Holiday Child and Dog Safety Tips
I am a member of Doggone Safe, educating families to set their kids up for success with their pets. Below is information on holiday safety tips for children and dogs.
Remember Behavior In Pets Happens Because It Has Value
If a behavior produces a consequence of value to a dog or other animal, that behavior will continue and even strengthen. It is so easy to reinforce behaviors in our pets that we don’t want to see without even realizing we are doing it. Sometimes that reinforcement is coming from the environment (such as sensory, […]
Considerations BEFORE Buying A Christmas Puppy
It is so tempting, I know. Christmas is coming up and what a Hallmark moment it is to see a child or significant other tear off the wrapping to find a wiggling little puppy underneath. However, as an animal lover and positive
In Dog Training, Teach Calm Behavior By Reinforcing It
Remember, if you want to see more calm behavior in your dog, don’t forget to catch those reinforceable moments and let him know it is a good choice.
Dog Training – Teaching Skills With Find It Game
When you make learning fun, you get an enthusiastic student. In this game of Find It (or I call it ‘Go Get It’), I am training our family dog, Sam, with lots of positive reinforcement to sit, stay, release, get it, come (recall).
My Dog Training – Thanksgiving Column Was On Jay Leno
What a neat surprise to learn my recent column on training your dog for Thanksgiving was shown on the Jay Leno Show. Below is a clip. Watch around the one minute mark.
In Pet Training, Clarity Counts
In pet training, clarity counts. Remember, it is pretty tough for an animal who doesn’t speak human to understand what we want them to do. When teaching, remember clear two-way communication is so important. Teach with small steps and great reinforcement for good choices.
Honoring African Grey Alex – Win A Copy Of His Memoir DVD
In his lifetime Alex, the African Grey parrot, had become more widely acclaimed than many Hollywood celebrities. To millions of people across the globe he was the icon for animal intelligence. He and his human counterpart, Dr. Irene Pepperberg were among the great partners in the field of animal-behavior science research.
Training Your Dog For A Stress-Free, Beg-Free Thanksgiving
There is no meal of the year that quite compares to that of Thanksgiving. As you’re preparing for your Thanksgiving, if you do not want your dog begging at the dinner table, the time to plan for success is now.
Building Brilliance Through Dog Training
Positive practice refers to a high rate of repetition of the behavior that produces a high rate of reinforcement. It may sometimes take hundreds of repetitions under different circumstances to really build fluency (doing the behavior without hesitation).