Dog Training Books for Dog Lovers

Cailie add her head tilt of approval to new dog training books

My favorite expression is, “You don’t know what you don’t know till you know it.” That was true when I sought dog training information in 2003 before I became a certified professional dog trainer. Luckily, I found my way to modern, scientific, humane dog training information, which led me to a passionate career helping dog […]

The Poop Patrol. Steps for teaching your dog to help clean up.

Is your dog a member of The Poop Patrol? If you teach your dog to find their poop it makes cleaning up much easier, especially when autumn leaves fall.   While on vacation some time ago and visiting Bob and Susan Ryder of Pawsitive Transformations, I watched there dog Daisy help Bob clean up. I […]

The Magic of Teaching Your Dog to Go to Mat

Teaching your dog to park himself on a mat might be one of the most useful skills you could ever train. Once your dog has learned the skill, there are countless ways to use it. For example: When your dog is a little too excited and needs to settle, the mat becomes a place to […]

The Art of Possible

  I wrote this article some years ago and it popped into my mind again today.  I’ve been thinking about all the things I want to teach Cailie, our now 7 month old Australian Shepherd. We’ve focused mostly on tricks (fun for her, fun for me!) and family manners – the myriad of things a […]

Ease your stress with these tips for dog-friendly holiday parties

Cody the dog exploring Lowes.

Keeping families and dogs happy in the home during the holidays is a worthy goal.  Read more to learn how to ease the stress your dog feels during the holidays. You’ll feel less stressed too.  The hustle and bustle of the holidays are upon us. It’s a busy time of year. Homes are often turned […]

Stubborn Dog?

Would you be comfortable if your child’s math teacher described her as headstrong or stubborn because she wasn’t doing well in class?  Would you assume the teacher is right and your child is willfully choosing not to learn her multiplication tables?  Or, would you consider that your child may not fully understand her lesson and […]

Don’t Blame the Dog!

So often in training, when a dog doesn’t perform the desired behavior in response to the given cue, we blame the dog. I often hear, “He’s blowing me off!” or “She’s being stubborn!” However, in reality, the handler just didn’t make it clear enough for the dog to fully understand what the person was trying […]

Thinking of a Puppy for Christmas? Think again.

There’s nothing that evokes the “Normal Rockwell Christmas Experience” like the picture of a family with a soft, cuddly puppy next to a Christmas tree.  My sincere hope is that the family was wise and did their homework in order to be well prepared before bringing the sweet puppy home.  If they did, they’ll be […]

There’s No App for That!

  As “National Train Your Dog Month” comes to a close again this year, I’m reviewing the comments and questions below our daily Training Tip posts on Facebook. The overwhelming majority of comments were positive and the questions gave us great ideas for future posts. Thank you to everyone who participated. There were a few […]