Helping a Dog Afraid of Ceiling Fans This was the email subject line from a client, and I couldn’t help, but wonder if this was really true. After scheduling a private consult with this client, and viewing videos she recorded of her dog and the ceiling fan, I had a pretty good idea what was going on. Was it the Ceiling Fan? Oh yes, this dog was definitely afraid of the … [Read more...]
Debunking Dog Aggression Myths
Aggressive Dog Behavior I feel aggression is a very misunderstood label that we tack on animals we don’t understand. Let's discuss dog aggression myths. What is dog aggression? Dog aggression in layman’s terms means a dog threatens to cause harm to another dog or person. Wikipedia states aggression in its broadest sense is "behavior, or a disposition, that is forceful, … [Read more...]
How To Fade Dog Training Treats
Randomly Rewarding Training Treats Dog training treats are extremely useful when teaching your dog new behaviors. Once your dog has practiced a specific behavior in a myriad of situations with various distractions, it’s time to start fading treats. But not so fast! There's a technique to fading dog treats! :) Fading Dog Training Treats and Gambling Randomly rewarding … [Read more...]
Who Should Walk Through The Door First?
Walking Through Doors With Your Dog As pet owners, it’s our job to keep our beloved dogs safe. One situation that can cause stress in dogs is walking through doors, especially if something scary is on the other side. Opening doors to strangers walking by or to a vet clinic can be scary. Before walking through a door, follow these steps to keep your dog safe and … [Read more...]
Teaching Your Dog Agility Moves
Start with basic commands and then introduce various obstacles one at a time. Agility dogs are good at running up A-frames and through tunnels, scaling tire jumps and racing through weave poles. And they do all this while focusing on their humans, who provide them with verbal and physical cues. If you have ever wondered how agility dogs learn to negotiate a course at … [Read more...]
Dog Shock Collars are Cruel and Unnecessary
Dog Shock Collars: They Hurt and They Don't Work A few days ago, I stumbled upon a news article in which a mother was accused of shocking her toddler with one of these dog shock collars. What? Is this article for real? Unfortunately, it's very real and the mother is being prosecuted for child abuse. She had witnessed a pet owner using a shock collar on his dog to change … [Read more...]
How To Teach A Dog To Ask You To Potty
Training Your Dog to Ask You to Potty Potty training is a difficult part of sharing your home with a dog. If only puppies and dogs were pre-programmed to potty outside. :) But that's not the case, and it's the pet owner's job to teach a dog to potty outdoors. Crate training and following a schedule are the foundations of potty training, but sometimes puppies and dogs … [Read more...]
Looking for a Dog Trainer? Ask These Questions
Interviewing a Dog Trainer Several weeks ago, a delightful new client reached out about a private dog training lesson for his puppy. Immediately, this client had specific questions during our phone conversation. He asked about my dog training methodology and prior experience, and questioned how I would handle a specific situation. After the first question, I realized this … [Read more...]