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The Dog Tango

@thedogtangoph

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Cheryl Salvador
1st Licensed Family Dog Mediator in 🇵🇭
Accredited Dog Trainer, IAABC
📍Biñan|BGC
Furmom to 1 Beagle and 2 Aspins

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Hi, I’m Cheryl, founder of The Dog Tango.

I didn’t become a dog trainer because I always dreamed of being one. I became one because my own dog challenged everything I thought I knew.

Kidlat pushed me to ask better questions, and those questions led me to a world where understanding our dogs is crucial.

The Dog Tango exists because one difficult little beagle changed my life.

Maybe your dog is about to change yours, too.

Free 30-minute Discovery Calls are open. Scan the QR code to book a call or go to www.thedogtangoph.com.

#dogtraining #dogbehavior #familydogmediation #beagle #dogtrainer by @thedogtangoph

Taking a dog off the streets doesn’t end with giving them a home.

That’s just the beginning.

They’re learning to live in a world that’s completely different from the one they knew and the best thing we can give them isn’t just love, but understanding. Of their history, experiences, needs, and behaviors.

Want to understand your Aspin better?

Join The Aspin Guide: From Street Life to Home Life Live Webinar

📅 May 28 | 7PM | ₱500 (live session with Q&A + recording)
👉 Register: www.thedogtangoph.com/aspin-webinar by @thedogtangoph

Not a dog training manual.

Just a collection of quiet moments,
observations,
and everything dogs teach us
when we slow down enough to notice.

This is for dog lovers who want to understand and connect more deeply.

📖 Limited physical copies available
💸 ₱850 plus shipping fee
💌 DM, scan the qr code, or go to www.thedogtangoph.com to order

#doglovers #dogtraining #dogbook #dogs #puppies by @thedogtangoph

Some recent work was done around the house, and I love it even more now. 🥹

But it also got me thinking about how big a role our dogs play in our lives.

My partner and I were perfectly fine living in a loft-type condo in BGC. Kace, in particular, loved the neighborhood because everything was within reach, and condo living was just so convenient. Kidlat, our beagle, was a city boy. Botchok, on the other hand, struggled with walks in that environment, but we were managing.

Until River unexpectedly became part of our family. Conflicts among the dogs started happening, and suddenly, the space we had just wasn’t enough anymore.

We could’ve rehomed River, but we couldn’t find anyone at the time whom we felt could care for him the way we would, or even better. So began the search for a new home, and we eventually ended up here, in a place with more space for the dogs and a little more room for all of us to grow.

And I’m telling you, having that space has done so much to repair and improve the dogs’ relationships with one another.

Here’s the thing, though. Almost every major life decision we’ve made was because of the dogs. Moving to a more dog-walk-friendly city? For them. Leaving condo living for a house with a small yard? Also for them.

But somehow, we always end up somewhere better, not just in terms of where we live, but in life itself. And if it weren’t for them, we probably wouldn’t have ended up where we are now.

We always joke that the dogs are the ones making our big life decisions against our will. 😂 If it were just us, we’d probably be content with what we already had. We wouldn’t necessarily be looking for more or making these big changes.

But these dogs keep pushing our lives in new directions. They keep making us grow, change, and discover possibilities we probably wouldn’t have found on our own.

So maybe they’re not just the ones we make these decisions for. Maybe they’re also the reason our lives keep getting bigger and better than we ever planned. ❤️

#lifewithdogs #dogs #beagle #aspin #furmom by @thedogtangoph

Thank you so much @voguephilippines for including me in the list of dog trainers helping improve the relationship between dogs and humans! I’m honored!

Link here: https://vogue.ph/dogue/dog-trainers-dogue-2026/

#dogtraining #dogbehavior #familydogmediation #doghumanrelationship by @thedogtangoph

Pls send some healing energy to my student Chimmy who recently had surgery! ✨

Chimmy’s mom originally came to me for help with his behavior, and this was definitely not something they expected to uncover as we worked together.

Chimmy’s sensitivity to noises and movements had been getting worse after the arrival of their new baby, which was why they sought training help in the first place.

He’s an anxious and fearful dog, probably one of the most fearful dogs I’ve worked with. His previous vet checks and xrays were normal and nothing concerning was found. But why did I push for further veterinary investigation?

Because there were several red flags.

His right hind leg would occasionally skip. His fearfulness and sensitivity to noises and sudden movements were getting worse. And he was beginning to find having his diaper removed aversive.

Maybe it’s also because I work with so many different dogs, but over time, you start to notice when something just seems off in the way a dog moves, responds, or participates in activities.

So we looked for an orthopedic specialist for a more thorough assessment, and that’s when we discovered that Chimmy has severe patellar luxation, not just on the leg that occasionally skips, but on BOTH legs. He needs surgery to correct them.

It’s easy to miss these things because Chimmy can still be a very playful dog. He’ll run incredibly fast, chase things, and wrestle with his sister. But when you put that one little sign together with everything else — his routines, movements, behaviors, and responses to certain situations — a much bigger picture starts to emerge.

