Dog Learning
Be 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 MoreDogs’ Vocabulary
Dogs & toddlers learn words about the same. I recently read an article about teaching your dog a vocabulary. The article represented that dogs have the ability to learn spoken…
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…
Read MoreTeaching an “off” switch
When you’re done petting or playing. One of the things I teach all my dogs is that when I say “No more,” it means I’m done petting. When I’m playing…
Read MoreEasy Activity – Shaping Behaviors
Shaping behavior is also called “successive approximation.” It is moving a behavior in small (even tiny) increments getting closer and closer to the ultimate goal behavior. The trainer communicates with…
Read MoreEasy Activity – Simple Training Tips
Improving your dog’s behavior … without really trying. During the Covid shut-downs, we regularly posted ideas to do with your dog at home. This article is about using every-day tasks…
Read MoreDog Temperament
Dog Disposition & Personality. A simple truth: dogs have different dispositions and personalities. This seems so basic it needs no discussion. No one would expect a French Bulldog to have the…
Read More