Dogs learn best in black and white. This is good, this is bad. This is allowed, this is not. It's so simple! Learning happens through contrast and the more obvious the contrast the easier, faster and more reliable the training. This is a no-brainer and totally...
Most dog training advice comes with some variation on the theme of leadership. Many dog trainers will say you need to be the "Alpha Dog" or “Pack Leader” and, with the hugely popular TV series "Dog Whisperer", almost everyone has heard...
"No pulling, stop, stop, easy girl, sit, sit, sit!" – average dog owner whose dog just won't listen. On any given day it's not uncommon to see people being towed along behind a dog straining at the end of a tight leash. Wait, let...
When I do private behavior consults, the topic of dogs on the furniture comes up a lot. Clients will say, "I know I shouldn't let her on the sofa but we like to cuddle." Others try to keep the dog off the sofa without success. Sometimes one family member...
One of the first steps for my clients to schedule an appointment with me is to have them fill out a training request form to provide me with some background information on the human and dog. One of the questions I ask on the form is “What is your favorite thing...
Training dogs with food has become commonplace in "Modern" dog training but there is still a lot of resistance to the idea as well. Most of the resistance goes something like "I want my dog to work for me, not for treats!" This is not an...
