I am behind a closed door and I cannot attend to my dog Deuce at that moment. He has followed me around and now he is lying on the other side of the door gently pawing it and barking. I asked him to stop (the barking and pawing) and immediately after that I tell him…
I don’t know about you, but I really do not like to walk dogs that pull on leash. I find that when this happens the walk just lost its relaxing quality. Perhaps other people do not feel the same about their dogs walking on a loose leash. Dogs pulling on a leash is so ubiquitous…
Waiting areas at most veterinarian clinics are stressful places for both people and dogs. They tend to be on the small side and with little in the form of design to ensure dogs have some safe distance from other dogs. The leash, acting as a barrier, prevents dogs to engage in natural greeting behaviors. The…
Join me for these two upcoming classes this October: From Tiny to Mighty! Teaching your small-breed dog to be comfortable, and confident in their world. Conversation Starters – The Required First Steps for Off-leash Freedom with Your Dog Here are more details on each! From Tiny to Mighty! Tiny dogs often have a bad reputation….
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…
Is it best to “add” or to “subtract” when dog training? This is indeed an interesting question. By adding I mean presenting a reinforcer as a consequence for behavior. By subtracting I mean removing a reinforcer as a consequence for behavior. In my view, the answer is that both modalities are of use when teaching…
Have you ever traveled with your dog and really needed her to eliminate, and have found yourself doing laps around and around the hotel grounds because your dog is having such a fun time and she not ready to eliminate? Or, how about when it is raining or snowing, and your pup decides this is…
I would argue that some dogs are gaining too much weight because they are given too many treats during training, and perhaps high caloric treats in addition to their daily meals. A dog that is even a few pounds overweight can be considered obese so it is really important that we do not end up…
If you share your life with one or a few herding-breed dogs, then this training class is for you and your dogs! Starting April 9th, join me for Living Harmoniously With a Herding Dog. As you may know, my current family members include two Border collies and a Cattle-dog mix. Herding dogs often do not…
I invite you to join me for these three upcoming dog training classes: Teach your Dog to (Really) Relax Anywhere! The Details: Class meets in person for a 1-hour PEOPLE ONLY orientation and 3 45 minutes sessions working sessions with the dogs. We will begin working with our dogs in a less distracting environment. As…