Shelter Dog Meal Donation Count:
You come home from work and your dog has gotten into the garbage. You’re tired from a long day – maybe your boss yelled at you about your low sales. You stomp over to the garbage, call your dog in a gruff voice and glare at him as he gets near enough for you to yell. You know your dog knows he’s done something wrong because it’s written all over his face – that guilty expression. …Or is it? Why We … Read more
Many of us get a dog for the opportunities they provide us – going on walks, to the beach, dog parks, or maybe even taking training classes and competing in sports like agility. All of those hopes and dreams can come crashing down the day your dog first barks at other dogs while he’s on a leash. Suddenly, everyone is looking at you with judgement, as if to say, “Why did you bring that awful dog out in public”? It … Read more
It’s wonderful when we have a special bond with our dogs. Many of us get a dog for that very reason – to have a devoted companion. However, some dogs can get a little too attached to their humans and the result can lead to trouble. Dogs that growl when someone tries to approach you, can end up biting. It’s something that needs to be addressed immediately. Why Dogs Growl When People Approach Their Owner Dogs that growl (they may … Read more
There are many sides to this story, and everyone that interacts with dogs has a responsibility to help prevent bites. This includes learning dog body language (see charts below) and exercising caution, especially when allowing children and strangers to interact with them. Understanding why dogs bite is the first step towards prevention. Why Dogs Bite The answer to this is simple: communication. Dogs don’t speak our language. But they have vocal cues that they use as well as body language … Read more
There are a lot of articles that offer advice and support for the reactive dog owner. Even I have written a fair few. This last week I got a candid email from a reader that brought up a great point – there are two sides to every dog encounter. Yes, there is the owner of the reactive dog, but there is also another person that plays a role in how this scenario unfolds. So today we are addressing the person who … Read more
Puppies are absolutely the cutest thing on this Earth…until they have their first accident in your house. On your brand new carpet. That’s when a lot of new pet parents start rethinking their decision to own a dog. But it doesn’t have to be that way! As an adult, I had always adopted older shelties. When I finally got my first puppy, I was a bit nervous about potty training. To be honest, it was one of the reasons I … Read more
There is nothing worse than a dog with an injury. You can’t tell him why he can’t fly around the house or explain to her why she can’t go for that two mile walk she is used to. I just went through this with my youngest dog, Merlin. At almost 3, he is full of energy and is used to doing herding or agility – or both – every day. So when he tore his paw and had to wear a … Read more
Do you have a pushy pup problem? Don’t worry, you are not alone! Pushy dogs quickly become a nuisance, and some even end up in the shelter because of their bad behavior. However, there is no reason why you can’t reform your pushy dog and live happily ever after. Why Do Dogs Become Pushy In The First Place? Dogs are opportunists, meaning they are going to do what works for them. That’s why once your dog has gotten food from … Read more
So you went to puppy or basic obedience class with your new dog and you learned the basics of “stay.” Your dog did a really good job at staying for 5 – 10 seconds while you rewarded him frequently. But how do you get to a 10-minute “down stay,” with you out of sight? What about staying while you open the front door or remaining in place when a cat races by? Strengthening your dog’s stay can feel daunting and … Read more
There is a lot to think about when picking out a dog that fits your family. What size and gender? Do you prefer long or short hair, or something in between? Do you have colors you prefer? Or maybe a breed/breed mix that you are keen on? Something that will run 15 miles a day or is more the couch potato type? The list goes on and on. But one of the most important things is often overlooked – temperament. … Read more
Many dog owners struggle with dogs that chase anything that moves, particularly wildlife or outdoor cats in the neighborhood. It is possible to modify your dog’s behavior, but it takes a lot of time and patience. One article cannot possible cover all the methods and scenarios, but I can give some general tips on how to start teaching your dog to be calm around other animals. You will be most successful if you work with a professional positive reinforcement trainer … Read more
One of the keys to having a well-behaved puppy is having the right toys. The amount of toys out there is quite incredible and it’s easy to be sucked in to buying the “cute,” the “inexpensive,” or even the “most expensive” (thinking it must be the best) or a toy simply because it has the word “Puppy” in the name. However, there are some things you should be thinking about before buying any toy for your puppy, and it’s none … Read more
I have received many emails in the last couple weeks from people asking me how I became a dog trainer. Rather than respond to each one individually, I thought I’d share this information with everyone, in case others are thinking of a career change. Related: SpiritDog Online Training Review: Is It Worth The Price? There are many roads to becoming a dog trainer. Which path you choose will probably be determined by a few factors, including time and money you … Read more
Leash pulling is one of the most complained about dog behaviors. It’s not just annoying, it can be dangerous if your dog is stronger than you, gets away from you, or causes you to fall. Obviously, the only way to stop leash pulling is training. But while you are working with your trainer, some may need help managing the behavior until their dog has learned leash manners. What’s “managing a behavior”? Managing a behavior is a way of helping to … Read more
While many of us appreciate a dog with focus, especially when it comes to training, some dogs have a problem with too much focus. They will fixate on something until it becomes a reaction. For example, some dogs will stare at another dog walking by, which quickly becomes lunging and barking at the dog. For these dogs, we need to help them relax and learn to break their focus. Why? This will help your dog listen to you better in situations … Read more
Training your puppy to tolerate having their teeth brushed can be quite a challenge, but it is worth the extra effort. This way, as an adult, your dog will have no issues when it comes to getting his teeth cared for. Have an older dog? These tips will help you get them used to the teeth brushing process, too! Choose A Toothbrush Like with people, there are several types of toothbrushes you can buy. When picking one out, there are … Read more
