Tips to Help Your Dog Love Grooming – At Home or the Salon
I think we can all say that keeping on top of your dog’s grooming routine at home can some days feel a bit of a chore, especially if your dog isn’t so keen on the idea. But never fear – once you get started it can actually turn out to be quite a rewarding task and a positive one too! […]
Strange New Things Part 3 – Helping Mercy Love the Weave Poles
I’ve recently written about using classical conditioning to help your dog be comfortable around strange new things. The previous two articles were about helping my dog, Mercy, learn to interact with a big long blue tunnel. I’ve wanted to do Agility for Fun, so we’re training for that enjoyable activity. I’ve been successful in getting […]
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 […]
Strange New Things Part 2 – Helping Your Dog Learn to Love New Things
The last time we talked I told you about introducing Mercy to the new agility equipment we purchased over the holidays. I shared how important it is to help her form a positive association with all this “new stuff” on her porch and deck by using classical conditioning. I’m pleased to report the tunnel is no longer […]
Are You Forcing Socialization?
Perhaps you’ve heard it’s vitally important to socialize your new dog or puppy to help set them up to be confident, well-adjusted dogs. However, simply increasing exposure to scary or threatening things is not “socialization.” If your dog doesn’t enjoy other dogs, taking him to a dog park or dropping him off at a daycare […]
Strange New Things – Helping Your Dog Learn to Love Them
When introducing new things into a dog’s environment it’s important to consider how a dog will perceive the new object. Dogs, like people, learn through association (classical conditioning) and develop a positive, negative or neutral emotional response to new people, places or things. Any new first interaction and experience needs to be a positive one. […]
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 […]
Darn Dog, I need to get this fixed!
“I need to get this fixed and as soon as possible!” This is a statement we hear often from a prospective client when their dog has some sort of behavioral issue. They want their dog to behave differently but just don’t know where to start. We understand, we were once there with Cody, our […]
Agh! Agh! Why saying “No” can be a major hindrance to your training goals.
In a group class the other day, I witnessed a couple constantly using their voice like a buzzer noise, “Agh! Agh!” with their dog in a harsh tone. They were attempting to tell the dog he was doing something wrong, though it was easy to see from the dog’s body language that the dog was […]
Does Your Dog Think You’re Management Material?
When you hear the word management, I bet you aren’t thinking about your dog. But I and many of my training colleagues work hard every day to change that. Most people think of management as planning, organizing, leading and directing. Every one of these words describes the type of management you use with your dog […]
