While taking a break from playing with the whippet, I spot Rio peeing on one of her toys. The coffee cup that I am holding in my other hand prevents me from reaching towards it in an effort to stop her from continuing peeing on it because at some point during the game I am…
As it is customary, I give the dogs their evening chewies. Deuce dashes to the living room and he settles on the carpet – in the same spot as he does every night to happily chew. Rio runs to the dog bed in the kitchen. I am next to her and I take the opportunity…
Doggie daycares are the rave these days. As with any service, the quality of the establishment can vary to very good (really hard to pull off) to terrible. Personally I do not see doggie daycares as the solution to dog home alone. I think some dogs can benefit from attending a *reputable* daycare perhaps once…
As we all well know, canines are predators. As such they all come hard-wired for chasing after their food. Even our domesticated pampered dogs come hard-wired for hot pursuit even when a warm dinner awaits them – day in and day out. How close to the surface are these hard-wired behaviors varies from dog to…
Do you have aspirations of remaining young for a long, long time? If so, then consider getting a playful pup. I have noticed that one of the best things my dogs contribute to my life and me being active is their spontaneity. Dogs have an amazing ability to entertain themselves and to taunt us into…
These two concepts really shed some light as to how dogs learn. They are important for us to understand because it will help us feel less frustrated when things with our dog are not going our way and to maximize learning. Dogs do not generalize: Here is an example of what generalization means: If I…
Dog parents have learned about the importance of taking their pups to puppy classes to ensure their puppy will not only be a delight-of-a-dog to be around, but also one that is comfortable and thriving in all sorts of circumstances. In other words: well socialized. But what is socialization? Socialization is the process of exposing…
Need I say more? Adolescence in dogs is very similar to adolescence in people in the sense that both sets of adolescents begin to look away from the comfort and security of their caregivers and begin to explore their surroundings. When it comes to dogs, owners notice that the polite social graces their dog had…
I am working with a client and her dog with recall (come when called). My client calls her dog and seconds later produces a treat for the dog. The dog meanwhile remains motionless down the hallway of the home. I tell my client that it’s best not to bribe the dog. She looks at me…
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…