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Training a dog doesn’t just mean teaching your dog to do this or that in a vacuum. I want my students to select what Manners

Part of my job as a dog trainer is to help dog owners develop good habits to replace their bad habits. This is another reason

This morning, I went to look at a dog that is being boarded at a local animal shelter. I was invited by a rescue organization

What are the main behavioral reasons people give away their dogs according to the HSUS? There are several studies on this topic, but the general

I have 5 Primary Intentions when raising a dog: to 1.) Properly stimulate a dog’s brain; 2.) Interest a dog in spending time and enjoying

My specialty is working with companion dogs. My students get dogs to be companions. They are treated well and treated as family members. Most people

Have you ever engaged in a dog training conversation when someone said, “well, the science says”? I’ve seen a lot of that stuff over the

How’s your relationship with your dog? For most people, the relationship with their dog needs improvement. Good dog training is personal. Mediocre dog training is

The mourning from losing a pet, whether through abandonment, escape, rehoming, or death is usually difficult and painful. It is also concerning when the mourning

What is the purpose of socializing dogs? Why is it important for a puppy to meet many friendly strangers, other friendly dogs, go in a

Living organisms have built-in mechanisms to repair damages and restore health. Healing is usually referred to as a biological process that results in recovery from

Dog training programs typically fall into one of the following categories: group classes; board and train; and private lessons. There are two significant obstacles which

Dogs are often destructive chewers when suffering from Separation Anxiety. Owners, and many dog trainers, tend to use a variety of punishments to attempt to

I love ancient proverbs, and it is good idea to know many. They can give us answers at just the right moment. One excellent proverb

Oh, how do you solve a problem like Maria? How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand? — “Maria” lyrics from the 1959 Rodgers

It is well established that young children are at the greatest risk of serious injury from being bitten by a dog. It is also well

If you are fostering a dog, it is important to screen out owners who will not provide a quality life. We can foresee how a

Most of the time you want your dog to gravitate towards you. But there are some times when you should ignore or push your dog

Every dog training era has ended up this way: dog training is abnormally mechanical and formulaic as a result of new fads that are now

We are a long way from completely understanding how the brain works and how to fully explain, interpret and modify behavior. Yet, we have developed

When evaluating dog behavior problems, I often notice problems in the relationship between the owner and the dog. I evaluate their mutual stress levels, emotional

Animals of all species are spontaneously active because of intrinsic brain operating systems which generate adaptive innate and learned behaviors. When human brain systems are

Play is governed by an essential emotional circuit in the mammalian brain. Play circuits may also exist in other animal classes, such as birds and

What are the two biggest factors I use to effect beneficial changes in dogs with behavioral problems? Typical dog training has become too mechanical over

The effects of spaying and neutering dogs are variable. But are the outcomes acceptable from a health, behavior and welfare standpoint? What does the current

Years ago, I was working with a new student. A few days prior, we had completed a first lesson with her puppy. We were using

What is my main complaint about PP (Purely Positive dog) training theory? Of all the famous trainers I have followed, they don’t truly have trained

No normal person wants to harm a dog. Let’s get that out of the way up front. This article is not about how to harm

Some dogs soil the home when the owner is gone, destroy things when you are not around, bark or howl, dig, or cause trouble for

If your dog Comes happily, allows grooming, accepts a leash and collar, likes playing with you, likes being petted by you, listens to your commands,

What would make the biggest impact on reducing the number of dogs in animal shelters, and consequently, the number of dogs put to death every

Long term, inappropriate kenneling creates neuroses in shelter dogs, resulting in repetitive or severely inhibited responses; multiple signs of extreme stress, self-preoccupied behaviors; increased care

On one hand, puppy wants what it wants and can’t inhibit themselves very well. On the other hand, external influences limit a puppy’s actions. How

What are we, as dog owners and trainers, to make of the mechanistic learning science doctrines of Pavlov, Skinner, and others? The troublesome outcome of

One of the first questions I ask a potential student is about the kind of dog they have. I do this because training should match

There has been a long-standing dispute between the “force free” dog training community advocates and the “balanced” dog training community advocates. What’s that all about?

Aggression is a difficult topic to explain and treat. First, we want all dogs to get along, and it is hard to understand why dogs

Small example. Your dog has been punished for every little thing while you are home. Punishment is a learning theory term which means applying a

Are you considering getting another dog? What do you need to do to have the highest chance of success? And what if your current dogs

Is it fair to expect dogs to immediately and correctly respond calmly or happily to changes in situations? Think about what this means. Your trained

It is disturbing to read the scientific research we all use to train dogs. The most famous of researchers had to make a decision to

Does your dog suffer from an emotional behavioral disturbance, such as chronic generalized anxieties, depression, compulsive behaviors, or phobias? These neuroses are maladaptive, distressing conditions

Dogs can become hypervigilant, looking for danger where it doesn’t exist and seeking stimulus that isn’t relevant to your presence, and too impulsive and having

Play is essential for good behavioral development in your dog. It comprises 4 elements that should be balanced: search/chase, possession, letting go, and rules to

Unpredictability makes dogs insecure and potentially destructive, neurotic, destructive, disobedient and/or aggressive. Events are either predictable or unpredictable, either controllable or uncontrollable. Anxiety happens when

Many dog behaviors are biased according to breed. We know that, right? As a general rule, purebred… Hunters want to hunt. Guards want to guard.

Your dog has a behavioral problem. Let’s say your dog is fighting with another dog in the home, or reacts inappropriately to other dogs in

I regularly go to the dentist. Oral health is directly related to overall health. My dentist recommends daily flossing, use of an electric toothbrush, water

Outdated training methods bug me. How do you feel about this? Which Approaches Are Doomed? The aversive trainers: There are a lot of trainers around

One important question every dog trainer receives is “what is your method?” That is important because the behavior you want from your dog will reflect

There are many approaches to puppy and dog training. Some are very mechanical and impersonal. That’s not how I work or what I recommend. My

In the self defense community, there is the concept of being the “grey man”. What is a grey man and how might that apply to

I am sometimes asked, “how much training does my dog need?” Here’s my answer in a nutshell: as much as it takes for the situations

How does mindset affect the life your dog will experience? For example, how you see the world, how you see yourself, how you see your

It can sometimes be hard to re-start dog training lessons after taking a break for a period of weeks or months. That is normal. Don’t