You’ll often hear me talk about ‘decompression’ leash walks for your dog or as they are referred to in the training world, ‘sniffari’ walk. But are you really decompressing and helping your dog or building up so much dopamine and oxytocin that you’re doing more harm than good? On a recent camping trip, my dog Louie had no off leash … Read More
Pressure on +R Dog Training: Don’t give in to it.
In 2001, I wasn’t as knowledgeable about dog behavior as I am now or as confident so during a visit with a friend’s dog, a dog that had gone after my puppy on more than one occasion, I caved into the pressure of others around me; I allowed the dogs to visit without me in the vicinity. What I thought … Read More
Egos, Choices and Mirrors
‘Its just behavior’ she says! Working with dogs for many years, I’ve experienced allot of behavior that I could have taken personally. From humping, lunging, nipping and outright jaws clamping on my arm to ignoring me completely. Through all of it, I’ve never taken offense to these behaviors because dog behavior is neutral to me; its just behavior. My responsibility lies in how … Read More
Puppy Nipping: Normal & Not Personal Pt.2
In my last post, I talked about how to get proactive to help yourself and your puppy get through the nipping stage that ALL puppies go through. This stage in a pups life is a very short one but getting through it can tax even the most patient person so setting yourself up for success just makes sense and involves … Read More
Understanding the Reactive Dog Class
On a few occasions when I’ve mentioned that Reactive Dog Class is NOT about socializing, I get a blank stare. The next question is: How do we ‘fix’ the reaction problem if we don’t socialize? That’s a fair question. At first it make sense that we should be getting the dog out there and expose them to what scares them and expect … Read More
Dog Parks: The Good and The Bad and The Ugly
You might think I don’t like dog parks judging from the title of this post. I own a reactive dog so dog parks are the last place she and I would like to visit. Having said that, I think they have their place for certain dogs and dog guardians. But let me point out a few things for you to … Read More