The trial period is over. We’re launching Dog Support sometime in the coming week.

A Dog Support button will be inserted into the base of each blog post where the Twitter icon was. You can fill out a very brief application form that will be e-mailed to me at [email protected], and I’ll get back to you. That’s all there is to it.

(BTW, I’ve canceled my subscription to Twitter. I’m Jewish born, and in my entire life, I’ve never experienced a fraction of the anti-semitism I encountered on Twitter in five minutes earlier this week. I rarely went on Twitter, but I did public my blog there. For those Twitter readers, I’m sorry. If my grandmother were on Twitter, she’d be heading out of the country. The demons are out of their holes. I’m staying right here.)

Here’s what I learned in my first trial month of Dog Support:

People need someone to talk to about their dogs, from sitting and staying to dealing with fear and hostility, acclimating dogs to horses and donkeys, children to dogs,  being happy in crates, coping with separation anxiety, choosing a dog wisely, and teaching them what they need to do.

I’m qualified to help and eager to be of assistance.

People need to do some serious thinking, planning, and research before they choose a dog or get a dog. Millions of dogs adopted during the pandemic as emotional support systems are being returned to shelters and euthanized because people didn’t bother to learn about them before bringing them home.

I would love to help with that problem. We can save some dog lives.

No one complains about the fee. I’ve been scolded for not charging more than $50 per half-hour, but that feels good to me right now. At the end of the year, which is soon, I’ll get up the fee to $65 a half hour.

Of the 12 support sessions I’ve hosted so far – Zoom, phone, and Facetime – all but one have been very happily resolved. The one – a dog with dreadful fear – is improving, but that issue is still ongoing. We talk on the phone (at no charge) every week. This one will take a while.) I intend to stick with people until their problems are resolved.

I much enjoy doing this, it’s like chess to me, and I am meeting some fantastic dog lovers, fascinating people I am happy to know.

The requests came in quickly and have quieted down, so I have slots available every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on Zoom (or phone) at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. We are having fun.

I believe most conventional dog training is a disaster that undermines people’s confidence in their ability to solve dog issues. Cesar has a small army of assistants. Most of us have none. It’s different.

I advocate being your own guru and thinking outside of the box. My goal is not to tell you what to do but to help you do what you want. That’s a big difference.

I’m an enthusiastic, positive reinforcement trainer – nothing works better – (some of the animal rights people have suggested I murder puppies in our barn because I euthanized an aggressive dog once. Not yet. Like the people trying to kill off the New York Carriage Horses, these people are not big on truth.

As is evident to my blog readers, I’m a big squish, and the dogs play me like a fiddle (or Eukelele). It’s always easier to tell other people what to do than to do it.

I feel like I’m good at this work, I’ve seen and learned and written a lot, and I  enjoy doing it. If you have a problem you want to work on or a fear you want dealt with, feel free to e-mail me at [email protected]. I’ll respond.

I will try to help and stick with you by e-mail and phone once our session is done. I look forward to hearing from you.