Dog Training

Why Do Dogs Act So Stubborn Sometimes?

Do you often feel like your dog is deliberately ignoring you and just being stubborn? You’re not alone. Many people feel as if their dogs are stubborn and become frustrated, unsure of how to handle the situation and get their dog under control. Luckily, once you understand why your dog is acting “stubborn,” you can start to fix the problem and have a smoother relationship with your pup, who will finally listen to you more consistently and cause less frustration … Read more

iHD Training: Invisible Line Game

“Stay” is one of those cues that may not seem all that important – until you need it. A strong “stay” can keep your dog from bolting outside when the door opens. It can also keep him out of a room you prefer he keep away from, like the bathroom when you need some privacy, or a baby’s room if your little one is having a nap. Although useful, “stay” can be difficult to teach, but making a game of … Read more

iHD Training: Leash Walking Tips

Walking your dog should be a fun, relaxing activity you get to enjoy with your pup. But it’s not uncommon to feel embarrassed if it’s your dog taking you for a walk instead of the other way around. If you feel jealous watching your neighbors walk their well-behaved pups while yours pulls you any way he pleases, then this video is perfect for you. Good leash walking etiquette not only makes your walks with your pup more pleasant, it also keeps you … Read more

iHD Training: Greeting On Leash

The running. The barking. The tail wagging. The jumping. It’s amazing what one little knock at the door can do to our dogs! Dogs have been known to lose it at the first sign of newcomers. Whether they’re excited to meet them or protective of your home, you should be able to receive guests without having to worry about your friends and family being greeted with a barrage of barks. It’s not very polite, and it can be hard to … Read more

How To Help Your Pup Feel Safe Around Other Dogs After Being Attacked

It’ll take more than a belly rub and a biscuit for a sensitive pup to forget the day their trust in other dogs was shattered. A single painful experience, like a dog fight, can cause a formerly carefree dog to cower or lash out every time they’re near another canine. It’s a natural response to fear, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. There is no fool-proof method in helping a dog recover from a stressful experience, but with time, … Read more

How To Help Your Dog Regain Confidence After A Traumatic Incident

All it takes is one day, one moment, and one traumatizing experience for a dog’s confidence to be completely shaken. We want their lives to be full of belly rubs and tail wags, but even the best dog owners can’t protect their pups from potentially traumatizing incidents. Dogs that live through scary situations are often overwhelmed by emotions. They find it difficult, and sometimes impossible, to move on after a specific event changes their perception about life. Traumatizing past experiences … Read more

How To Make Peace In “Blended Families” Where Dogs Don’t Get Along

When you adopt a new dog into your family, you always have the ability to have your current pooch meet the potential newcomer to make sure they can be compatible co-canines. But what happens when two people move in together — whether as roommates or a couple — and their pups simply don’t get along? It can be a heartbreaking situation: both parties (understandably) unwilling to surrender their furry friends, or worse, one caving and giving their innocent dog up. … Read more

How To Help An Emotionally Traumatized Dog Learn To Play

Go to any dog park and you’ll see man’s best friend engaging in all types of play. They’re fetching, chasing, tugging, and tackling, but what about the emotionally hurt and traumatized of the group? For those dogs, the simple act of letting loose and having fun is a foreign concept. Not knowing how to play and not having the confidence to engage with others is something that affects dogs of all breeds and backgrounds. It’s true that some dogs are … Read more

7 Tips & Tricks To Make Being Home Alone Less Stressful For Your Dog

You come home from work thrilled to be greeted by your four-legged best friend, but it’s soon obvious you weren’t the only one who had a rough day. Stinky accidents, chewed up belongings, destroyed furniture, another noise complaint from the neighbor—they’re all signs your dog gets stressed when home alone. Whether it’s extreme separation anxiety or a general loathing of being left alone, not being able to safely stay home alone is a problem. You hate the clean-up, but your … Read more

How To Keep Your Dog From Jumping

Learn how to use body language to successfully communicate to your dog what you want him to do. Ask for space by using a technique called ‘body blocking’. Demonstrate calm, composed behaviour by keeping your body as much one unit as possible and leaning in to the jumping dog. This tells your dog to respect your personal bubble. Don’t talk to or pet the dog during the inappropriate jumping up. Instead, wait for something appropriate (sit, down, backing away) then … Read more

Is It Okay To Change My Rescue Dog’s Name?

