by Sasha Riess | 03.08.26. | Behaviour
How did we begin believing it is normal for a dog to ingest neurotoxic substances every single month? “Have you given your dog tablets against fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes?” With the arrival of warmer days, the season of fear begins. Dog owners increasingly reach for oral tablets, believing they are protecting their dogs. Advertisements promise safety, veterinarians often routinely recommend these products, and very few people stop to ask the essential question: what exactly are these tablets, and how do they work inside the dog’s body?
The truth is simple and uncomfortable. Most oral ectoparasite preventatives function as pesticides. The dog swallows a chemical substance that enters the bloodstream and turns the dog’s body into a “toxic meal” for the parasite. When a flea or tick bites the dog and consumes blood, it also ingests the neurotoxic substance that kills it. However, the question rarely asked is this: if a substance is strong enough to attack the nervous system of a parasite, how can we assume it has no long-term effect on the nervous system of the dog?
The Risks of Chemical Preventatives and Natural Tick Protection
Pharmacological products from the isoxazoline group have been associated with neurological symptoms in dogs, including tremors, coordination problems, anxiety, behavioral changes, and epileptic seizures. Back in 2018, the FDA issued a warning stating that products from this group may trigger neurological reactions even in dogs with no prior history of epilepsy.
Many owners never connect behavioral changes with the tablet they gave “preventively.” The dog becomes more nervous, reactive, withdrawn, sleeps differently, develops tics, experiences itching, digestive issues, or seizures. Consequently, the organism often does not react immediately. Sometimes it takes months or years of continuous strain on the liver, nervous system, and immune balance before symptoms appear. A holistic approach does not mean ignoring the dangers of ticks. On the contrary, it means understanding that protection should not simultaneously damage the organism we are trying to protect.
Garlic as an Ally: Myths and Truth
One of the most controversial natural allies in the fight against ectoparasites is garlic. For decades, it has been demonized through claims that it is “toxic to dogs.” However, what available sources rarely mention is how those claims originated.
According to available analyses, studies that labeled garlic as dangerous used extremely high doses, approximately 5 grams of fresh garlic per kilogram of body weight daily. For an average Beagle, this would mean around 25 large cloves every day for an entire week. Even at such extreme doses, none of the dogs in the study died.
Today, many premium formulas use small amounts of garlic because of its support for immunity and circulation. This is where natural tick protection may play a role. Sulfur compounds in garlic alter the scent of the skin, making the dog less attractive to parasites.
Dr. Karen Becker’s Guidelines for the Safe Use of Garlic
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Small dogs up to 4.5 kg: about 1/4 clove
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Dogs from 5 to 7 kg: about 1/2 clove
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Dogs from 9 to 18 kg: about 1 clove
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Dogs from 20 to 31 kg: about 2 cloves
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Large dogs over 32 kg: about 2.5 to 3 cloves
The recommendation is to use fresh, crushed garlic that has rested for several minutes before being added to food.
A comprehensive natural approach involves proper skin care, a healthy microbiome, and safe natural allies like garlic.
A Comprehensive Natural Approach to Tick Protection
Natural tick protection is never about “one magical solution.” Therefore, it involves the combination of multiple factors:
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High-quality nutrition to strengthen the skin barrier
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Proper skin care and maintenance of a healthy microbiome
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Natural repellents such as hydrolates and essential oils of lavender, mint, and lemongrass
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Stress reduction, because stress alters body odor and can make dogs more attractive to parasites
A dog that is metabolically exhausted and fed ultra-processed food often becomes far more attractive to parasites. The problem of the modern world is that we want quick solutions without understanding the consequences. One tablet per month seems simple, but the body, the liver, and the nervous system remember everything.
Ultimately, a holistic approach is a return to one essential question: does the way we protect the dog support life in the long term, or does it merely remove the problem temporarily? Perhaps it is time to stop asking only, “What kills the tick?” and begin asking, “What protects the dog at the same time?”
To discover more about how emotional alignment, balanced lifestyle, and authentic energy restore internal balance, read our canine communication and behavior guidelines.
See you next time.
At Sasha Riess, we look past commercial labels to honor the unique biological blueprint of your companion. True health requires addressing the subtle internal patterns that create lasting vitality and pureloveandharmony. Discover the customized path to your dog’s longevity: Linktree Sasha Riess
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by Sasha Riess | 30.07.26. | Behaviour
When a dog persistently asks for something, whether it is going out onto the balcony or receiving constant attention, and we fulfill it without question because it looks “cute,” we unconsciously fall into a dangerous trap.
