Behavior
Safe Dog Play
Make sure your dog is enjoying the interaction. A while ago I was parked near a dog park. I love observing dog interaction, so I sat in my car and…
Read MoreBe Your Dog’s Advocate
If not you, who better? I was recently asked for advice by a friend in another state who had observed a training class she was considering attending. The trainer tried…
Read MoreGrowling
What should you do if your dog growls at you? A friend asked for advice about their adolescent dog that sometimes growls at the kids when they try to play…
Read MoreYour Dog’s Adolescence – Part 2
Keep training your teenager! I sometimes wonder if we should include an alert in our Puppy Essentials Class for puppies up to five months of age and the four and…
Read MoreYour dog’s adolescence – Part 1
When teen behavior rears its ugly head. I recently read an article in “The Whole Dog Journal” entitled, “Canine Adolescence: The Great ‘Unconsidered’ Life Stage.” Both the title and much…
Read MoreFireworks & dogs
Dos and don’ts to protect your dog. I have no idea what the celebration was a couple of weeks ago in early June, when one of my neighbors set off…
Read MoreSay “Please”
Using every-day activities to reinforce polite behavior. Have you ever thought about all the pleasures a dog derives from everyday life: Eating a meal or a treat, going for a…
Read MoreInstant “Obedience”?
Can you expect compliance without training for it? Do you demand more “obedience” from your dog than you would from a spouse, a child, a friend or even yourself? Other…
Read MorePost-Covid & Socialization Issues
The unintended consequence of staying home. We recently hired a young woman for her first job. Because of Covid, she had spent the last two years unemployed and pretty much…
Read MoreDog Barking?
Train an incompatible behavior … shhhh. A few weeks ago we had a new dog attend our Scent work class. This is a small class of five dogs, all of…
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