One dog health topic I wish more people knew about is bloat, also known as gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). After more than 22 years of training dogs, I’ve heard far too many stories from families who simply didn’t know this was something to be aware of. The goal isn’t to scare anyone—it’s simply to share a few easy habits that may help reduce the risk. Here are a few things we do with all of our dogs: 🐶 After meals, we let our dogs rest for at least one hour. No running, swimming, fetch, rough play, or vigorous exercise right after eating. 🐶 Feed in a calm environment. Our dogs either eat and then relax in their crate, or they eat and rest on their designated “place” while they digest their meal. 🐶 If your dog has just finished exercising and is panting heavily, let them cool down before feeding a meal. 🚨 Know the signs. If your dog has a swollen or tight-looking abdomen, tries to vomit but nothing comes up, is drooling excessively, pacing, or suddenly seems very uncomfortable, seek emergency veterinary care IMMEDIATELY. Bloat is a true emergency, and early treatment is critical. Prevention is always easier than dealing with an emergency, and hopefully this is one dog safety tip you’ll never have to use—but it’s one that’s worth knowing. 💙 Question for you: Is resting after meals already part of your dog’s routine, or is this a new dog safety tip for you? Let us know in the comments! 👇

One of the most common questions we receive is: “What are businesses legally allowed to ask me when I’m out in public with my service dog?” Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if it is not obvious that your dog is a service dog, a business may ask only two questions: ✅ 1. Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? ✅ 2. What work or task has the dog been trained to perform? That’s it! 🚫 Businesses may not: - Ask about your disability. - Ask for medical records. - Ask for certification or an ID card. - Ask your dog to demonstrate its task. 🛑 When can a business ask a service dog team to leave? A business may ask the dog to leave if: 🐾 The dog is out of control and the handler is unable to regain control. 🐾 The dog is not housebroken. 🐾 The dog poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others based on its actual behavior. A business cannot ask you to leave simply because: - They have a “No Pets” policy. - Someone is afraid of dogs. - Someone has allergies. - They don’t understand the ADA laws. - You don’t have an ID card or certification. 📹 What should you do if you believe your rights are being violated? ✅ Stay calm and remain respectful. ✅ If possible, begin recording a video of the interaction. ✅ Ask for clarification on why you are being asked to leave. ✅ Make note of the date, time, location, and the names of any employees involved. Having a calm, factual record of what happened can be very helpful if you need to address the situation later. Knowledge is power! The more we understand our rights and responsibilities as service dog handlers, the better prepared we are to advocate for ourselves while also representing the service dog community in a positive way 💙 ❓Current Service Dog handlers - Have you been denied access or has a business asked you inappropriate questions? Tell us what happened and how you dealt with it 👇