Blog Content
Our most recent posts are shown first. For a complete listing of our content, please visit our sitemap page.
Emotions in dogs – acknowledge but don’t overanalyze
The better I am able to understand dogs, the better trainer I will be and the better I will be able to help my clients understand and relate to their own dogs. One topic of [...]
Case study: relinquished dog has trouble with household dogs
Working with shelters and/or rescue groups has always been a part of my work in helping dogs. I recently conducted a behavior consultation with a Greyhound in the Colorado Greyhound Adoption (CGA) foster program. At 6 years [...]
Are your dog’s chew toys safe?
The December 2011 issue of Prevention Magazine had an article by Lisa Hoehn called The Best Chew Toys to Choose. Did you know there is no governmental oversight for the manufacturing of dogs’ chew toys? [...]
Have you heard of the sport of K9 Nosework for dog training?
It's no secret that our dogs' senses of smell far surpass our own. Most dogs love to sniff when out on walks, sometimes to the point that it becomes difficult to get much exercise. At [...]
Safely breaking up a dog fight
If your dog has ever been involved in a fight with another dog, you know what a scary and stressful situation it can be. Professionals often recommend not trying to break up a fight simply [...]
Preventing, treating and diagnosing diabetes in dogs
The November 2011 issue of Prevention magazine has an article by Karen Asp called The Diabetes Danger. According to the article, diabetes in dogs has increased 32% in the past 5 years. Symptoms generally show up when dogs are [...]
Aggression toward other dogs and resources for help
Does your dog have issues with other dogs? Our society seems to assume that all dogs should love all other dogs. Those of us who live with dogs know that is not always the case. [...]
What does sheep herding have to do with dog training? Hint: body blocking
Ever tried your hand at sheep herding? Not with your dog, just you. Not something most of us would think of trying ourselves, but I got my opportunity quite unexpectedly. (November 2011) We were out [...]
Training challenges: overcoming “My dog will only come when she wants to”
I’ve heard it many times. And I heard it again at one of my classes recently: “My dog only comes when she wants to. How do I get her to come EVERY time?” While this [...]
Addressing separation anxiety in dogs
Separation anxiety, or a lesser form now often referred to as separation distress, can be a frustrating issue to deal with, especially if your dog is destructive when separated. However, many people think their dogs [...]
Is your dog jumping on you when you arrive home? Try this!
Overly enthusiastic dogs jumping on family and visitors is a common issue, especially for adolescent dogs. Since it is such a pervasive issue, we have in our online training a module dedicated specifically to jumping. [...]
John Rogerson Seminar provides thought-provoking ideas
I spent four full days at a seminar with dog trainer John Rogerson. John lives in the UK and travels all over the world, so he’s not often in the U.S. He has been spending a [...]
Is your dog suddenly afraid of familiar things?
If you have read about puppy development stages online or in books, you most likely have heard of a fear period that puppies can experience between 8 and 11 weeks of age. I cover it [...]
Is this a behavior or a medical issue?
I received a phone call from a client I had not heard from in a year or two. They had taken a Puppy Preschool Class with me and had since added another dog to the [...]
Going “green” for your dog
The push to “go green” is everywhere these days. Choosing options that are better for our environment and for us are also better for our dogs. We are always trying to choose better options in [...]
What causes our strong connection to dogs?
Do you ever wonder why humans have such strong connections with other species, especially dogs? As a society, we tend to think there is something wrong with the “crazy cat lady” or “crazy dog person” [...]
Is my dog being “dominant”?
If I had a dollar for every time people tell me their dogs are being dominant, my bank account would look a lot better than it does right now. If I then lost a dollar [...]
Autism, oxytocin and dogs
I read Meg Daley Olmert’s book Made for Each Other. (I got a copy from the local library, but when I look up the title on Amazon.com, the cover is different. It has a Vizsla on [...]
Modern wolves and domestic dogs are distantly related
I have mentioned John Bradshaw’s book Dog Sense in a previous post, and will discuss parts of it further in future posts. There is so much good information in there, it’s hard to choose just one thing [...]
Walking can be such a drag!
The title of this post, for most of you, conjures a picture of your dog dragging you down the sidewalk. However, for a few people, this title conjures another picture – one of you having [...]
Does our connection to animals make us human?
We, as humans, have to keep changing our definition of what makes us human. For example, we used to claim that one way we are differentiated from other animals is through our use of tools. [...]