Today’s topic is a juicy one with lots of real-life relevance, so I hope you’re excited! If you’re a dog owner, or someone who works with dogs, how often have you heard some variation of the following: “My girl has been growling at me over her food bowl lately! She thinks she’s the queen of the house. I really need to have her spayed and nip this in the bud.” “Oh, your dog is barking and lunging at other dogs…
When my dog Remy was very young and just getting started in agility, we were enrolled in a weekly class at a local training center in Columbus. (This was during my vet school years.) Every week, the dogs practiced jumping, running through tunnels, climbing over A-frames, and running basic sequences of obstacles so that we could practice our handling maneuvers. Remy liked agility, and he was a fantastic worker – as long as there were treats involved, he was laser-focused…
For today’s post, I want to switch gears a bit and highlight some awesome ways that you can delve deeper into the nitty-gritty details of dog training and behavior – for those who are so inclined. From time to time, I have readers contact me to ask my thoughts on the best way to become a professional dog trainer. I also have readers (and in-person students!) who simply find themselves fascinated with the science of how dogs learn, and how…
Today, I want to discuss a topic that I (and every other dog trainer I know!) get lots of questions about. Are “Invisible Fence”-type containment systems a good idea, generally speaking? Or, would this be a reasonable choice for your particular dog? Now, first things first. I want to acknowledge at the outset that this this can be a hot-button issue for many dog owners and trainers, with strong feelings on all sides – and that’s perfectly okay. It’s fine…
We have a release date for the book! 🙂 Train Your Dog Now! Your Instant Training Handbook, from Basic Commands to Behavior Fixes will be on shelves and available for order on March 6th. You can preorder starting now, if you’re excited about the book and want to get your hands on it as soon as possible. We are offering some additional bonus content for readers who choose to preorder – a short companion article on common mistakes that beginner dog…
If you’re just getting started with training your dog, you’ve probably encountered the term “clicker training” at least once or twice. Maybe you’ve overheard another student in your obedience class raving enthusiastically about how she uses a clicker to teach her new puppy fancy tricks at home. Or, perhaps it’s been mentioned in a training book or article you read – but you weren’t quite sure what it meant. If you’ve ever seen someone using a clicker to work with…
Good morning, dear readers! 🙂 I have an exciting announcement to share, about a project I’ve been working on “behind the scenes” for the past few months. I have a book coming out early next year, on basic dog training and behavior issues. The full title is “Train Your Dog Now! Your Instant Training Handbook, From Behavior Fixes to Basic Commands.” Essentially, this book is intended to provide targeted, practical training advice on a huge list of specific…
My youngest dog, Clint, is a three-year-old Sheltie. He’s a perfect dog in almost every way. Friendly and sweet, never meets a stranger. He loves to run agility and strut his stuff in the show ring, and is also a fantastic cuddle buddy for rainy days on the couch. However – he does have one unfortunate habit that I want to talk about today. Like many dogs, Clint is fascinated by the sight of other animals on the TV screen. …
Today, I want to tell you a story about one of my favorite patients. Hudson is a 13-year-old Border Collie mix – very handsome, with a long fluffy coat and bright, intelligent eyes. Like most dogs, he adores his family. He’s getting a bit grey in the face now and he doesn’t see quite as well as he used to, but he’s extremely smart and his nose works just fine. His favorite hobbies include snuggling on the couch with his…
Several months ago, I had a conversation with a client during a behavior consultation that stuck with me. I wanted to address it here today, because I think it’s a secret worry for lots of dog owners – and it really shouldn’t be! The client in question had recently adopted an 8-year-old Lab mix I’ll call “Joey.” He was a sweet, friendly dog in most situations, but she had some concerns about his behavior around her grandkids – he was…