We know that our own stress can greatly affect our performance and ability to function, but do you ever consider how your dog's stress level might affect his/her performance? Not only your dog's stress level, but your own stress level can affect his performance as well. My Sunday afternoon Basic Training Class graduated recently. Our [...]
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 for “misbehavior” or doing something “he knows was wrong.” Dogs are often labeled stubborn, defiant, dominant or other terms that [...]
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 else living with a nipping puppy or mouthy adolescent right now. One of my points is that we ALL go [...]
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 worst of it tends to occur when puppies are losing their baby teeth, for some adolescent dogs the nipping and [...]
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 bark, lunge, snap or do other things we might consider “aggressive” or “reactive” or “excitable”, we need to ensure that [...]
