Behavioral Disturbances In Dogs
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 that are resistant to typical dog training methods. I’ve worked with dogs displaying disturbances like this which interfere with learning, cause physical symptoms, and exaggerated emotional displays. There was the […]
First Steps Training Your Dog
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 difficulty regulating their behavior. That imbalance is corrected as we get your dog to accept and look forward to more social interactions and all environments. We need reciprocating competent social […]
Playing With Your Dog?
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 start and stop. Good tools are flirt poles (or toys on a cord to chase); tug toys; larger balls that can’t harm teeth (no tennis balls since they can be […]
Add Predictability To Your Dogs Life
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 control is available but the resulting aversive event can’t be predicted. Frustration happens when a dog tries to do what it wants to do for a reward but is blocked […]
Can Every Dog Behavior Be Fixed?
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. Fighting breeds want to fight. This becomes a problem when you get the idea that training can override these behavioral scripts. (Even mixed bred dogs have certain biological tendencies.) Then […]
Do You Want To Turn Your Dog Into A Robot Or Zombie?
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 public, guards the couch, or bites people. Maybe your dog barks too much or steals food off the kitchen counter. You want all that to stop. What are your choices? […]
Hard Won Dog Training Experience And Lessons
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 flossing, and a mouth guard at night. It’s all a pain to do every day. Then, I must schedule and attend regular follow up appointments and do whatever they recommend. […]
Outdated Training Methods
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 the country, and especially new trainers, who base their entire program on using aversive methods. Their idea here is to suppress the dogs by primarily using aversive methods. I could […]
What is Sam The Dog Trainer’s Method?
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 the training and experiences the dog will be encountering in the program. My method is to improve a dog’s emotions and behaviors to want to do adaptive behaviors that are […]
How To Get The Most Out Of Your Dog Training Lessons
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 approach is care based and family centered. Here’s an example. You acquired your dog this morning, maybe from a rescue or a breeder. It is bedtime and you put your […]