New Moon Pawracle Cards

If you're here, you probably picked up a New Moon Pet Training business card recently, and noticed a pet on the back. That's not a stock photo. That pet is a client of mine.

Every dog and cat I work with teaches their person something along the way, whether they meant to or not. I've taken those lessons and turned each one into a little oracle reading. Each pet is listed as name, breed, age — search the page for yours to find their card, and see what they have to say.

Hades, German Shepherd, 2 years old

When you receive this card, you are standing at the threshold of something new. A new dog, a new goal, a new chapter, you are taking a leap of faith into the unknown.

Hades reminds you the first steps are always the hardest. Frustration doesn't mean you're on the wrong path. It can mean you're learning. Don't rage against it. Break it down into smaller pieces and take it one step at a time.

To welcome this energy, play 101 things to do with a box. Place a box in front of your dog and reward any interaction with the box (sniffing, pawing, nudging, stepping on it). Once your dog is offering lots of different interactions, start noticing when they do something closer to what you have in mind, and reward that instead, gradually raising your criteria as they get closer. When your dog is offering the behavior you want more consistently, then start only rewarding for that behavior.

Pearl, Golden Retriever, 3 months old

When you receive this card, you are riding a wave of puppy-like exuberance! Racing forward into the next best thing and biting at its pant legs. Pearl reminds you to check in with those around you. Don't charge ahead when you are dragging those you care about on the other end of the leash! In your excitement, it's easy to forget there's someone on the other end, trying to keep their feet under them. To ground this energy, practice rewarding check-ins with your dog. Any time your dog checks in with you — when on walks, playing, or sniffing around — mark and reward the behavior.