When you bring your puppy home, you want to raise him or her to be the best Family Dog possible. We all have good intentions when raising a puppy, however there are some mis-guided and uneducated people who will tell you that you need to dominate your dog so they respect you. This is not […]
Puppies First Impressions Read More »
Many clients ask; “How do I train my dog?” First and foremost, to train a dog, you must have the dog’s attention! Can you get your dog to sit for one minute without a leash on? If so, then you have already learned how to get your dogs attention — wonderful! If not, then I
When I think of unwanted behavior, I think of stress as the two are often related. My goal here is to help you identify your dogs stress signals so you can get them help before this stress causes unwanted behavior. Science clearly states that stress leads to health problems, negatively affect relationships with others and
What Does Stress Look Like? Read More »
Bark For Life Bug Light Park, South Portland May 19 2013 11:00 Registration Opens – Participants, Survivors & Caregivers check in. 11:45 – Noon Opening Ceremony Noon – Walk Begins with the Survivor & Caregiver Lap around the park (both 4-legged and 2-legged) Participants will join in the 2nd lap A variety of beautiful walks are available
While working with a private client and her pup this week, she repeated herself many times by saying, “she is so smart”, “I had no idea my dog was so smart!” The funny thing is, I hear this from many clients when teaching their dog a new behavior. When pet owners learn to teach their
Positively Rewarding Read More »
I recently attended a Behavior Clinic where we taught our dogs new behaviors using a technique called shaping which is where we rewarded our dogs for making the slightest attempt at the behavior we wanted. What I LOVED about this training seminar was that everyone was happy, smiling and really positive as they changed their
Many dogs are afraid of other dogs, men, strangers, children, loud trucks, bikes, scooters, skate boards, odd scents, noises, and many more stimuli. I have spent the last 10 years helping my own dogs and many others live happier, less stressful lives. The first thing you need to realize is that you are not alone!
Many people are conditioned to put dog food in a bowl, ask for a sit and put the bowl down, end of story. But we know that dogs learn through repetition just like humans do, so why not use feeding to teach an automatic behavior? I believe we can truly prevent many unwanted behaviors by
How Best to Feed Your New Pup Read More »
I often visit families with a puppy that is biting much too hard. Puppies use their mouths to play, explore, taste and chew, so it is important that we teach them to use a soft mouth when they touch our human skin. Giving your puppy feedback is essential, so tell your puppy when it hurts,
Have you ever thought about how your dog has 2 trainers in most situations? It is true, both you and the environment are influencing your dogs behavior. Any stimuli in the environment (sounds, smells, people, dogs, objects, etc.) can effect your dogs behavior. Relaxed, Positive Energy Knowing how to use Classical and Operant Conditioning methods
Who is Training Who? Read More »