This behavior does not indicate aggression on the dog’s part. Instead, it represents simple persistence testing our leadership. Consequently, the core question remains: are we actively guiding the situation, or are we allowing the dog’s immediate desires to completely dictate our lives?
The Chocolate Parallel: The Price of Weakness
Think of a young child who constantly asks for ice cream and chocolate. A parent who always gives in firmly believes they are showing a genuine expression of love. However, years later, when faced with a harsh diagnosis of diabetes, they suddenly realize it was not true love, but pure weakness.
Children do not bear the blame, just as dogs do not bear the blame. Therefore, the main problem lies entirely in our own inability to set clear boundaries. And that specific weakness does not remain only in our relationship with the dog. Simultaneously, it spills over into all our other relationships, including partners, friends, and colleagues.
Where Does the “Self” Disappear?
When we constantly give priority to everyone else, and when every single desire of our dog or our surroundings becomes far more important than our own internal peace, we slowly disappear. There is no longer a “me,” no longer my own heart, and no longer my personal integrity. Ultimately, we become mere shadows of our own weaknesses.
Recommended readin:
Psychology of Humans and Dogs: How Pets Help Us Reclaim Lost Strength
Canned Dog Food: What Is Hidden Inside and How to Restore Balance
Only when we learn to say “no” to what exhausts us can we truly love, both ourselves and our dog.
Setting healthy boundaries with a dog does not constitute an act of harshness. On the contrary, it represents a profound act of self-respect. Only when we learn to say “no” to what completely exhausts us can we truly love, both ourselves and our dog.
To discover more about how emotional alignment, balanced lifestyle, and authentic energy restore internal balance, read our canine communication and behavior guidelines.
At Sasha Riess, we look past commercial labels to honor the unique biological blueprint of your companion. True health requires addressing the subtle internal patterns that create lasting vitality and pureloveandharmony. Discover the customized path to your dog’s longevity: Linktree Sasha Riess
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by Sasha Riess | 27.07.26. | Behaviour
We often hear owners say: “As soon as I feed my dog, it gets sick,” or “My dog constantly has some kind of issue.” While we search for causes in food or external factors, physiological outcomes often reveal how sensitive and receptive a dog truly is, absorbing the stress it is exposed to. Consequently, a dog’s psychology is inseparably connected to the subconscious state of its owner.
Rigidity and the Victim Role
In fact, two completely identical worlds exist parallelly. In the first world, the owner successfully takes full responsibility for their own state. Therefore, they clearly understand that they must work on themselves for the dog to get better.
In the second world, however, a “poor me” mentality heavily prevails, where life seems unfair and everyone stands against us.
Besides, this inner rigidity and strong resistance to change place the dog under immense pressure. This emotional burden quickly becomes highly visible in its clinical condition.
The Dog as a Priority Above the Ego
When we say that an owner “must” work on themselves, we do not express criticism. Instead, we use this as a direct way of placing the dog’s wellbeing completely above one’s own ego.
Naturally, a dog can develop illnesses that may be life-threatening. Simultaneously, it can experience conditions that it can easily live with. Everything strictly depends on whether the owner truly shows willingness to change their behavior.
As soon as the owner’s inner pressure disappears, the dog’s body is given a chance to heal.
The exact moment owners become actively involved, begin to understand, and start applying deep changes in their own lives, everything shifts completely. Furthermore, a dog’s psychology responds immediately to this relief. As soon as the heavy pressure of the owner’s subconscious disappears, the dog’s body finally receives a real chance to heal.
Do not forget, your dog does not suffer only from its own conditions. It often suffers directly from your unresolved way of living.
To discover more about how emotional alignment, balanced lifestyle, and authentic energy restore internal balance, read our canine communication and behavior guidelines.
At Sasha Riess, we look past commercial labels to honor the unique biological blueprint of your companion. True health requires addressing the subtle internal patterns that create lasting vitality and pureloveandharmony. Discover the customized path to your dog’s longevity:Linktree Sasha Riess
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by Sasha Riess | 23.07.26. | Behaviour
I often hear the same sentence: “As soon as I feed my dog, it feels unwell.” Owners move from one specialist to another, while physiological results repeatedly show how sensitive and receptive the dog truly is. It absorbs everything. The level of stress such a dog is exposed to is enormous, yet the owner still does not see the cause in their own behavior.
