Should I Get A Second Dog?
I am a big believer in having extras… I don’t just buy one tube of toothpaste, I buy 2. Two milks, two pairs of shoes, etc. You will always find things run smoother in your life if you have extras on hand. I also think it is a good idea, for most people, to have […]
Is It OK To Take A Dog Training Break?
I have 4 students taking a dog training “break”? Here is my view on training breaks… Student 1: Lost his job, can’t afford the lessons right now. Student 2: Family emergency Student 3: Wife needed surgery and long recovery Student 4: Broken foot In each of these cases, these students needed to take a break […]
Why Do We Train Our Dogs?
Why do we train our dogs? Because you and your dog are not going to learn new skills during an emergency. I play a bit of “What If” with all my students so they can translate what we are doing in class to what they are going to potentially face in the real world. What […]
Dog Training: Flustered?
It is normal to feel flustered when learning something new, or when increasing your skills to the next level. It is also normal for your dog… Learning is more than just doing something repetitively. There is an emotional part to the learning, and at times, you may feel insecure, unsettled, nervous, self-conscious, agitated or confused. […]
Dog Training: The Learning Curve
The Learning Curve (LC) is a graphical representation of how learning increases over time. As a general rule, the more experience, knowledge and wisdom you have regarding a specific skill or topic, the greater the learning, and the greater the proficiency you develop over time. The vertical axis of the graph is the amount you […]
Dog Training: What Happens In The Home Doesn’t Stay In The Home
I watch a number of reality TV shows… business rescue shows, for example… The Profit, Bar Rescue, Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back. I also watch Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles and New York. Plus, Hell’s Kitchen, Masterchef and Masterchef Junior. There are parallels between what you see in those TV shows and […]
Training Happens
Learning happens all the time. Your body and brain learn every moment you are alive. Every experience modifies us. The same is true of your dog. Learning is much more than Sit, Down, Come and Heel. Your dog’s entire body is learning all the time. Your dog is affected by its sleep, exercise, nutrition, levels […]
Dog Training vs Practice
Most people don’t know the difference between dog training, and practice. Training is what you do with me, practice is what I want you to work on from that lesson. Good lessons take years to master. Just because we do a lesson together doesn’t mean you automatically will have a better behaving dog. You have […]
Dog Training Tip: Negative Self Talk
I see it all the time. When I coach students, from beginners to advanced, they engage in negative self talk as they work with their dogs. These personal put downs don’t help their training, instead they are roadblocks to better results. In some cases, the negative self talk is an indicator that the student is […]
What Should I Do Regarding Dogs and Coyotes?
I get occasional questions regarding coyotes. It isn’t unusual to have dog and coyote encounters in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Many of the urban coyotes in Phoenix are unafraid of dogs or humans, and it isn’t unusual to hear stories of coyotes killing or attempting to kill pets, including dogs and cats. They are definitely […]