Fluffy, Blackie, Fido, Pooty—not every dog name is a winner. When you adopt a new dog into your home, they most likely already have a name given to them either by previous owners or the shelter. You’ve agreed to do what’s best for your new pup for the rest of their life, but does that mean keeping a name you don’t like? Many people worry that changing a dog’s name will confuse them or cause emotional distress. The situation will … Read more

3 Reasons Why Your Dog Needs To Know Their Name

We’ve all been that person frantically calling our dog’s name only to have them do everything possible to pretend we don’t exist. Not only is this scenario frustrating and embarrassing, it’s also dangerous. The first thing people do when bringing home a new dog is play the name game. They think long and hard about the perfect names for their prized pooches, but most spend significantly less time working on name recognition. Copper, Bailey, Luna, and Jewels are at a … Read more

How To Help Your Rescue Dog Gain Confidence

From being abandoned by people they thought they could trust to surviving abuse and neglect, adopters can’t always relate to the trauma and obstacles their rescue dogs endure. Some dogs face each new challenge and path in life with optimism and courage, but others learn through past experiences to be shy and fearful. Even after making it out of the shelter and being adopted by a loving family, a lack of confidence can interfere with a rescue dog’s ability to … Read more

4 Reasons Dogs Are Afraid Of Stairs And How To Help Them With Their Fear

The fear of going up and down stairs can affect puppies, rescues, adults, and senior dogs, and it poses specific challenges for both the dog and their owner. Regardless of the dog’s age or size, there’s always a reason for the trembling, crying, and backing up that happens when faced with a threatening staircase. Sometimes it’s only a particular staircase that puts the dog on edge, and in other cases, every raised platform or increase in elevation triggers a fearful … Read more

Skijoring With Your Dog Is The Winter Sport You Never Knew You Loved

When sledding, snowboarding, and skiing get old, animal lovers turn to a more extreme kind of winter sport. It’s not as well-known as dog sledding, but skijoring is kicking up powder in terms of popularity. The underrated activity is like dog sledding without the sled and skiing with the added twist of being pulled by either canine or equine. It’s the challenge of staying on your skis while being towed by your favorite four-legged partner. Extreme sport enthusiasts are skijoring … Read more

5 Tips To Help Your Pup That Pees When They’re Excited

An enthusiastic greeting after hours away from home is one of the reasons you love your dog, but pee puddles on your new carpet put a damper on your day—literally. Peeing when excited is a common problem for puppies, and even older dogs sometimes lose control of their bladders. Mopping up pee puddles from an otherwise housebroken dog is a chore no one wants, but for some pups, excitement urination is a daily struggle. It most often happens with dogs … Read more

How Do I Keep My Dog From Peeing On The Christmas Tree?

Have you added a new dog to your family this year and you’re worried he’ll decide to “water” your Christmas tree? The good news is that most dogs who are well house-trained won’t suddenly decide that an indoor tree makes peeing inside acceptable. If you are still concerned or your dog has already proven himself untrustworthy around the tree, there are some steps you can take to keep your tree urine-free this Christmas. You might have success just picking one … Read more

5 Common Mistakes New Puppy Owners Make

When the introduction is over, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty parts of raising your new puppy. You’ll smile at the sound of puppy paws scampering through the house and your heart will burst with joy the first time they crawl into your lap for a snuggle, but the reality of owning a puppy isn’t always so sweet. It’s a big job, and new puppy owners aren’t expected to get everything right on the first try. Doing what’s … Read more

How To Get Your Pup To Pose For Holiday Photos

If your dogs are anything like mine, they seem to take pleasure in sabotaging your attempts at photography. Whether they blink, yawn, look away, or wander off, they can make a decent holiday photo seem impossible. Courtney Bayer, a Canine Behavior and Training Associate at the Louisiana SPCA, faces the same problem when photographing her clients’ dogs on graduation day. She recommends a three step process for capturing holiday pet portraits. 1. Train your pup to sit for an extended … Read more

6 Dog Training Myths Debunked

Dog training has changed a lot over the years. Unfortunately, myths and outdated training techniques still abound, and misinformation could wind up causing more problems than what you were trying to fix in the first place. In some cases, outdated information can actually injure your dog. Luckily, researchers are constantly helping us understand dogs better and how they think, so we can better understand how to train them. Here are 6 common training myths debunked. #1 – Dogs should just … Read more

