Today’s topic is one that has always been close to my heart, for reasons that I hope will soon become obvious. This is the story of Duncan – my family’s very first dog. My first agility partner, snuggle buddy, and all-around best friend. I could fill a novel with all the things he taught me, and I will always be grateful that he was my canine “first love.” His story is painful to tell in some ways, because I see…
As a starting point for today’s discussion, I want to delve a little deeper into a very common, deceptively simple question that all trainers have heard more times than they care to count: Why doesn’t my dog listen? This question, or some variation of it, is probably the single most frequent thing I am asked by beginner students in my obedience classes. Their dogs are jumping on visitors, pulling on the leash, having potty accidents in the house, or running…
“Hello!” The voice on the line is earnest and cheerful. “I’m calling to sign my dog up for obedience class, please.” Of course, I say. We have new class sessions starting every few weeks, and we’d be happy to help her sign up. I ask for a bit more information about her dog, and what skills she’s hoping to work on in class. “Well, he’s a nice dog. I mean, he’s great with the family. But whenever strangers come around,…
This week’s topic is not an easy one to discuss. Few things in the world of behavior are quite as controversial as the decision to euthanize a dog – it’s a tragic outcome, heartbreaking for owners, trainers, and veterinarians alike. Like all controversial topics, this one tends to provoke strong feelings and opinions on both sides. And unfortunately, when emotions are running high, misunderstandings and false assumptions are all too common. Some well-meaning dog lovers I have encountered, whether in…
If you’re a dog owner, I’m sure you’ve heard this refrain. Conventional wisdom says that young puppies come to us as blank slates. Full of promise and limitless potential, ready to be molded into your ideal companion as long as you do your part – provide lots of love, the right amount of discipline, and appropriate training along the way. If you’re a caring, responsible pet owner, there’s no reason that your puppy should not grow up to be a…
If you have a new puppy, or are expecting one this holiday season – congratulations! You’re embarking on a life-changing adventure full of ups and downs, especially during those fragile first few months. If you’ve had a puppy before, or spent much time around one, you know exactly what I mean. Snuggles on the couch, the first day home. Soft puppy kisses, a tiny wagging tail. Hopping clumsily after a ball in her very first game of fetch. Barking and…
Today, I want to shed some light on a sometimes confusing, often maligned topic in the field of dog training – namely, the use of medication to treat behavior problems. You may have strong opinions about this already, and that’s okay. Many of my clients do. My goal with this discussion is not to convince you of anything in particular, but simply to provide information and clarify some misunderstandings that I often see. Medication may be an excellent, life-changing choice…
As a jumping off point for today’s discussion, I want to use a question I received in the comments section of a previous post. The post was about changing our perspective in dog training to reflect the fact that dogs are dogs, and they do what comes naturally to them unless we give them a meaningful reason not to – you can read it here if you like. As an example of this, I mentioned that my 8-year-old competition dog…
Welcome back for today’s follow-up discussion on treating leash reactivity! If you didn’t get a chance to read last week’s post on this topic, you can find it here. Today, I will be breaking down in detail how we approach this problem from a training perspective. I’m excited to write this post because this issue is so common, and so incredibly frustrating for owners! As I said last time, leash reactivity is one of my favorite problems to treat because…
Picture this. It’s a beautiful summer morning. You’re out on the sidewalk, leash and poop bags in hand, enjoying a peaceful stroll with your dog. It’s early, still cool and gray. Quiet. The very best time to be out, before the world around you is awake. Your dog sniffs contentedly in the grass, finds a suitable place to pee. Birds chirp. A car passes, slow and lazy. You glance up and down the street, ever watchful. So far, so good….