The Socialization Myth What if the very thing you’ve been told to do to help your dog—traditional dog-to-dog socialization—was actually making your dog defensive or reactive? Dog parks, daycare, and pack walks are often sold as the gold standard for raising a well-adjusted pup. But the reality is far more complicated, and, for many dogs, […]
Traditional Dog-to-Dog Socialization Can Do More Harm Than Good Read More »
I continue to work with countless distraught clients who are desperate to stop their dog’s reactive behavior on a leash. I get it! When I adopted my 9-year-old Scottish Terrier in 2009, I felt the same isolation, stress and frustration. For two years, we trained diligently and, eventually, reached a point where we could walk
Causes of Canine Reactivity Read More »
My Goal for 2024 is to improve the social well-being of dogs like Greta, an adolescent German Wirehaired Pointer I had the pleasure of working with on New Year’s Eve. Greta was rescued by her humans 10 months ago. They had met with three other trainers to understand why she barked at dogs. They were
Not all barking dogs are afraid Read More »
December 6th., 2023 at 2 pm EST Hello, Canine Enthusiasts! I created this webinar on arousal as a result of meeting many stressed out clients with dogs who become overly aroused in some settings. For many, the question was “do I support my dog by tossing treats or do I teach a new skill in
Arousal in Dogs Webinar with Judy Read More »
Reactivity Defined: I will define another category of Reactive Dogs. In the past, I have written about dogs who are very social and react because they are “Persistent Players” and love to play with dogs. Our canine friends have different reasons for reacting at the sight of another dog. Once you are able to identify
Every Dog Trainer needs a Pablo Read More »
“Why” your dog may not be able to change her behavior like other dogs…
Have you attended a dog training class, maybe a Leash Lunger or Reactive Dog Class? You see other dogs in class improving, but your dog continues to scan the environment instead of looking at you.
Why does my dog respond that way? Read More »
Your dog has bitten a friend, stranger or even your own child and everyone is telling you to “euthanize your dog”. First, take a breath and let’s assess the situation and understand why
This is Blog #4 in helping the dog who is barking and lunging at people.
Teaching a Dog to Sit, Stay will Improve His Emotional Control Read More »
For shy or fearful dogs, having a human move into their space is very scary, and it takes away their personal choice. In the Treat and Retreat game, we reverse this situation. Instead of adding social pressure to the dogs, we remove that pressure. This adds to the dogs feeling of control while also giving the dog another opportunity to make a choice. Removal of social pressure should always be part of the Treat and Retreat game, as a way to check how the dog is doing and help keep them under threshold. If a dog goes over threshold, they learn that snapping works, period.
How to Stop Aggressive Dog Barking at People Read More »
If humans better understood dogs body language then we would have less dogs resorting to a bite when they feel stressed or threatened. We see several cues that this scared boy does not want to be touched. Signals that are asking for distance are often very subtle.
Level 1 distance Cues:
1. Dogs body is leaning away from the approaching hand.
2. Dogs paw is raised in a submissive manner.
3. Head is moving away asking for increased distance.
4. Eyes are avoiding the stranger
5. Mouth is closed, rather than open and relaxed.
5 Body Postures: A Dog is Asking For Space Read More »