The truth is clear: a dog’s health is often a direct reflection of the owner’s inner state.
Owner Rigidity and the Dog’s Best Interest
When I tell an owner that they must change, resistance appears. That is the moment where real work begins. My role is to remain firm in placing the dog’s interest above the owner’s comfort.
I must say this directly: your behavior affects your dog to the extent that it becomes visible in its clinical condition.
A dog does not become ill only because of bacteria or viruses. It develops conditions as a response to the world it lives in. Some dogs develop chronic states that can be life threatening, yet with a change in environment, they can also be managed and stabilized.
Two Worlds: Responsibility Versus Victimhood
In my work, I encounter two identical health conditions in dogs, but two completely different worlds in their owners.
The first world consists of people who come, actively participate, understand, and ask: “How do we apply this?” They take responsibility, and everything begins to change. In that world, a dog’s health has a real chance of recovery.
The second world is the world of the victim. “Poor me, life is unfair, everyone is against me.” In that world, the owner is focused on their own discomfort, while the dog quietly deteriorates under the weight of emotions that are not its own.
The powerful emotional connection and communication between an owner and her dog.
Living with a dog is not only about feeding and walking. It is a constant awareness of what we project into the shared space.
If you want a healthy dog, the first step is not changing the food, but changing yourself.
To discover more about how emotional alignment, conscious leadership, and deep understanding restore internal balance, read our canine communication and behavior guidelines.
At Sasha Riess, we look past commercial labels to honor the unique biological blueprint of your companion. True health requires addressing the subtle internal patterns that create lasting vitality and pureloveandharmony. Discover the customized path to your dog’s longevity: Linktree Sasha Riess
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by Sasha Riess | 22.07.26. | Behaviour
When dealing with public fear regarding dog bites, understanding why there are no dangerous dog breeds helps owners create truly safe environments. Every time a story about a dog attack appears in public, the same sentence is repeated: dangerous breed. That sentence sounds simple, clear, and easy to understand. It provides a quick answer and satisfies the need to find someone to blame. However, behind that simple sentence, something far more complex exists. You cannot reduce this reality to a breed name.
A dog does not become aggressive because it belongs to a certain breed. A dog becomes aggressive because it lives in certain conditions. Aggression is not a dog’s identity. It is a response of the organism. When we observe dogs that society labels as dangerous, we often see strong, physically capable animals. They carry a high potential for intense reactions. But potential is not the same as behavior. Potential is possibility. Behavior is the final result, and that result is always created within a relationship.
A dog lives within a system. That system consists of the environment it inhabits and the people it lives with. It includes the rhythm of daily life, the level of stress it experiences, and the way it processes that tension. When the system is stable, the dog develops predictable, regulated behavior. When the system becomes unstable, the dog begins to search for ways to adapt.
Understanding Aggression: Why There Are No Dangerous Dog Breeds in Nature
In many cases that we label as aggression, we actually observe the consequence of long-term overload of the nervous system. This physiological reality explains why there are no dangerous dog breeds, as any canine brain under chronic pressure will eventually misinterpret external stimuli. A dog that lives in constant tension has no ability to return to a relaxed state. Its organism remains in a permanent state of readiness. In that state, the body is prepared to react, but it is not capable of fine regulation.
Tolerance to external stimuli decreases, and reactions become more intense. In such a condition, the dog does not react to the world as it is. It reacts to the world as its organism experiences it. If the internal experience of the world contains constant tension, the reaction will be proportional to that tension, not to the real situation.
That is why aggression often appears sudden. However, it rarely comes without prior signals. These signals can be subtle: changes in behavior, increased irritability, withdrawal, or hypersensitivity to sounds or touch. If these signals go unrecognized, the system continues to accumulate pressure. At one point, release occurs. That release is what we call aggression.
When such behavior is linked to a specific breed, you miss the key element of understanding. The same breed, in a different system, displays completely different behavior. Strong, powerful dogs living in stable conditions never show aggression. Conversely, dogs that appear harmless at first glance can develop intense reactions in poor environments. The difference is not in the breed. The difference lies entirely in the conditions.
