There is something called “learned irrelevance” and if you live with dogs you have experienced this my friends. You have also experienced the opposite: your dog realizing that what is happening at the moment is frankly quite relevant to them. Learned irrelevance refers to our dogs becoming keen observers of circumstances that mean nothing relevant from…
I am going through my morning routine. The dogs have been fed and now I am hustling a bit to get ready myself. John is with us and he is going back and forth from his home office and the kitchen. The dogs, meanwhile, do what they do most mornings once they have had their…
Life is really an ongoing set of evaluations and negotiations affecting those that are part of our lives, be it a child, friend, parent, and even our pets. If reaching a consensus where all parties get something they want or need is difficult, imagine when there is one silent partner “sitting at the negotiation table.”…
Hello Pet Guardians, Going, going, gone! If you are thinking about joining the Playing and Teaching Boundary Games dog training class, do so now! Registration closes soon and there are only a few spots left! Watch the video on YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umxjhRm9gKU Learn more here: https://chacodogtraining.com/event/playing-and-teaching-boundary-games/?instance_id=5667&fbclid=IwAR3mcEF_Om1_RtBe4w8iRxWr0zg53-GZb6cePaV2sfBpqUOaX08GnO_F-pU What do your dogs do when the doorbell rings? Or…
This morning I proceed to gather what is needed for the morning exercise routine for the dogs. We begin as we always do, but I notice shortly thereafter that Deuce is taking a rest after almost every retrieve of the ball. Later on, Rio sort of bails out on our favorite game. Huh? I am…
As a continuation to this post titled “Teaching dogs to stop chasing anything that moves,” here are some specific ways by which you cannot only give your dog a “legal” outlet for predatory behaviors and up your chances that you will be able to stop your dog from chasing after wildlife, cars, etc. As I…
I was recently quite frustrated with the fact that my dogs had no interest in going after the thrown less-than-perfect Frisbee, that I had to introduce changes in their playtime. The changes that I introduced in our following Frisbee sessions are all based on principles of animal learning which everyone wanting to work with animals…
I am sure that if you hang out with “dog people” – especially folks that are interested in dog sports you have heard the term “drive” and its derivatives such as: “high-drive”, “low-drive” etc. used ad nauseam. But what is “drive”, really? The answer(s), of course, depends on whom you ask. Drive has been described…
This morning I am gathering the Frisbees and the energy to start working with my dogs. Both Deuce and Rio appear excited at this point. Good, I think. I throw my first air-born Frisbee for Deuce and he remains standing looking at me as if asking me what do I want him to do about…
I am about to make some popcorn – one of my favorite snacks – as John is out walking with the dogs. I pause to think of what to put on the popcorn. Not so much because I am undecided about what I want, but because I normally share the bag of popcorn with Deuce…