This is also why I tend to not look at behavior in isolation. Many times, what looks like a training or behavior problem may have something physical underneath it.

The road to recovery will be long and tough, but I’m hopeful that now that Chimmy is receiving the treatment he needs, this will also be the beginning of helping him with some of the struggles we initially came to address.

Get well soon, Chimmy. You’ve got this. ❤️

#dogtraining #dogbehavior #vetcare #cotondetulear by @thedogtangoph

Some musings.

#dogbehavior #petevents #dogevents by @thedogtangoph

To friends and colleagues in Canada!

My partner will be traveling to Victoria in October, and I thought I’d take advantage of the opportunity to send copies of my chapbook, “When Our Worlds Meet,” with them. So if you’ve been meaning to get a copy, send me a message and let’s work out how to get it to you!

“When Our Worlds Meet” is a collection of essays and poems about life with dogs and the relationships we build with them. It’s about the things I’ve learned from sharing my life with my own dogs, and from slowly learning to see the world a little more from their perspective.

A huge part of what shaped these reflections came from the people and communities who have influenced how I understand and work with animals, especially my mentors, teachers, and colleagues around the world. I’m particularly grateful to the Family Dog Mediation community, which has deeply influenced the way I see dogs and our relationships with them, and to Cat Harbord for introducing me to PCT (Perceptual Control Theory) and opening up another way of thinking about our relationships with animals.

It’s not a training manual. It’s really just a little collection of stories, reflections, and thoughts from my journey of learning to meet dogs where they are and, in the process, learning a little more about myself, too. It also comes with original illustrations by my partner Kace Cabali. ❤️

If you’re interested in getting a copy, please PM me! :)

#dogbehavior #dogtraining #familydogmediation #dogbook by @thedogtangoph

River and his special pit! ❤️

#dogbehavior #dogdigpit #behaviordiversity #aspin #familydogmediation by @thedogtangoph

Very hard to administer ear drops to Kidlat, but we’re making SO much progress by creating PPPs (Predictable Patterns of Precedents). Basically, I keep explaining and showing him again and again how the procedure is going to go, so he knows what to expect.

Dogs tend to cooperate more when they’re involved in the process, when they understand what’s being done to them, and when they have a way to opt out. And when their requests for a break or a “wait pls” are actually listened to.

The only time I really squeezed the medication into his ear here was during the last round, when he shook his head. I purposefully handed him the treats away from the mat so I could gauge whether he was still willing to come back to the mat and continue the process.

Kidlat doesn’t enjoy this, and that’s okay. The goal isn’t for him to suddenly love getting ear drops. The goal is for him to be able to tolerate the process without feeling like he needs to resort to snapping.

Honestly, I didn’t expect to be able to do this without him wearing a muzzle. But I guess the trust we’ve built with each other has grown through all the challenges we’ve had with handling him for vet care and grooming. 😭

This is the first time I’ve been able to put ear drops in Kidlat’s ears without so much of a struggle. And somehow, it felt like such a sweet little thing that I was able to include the kiss as part of the process.

Okay bye. BRB. Am gonna cry now. 😭

#dogbehavior #dogtraining #familydogmediation #beagle #carewithconsent by @thedogtangoph

Today is International Dog Day, and it also happens to be my birthday! What a coincidence or maybe more like synchronicity. 😂

When I was very young, I remember wanting to be a vet. I can’t really remember why, but I do remember that I already loved puppies and was fascinated by animals.

Whenever we had a puppy, I would stay up with them when they cried. I’d lie beside the box they were in until they settled. Crates and fancy pens weren’t really a thing then. Puppies were usually put in cardboard boxes with towels or newspapers and placed outside the room, on the terrace or balcony. And when I heard them crying in the cold wee hours of the morning, I’d go out and stay with them. I was probably only five years old.

Then the puppy would grow up, become rowdy and destructive, and my grandmother would usually have them chained outside to keep them under control. It was (and still is) a common practice in many families, especially in the provinces.

So the relationship I built with the puppy would often change as they grew older and became more reactive. Of course, I didn’t understand any of that back then.

Growing up, I told myself that I wouldn’t get my own dog until I had my own space, where I could make the decisions about my dog, and only when I was mentally and financially ready for the responsibility.

When that finally happened, I got Kidlat. And Kidlat led me into the world of dog training and behavior, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Here I am now, celebrating my 38th birthday. My life now revolves around dogs (mine and my clients’). My days are filled with conversations, observations, questions, learning, and endless wondering about dogs. And I’m incredibly grateful that this is what I get to do for a living.

Thank you so much for all the birthday greetings. ❤️

And I’m forever grateful for my partner Kace, and for Kidlat, Botchok, and River, who have taught me so much and continue to make my world a little more joyful.

#birthday #internationaldogday #beagle #aspin #dogtraining by @thedogtangoph

When I finally completed my “Life Skills & Manners” class with coach Cheryl of @thedogtangoph.

And With the best support team everrrr— Ate @avelovesyou4464 and @ashleythetiny. ❤️🧡💜

📸:mama by @thedogtangoph