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Effectively communicating from human being to human being continuously proves to be a tricky thing to accomplish. Think about how many misunderstandings take place between managers and employees, husbands and wives, parents and children, friends and friends on a daily basis. In this context, it is clear to see why so many people are having a hard time communicating with their dogs and getting the results they are looking for.

It is not at all unusual for my dog training clients to call me with concerns regarding their dog's aggression around their food bowl. In many cases, dogs don't like people to get near their dog dish when eating and can get very possessive when people are too close to them at meal time. When you stop to think about it, it makes perfect sense. Many moons ago, dogs had to work hard to get their food and had to protect it once they had it.

Extinction is a behaviorist's term and has nothing to do with the disappearance of the dinosaurs. Simply put, extinction is the disappearance of a behavior through lack of reinforcement. One technique of solving certain types of behavior problems is to do nothing.

Nothing?  Nothing!

Many times, unwanted behavior is rewarded accidentally and most of my dog training clients don't even realize what they are doing wrong. 

As the saying goes, we don't get what we want, we get what we expect. With this thought-provoking idea swirling around, ask yourself, "what am I expecting from my life? What do I expect from my job, family, friends and, yes, my dog?"

Doors, by their very nature, are exciting and mysterious putting our dogs on high alert. This advanced training exercise provides suggestions for managing your dog while greeting and entertaining guests.

Ask any dog trainer about any dog related subject and they're likely to agree on some points while disagreeing on others. That's perfectly normal and healthy in my opinion. The one topic I have yet to find any argument about within the dog training community is the importance of socializing puppies.

Imagine a complete stranger coming up to you and giving you a hug and then asking for directions. Unless you're at a party with many margaritas in your system, this "I love you man" moment won't be well received. But if a stranger comes up to you,asks for directions and then you find your conversation leads you down a path of similar interests, friends in common and then into a unexpected heart-to-heart discussion, then a hug at the end wouldn't seem odd.

As we toss the last slice of unclaimed pumpkin pie into the trash and move into a new year full of fresh starts and new potential, I can't help but wonder how many of our typical resolutions can serve dual purposes that include our four-legged friends.

The holidays bring with them a lot of new temptations for dogs. Should your dog decide to get into trouble with these seasonal and tempting items, the results can range from frustration to a trip to the animal hospital. On the "what is toxic for dogs" list, we have poinsettias, chocolate, tree water and treats sweetened with Xylitol (artificial sweetener). Should your dog decide to eat tinsel, long ribbons or ornaments, they could very well end up with an intestinal blockage.

I can recall a handful of books in my life that were so impactful that they not only altered major life decisions but actually changed my views and outlooks to the point of altering my entire life's path. One of those life changing books for me was "The BARF Diet" by Dr. Ian Billinghurst, a veterinary surgeon.