The Vital Impact of Chronic Stress and Environment
One of the most important factors in the development of a dog’s behavior is stress. Stress is not only an external event. It is the way the organism responds to what it experiences. When stress lasts for a long time, it changes the way the nervous system functions. At that point, the dog no longer chooses how it will react. It reacts the only way it can.
In such a state, training often does not produce the expected results. This failure occurs not because the method is wrong, but because the dog’s body lacks the capacity to adopt a new response. A nervous system under overload does not learn. It simply survives.
Subtle signals like exhaustion, hypersensitivity, or emotional withdrawal indicate an overloaded nervous system trying to survive its environment.
Changing the System to Balance Behavior
That is why, when working with dogs that show aggression, we cannot begin with behavior as an isolated problem. We must observe the entire system in which the dog lives. We must examine the environment, the daily rhythm, and the relationship with the owner. We must evaluate the level of tension in that relationship, the diet, and how the organism processes energy. All of this together shapes how the dog reacts.
In practice, a dog labeled as aggressive changes its behavior when its living conditions change. When the level of stress decreases, when structure is introduced, and when the organism exits a constant state of alertness, reactions begin to change. This does not mean that aggression disappears overnight. But it means that the dog gains the possibility to react differently.
If we want to understand aggression, we must stop looking for the cause in the breed. We must begin observing the system. A dog does not live in isolation; it is part of a relationship. Every relationship carries a certain quality. When that quality includes stability, clarity, and reduced stress, the dog develops predictable, balanced behavior. When it includes tension, unclear boundaries, and chronic stress, the dog develops behavior that reflects that environment. Aggression is not an exception. It is a direct consequence.
Therefore, the question we should ask is not which breed is dangerous. The question is what kind of system the dog lives in. Every behavior is created within that system, and within that system, it can be changed.
To explore more about how managing social dynamics, reading subtle communication signals, and establishing clear biological boundaries supports your companion’s development, read our holistic communication and behavior guidelines.
At Sasha Riess, we look past modern force to protect the authentic biological blueprint of your companion. True vitality requires shielding their sensitive systems from chaotic emotion to achieve pureloveandharmony. Discover how to balance your dog’s psychological environment: Linktree Sasha Riess
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by Sasha Riess | 21.07.26. | Behaviour
In my work, there are no concepts of reward or punishment. There is no classic “good job” for what is done correctly, nor is there a “correction” for what is not. Many people wonder how this is possible, but the answer is actually very simple: because the relationship between owner and dog is not a training ground, but a space for deep reflection.
Understanding how your energy affects your dog’s behavior is the cornerstone of this philosophy, moving away from mechanical control and into genuine communication.
The Dog as Inspiration, Not an Object
My role is not to “fix” the dog as if it were a broken object. My task is to behave in a way that inspires the dog to respond to my presence and energy. The dog has never been the problem; it is only a reaction. It does not respond to what we do to it, but to what we truly are.
Thousands of clients who have succeeded in this confirm a simple truth: everything is free and available to everyone, because real change does not require money, but awareness. For a profound shift in a dog’s behavior, no external technique is required. This mirrors exactly how your energy affects your dog’s behavior, demanding nothing less than honest work on oneself.
The Essence Lies in the Owner, Not in the Dog
When I say that everything is simple, I do not mean that it is easy, but that it is essential. This approach does not require any special tools, techniques, or systems of bribing with food or punishing through fear. All that is needed is a change within ourselves.
I work with the relationship, with the owner, and with the energy we bring into the shared space. Years of experience working with dogs have taught me that success does not depend on the dog. The dog is always there, ready to follow. Everything depends on the owner and their willingness to stop searching for solutions “outside” and begin working on themselves “within.”
True leadership is not achieved through artificial tools or bribes, but through absolute internal authenticity.
Leading Through Internal Authenticity
The true relationship between owner and dog begins when you realize that you are the one leading through your authenticity. When you change your internal state, your dog’s outward reactions shift naturally in response.
To explore more about how managing social dynamics, deep communication signals, and natural behavioral boundaries supports your companion’s development, read our holistic communication and behavior guidelines.
At Sasha Riess, we look past modern force to protect the authentic biological blueprint of your companion. True vitality requires shielding their sensitive systems from chaotic emotion to achieve pureloveandharmony. Discover how to balance your dog’s psychological environment:Linktree Sasha Riess
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