In recent years, the terms “alpha” and “dominance” and the whole “wolf pack theory” of dog training have become popular again. The appeal, I think, lies in the way it is sensationalized on television and in other media. It grabs attention. Unfortunately, most of what is espoused in the name of dog training and behavior [...]
For those who follow my blog or hear about my escapades in person, you know that when Romeo was an adolescent, I was working on off-leash reliability with Romeo. While I want him to always know where I am so he doesn’t venture too far, sometimes the scent of the bunnies causes him to lose [...]
When the weather is hot, your dog might not get as excited about her/his training treats as s/he usually does. Ok, some dogs get excited about the prospect of food no matter what! But not all of our dogs as excited about food in very distracting situations, and sometimes the heat is a huge distraction. [...]
One of my job titles is "Dog Trainer" but I often tell my clients that in reality, I am a People Trainer. While I can and do train dogs, the bulk of my job is really training or coaching people to train their own dogs. Of course, if I advertised myself as a People Trainer, [...]
Training sessions are all good and fun (or should be!) but the real measure of your dog’s skills is when a real-life situation puts your training to the test. I had a chance to test Romeo’s “drop it” skills on our walk this morning. (July 2011) We were on our usual walk. I am doing [...]
