Sometimes when I ask humans about their goals for their dogs, they respond, “I want eventually to trust Sammy off-leash.” Of course Sammy might be four months old and the goal is for the very distant future, but his human really wants “freedom” for the dog. Getting your dog to go leashless is indeed something I can help with. But why?? Most dogs couldn’t care less that they are sporting a lead, so it seems to me more about our own egos and our control over the dog. If I have a leash on my dog, she isn’t visiting random dogs who are fearful/reactive/ill. “My dog is friendly” is completely unfai ..read more

Your dog is perfect just the way he is. He’s an individual with a personality and quirks and things he’s good at and others he’s slower to learn. And you love him no matter what. Though sometimes it can be tough to laugh off his behaviors and not be embarrassed by him. You look around dog class and see focused dogs, other puppies who aren’t barking or biting, and fancy dogs who do fancy tricks. Why isn’t Reggie as “good” as they are? Yes, some humans spend lots and lots of time training and that shows. And others clock hours of practice, but in a group setting or in real-life situations, that ..read more

What is the best way to stop a dog fight? By preventing a dog fight in the first place. Recently two dogs in a local park were going at it, and their people were trying but couldn’t separate them. I was nearby and had success with my Spray Shield citronella stream. I just blasted the dogs in the nose, and they sputtered and walked away. I do think they were far less affected by the incident than their humans–no one was injured, though one woman was on the ground by the end, exhausted. Why would the dogs even get into it? Most dogs aren’t itching for a battle. They’d rather grumble a little to ..read more

Your dog loves learning her second language: Human. Human can be quite a difficult language to learn, but Tulip is ready to try (especially if there are food rewards involved). She just asks her human to remember that she is a beginner and to try to be a good teacher. Good language instructors are clear. They are concise and give the student time to process. Repeating the word over and over and with extra volume may be telling Tulip you think she is hard of hearing. Instead, she prefers you ask for “down” and use a swift, clear hand signal then wait to give her time to decipher your meaning. S ..read more

Sophie needs at least two dozen toys. Really? Absolutely. She would like to have something new once in a while–even if it is a toy you hide away for a bit so it seems new again. She’d like toys of different textures and sizes and purposes. At first a toy may not suit her fancy, but tastes change and a few months later, that toy might be fascinating. A toy she’s played with a lot may lose its allure, so just put it aside for a long time. Try tug toys and rubber toys and fuzzy toys and puzzles and balls of all kinds. Try toys she can chase and a snuffle mat for finding kibble. Try toys that look ..read more

A client recently told me she didn’t want to use food as a reward anymore. She has a five-month-old large-breed, energetic puppy, but she has decided he can start to “obey” now and no longer should need reinforcement for the correct behavior. High standards! Sure, some dogs are such focused learners that they can fool you into thinking they understand all they’ve been taught. But why not reward even those learners, especially in difficult scenarios?? Despite what we might wish, they aren’t doing what we ask out of love. Let’s pay them! Reinforcing good choices at least sometimes is such a moti ..read more

We humans are all about instant gratification, and so are our dogs. Patience can be difficult to find sometimes, but waiting can really pay off. When you’re teaching a new behavior, try just marking the dog’s correct choice with “yes” or a clicker and then give a food reward. After three or four of those right choices, your dog is ready for a word attached to the behavior. So point to the dog bed and mark and reward for four paws on the bed–three or four times. Then add the word “place” or “blanket.” Reward even just with kibble each of maybe four times. Now your dog’s brain is firing. Can you ..read more

I am in a mood. In NO world should you shock your dog, period. And lately even some “trainers” are using them. Shocking your dog is not “training” in any form. It’s abuse and absolutely unnecessary. It’s not an “e-collar.” It’s not a “vibration collar.” Here it is: if you shock your dog, you don’t love your dog. Don’t tell me it’s on “vibrate.” Humans cannot be trusted to leave the shock collar on vibrate—I’ve been shocked twice by a human who wanted to show me how low the vibration is. Even if you were to use an actual vibration, why? It’s a punishment and not tr ..read more

The cuteness. Impossible to resist. But is now the right time? Are you the right human for this puppy? Would an adult dog be a better fit? Raising puppies is Important Work. (Both words are capped because both are very true!) A puppy is a new doggie citizen you feel you are qualified to raise. All the Important Work happens in the first few months, and your focus needs to be on socializing and good experiences and taking the time to create the best dog possible. Raising a great dog is hard work, and we need to be sure we give Koda the best chance at becoming the perfect dog he can be. That mea ..read more

I’ve been asked quite a few times lately about older dogs learning new things or unlearning unwanted behaviors. Can an older dog learn new tricks? Of course! Yes, you should work hard with your puppy while her brain is developing and taking in all that info. And you need to keep her brain busy as she leaves puppyhood–or she will find trouble to get into. It’s easier as our dogs get easier to just let them coast and spend less time in group class or teaching them new tricks, but like us, they will age better if they stay active mentally and as much as they physically can. Some humans are smart ..read more