Management Is Important For Puppy Success

Yes, I will admit, this is Sam when he was a young puppy! Was he scolded? Nope. The fault was on our end for giving him access to pieces of clothing. Management is such an important – and easily forgotten or overlooked – part of helping a puppies to succeed in our homes.

DRI As A Dog Training Tool

Last week I had a first appointment to meet this adorable jack russell terrier and his family. It was a pretty exciting occasion for him and he greeted me by jumping, wagging his tail, and fast movements. He was getting so stimulated between the new visitor and a room of kids plus two parents, that […]

Dog Training Tip: Your Dog’s Perspective

This is just a reminder, if you want to teach your dog to come when called, remember to give your dog reasons to want to come.

Antecedents And Behavior Change

I talk a lot about the power of consequences when it comes to determining the future rate of a behavior which is especially important to preventing and solving dog, puppy and parrot behavior problems in positive ways. However, it is also important to understand the role of antecedents (what happens before a particular behavior) in […]

Is A Tired Dog Always The Best Solution?

I have heard it said a lot, “a tired dog (or puppy) is a good dog” and usually that phrase references physical activity. Absolutely physical activity is important to the health of your dog but at what point does it become too much of a good thing? Is the answer to ‘bouncing off the wall, […]

Understanding Pica In Dogs

This is a topic that came up over the weekend with a client I worked with awhile back. She had made numerous emergency trips to the veterinarian or emergency hospital after her dog swallowed various items. If she could get her dog to stop swallowing things whole, she told me, their lives would be so […]

My Furry Valentine Volunteer Talks About Her Passion

For hundreds of Greater Cincinnati families and individuals each year, Valentine’s Day has come to be extra special as a holiday when they adopted a dog, puppy, cat or other small animal at My Furry Valentine. The event has grown to be the largest mega dog and cat adoption event in the region, and attracts […]

Your Relationship With Your Dog Matters

I want to share this great research on the dog-human relationship.

Find It Scent Game With A Towel for Dogs

Enrichment is so important for your pet. Here is a simple Find It scent enrichment game you can play with your dog or puppy. Remember to do this at your pet’s pace. If your dog is new to this, you may want to make finding the treats a lot easier by putting them within view […]

Reward vs Reinforcement In Training

When I was working with one of my puppy clients the other day, a question came up about rewarding behavior. Since I teach the most positive strategies for changing behavior, we talk a lot about reinforcement and consequences in my visits. It occurred to me that the topic of reward vs positive reinforcement was worth […]