I recently received a testimonial from a client that came to meet with me because of her severely fearful dog named Che. I met with Haley and Che. Che was so concerned with my presence that most of the work I did was at a distance – for this reason, we met outside and with…
My husband John is looking for a “new” truck. He is looking in lots of different places just for the “right” truck at the “right” price. He actually goes and drives a couple that appear to be promising. After one of those drives, he pronounces — in between giggles, that the one he just drove…
My dogs are inside their crates working a juicy bone as they always do when I have a client at my place. I finish up and I come to let them out. After leashing Rio up, we go outside. The dogs love going outside to find out who was here and whether they left any…
Perhaps you have read somewhere about a few studies conducted regarding what is called laterality which is defined as the predominance of one side of the body over the other. Laterality has been observed in many species among them in dogs. Dogs do have preference as to which side of their body they use in…
Head halters are quite useful tools. It helps with dogs that are large and strong that pull on leash. But most importantly head-halters are a must for those dogs that for whatever reason lunge and pull towards other dogs or people. I am amazed to see how, when used correctly, head-halters can become the difference…
The rave these days is for dogs to have about the same amount of extra-curriculum activities as kids of affluent families. Don’t get me wrong, providing engagement to our dog is a very good thing. However, this is where one size does not fit all. I am discussing with some folks their dog’s daily schedule. They tell…
Recently I was asked in class by a participant if she could stop using treats and instead praise her dog to motivate her to do the behaviors they were learning. I know that every single trainer that uses food as a reinforcer has heard this same question thousands of times. A different variation to the…
One of the fun things about living with more than one dog is that you get to experience their different personalities (or should I say dognalities) and in some way experience life from their unique perspective. In my case, my dogs could not be more different. Rio, with her bigger-than-life attitude, which I love. Yes, I…
It is early afternoon, which means prime nap-time for both dogs. I am going about my business when I hear a fly buzzing around me. I am one of those people that have a very low tolerance for noise. And a fly buzzing around is more than I can handle. I reach for the flyswatter…
I’m trying to get Deuce ready to go sheepherding and I know that if I do not leave in a few minutes I will be late. I have Deuce on a leash as we step outside the front door. He puts on the breaks. Darn! The car issue is becoming worse. For some reason Deuce has…