My Dog Is Afraid Of Everyone And Everything
Today I’m meeting a dog that is afraid of “everyone and everything.” I have met a number of these types of dogs over the years. It is a sad state of affairs, taking a great deal of patience from a committed and caring owner. Most of these dogs were “created” by early puppy neglect. They […]
Dog Training Husbands and Wives
A few years ago, I was hired to help with a male Vizsla that was fearful of strangers. When I first evaluated the dog, yes, he would react when he saw someone he didn’t know. His defensive zone was approximately 30 yards. Within that zone, he would start barking. The dog was also afraid of […]
Dog Training On Dangerous Turf
I train dogs throughout Maricopa County. I have been in most neighborhoods and train all types of dogs. Yesterday, I had and evaluation and lesson set up for an aggressive pit bull near Sky Harbor airport. Not a safe dog. Not a safe neighborhood. Lots of people wish they had my job, but they are […]
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 […]
Dog Behavior Expert Witness
I recently testified in a dog bite case as a dog behaviorist expert witness. This case culminated in a 3 hour deposition and 3 hours of videotaped testimony for the jury. I don’t know yet the outcome of the case. So, here are a few thoughts regarding what it is like and why I did it. […]
Is It Necessary For Dog Owners To Know Behavioral Terminology?
How important is it for the average pet owner to understand the science (and controversies) regarding animal behavior? Let’s start with this excerpt from a textbook… “Operant conditioning is an experimental science of behavior. Strictly speaking, the term operant conditioning refers to a process in which the frequency of occurrence of a bit of behavior […]
Kids And Dogs, Teaching And Supervising Boundaries
Parents need to supervise and instruct their kids, and visiting kids and parents, regarding activities they can, and should not, do with the family dog. Unfortunately, most people leave all this up to chance instead of purposely teaching and enforcing appropriate boundaries. That’s why a lot of kids end up injured. Furthermore, many parents wait […]
Situational Awareness Training For Pet And Therapy Dogs
I teach Situational Awareness in my Dog Obedience classes, starting with Basic Obedience all the way through Advanced Obedience. Situational awareness is being able to clearly see and perceive what is happening, or could happen, when you are with your dog. It is a risk management strategy, to prevent you, your dog, and innocent others […]