Between my personal and Gentle Beth accounts, I follow a lot of people who post about dogs and training on Instagram. I also follow a lot of writers and artists. Here are a few of my favorites along with a gentle reminder that while social media accounts often provide great resources, they can't substitute for working with a professional trainer or behavior consultant if you need help with your dog.
The Canine Diva, otherwise known as Laurie C. Williams, runs my favorite dog and training Instagram account. There you can find a tutorial about using a flirtpole, tips for building a better recall, and glimpses into training sessions with her own (adorable) Dalmatian puppy. Her joyful videos feature fun music and great examples of training in action.
Pet Harmony Training is the business founded and run by Allie Bender and Emily Strong, the authors of my favorite training book, Canine Enrichment for the Real World. Most of their Instagram posts focus on enrichment, including how it works and how you can add more of it to your dog's life, but they also include training tips, management strategies, and topical advice, like dealing with the holidays.
Ken Ramirez serves as the chief training officer of Karen Pryor Clicker Training and runs the Ranch where I spent an amazing week in April of 2022. His Instagram account features photos from around the world as he is a much-sought speaker and trainer. You can also learn about his conservation projects, including one to help elephants avoid poachers. And he shares pictures and videos of the animals who live on the Ranch as well as the local elk herd who visit regularly.
I first found Bess Kalb on the app formerly known as Twitter. She’s a writer, whose beautiful book Nobody Will Tell You This But Me had me laughing out loud one moment and crying the next. She often shares hilarious posts from her Substack the Grudge Report about being the mother of a toddler and baby as well as funny videos about a range of topics.
A friend of mine shared one of Jon Carling’s wondrous drawings with me on Instagram, and I was hooked. He works with pencil and pen and his art, featuring animals, witches, or nature in some combination, is whimsical and fantastical.