Holidays are great opportunities for recharging. Besides perhaps getting more shuteye and visiting with friends, I do like to keep things somewhat routine for the dogs. We might add a new place to visit or just spend more time hanging out. This Thanksgiving weekend I spent the time upping my Frisbee game with them. Playing Frisbee is:…
Author: Almudena Ortiz Cue
Praise or Petting?
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…
Help with Crossing a Bridge
One of my clients submitted this question about her dog Juby. I suggested to her that we meet for a training session and that we video it too so that I could show others how to go about a similar situation. Our session lasted 40 minutes from beginning to end. Most of it is caught…
Confidence Building – Part 2
Rio and Deuce have finished eating dinner and as we do every night, I proceed to the laundry room just after having said out loud: “Does anyone here want a bone?” Immediately I hear hurried paw steps towards the laundry room in anticipation of “dessert”. I have been trained well by these two and I…
Building Confidence – What does it mean?
Recently I was talking to the participants of my Agility class about the benefits of engaging their dogs in novel experiences as a way to build up their confidence. But what exactly does that mean? So here is how I think of building confidence in our dogs. The goal of any confidence boosting exercise is…
My Dog Lunges To Meet Other Dogs and Human Friends
Question: Hi Almudena, To get to her destination quicker, my dog Jessie pulls, lunges and wants to run towards a dog and/or person she knows while on leash. What can I do in order to help her meet her friends in a calmer manner? Thank you, Diane Answer: Hi Diane, Thank you for your inquiry….
Submit Your Behavior or Specific Situation Questions About Your Dog To Me
Through my blog Slice of Life I have shared with all of you over 100 posts to date. I hope that these posts have brought you insight and knowledge on how you can live and enjoy life alongside your dogs. So here is to a little “experiment” I would love to try: Please submit via the form below…
I have owned shoes all my life…
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…
Get Ready For Some Fall Classes
With the fall season already upon us, we’d like to share some good news so that you have something to look forward to. C.H.A.C.O. has some upcoming classes starting this November! Here are some of the details for the upcoming classes: Kinder Pup 1: Your puppy’s proper socialization should start pronto! A well socialized puppy…
Home Delivery
I am at home waiting for a home delivery. The home delivery people had called ahead of time as requested and now both dogs are in my office in their crates. I hear a knock on the front door and in unison with my “come in” I hear Rio barking. Ah, she probably wonders: who…