this episode I get to interview my FIRST guest host! A really good friend of mine who I had just met this year at training at Mango Dogs. She shares her story about raising her pup Archer from 8 weeks and where his reactivity started, what they did to overcome it and where they are now. Because it's not 'all in how you raise them'.Instagram Spicy Dog Mama https://www.instagram.com/spicydogmama/Archer https://www.instagram.com/archer.thesablegsd/Rey https://www.instagram.com/mylittlepibble/Facebook group (Balancing Reactivity Canadian Dogs)https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107741093406927Read the interview:www.reesesnpieces.com/blogTrainers mentionedhttps://www.mangodogs.com/https://doggettstyle.com/Please seek professional help when training your reactive dog and also do your research into which trainer is best suited for you and your dogs needs. The methods and experiences mentioned in this episode have worked for our dogs but will not work for every dog, please use your discretion and make safety a priority. 

A rescue, a Golden, a Puppy - oh my!In this episode I share where I started in 2018 with my fear-aggressive rescue, what made me decide to get a puppy, and then how I ended up living with my ex and his hyperactive golden, with all three dogs under the same roof. There is SO much more to my story but these are some big moments which include a lot of big mistakes. I'm being very real in this episode and I hope that I can relate to you in some way as I share my journey - all of the highs and lows involved. Reese's Rescue Story : https://www.reesesnpieces.com/post/reeses-rescue-storyInstagramwww.instagram.com/spicydogmamawww.instagram.com/mylittlepibble

In this episode I touch on what reactivity is in dogs, what does it look like and where it may come from. I go into a bit of my story and what reactivity looked like for my rescue Reese who has since passed, and for my puppy Rey. I'm not an expert or professional trainer so I only offer some tips on how to get started on your journey for dealing with reactivity. I also talk about a well meaning phrase "It's all in how you raise them" and how I feel about this phrase and that I really wish people would stop using it. Transcript: https://podcast.reesesnpieces.com/2021344/11025360-1-what-is-reactivity-it-s-all-in-how-you-raise-themFacebook group Balancing Reactivity Canadian Dogs : https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107741093406927Blog: https://www.reesesnpieces.com/Instagram: www.instagram.com/mylittlepibble and www.instagram.com/spicydogmama

An introduction to me (Cassidy) and my girl Rey, a sweet but pyscho (kidding kind of) Pibble.  In 2018 I rescued a dog named Reese who changed everything I thought I knew about dogs and training. In 2019 I brought home my puppy (Rey), and shortly thereafter my now-ex moved  in with his hyperactive Golden, Riley. The past four years I have grown so much as a dog mom. I trained these three VERY different dogs and learned so much about dog behaviour, reactivity, and training in general. I am not an expert, not even close, and I continue to make mistakes. But I'm out here doing what is best for the dog in front of me, trying different methods to give her the most fulfilling life. I am meeting such incredible people who are helping me on this journey, and brushing off the shame and negativity that comes from the dog community. I'm going to share mine and others' journeys and hope that it is helpful for someone listening who might be in a similar place, and maybe I'll learn something on the way!