How to Train Your Dog: The Basics That Actually Stick
A warm, practical guide to teaching your dog sit, stay, and recall using positive reinforcement, good timing, and short, happy sessions.
Cora Bennett
Founder & Pets Editor
Cora Bennett
Cora has shared her home with dogs for most of her life and has spent years fostering and volunteering at rescue shelters. She founded Lornyvas to give pet owners honest, practical guidance — the kind she wished she'd had with her first anxious rescue. She writes plainly, never judges, and always puts the animal's wellbeing first.
Articles
16 articles by Cora
Cora Bennett
Getting a New Puppy: Your First-Week Checklist
A calm, practical first-week checklist for new puppy owners — supplies, the first vet visit, a safe space, routine, gentle house-training, and what to actually expect.
Cora Bennett
How to Stop Your Dog From Pulling on the Leash
Teach loose-leash walking with kind, positive methods, reward position, stop-and-go, and the right gear, instead of yanking back.
Cora Bennett
The First-Time Cat Owner's Guide to a Smooth Start
Everything a first-time cat owner needs for a gentle start — supplies, litter box setup, a quiet safe room, the first vet visit, and letting your cat adjust at its own pace.
Cora Bennett
Crate Training a Puppy: Building a Safe, Happy Den
A gentle, step-by-step approach to crate training your puppy, treating the crate as a cozy den, never a punishment, with sizing and schedule tips.
Cora Bennett
Essential Supplies for a New Pet (and What to Skip)
A no-nonsense, brand-agnostic guide to the supplies a new dog or cat genuinely needs versus the nice-to-haves — so you buy sensibly and skip the clutter at first.
Cora Bennett
Why Does My Dog Bark So Much?
Understand the real reasons dogs bark, alert, boredom, anxiety, demand, and learn force-free ways to address the cause instead of just the noise.
Cora Bennett
Puppy-Proofing Your Home: A Room-by-Room Guide
A room-by-room guide to puppy-proofing (and kitten-proofing) your home — spotting hazards like cords, plants, small objects, and chemicals, plus smart use of supervision and gates.
Cora Bennett
How Much Exercise Does My Dog Really Need?
Learn to match exercise to your dog's breed, age, and health, spot the signs of too much or too little, and balance physical activity with mental enrichment.
Cora Bennett
Choosing the Right Pet for Your Life: An Honest Match-Making Guide
Match a pet to your real space, time, budget, and energy — not your daydreams. An honest, judgment-free guide to choosing well, with a case for adoption.
Cora Bennett
Dog Body Language Explained: What Your Dog Is Really Telling You
Your dog is talking to you all day long — through their tail, ears, eyes, and posture. Learn to read the signals, skip the myths, and build real trust.
Cora Bennett
Socializing Your Puppy: A Calm, Confident Start to Life
Good socialization isn't about meeting everyone — it's about positive, gentle experiences during a short window. Here's how to do it right, at your pup's pace.
Cora Bennett
Adopting From a Shelter: What to Expect, Start to Settled
From the application to the decompression weeks, here's an honest look at shelter adoption — the process, the questions to ask, the 3-3-3 idea, and the myths worth retiring.
Cora Bennett
Separation Anxiety in Dogs: How to Recognize It and Gently Help
Not every dog who chews a shoe is anxious. Learn to tell true separation anxiety from boredom, and how to help with patient desensitization and the right support.
Cora Bennett
Budgeting for a Pet: The Real, Ongoing Costs Nobody Mentions
A clear-eyed look at the true cost of pet ownership — food, vet and preventive care, supplies, emergencies, and the pet insurance idea — so money is never why a pet suffers.
Cora Bennett
Fun Ways to Exercise Your Dog (Beyond the Same Old Walk)
A tired dog is a happy dog — but exercise should tire the brain too. Here are playful games and enrichment ideas to wear out your dog's body and mind.
Cora Bennett