Three Parts Of Dog Lessons
Working with dogs typically involves changes in three areas: Behavior Modification, Changes in Owner Management, and Skill Development. Each part interacts with the other, but it is useful to separate them to understand what to expect when training your dog. 1.) Behavior Modification. Behaviors are responses dogs have to various stimuli. To change these responses […]
How Much Dog Training Is Necessary?
One of the questions I ask new students is what they want out of the training. Since each dog and owner are unique, the amount of effort required to get to those goals varies considerably. Let’s consider an example: the Pointer mix I’ve been working with over the last month or so. He’s a super […]
The Face In Dog Training
There is a certain “look” that I work to obtain from every dog. I call it “The Face”. It is that happy, affectionate, stress free, attentive, warm, open, and smiling mouth expression. In play, or when doing tasks, The Face is more attentive, sparky, and focused on the handler and task, but either way, it […]
Using Drugs For Dog Behavioral Modification
I have used behavior modification techniques in combination with veterinarian prescribed medicines since the year 2000. When I started this combination treatment, the use of drugs was mostly considered “extra-label”, meaning the use was different than the drug’s labeling yet met the standards that veterinarians were required to follow. Drugs are usually used for cases […]
Your Dog Is Not An Experiment
I work with a lot of pet dogs which are afraid of humans and animals. In addition, I work with their owners to attempt to turn these dogs around. But a handful of owners have it in their heads to skip over the necessary steps and put their dogs in threatening situations to see what […]
Bad Dog Ownership Habits
Many dog owners, too many, rely on luck instead of wisdom. In addition, they fool themselves by lying to themselves, and surrounding themselves with enablers who perpetuate, protect, and excuse their bad habits. Over time, so many repetitions of luck will blind owners to their bad habits, their luck will run out, and then… disaster! […]
Corrections: A Major Dog Trainer Frustration
I am very careful introducing corrections to dog owners, not because the dogs at that point don’t need it, but because some people can’t be trusted to carefully implement proper corrections once I’m not there to supervise. Some people go over the top and go way beyond the homework and do things I would consider […]
A Picture Trained Dog?
Do you have a picture trained dog? How can you tell if your dog being trained appropriately? It is important to understand the answer. How can you tell if a dog is trained or getting properly trained? In practical terms, when you give your dog a command, is there a high probability your dog will […]
New Dog Gurus Same As The Old Dog Gurus
Every few years a new celebrity dog trainer guru pops up, makes a boatload of money, while at the same time doing things to dogs that many, including myself, consider to be awful. These gurus blow oxygen back onto the dying embers of bad dog methods. Unsuspecting and vulnerable dog owners, and their dogs, are […]
The Rescue Dog Training Puzzle
I’m volunteering my time to work with rescued dogs. Some dogs need special attention to help make them adoptable. I worked with such a dog this morning. After several weeks of lessons, once per week, it is becoming obvious he needs to be in a foster situation where I can give the foster volunteer specific […]