How Long Should I Wait to Train My Puppy?

Training teaches your puppy how to coexist in human environments

Either your pup is training you, or you are training your pup… They’re learning the minute their paws hit the turf! I am often reminded the importance of training a puppy. When I see adolescent behavior issues, lack of socialization issues, and when I see people waiting to engage in training in the first place.…

Read More

LEASH-WALKING: WHO’S WALKING WHOM?

Watch your dog's signals to learn how he feels

Let’s bring leash walking into the conversation! 98% of my clients either: Have a request to change leash-walking habits that are occurring with their dogs; They have accepted the fate that walking with their dog on leash is a punishing event that they simply must endure;   OR They cease walking altogether. Which one are you? You…

Read More

Dog Food and Attitude

Support great behavior in your dog with quality food

Dog food and attitude – what our dogs eat and how it may be affecting their ability to change behavior. I was excited to have an appointment with Craig and his dog Jake last week. Craig’s original complaints for me to address were counter surfing, excessive whining, barking at what appeared to be ‘nothing’ and…

Read More

Your Dog Can’t Do Anything Wrong

Leash training, like any other kind of dog training, benefits both you and your dog

Your Dog Can’t Do Anything Wrong – just consider it a training opportunity What kind of feelings come up when you hear that your dog cannot do anything wrong? Does your primate kick in and defend its position in your relationship? If our dogs aren’t listening it must be because THEY are wrong! Right? From…

Read More

A Healthy Canine Thanksgiving Feast

A healthy, balanced diet, even on holidays, is best for your dog

A Healthy Canine Thanksgiving Feast is No Feast at All Stop Begging Behavior Before It Starts Before we launch into holiday foods for our furries, a behavioral reminder: It takes a long time to reorient begging behavior if you feed from the table on this or any other day. Begging behavior results from reinforcement. In short, dogs…

Read More

Treat, Don’t Trick, Your Dog this Halloween

Avoid costumes unless your dog openly enjoys dressing up

Will You Trick or Treat Your Dog this Halloween? Halloween from a Dog’s Perspective Here are eight ideas to help understand Halloween from your dog’s perspective: Firstly, it matters less that your dog is well socialized to kids on Halloween than whether they are socialized to costumes. For those dog parents who say, “My dog…

Read More

Heavy Petting

Watch your dog's signals to learn how he feels

Non-stop Loving on Your Dog Could Be Causing Stress When I have a meeting with clients on what motivates their dog’s behavior, heavy petting the dog in the family is fairly consistent. The time I spend with an initial consultation is in observation of body language, is in identifying anxiety- producing situations where communication with…

Read More

People Food

Dogs and people need quality nutrition

People food? Dog food? Shouldn’t all food feed body and mind? I am fascinated with language, both its power as a trainer of dogs with their humans, and how we tend to repeat words/phrases/jingles. One of the most common refrains I hear is “My dog doesn’t eat people food,” which begs the question: Are we…

Read More