Your Dog And Separation Anxiety: What You Can Do To Help

Most dogs don’t like being left home alone, but sometimes they make leaving the house unbearable for their humans – but what’s even worse is knowing that they’re suffering. Luckily, there are things we can do to help. We at iHeartDogs asked Dr. Michel Selmer, DVM, CTCVMP, about some ways to help out pups with separation anxiety. Also known as “The Caring Vet,” Dr. Selmer is a Certified Veterinary Food Therapist (CVFT) who uses principles from Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) … Read more

Why The Name You Choose For Your Dog Is More Than Just A Label

A dog’s name may be the most important word they ever learn. Many trainers recommend saying your pup’s name before giving a command like “Sit” or “Stay” in order to get their attention and make sure they know that what you say next will be directed at them. But did you know that there is actually a science to giving your dog the most effective name? Experts have found that certain combinations of sounds are easier for dogs to recognize … Read more

5 Tips For Training Your High-Energy Dog

If you regularly spend hours playing fetch and go on two walks a day, but your pup is still running circles around you, you know what it’s like to raise a high-energy dog. These seemingly tireless canines are a joy to be around, but you’d be lying if you said training that wriggly mass of fur was easy. Energetic dogs are loved for their big personalities and happy temperaments, but shelters are full of former pets that were deemed “too … Read more

10 Things You Must Expose Your New Puppy To NOW

Adding a puppy to your family is a big responsibility. It is imperitive to prepare your new addition to face the world by exposing him or her to multiple stimuli. Just as exposure to vaccines builds a strong immune system, subjecting young dogs to new people, places, sounds and scenarios builds confidence and drastically reduces their chances of developing fear and aggression later in life. Fear is the root cause for some of the most difficult canine behavior problems such … Read more

Why Does My Female Dog Not Like Other Female Dogs?

Aggression between females is an unfortunately common behavioral issue faced by countless dog owners. Households with more than one adult female dog often struggle with conflicting personalities that lead to dangerous fights. While every situation and every dog is different, aggression between female dogs has been linked to a few key causes. Living with a pair of feisty females disrupts the entire household, but continuous fights don’t have to be your everyday reality. Before you can solve the problem, you … Read more

5 Mistakes You Don’t Want To Make When Socializing Your Dog

Socialization is a key part of raising a happy and well-mannered canine citizen. From the time they’re puppies all the way through old age, dogs are continuously learning about the world around them. Without proper socialization, dogs can be unnecessarily stressed or fearful, and they need social interaction for both mental enrichment and physical exercise. Socializing your pup can be as simple as taking them on regular walks and introducing them to other dogs, but there’s also a wrong way … Read more

The 12 Dog Breeds Most Likely To Fail Obedience School

If you are looking for a training challenge, then one of these breeds may be for you; these intelligent dogs will definitely make you work for the results you seek. However, if successful, you will receive full bragging rights. #1 – Afghan hound The Afghan is known for being aloof and independent, traits that can make training a challenge. It makes sense, however, since he was originally used to chase prey independently over very long distances. He would lose the prey if he … Read more

If Your Dog Only Learns One Command, It Should Be This

Each dog parent has the personal choice to decide on the level of training their pup receives. Depending on their temperament and lifestyle, full obedience training may not be a priority, but trainers and behaviorists agree that there is one command that all dogs should master. The “come” or callback command helps empower you to keep your pup safe. It could end up being the one thing that prevents your dog from getting lost, injured, or worse. You may be … Read more

3 Early Signs of Aggression In Dogs

Aggression is a natural behavior in canids, especially in wild animals, but is generally unnecessary and even dangerous in domesticated dogs. Unfortunately, most dog owners don’t recognize the early signs of aggression in dogs. In fact, most professional dog trainers don’t get hired on until the aggression is extreme and the dog has bitten someone already. But there are ways to prevent your dog’s aggression from escalating and these tips will help you identify early indicators. #1 – Growling Growling … Read more

5 Tips To Teach Your Dog To Love Swimming

Most dogs are natural swimmers, but some dip a paw in the water and say, “No thanks! Not for me!” If you are frequently in or around water, you want to make sure your dog knows how to swim for safety reasons. Wouldn’t it be great if they learned to love swimming? It may take a little bit of time and a lot of patience, but most dogs can be taught to love swimming. Please keep in mind that some … Read more

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