No Wild And Crazy Around Dogs

Parents, please do your part to help your child and your dog’s relationship to succeed. Teach your children that the place to be wild and crazy is away from your dog (and unknown dogs). If your dog (or a loose or leashed unknown dog) becomes overly aroused, movement will keep that arousal curve moving forward. Kids […]

Dog Telephone Etiquette

The other day, someone was complaining to me of how her dog really gets her mad when she is on the telephone. It seems that as soon as she picks up the receiver, he begins to bark and pace at her feet, which makes it very difficult to focus on her conversation. “What do you […]

Who Is Training Whom?

My dad loves to share stories of Sam’s brilliance…and keen sense of hearing. The two buddies often travel together to the store. My dad says he can’t leave without Sam because Sam knows right away when dad is getting ready to leave and comes running to go with him, waggling his tail and holding a […]

Tips For Holiday

Another holiday is upon us, and that may mean much added stress, activity and company. Complaints of dog over arousal, jumping on people, getting into things it shouldn’t, and even biting or growling at kids happen a lot at this time of year. Instead of blaming your dog, think through how you can help your […]

Careful With Your Dog’s Paws This Winter

With an icy winter day here predicted in Cincinnati, I have a winter weather safety tip for your dog. In snowy weather, please remember salt and chemicals are unhealthy for your pet and should be wiped off as soon as he/she comes inside. Also, be aware of ice balls that can form between the pads […]

Choosing Words For Training

I was asked the other day this question: “Does it matter if we refer to our pet by its species or its sex? Are “Good Dog!” and “Good Boy!” equal in esteeming and reinforcing good behavior?”

Prevent Dog Bites

Parents, please remember, you have an important role to play in helping your children and your dog succeed…including preventing dog bites.

A Reminder About Teaching

I love this quote. It is so relevant to dog training (and any pet) too. Instead of blaming our pets when they are not learning what we want them to do, we need to ask ourselves as their teacher, ‘What can I do to make my lesson more clear?’ I wrote about this awhile back.

A Different View On Dog Behavior

Someone shared with me the other day of her frustration she was having with her dog. It seems her dog has a favorite pillow in her bedroom she keeps on the ground and as soon as she goes in there with her dog, Fido lays on it.  She keeps yelling at her dog when Fido […]

Positive Reinforcement In Dog Training

Just a brief reminder about behavior…teaching using positive reinforcement is not about bribing, and most certainly is not about force. Scientifically speaking, positive reinforcement is a consequence of a behavior that either maintains or strengthens it. As trainers, we are using positive reinforcement to build value for a behavior by pairing it with something the […]