There is nothing better for dog lovers than watching dogs play. However, dog owners can be confused about dog play. Are those dogs playing? Or are they fighting? Learning what to look for can help people to become comfortable with full on dog play. All animals play. Play allows animals to practice the skills they will need to survive. Dogs are no different and normal dog play consists of playful versions of standard, run-of-the-mill dog behaviours. These include: Play Fighting (there may be growling and biting) Play Fleeing Play Chasing Play Mounting/Humping (yes, this is a nor ..read more

Imagine being left alone for 8 hours a day with absolutely nothing to do. No TV to watch, no book to read and no computer to surf the net. You would be bored and your day would feel endless. Dogs, like people, need things to do to keep them occupied. They crave exercise and mental challenges. If you don’t give them something fun to do, they will find something to do on their own. And it will usually be something that you do not approve of. Give your dog “legal” outlets for their favorite activities such as chasing things, chewing, scavenging for food, or digging. Feed meals from work-to-eat to ..read more

Roxy, a Great Dane has a fear of skateboarders. She is also uncomfortable around large dogs and hates to be patted on top of her head. Roxy has always growled at skateboarders, sniffed the ground when a large dog is near and ducked her head and licked her lips when patted on the head. She had never bitten and her owner felt sure that she never would. One day a man walked up to Roxy and patted her on the head. Roxy turned around and bit the man on the wrist. The owner was completely shocked. Let’s look at what happened. It is important to realize that all dogs have a bite threshold, a limit tha ..read more

Resource guarding is a normal dog trait, some dogs have retained the urge to guard from their hunter ancestors. Warning growls and snarls are the dog’s way of saying that he would like you to move away. Respect this and do not try to force the issue as this can result in a bite. Hire a qualified trainer to teach your dog that a person’s approach while eating is a wonderful thing. Because resource guarding can develop at any time, prevention exercises are recommended for both puppies and dogs.   Share Post: https://yaletowndogtraining.com/2017/03/18/resource-guarding-facts-tip ..read more

Does your dog become excited when you grab his leash, go to the treat cupboard or pick up his bowl? Dogs learn that these predict walks, treats, and meals. This is classical conditioning at work. You can teach your dog how to view the world positively. For instance: Touch his paws, at random times; then give him a piece of chicken. He will love having his paws touched. Give him chicken whenever someone vacuums. He will like vacuums. Every time he sees a child, give him a piece of steak. He will like being around children. Conversely: If every car ride ends with a trip to the veterinarian fo ..read more

Do you want to make your training sessions more efficient? Push Drop Stick Rules as taught by Jean Donaldson are the way to go. The rules are simple to use and will make your training sessions both systematic and efficient. Push Drop Stick Rules: Train is sets of 5 If the dog gets 4 or 5 correct in a set push to the next level of difficulty. It the dog gets 3 out of 5 correct repeat (stick) the same step again. If the dog gets 2 or less correct drop to the previous, easier step. This system assumes that the trainer follows a written training plan with clearly defined criteria for e ..read more

When you take your dog for a walk, let him sniff. Smell is the most important sense for dogs. Dogs navigate the world with their noses much like humans use their eyes. Use this to your advantage when you take your dog for a walk. Let him really discover and explore his world by sniffing.  He will get so much out of this, sniffing will make his walk much more enjoyable and will also help to tire him out. Sniffing is an easy to do, mental enrichment exercise for dogs.                 Have fun with your dog! Share Post: https://yaletowndogtrain ..read more

Imagine finding yourself in a situation where you come face to face with the very thing that scares you the most. A room full of snakes or perhaps being locked in a very dark, enclosed space. Now imagine that a friend attempts to reassure you that all is fine, with kind words and a hug during your ordeal. Would your friend’s attempts at making you feel better cause you to be more afraid next time? No…………. because you cannot reinforce fear. The same is true for dogs, so go ahead and comfort your dog when she is scared. An excellent resource for people with fearful dogs is www.fearfuldogs.c ..read more

Dogs do not feel guilt and they don’t do things out of spite. But they do react with fear to displays of anger or frustration. Dogs are blissfully innocent. They can’t tell the difference between an expensive shoe or a chew toy. And they don’t know that they should potty outdoors instead of on the carpet. It’s up to us to teach them and to prevent mistakes until they learn the difference.   Share Post: https://yaletowndogtraining.com/2017/03/07/dogs-not-feel-guilt ..read more

Does your dog run by toys you throw for him, as if he doesn’t see them? Dogs see colours differently than we do. Research has shown that red appears brown, and purple looks blue to a dog. Grass as well as his green, yellow and orange toys can all look yellowish to him. No wonder he cannot find that tennis ball in the grass. Share Post: https://yaletowndogtraining.com/2017/02/18/how-dogs-see-colours ..read more