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Hiking with your dog? Keep an eye out for ticks
Summer is great for getting out and doing more hiking, camping and other outdoor activities with your dogs. But it also is a time to be careful about things like mosquito bites, heatstroke or ticks. [...]
Do you have an evacuation plan in case of emergency?
If you were required to evacuate your house today, are you prepared? What if you had 3 hours to prepare? How about 30 minutes? What would you take with you? Do you have easy access [...]
Training tip – incorporate quickie training sessions into your dog's routine
I hear it often. . . “I didn’t spend as much time training this week as I should have.” Or, “I didn’t have time to train my dog this week.” It’s true that most of [...]
Should dogs greet other dogs when on leash?
Some people take their dogs to day care. Some go to training classes. Some go to the dog park. Others meet dogs when out on walks. There are a variety of ways and places to [...]
Does your dog hate getting a bath?
I am happy to spend hours and hours training my dogs, but grooming is just not my thing! And I am sure there are many people who would say just the opposite. One of the [...]
Which breeds are more likely to be aggressive on leash?
Think you know your dog breeds pretty well? Ok, then, here’s a test for you. From the following list, rank the order in which you think each breed is most likely to show aggression or [...]
Training tip – chase game with kids and dogs
A chase game with kids and dogs is often a favorite among both kids and puppies. Kids love to run. Puppies love to chase. Sounds like a great way for both to burn off energy, [...]
Kids and puppies go together – or do they?
Kids and puppies in the same household sounds like the perfect match. Kids love puppies and talk their parents into bringing one home. Puppies love kids and their energy levels can be a good match [...]
Help, my dog doesn’t listen when we’re outside!
As spring arrives and the weather starts getting warmer, more people start getting outdoors with their dogs. For those who have not been walking their dogs regularly during the winter, this hopefully means they start [...]
Ever lost your dog?
As I write this, we are having an April snowstorm and the thermometer says 19 degrees outside. Our dog and our visiting dogs are safe and warm indoors. My husband just happened to look out [...]
Eat your veggies, and you can have dessert!
What does “eat your veggies and you can have dessert” have to do with dog training, you might ask? Any good dog trainer will tell you it has a lot to do with dog training! [...]
What is “maintenance” training for your dog and do you need it?
Some questions commonly asked of trainers is “How long will it take?” or “When can I expect my dog to be completely trained?” or similar thoughts. In many cases, it seems to imply that people [...]
Review of book Homeless People and Their Pets
I love to read – mostly nonfiction. Most of my reading consists of dog training and behavior books, other dog related topics, or books about human behavior. You’ll see what I mean if you search [...]
When should I start working on my dog’s behavior issues?
When clients call for help with certain issues, they often do it when they are in midst of the chaos. However, the process might have been much easier had they called before their dogs were [...]
If you were gone, who would care for your dog?
We generally assume that we will outlive our dogs. In most cases, that’s true. But are you prepared in the event you and your family are gone and your dog is left behind? In some [...]
Fear of men: do NOT try this at home with your dog!
In my last post, I discussed dogs who are afraid of men, children or others, why that might be, and how to prevent it. In this post, I will discuss what to do and what [...]
Is your dog afraid of men, children, or others?
Unfortunately, it’s not that uncommon for a dog adopted through a rescue group or shelter to be afraid of men and in some cases, children. In some cases, these dogs adjust easily to the men [...]
How predictable are you in your dog training sessions?
We humans tend to be much more predictable than we realize. Our dogs know it, but we don’t. Because of our predictability, sometimes the reliability of our dogs’ training is not as strong as we [...]
Is your dog reactive toward other dogs when on leash?
You’re out walking your dog through your neighborhood and another person turns the corner with their own dog. Your dog, who was walking pretty well on a loose leash, suddenly barks, lunges at the end [...]