Dogs And Squeaky Toys
Is it OK to let dogs play with squeaky toys? Do squeaky toys teach dogs to kill? You see a lot of weird made-up stuff on the internet about dogs. Every. Day. Let’s compare the facts vs. the made-up feces… Let’s start with wolves vs. Poodles. Yes, that comparison test was done. Wolves pups allowed […]
Have You Visited My PoochMaster Blog Lately?
Do you know I have a second blog, called PoochMaster? There are things I post there that I don’t post on my web page. It is generally a place for lighter stuff, maybe current events. It is for a different audience than people wanting to hire me as a dog trainer. Go check it out!
My Dog Is Reactive Around Other Dogs
Really? Should you make your dog meet strange dogs? On walks? At dog parks? In your neighborhood? In your home? We can impose either reasonable or unreasonable expectations on our dogs. You should learn the difference. How would you feel if I forced you to greet strangers? How would you feel if strangers came up […]
Dogs And Gambling With Your Life
If you have been around dogs long enough, you will see these “dominance” focused trainers, owners, and rescue volunteers end up seriously injured. These stories sometimes make the news. All it takes is one dog that decides it is time to do a rank attack, being from a lower status, or from a higher status, […]
Gentle Dog Training
Do you have a gentle dog? I have worked with a lot of very gentle dogs. You better know what kind of dog you have before you implement a training program, otherwise your dog is going to fail, and you are going to fail. I met one this past weekend, a 1-year-old female Doodle. She’s […]
Is Your Dog Ahead Of You, On Or Off Leash?
If a dog is pulling ahead of you whether on leash or off leash, does that mean you are not your dog’s “leader”, that you aren’t the “alpha”, that you are doing something wrong? Ok, riddle me this, Batman… If a Bloodhound is pulling ahead on a leash searching a track, does that mean the […]
Dominance And Being Your Dog’s Leader
There is ongoing confusion regarding the idea of being a dog’s “leader”, being the “alpha”, and controlling a dog’s dominance. Thus… the “Dog Whisperer” phenomenon, or all those new social media trainers who are telling you that the beginning of fixing your dog’s dominance problems is to sign up for their e-collar program. Let me […]
High Drive Service Breed Dog Ownership vs Pet Ownership
There is a fundamental difference between training pet service dog breeds (Malinois, German Shepherd, Giant Schnauzer, Airedale, Dutch Shepherd, etc.) versus those which have been selectively bred for competition or professional work. The top dogs look spectacular when they do the higher-level work. However, if you have a pet version of these dogs, don’t despair. […]
Wisely Choosing A Dog Breed
Dog breeds are, and were, created to specialize in doing certain tasks. By selecting and emphasizing various traits, it makes a specific breed easier to do those tasks. For example, it is easier to herd sheep with a Border Collie than with a Greyhound. So, when you are choosing a breed, if you are being […]
Dogs And Super Bowl Sunday!
Superbowl Sunday Is here… do you have a plan to keep your dogs safe? Here is a simple checklist: