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Is punishment necessary in training?
An ongoing debate among dog trainers is the use of and need for punishment. Some trainers use primarily punishment to train dogs. Some use primarily positive reinforcement and try to avoid using any punishment. Most [...]
What's in a name?
I'm always interested to hear how people come up with names for their dogs. Some go with the popular names while others use the opportunity to be more creative. When I hear an unusual name, [...]
What does it take to wear out your dog?
As you might know, Romeo was neutered a couple of weeks ago (December 2010), so he was on limited physical activity for while. Last Friday was the first time since his neuter that I took [...]
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 [...]
The science of sniffing
Following is an excerpt from Alexandra Horowitz's Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know. (If you want to learn more about how dogs experience the world, I highly recommend reading this book.) [...]
Why does snow make dogs go crazy?
Growing up in Minnesota, I was used to snow staying on the ground all winter. The first snow was always exciting - we could go sledding, make snowmen, have snowball fights, or just play in [...]
Romeo's recuperation – no running or jumping?!
I've counseled lots of people on how to help get through times of mandatory R&R for their energetic dogs. This week (November 2010) has been my chance to put that advice to the test. Romeo [...]
Romeo's neuter – was it harder on him or me?
Yep, the day he was neutered. Honestly, I'm not sure if the day was more traumatic for me or for him. While he was the one actually having surgery, at least he was oblivious of [...]
Does your dog's reliability change with the context?
Romeo and Jahzara both love bunnies. There is a direct correlation between the pleasantness of our walks and the number of bunnies we see. For the dogs, the more bunnies we see, the more pleasant [...]
Allowing other pets to say goodbye to a family dog
Saying goodbye to a family dog is never easy. Sometimes the end comes quickly, other times an illness or old age causes a long drawn out deterioration of a dog's health. Either way, it's always [...]
What happens when your dog is spayed or neutered?
Ever wondered what happens to your dog when you drop him or her off to be spayed or neutered? I imagine most people don't give it much thought, so perhaps I'm the only one! But [...]
Increasing the value of your dog's food
When I am working with puppies, I always recommend using their regular food for training at home rather than using treats. Save the treats for the more distracting situations when we need something of higher [...]
Never too old to learn
This past weekend I met with a new client (November 2010). The client's father lives with them and asked if he could join us to see if he could learn something. The interesting part is [...]
Training tip – easy nail trims
Do you trim your dog's nails or have someone else do it for you? Either way, life will be much easier and less stressful for everyone involved if your dog learns to happily get his [...]
Romeo's favorite napping spot invaded!
Anyone who knows Romeo knows what a bundle of energy he is! But what most people don't get to see is the very lovey-dovey, sweet, snuggly side of him. Romeo's favorite spot to nap is [...]
Crate training – does your dog love his crate?
Crate training seemed to be the hot topic this weekend for my clients. I had two private training sessions this weekend with dogs who have some separation and crating issues. The dogs are not ready [...]
Do you and your dog look alike?
I have just started reading a book titled: Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals by Hal Herzog. He is a professor of psychology [...]
Is your dog a good traveler?
My husband and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful fall weather and took the day off last Friday (October 2010). Although the fall colors are a bit past peak, we still enjoyed the [...]
If a dog bites, is she dangerous? Part 2
In my last post (October 2010), I discussed my evaluation of a dog who had bitten someone. In my evaluation, I determined that most likely this dog had been placed in a high stress situation [...]
If a dog bites, is she dangerous?
I am sometimes asked to evaluate a foster dog for Colorado Greyhound Adoption. I conducted one such evaluation last week (October 2010) for a female greyhound who is believed to be around 5 years old. [...]
Tops Tips From Top Trainers
I realize most people don't read dog training books for fun like I do, but I thought I would mention this book since both Dogwise.com and Amazon.com have it on sale right now. The full [...]