Dog Training Old And New Ways
Do you think dogs should be trained the same way today as they were in the “old days” (and I’m referring to decades ago)? Of course, I do not think so. After all these years, I’ve seen too much, done too much, learned too much: good riddance to the “old days” and old ways. You […]
Dogs And Psychology
Before you train a dog, it would be ideal that you understood the psychology of the dog. There are differences between a child and a dog. A cat and a dog. A horse and a dog. A fish and a dog. And a cartoon dog and a real dog. Generally, novices try to coerce a […]
Dogs And Uniforms
If you look at my photos and videos, you’ll notice I don’t wear a uniform when training dogs. I used to. I used to have shirts and other items with my logo on it. But not anymore. Here’s why. Dogs notice all the small details about us during every interaction. Including our clothing. Yes, they […]
Dogs And Contagious Memes
Why are so many goofy, and sometimes cruel, dog training ideas spread all over the internet? It is even worse when these bad ideas are enforced by sanctioning authorities and committees, such as breeding, competition, evaluation, media, law enforcement, military, or governmental organizations. “Just as genes propagate themselves in the gene pool by leaping from […]
Dog Training From Difficult To Easy
Have you ever noticed how professional musicians play in such an effortless way? They can be playing some amazingly complex song while at the same time grooving with the emotions and enjoying it with the audience. That’s the result of a process… It didn’t start out that way. Playing any kind of musical instrument, at […]
Dogs And Dopamine Gimmicks
Ooh… a dog trainer just told you about their dopamine method or tool. Must be some kind of Jedi Master dog training guru stuff, right? Well, for me, it gets a bit tiresome to hear dog trainers toss around the term, “dopamine”, as if they are knowledgeable about brain chemistry, and can then use that […]
Dogs And The Cult Of Positive Reinforcement
Do I think there is anything wrong with using clickers and positive reinforcement? No way. I probably have a clicker in my pocket right now. However, there is a lot more to training a real-world dog than just this. You’ve got to understand dogs. Positive reinforcement is easy to learn. Understanding dogs takes a lifetime, […]
Dogs And Training Guardrails
If you have worked with me, you know I use a light touch on all dogs. I try to be smarter, not harsher. I’ve spent over 25 years coming up with and testing more non-aversive tools than you could probably ever dream up. Yet, as every good highway has guardrails against danger, sometimes you need […]
Dogs, E-Collars And Opponent- Process Theory
Can a dog trainer “addict” a dog to an e-collar, meaning causing a dog to want to repeatedly receive an aversive stimulus (of any kind)? Those making those claims are most likely trying to apply Opponent- Processing Theory, postulated by Solomon and Corbit (1974), which generally makes the following argument: Humans: The first time someone […]
Rescued Dog Training
What is the difference when choosing a training program for a rescued dog versus a dog that you purchased from a breeder? Generally, it is important to start with a conversation with a dog trainer to work up a full background picture of your new dog. A good evaluation provides valuable information that can be […]