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What are the consequences for a dog who misbehaves?
One question I am often asked is this: “How do I correct my dog when he doesn’t do what he’s told?” In our society, we tend to be quick to want to dole out punishment [...]
How good is your dog’s memory?
If you think your dog doesn’t have a very good memory, just try walking past the spot where he found a dead animal or other equally smelly and enticing (to our dogs) object. If your [...]
Training tip – polite greetings from the dog’s perspective
Teaching our dogs to greet people politely can be a challenge. While some dogs are naturally more polite, many of our dogs have a hard time not jumping on people or doing other things we [...]
Reduce anxiety by teaching your dog to focus on you
Romeo and I attended our Rally drop-in class recently. (February 2012) The last time we were there, it was crowded which resulted in my post about looking out for your dog's safety. This time, there [...]
Nipping puppies and mouthy adolescents, part 3
This is part 3 in my series on addressing nippy and mouthy behavior in puppies, adolescent dogs, or even adult dogs who have not yet learned that teeth on human skin (and the clothing that [...]
Is it ever OK to kiss a dog?
I have a small group that I meet up with once a week to walk and socialize our dogs. This is also a social time for us, so we talk about all sorts of things [...]
Dog bites news anchor: who is to blame?
By now, you have most likely heard about Max the Argentine Mastiff who was rescued from a pond in February 2012. It was a feel-good story about a firefighter rescuing Max from drowning. The following morning, Max [...]
Nipping puppies and mouthy adolescents, part 2
More than one person was certain my most recent post on puppy nipping and mouthy adolescents was directed specifically at her or him. While it was for her/his benefit, it also was for the benefit of everyone [...]
Training tip – for nipping puppies and mouthy adolescent dogs
Nipping and biting are easily the most common of the complaints I hear from those living with puppies. The nipping is bad enough, but with razor sharp teeth, it is even more painful. While the [...]
Are you looking out for your dog’s safety?
Are you a safety advocate for your dog? Do you step in when needed to ensure your dog not only IS safe but FEELS safe? If we want our dogs to remain calm and not [...]
Teach your dog opposites (in/out, over/under, and others)
In my Juvenile Delinquents Classes, I ask my students when they last taught their dogs something new. While it’s important to focus on getting reliable responses to the most important cues you use regularly (like sit, [...]
Stop your dog from eating rocks, socks and other non-food items
Original Post The original content for this post is below, followed by a major addition we made to update new research and learnings we have come across to help dog owners address this issue. [...]
Teach your dog something new!
The New Year is typically a time for people to make New Year’s Resolutions to improve their lives. These resolutions might be to exercise more, eat a healthier diet, improve their relationships, find a new [...]
Does your dog have trouble with stairs?
I recently worked with a couple of clients whose dogs were having trouble navigating stairs. In both cases, the families live in split level homes with several stairs but not full flights of stairs. In [...]
Some situations call for a default behavior from our dogs
When most people train their dogs, they expect their dogs to respond to verbal cues, hand signals or both. However, there are times when an automatic or default behavior is better. What is an automatic [...]
Successfully training a dog not to chase cars or anything else
I recently received an email from a client who had completed our Basic Training Online Course. Training was going well except for one specific distraction: this dog loves to chase cars. When this dog accidentally [...]
The benefits of play for dogs
Play is fun for our dogs. It’s fun for us to watch our dogs having fun. But we often don’t consider all of the possible benefits of play for dogs beyond just having fun. [...]
“Out” is a useful cue with your dog when preparing your holiday meal
The last post included training tips for setting your dogs up for success over the holidays when we often do not stick to our normal routines. For this post, I am including a tip for a specific [...]
Set your dog up for success over the holidays!
The holiday season tends to be very hectic for most of us. This means some of our usual routines go out the window. Unfortunately, for our dogs, this often includes training, walks and other important [...]
Testing off-leash readiness with your dog, revisited
In my last post on off-leash readiness, I discussed testing off-leash readiness with our dogs. As I described in that post, I am working toward off-leash reliability with Romeo, my Vizsla. (November 2011) This past week, [...]
Testing off-leash readiness with your dog
How do you know if and when your dog is ready to be allowed off leash? Many people want to be able to take their dogs hiking off leash but aren't sure how to know [...]