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 […]
What Is The Difference Between Good and Great Dog Training?
I have three levels of dog training classes: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. Most students just do Basic, primarily because they feel this program is sufficient for their needs, and also because that is all that their budget will allow. Here’s more on how I see these classes. There are three common elements of each level… […]
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 Exercises
When I first started out training dogs professionally, I used the same exercises that I learned from the classes I took. I then added exercises I learned from others, including those I found in books and videos. However, over time, these changed, and what I do today bears little resemblance to what I did years […]
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: Finishing A Labradoodle
I’m currently putting the finishing touches on the therapy dog training of an Australian Labradoodle… She is a mini-doodle, approximately the size of a Cocker Spaniel. She is a smart little sprite, and has come a long way. We are currently doing long distance Come exercises, and distance command exercises. She can work around other […]
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 […]
Do Dogs Get PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)?
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder generally considered a result of real or perceived threat(s) to life, serious bodily injury, witnessed threat to others, destruction or loss of a home or community. Similarly, dogs can develop PTSD from these same situations. I’ve seen dogs after such events. The jolt, the pain, of […]