The Leadership Walk: The “Cure” for Pulling and So Much More!
By consistently making the Leadership Walk your ONLY leash routine, you will be demonstrating to your dog that you are his natural and legitimate Leader – Nature’s way — and making this easy for him to understand.
What Training Can and Cannot Produce: A Tale of Cookies and Coleslaw
As much as dog owners hope that their trainer is like a master chef that can transform their aggressive dog into a social one, or their cat chaser into a cuddling kitty lover…generally speaking it’s not going to happen. Here’s what they can do….
Might He Bite? 3 Genetic Factors That Explain Why Some Dogs Bite
Though the vexed owner looks for someone to blame….the fact of the matter is simply that this puppy’s “new” behavior may have been predestined from the start if its genetics were aligned just so. Here’s what I mean…
Food Aggression or Self Fulfilling Prophecy?
The last few times I’ve had clients come in with concerns regarding food aggression behavior, I noticed a few things that they all had in common. First of all, each had 4 month old puppies and had these puppies since 8 weeks of age. All families mentioned their previous dog also exhibited food…
Training Like “Mom” Intended
When one strips away all the fluff and hype, rhetoric and technique, it is clear that the most important reality for a dog is to simply have clarity on two things: 1.) Who makes the rules here? and, 2.) What are mine?
BABY, OH BABY: Preparing Your Pooch for the New Arrival
While you are busy happily preparing for your new little human family member, consider preparing your dog as well. It can be a big and confusing event for him.
Breed Differences: Variations on a Theme
My system is this: First, choose a breed with breed characteristics most compatible with you and your lifestyle.
Home-Alone Dogs: BOREDOM BUSTERS
A bored dog may start digging in the yard, howling and barking uncontrollably, chewing on furniture, licking a spot on its skin until it’s raw, or a host of other undesirable behaviors.
Nature Knows Best – Why I Became a Dog Trainer
The leaders in the animal word are not loud or mean – they are direct and calm, but establish themselves as Leaders by making and enforcing rules and boundaries.
Puppy Personality Development: Iceberg Rising
By twelve weeks of age the iceberg starts to rise and you can see confidence, exuberance, timidity and the full spectrum of canine personalities.
Dog Training Styles — Making Sense of Them All
What’s a dog owner to believe and how do they choose the right trainer and training style for them? I hope this will help make sense of it all.
BORDER PATROL: Teaching Dog Boundaries
With a long line attached to your dog via his collar, you can teach your dog to respect virtually any boundary – whether it is the edge of the lawn, the threshold of your front door, or the doorway of the room that you are in.
Dog Stress Signs: When a New Home is the Best Home — For the Dog
As I am fond of saying, “A happy dog doesn’t growl or bite.” The most important part of an aggression consultation is figuring out why the dog is unhappy and whether or not the family is able to minimize the stress in his environment.
The P-Word: Why “Punishment” Makes Me Cringe
From the get-go, dogs don’t know right from wrong or “should” from Shinola®… They invented the phrase, “If it feels good do it.”
5 Mistakes Rescue Dog Owners Make
Many rescue dogs enter their new families displaying shyness or even fear. This is NOT necessarily caused by “abuse”, as is routinely assumed.
7 Dog Products Professionals Swear By
As a kennel owner and professional dog trainer for over 24 years, I have dog products coming out my ears. The latest supplement, gizmo, training tool – you name it, I’ve tried it. From this plethoric pile of products, however, I find myself reaching for just a few on a regular basis…
INNER BEAUTY: Lessons From An Ugly Dog
Her name was Sophie – a 17 years young, 3 pound, toothless, blind and deaf Chihuahua. Her “disabilities” notwithstanding, Sophie sat proudly on her mother’s lap
Leading Cause of Dog Bites – Owner Denial!
A dog growls, barks or snaps, he is telling you something! He’s saying, “Back off or I’ll do something more serious”. His message, however, falls on deaf ears if his owner and family are in denial
