Tawny the Wonder Dog and me
I am Christy Paxton. I worked with dogs professionally starting in 2003 and ran my own business in Northeast Ohio for 16 years.* I’ve taken a long and winding journey through the world of dogs — when I was a kid, we used choke chains, yanked and yelled at our dogs. I didn’t like it, it didn’t work, but I didn’t know any other way. I do now.
What I believe in:
1. Kindness. There is no reason to get physical with a dog or force him to do something unless there is a safety issue.
2. Understanding. Research proves aversive/punishment-based training is much less effective than rewards-based training.
3. Communication. Relating properly to both human and dog ensures everyone understands what’s going on, what needs to be done, and how/why to do it.
I am not a dog trainer. I am a DogLife Skills Instructor and a Kindness Specialist. My goal is to help as many dogs and people as I can learn to treat each other with love and respect. That’s all!
*Note: I retired in 2020 but am still working to share what I have learned through volunteering, books, writings like these posts, and videos. I also lost my partner, teacher and best friend, Tawny, in 2020, after sharing life with her every day for 16 years. The grief is vast, the hole is deep, but the one thing she taught me that keeps me moving is to enjoy with goofy abandon every moment. Rest easy, precious girl.
dogpogblog 
Christy, I love this news letter. The sweet potato thing. I am going to get you a cleaver or a Ronco potato slicer, (if the still make them). I cook sweet potatos and also give her uncooked sweet potatoes or yams almost daily. They can be frozen if not cooked and like Tawny, Olive runs with delight with her Sweet Potato.
Love the pic of you. “There she is miss america”.