Positive reinforcement training is rapidly gaining popularity and that, for the most part, that means lots of treats! Treats are used as the primary reward at first because food is something that most dogs love more than anything else. This means they are willing to do almost anything (even a boring sit-stay!) to get a yummy morsel. Think of it as your dog’s paycheck. You wouldn’t work 40 hours a week without pay, why should your dog? But not all … Read more
We all have very busy lives. In fact, one of the things I hear most often from clients is “training takes too much time,” or “I don’t have time to do this every day.” Between working, taking the kids to school, helping with homework, housework, etc., it can be easy to let the dog training slide. RELATED: 7 Best Online Dog Training Classes Even I am guilty of doing it with my personal dogs! But, it doesn’t have to be … Read more
For some dogs, riding in the car is the highlight of their day. They love it! For others, the car is a dreaded source of fear, anxiety or sickness. Since almost every dog will need to ride in a car (for vet appointments, at the very least) it’s nice if they can at least learn to handle the ride without stress or getting sick. I currently own two dogs that used to get car sick, so I understand the nuisance it … Read more
Biking with your dog can be a great way to exercise those high-energy pups that can outrun you (either speed or distance). It can also be dangerous for both of you if not done properly. Most importantly, be sure to use a bike attachment such as the Springer or WalkyDog, do not just jump on a bike with your dog’s leash in your hand. Then, follow these tips to getting your dog used to running next to your bike. #1 – Bike … Read more
You think a lot about caring for your dog as he ages, like ways you can make life easier for him, products that will improve his health, etc. But as you start aging, you will need to focus on some of your own health and needs, too. And there’s no reason why your dog can’t help you out with them! If you’re in your golden years, getting a dog or teaching your current dog some handy “tricks” to help you continue to live … Read more
Those first several weeks when you bring your puppy home are the most critical when it comes to socializing. If your puppy came from a reputable breeder, they should have received desensitization and environmental stimuli training from the day they were born. Unfortunately, most puppies do not come from an ideal environment, which makes what you do even more important. The following are ways you can help foster confidence in your puppy, making them less likely to develop problems later … Read more
A lot of dogs live with fears. Fear of people, other dogs, nail trims, baths, cars – the list goes on and on. Fortunately, there are ways to help your dog overcome their fears, which makes both of your lives better. The following is a list of tips to help your dog living in fear. You will have the best luck if you employ a positive-based dog trainer with behavior modification experience to help you train. #1 – Counter Conditioning … Read more
So you’ve decided to take some training with your dog – awesome! It’s one of the best investments a dog owner can make. But making that decision is the easy part. Now comes the hard part – choosing a trainer. After all, dog training isn’t cheap and you don’t want to waste your money or your time. But how do you know if a dog trainer is good? Here are a few tips to choosing a good dog trainer. Related: … Read more
Bringing home a new puppy is one of the most exciting things you can do. Everyone wants to snuggle, play with, and take pictures of the furry bundle of joy. Because of their size and cuteness, and our human tendency to think of them as “babies,” training your new puppy may be the furthest thing on your mind. However, by the time you get your puppy at around 8 weeks old, they are definitely able to learn. This means if … Read more
Since January is #NationalTrainYourDogMonth, we went on Facebook and asked our readers what one question they wished a dog trainer would answer. The response was incredible! We received lots of great questions. Many of you had the same concerns, which can sometimes help – just to know someone else is in your boat, so to speak. We went through the questions and rounded up the “most asked” to answer here. And remember no dog is too old to learn something new or … Read more
What’s that old saying – “To err is human,” or something like that? Basically, we all make mistakes. And that is definitely true in dog training. While 99.99 percent of the time these mistakes are not life-threatening or something that can’t be fixed, they can definitely slow up the training process, creating frustration on both ends of the leash. The following are common training mistakes everyone makes so you can avoid them next time you train! #1 – Train your … Read more
“Leave it” is one of the most valuable cues we can teach our dogs. It can save them from eating something harmful, from chasing a car or stealing your steak. It’s so important that most dog trainers teach it in puppy and/or beginner obedience. However the easy version of leave a cookie in mom’s open hand or on the floor of the training room is a far cry from what we expect our dogs to do in real life: leave … Read more
Having an anxious dog can take all the fun out of having people over. You stress about how your dog will react, which actually just stresses your dog out even more. The good news is, you can successfully have people over with an anxious dog–but you just have to do a little planning beforehand. Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) member Casey Newton, CPDT-KA, founder of Wonder Puppy dog training facility in Portland, Oregon, has provided the following tips on … Read more
Training your dog is one of the most important things you can do as a pet parent, but it can also be one of the most time consuming and expensive. The following ten dog training tips will help you get the most out of your dog’s training so both dog and owner are happy with the results. In addition to the tips below, be sure to check out our 7 Best Online Dog Training Courses we recently reviewed. #1 – … Read more
When I was young, there was pretty much two types of dogs: purebred, registered dogs that were sold by breeders for high prices, or the “mutt,” who was sold in the paper for $50, or even given away for free. And it wasn’t a big deal. Your dog was purebred or just a good ‘ol mutt. Mutts, of course, were looked down upon by breeders of “purebred dogs,” but it certainly wasn’t anything people would actually stand around to argue about. … Read more
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