This is a revival of a post from March 2020, considerably rewritten. I wanted to play the included video in my recent webinar, but had to cut it for time. So here it is in the blog instead! Why do dogs seem to be OK with some sounds and smells that are awful to us? […] The post Why Do Dogs Tolerate Some Awful Sounds (and Smells)? appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

Two years ago, I was working on Do More with Your Dog tricks with Clara. We earned three titles: Novice Trick Dog, Novice Masters Trick Dog, and Intermediate Trick Dog. We both enjoyed it so much. I had no plans to stop. Then I brought Lewis home. I am still embarrassed, and yes, ashamed, that […] The post Clara’s Advanced Trick Title: We’re Baaaack! first appeared on eileenanddogs. The post Clara’s Advanced Trick Title: We’re Baaaack! appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

• Do “ultrasonic” squeaker toys really produce ultrasound?• Now that dogs and music studies have been going on for more than a decade, what do the review articles say?• Which is better for sound masking, a fan or brown noise, and why?• What kind of sound might harm your dog’s hearing?• Why does music for […] The post Listen Up: I’m Giving a Webinar on Sound Products for Dogs! appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

What Is Overshadowing? The term overshadowing has a long-established meaning in classical conditioning. The following definition is a little technical, but I’ll explain in the rest of the piece. Overshadowing occurs when two stimuli are classically conditioned at the same time. Often, the stimuli are of different sensory modalities. An example would be a visible […] The post Overshadowing in Dog Training: Why You Need to Know About It appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

I just read this article called “Why Treat Training Doesn’t Work.” What a clickable title. Way to go, author. Now let’s see what your qualifications and support for that claim are. No qualifications listed. Not even a name. No support for their claims except they took a class once. Yet this person feels confident opining […] The post When “Treat Training” Doesn’t Work: Operator Error appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

Is your dog scared of fireworks? Don’t wait until the holiday hits. Even with just a couple days’ lead time, you can make a plan and take action now to help your dog be less afraid of the unpredictable scary sounds of fireworks, firecrackers, whistles, and even guns. Get Ready Here are some things you can […] The post 6 Ways to Prepare for the Bangs and Booms Starting NOW appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

Every year I post an article that lists last-minute things you can do to help your dog who is afraid of fireworks. We are coming up on Independence Day and Canada Day, and that means bangs and booms. Over the years, I have tweaked my list. I’ll be updating and reposting it in a few […] The post If Your Dog Is Afraid of Fireworks, Contact Your Vet Now appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

I don’t do many reruns, but it seemed timely to update and republish this post from June 2022 about teaching Lewis to get into a swimming pool. I hope it gives some ideas to other people who might be acclimating their pups to a pool. In a place with sweltering summers, a way to cool […] The post How I Taught My Dog to Get Into a Swimming Pool appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

Is this an “Awww!” photo or what? Answer: more like “what.” First, it’s not a deceptive photo. It really happened; Lewis and Clara slept like this for at least ten minutes. So it’s not one of those “split second in time” photos that can be so misleading. But the photo creates a false narrative in […] The post Dogs Who Love Each Other (Or Don’t) appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

Can you tell which one of the food toys in the photo above likely offers the highest rate of reinforcement when full? Your dog knows! Lewis taught me this lesson. He is happy to lick and munch on a Kong (center) stuffed with frozen food when there’s nothing else going on. But if he’s excited […] The post Dog Food Toys, Rates of Reinforcement, and the Matching Law appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more