Have you ever wondered if your dog is truly reinforced by your petting? Do you think that your dog would find your petting to be more reinforcing than that of a stranger? And what about praise? Is it a relevant and sought-after reinforcer for dogs? The answers may surprise you… In a recent study conducted by…
Once in a while I get a client that pre-phrases her or his need for help with a: ….”I have owned dogs all my life….” kind of statement. And to this kind of statement I feel like responding in oh so many ways. I wonder first why then are they calling me for help? Do…
Part of living with a dog implies brushing their coats, bathing them, teeth cleaning, nail clipping, as well as any handling needed in order to administer medicines or veterinary care. The list is a long one with most of these activities potentially stressful to most dogs. It is quite unfortunate that we cannot explain and…
We recently decided to head out early for our regular hike with the dogs. As we are heading outside our property, we hear a pack of coyotes that have taken “residence” not too far from us. It is hard to know exactly where they are because the canyons around us make the sound bounce. John…
This week I have spent almost every waking hour taking care of and socializing a young puppy. How do you know what to work on? Well think about it this way: Whatever you want your adult dog to be comfortable with and not scared of for the rest of his life, that is what you…
Here is the second installment of our discussion on mental stimulation. As I mentioned previously, we can go beyond food dispensing toys to give our dogs a daily dosage of mental stimulation. Some people get it right and understand the importance of a “sniff walk” for their dog. Indeed, for how we use sight to…
If you are at all in the dog “circle” you have unmistakably heard about mental stimulation. What I think sometimes trainers, like myself, forget to do is to explain to people a couple of important factors about mental stimulation. First off, I would like to define mental stimulation. It is any activity that your dog…
Shouldn’t an adult dog know where to go? Ideally, yes. And dogs are naturally clean animals. Given a choice, they will go to the bathroom well away from where they sleep and eat. But it is not at all obvious to dogs that carpets and floors are inappropriate toilets—or that the bathroom rules in one…
Dogs that suffer from separation distress, also known as separation anxiety (SA), are coping the best they can. In their view, being left alone is a very scary proposition. One that makes them panic before the event (here is the anxiety piece) and during the event. It is difficult to know why dogs experience anxiety…
I am working at my computer totally immersed in what I am doing when I hear a very odd sound coming from Deuce. I turn and see that Deuce, who was lying on a bed next to me, is completely smacked tight to the wall with his face also turned away towards the wall. Next…