Why I Don’t Teach NOT To Do Something
The other day, as my client and I (and her dog) were preparing to go outside, I witnessed what I see a lot. And it got me thinking about a lesson for everyone.
Considerations In Teaching A Dog To Stay
I see it happen so very often. People ask their dog to ‘stay’ and their dog pops right up into a stand or sees a distraction and jumps up to go investigate. Or they repeat ‘stay’ over and over and over again to their dog. And their dog remains in position if for no otherRead more “Considerations In Teaching A Dog To Stay”
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, thatRead more “DRI As A Dog Training Tool”
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 worthRead more “Reward vs Reinforcement In Training”
Understanding Learned Irrevelance
Have you ever felt like you are being completely ignored by your dog when you ask your dog to do something? It happens between two humans too…and the problem has destroyed relationships. It can be so frustrating, grrr! Why is this happening? Is it a case of a suddenly very dumb, obstinate, stubborn, bull headedRead more “Understanding Learned Irrevelance”
Treat And Retreat
Sometimes, the unexpected happens…and it becomes a good topic for a blog post! Last week, while working outside with a longtime client, a man came by on a bike. He happens to be a dog lover so he stopped and got off his bike to say hello. Everything seemed fine about that, the girl onRead more “Treat And Retreat”
5 Reasons To Teach Your Dog Tricks
If you think teaching your dog novel behaviors is a waste of time, I encourage you to think again. I have five reasons why you may want to spend a few minutes to train some different behaviors.
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 theRead more “Positive Reinforcement In Dog Training”
Lessons Learned For Dog Training Success
(Note that this was actually written several years ago for something. I just found a copy of it.) I was thinking about this the other day when I was working on teaching our family dog, Sam, a new behavior. I was working on teaching him the leg weave (where he runs around a leg whenRead more “Lessons Learned For Dog Training Success”
How To Stop Your Dog From Barking Out Windows
It is not uncommon for people who share homes with a dog to complain about their furry friend bursting into a barking frenzy as a response to seeing or hearing something outside the window. Understandably the noise can be really annoying to human ears, especially when it comes at inopportune times.