Just how much training is enough?
Read MoreWe spend time thinking how to prompt animals to do what we want. Maybe we’re focusing on the wrong thing..
Read MoreYour dogs would like you to know a few more things. They’ve asked me to pass these along.
Read MoreNo one likes to be bored - including your dog.
Read MoreDoes your dog blow you off? What’s up with that!?
Read MoreDog parks can be great - but only if certain things exist. Hint: it’s far less about the facilities and more about the people who bring their dogs.
Read MoreBy labeling dogs as stubborn or having “Littermate Syndrome” we place the blame for problems inside the dog instead of addressing the issues. Don’t fall into that trap.
Read MoreThere are some great blogs out there. Here are a few I really like.
Read MoreIf Buster could talk, you might be surprised what he’d say about the walks you go on.
Read MoreYou’ve heard “it’s all in how you raise them” as a defense for a breed with a bad reputation. that right or wrong? Read here to find out if Nature or Nurture (also known as training or genetics) is more important.
Read MoreWe often hear about dogs who are trying to be dominant over their humans. Is that true? Do dogs want to rule the world one human at a time? No, of course not. So, what’s really going on there? This article tells you how the myth started and what’s really going on.
Read MoreIs dog training more like car repairs or like dentistry? You might or might not be interested in handling minor car repairs yourself. Or maybe you prefer to keep your hands clean and let professionals change the oil quickly with less risk that the oil will leak out as you drive down the road. But please don’t even consider drilling your own teeth to fix a cavity - go to a dentist. This short article helps you decide which types of dog training you can resolve on your own and when you should seek out professional help.
Read MoreSometimes it’s really easy to tell if a dog is happy. And a truly terrified dog is probably pretty obvious to most people. But what does it mean when a dog yawns? Or freezes? Or looks away from you? How can you tell appropriate play from inappropriate? Is it okay for dogs to growl and bite while playing? Is growling at humans okay? Look inside for the answers.
Read MoreIf you do a good job with your puppy, you'll very likely have fewer problems for the next 10-15 years.
So much has been written about this topic. So, I'll make this relatively short and direct you to a few good resources.
Read MoreHere's the cool thing. Dogs learn just like all animals do (including humans). And it mainly comes down to these two words...
Read MoreI emphasize the fact that I don't use force (which I loosely define as the use of pain, fear, or intimidation) to train dogs. Why do I bring that up so often? The answer is simple.
Many trainers, including many in my area, do use pain, fear, and intimidation to train.
Read MoreI love dogs. I have a list of breeds I hope to have in the future. I joke about getting five dogs all at once. I even tease people about their dog being on my “long list of dogs I’d steal if given the chance.” But it’s important to face the facts - dogs aren’t always easy and the “downsides” should be considered before bringing one into our house. Here’s a list of the reasons you might want to delay getting a dog. Or at least to get prepared to face.
Read MoreThis is one of those geeky blog posts I warned you about previously. I won’t have many of them, but this one is important to me. We dog trainers have this cool tool called the Humane Hierarchy. The problem is that some people use it to justify some less-than-humane treatment of dogs. I’d like to see the Humane Hierarchy changed so it’s harder to justify that or to be confused by it.
Read MoreWhat I’ll be writing about. Who should read it. Etc.
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