Whose Walk Is It Anyway?

by Lisa Lyle Waggoner As I headed out the door the other day for a long walk with my two dogs, I wondered, “Whose walk is it anyway?” It’s probably no surprise to anyone who shares their life with a dog that their sense of smell is keen.  In doing some additional reading for an […]

It’s hot in the car

by Brad Waggoner It’s a holiday weekend and folks are going to be getting out and enjoying themselves. If you’re one of them and plan on taking your dog please remember that even though the temperatures are cooling down it can still get deadly hot inside your car.  Leaving the windows cracked and a little […]

Canine Cognition Studies at Duke University

by Brad  Waggoner We have just returned from our second trip to Durham, NC where we participated in a study in canine cognition at Duke University. Professor Brian Hare is testing hundreds of dogs to determine how they make decisions. It seems that dogs in many ways process information better than our closest relatives in […]

Sounds That Drive Dogs Crazy!

by Lisa Lyle Waggoner Do loud sudden noises have your dog running for cover?  Barking like crazy?  Trembling uncontrollably?  Well, know that you’re not alone. While there are a multitude of sounds that each individual dog may be sensitive to, there are 4 major sounds that often cause mild to severe anxiety in most dogs:  […]

A Great day at Bark-E-Que

by Brad Waggoner We were delighted to be asked to participate in the first annual Bark-E-Que sponsored by Operation P.U.P.  (Prevent Unwanted Pets). Operation P.U.P. is a non-profit group dedicated to the promotion of spay and neuter education and assistance. We were so happy that we could be there to introduce so many people to […]

Does Your Dog Have Country Dog Syndrome?

by Lisa Lyle Waggoner The joys of living a rural life in these beautiful mountains certainly feeds my soul in a hundred different ways.  I believe I can also safely say that my dogs would call life in these mountains “doggie heaven on earth,” as evidenced by the way they bound around with wild abandon […]

Punishment and Positive Reinforcement Trainers

As clicker trainers and trainers who use positive reinforcement to work with our animals I sometimes find it interesting just how punishing we, as a group, can sometimes be.  R+ trainers know that we can teach far more efficiently and with longer lasting results using positive reinforcement methods, but when it comes to or own […]

National Train Your Dog Month

Did you know that this month, January 2010 is National Train Your Dog Month? If you’re near us here in NC, join us for a class or we’ll help you find a trainer near you. In either case, have some fun learning with your dog! You can visit The Association of Pet Dog Trainers and […]

Grieving the Death of a Dog

by Lisa Lyle Waggoner I just learned today that “Bean” the beloved companion of some very good friends of mine passed away on Christmas Eve after an unsuccessful surgery to remove a mass in her intestines.  Thinking about that loss caused me to post an article on grief I wrote for a local publication back […]

Yes, It’s Truly a Flu That Can Affect Dogs

I’ve had a few clients call me recently about the Dog Flu. With all the media hype about all types of flu’s around these days, I thought I’d share what I’ve learned from my own research.  As always, I urge you to also do your own research and be a critical thinker about what’s best […]