I like to joke with my clients that my three dogs are over the age of 4, no more adolescents! Does this make a difference? Sure, but does it mean I am done training? Not even close! Behavior will continue to improve if you continue working with your adolescent dog, but it will definitely get […]
When to stop training Read More »
Many clients ask me if they should use a collar or a harness on their dog. In reality, a harness is much safer if it is properly fitted. Many dogs can escape from a poor fitting harness and easily be in danger when near a street. Many dogs will adjust quickly to a harness,
I cannot tell you how many times I have asked my teenage daughter to finish her summer homework. “Later” was the response I received many times. I realized she needed motivation! Knowing she would soon be asking for a new school outfit, I offered to take her shopping once her homework was complete. Funny
Relationships based on Motivation Read More »
Looking forward to Outdoor Adventure Class today at the Eastern Prom! This class is about improving our dogs coping skills in different environments. It is not easy for a dog to sit and stay or focus on his handler when exposed to many different distractions. Using a reward based training method, we will set each
Outdoor Adventure Class Begins Today Read More »
Too many people believe you must dominate or be the Alpha dog in the home to co-exist happily with their companion pet. You may have heard that in order to prevent your dog from becoming dominant that you had to: 1) always go through doorways first, 2) always eat before your dog, 3) never allow the
Do you need to dominate your dog? Read More »
Because not all dogs that are left alone experience anxiety, animal behaviorists are beginning to use other terms including separation behaviors. Separation Distress Distress is simply an animal’s inability to adapt to stress (or the conditions that are causing stress). In humans or animals, the result of distress is often demonstrated by poor coping skills
Separation Anxiety or Distress….which is it? Read More »
Overprotecting your puppy from the world may very well back fire on you. While more and more Puppy owners are learning the importance of early Socialization, I wonder if they understand the critical importance. I work with many aggressive dogs and nearly all of them have a lack of coping skills. In Puppy Socialization Classes
Will your puppy be well balanced? Read More »
The one area I believe we as humans confuse our dogs, is on the use of our voice to reward our dogs behavior. I find myself repeatedly asking dog handlers to use their voice as a reward so their dog knows they have done something right. I firmly believe, if you reward a behavior when
Using Your Voice as a Reward Read More »
While you are planning your fun Independence Day, please remember to think about helping your dog feel safe, here are a few tips to keep your dog from feeling anxious. Loud noises from fireworks can be frightening to your pets, as they do not know what they are. So protect your pet and help them
4th of July Fireworks Read More »
Sadie is in a stay at Back Cove What are we actually doing when we repeat a cue/command to a dog? If you think about it, we are desensitizing the dog to any meaning the word has. I recommend you ask your dog two times, then do something different if he did not comply, like
