Just like humans, dogs go through different stages of development over time, both physical, emotional and social. Every stage has its special moments. Puppies turn into uncoordinated juveniles testing boundaries then into unruly teenagers and then finally...
There's a lot of euphemisms in dog training, mostly trying to smooth over things that don't sit well with us. Aversive trainers and electric fence companies will tell you the shock collar is "just a vibration like your cell phone or TENS unit." People who...
As a behavior consultant and trainer, my primary goal is to help families work through their dog's behavior to help them achieve behavior modification, set up management, ensure the dog's needs are being met and more. I’ve helped thousands of dogs overcome...
I've written about why you shouldn't use a shock collar and have my free download, 3 Reasons Not To Use A Shock Collar, but today I'm addressing some common shock collar myths. But, at its core, if you take nothing else away, it's this: Learning shouldn't hurt. We...
Enrichment isn't optional. It's not a nice, extra thing we should be doing for our animals - it's a critical part of their well-being, health and happiness. Having the ability to do normal dog behavior is one of the Five Freedoms, "freedom to express normal...
One of the biggest differences working with a qualified trainer and trying to DIY your training is knowing when or how to make your training more challenging for your dog. One of the recent survey questions submitted was "how do I know when my dog is ready...
Many people, whether they have a new puppy or a newly rescued adult dog, struggle with the most basic of things we need to train in dogs - to go to the bathroom outside. Housetraining or potty training can be frustrating for owners. Housetraining issues can...
Recently I covered the topic of Is It Separation Anxiety Or Something Else? Some clients come to me already knowing their dog has separation anxiety or isolation distress, because it's been diagnosed by a vet. But many others are confused and unsure - is...
It can be confusing for dog guardians to know if their dog or puppy is experiencing separation anxiety or just having normal "dog stuff" going on, since often there can be a lot of crossover between how behavior presents. Is the dog being destructive and...
I have many clients that find themselves to me because their dog, whether newly adopted from a rescue or purchased from a breeder, discover their dog is afraid of being outside. This is especially prominent in dogs who come from quiet rural settings and then...
Recently I asked for blog topic suggestions and one of the questions submitted was how to answer when people ask "does he bite?" This person also offered that they wanted to keep strangers from petting the dog, so has been saying "yes, he bites" to deter people...
Happy New Year! Thank you for all the responses to my recent survey asking for blog topics. Many of them have already been covered but I will revisit them and maybe break them down a bit more. But, with the start of the new year, I thought it would be a good...