< Updated 24OCT22 > In this blog post from October 20, 2022, Eileen Anderson of eileenanddogs.com and co-author of  Puppy Socialization – What It Is and How to Do It discusses a recent walk with her 18-month-old dog Lewis. She describes his first encounter with a new object, a trailer parked in front of the house next door. Eileen also includes photos that illustrate the very subtle body language, whispers as she describes them, that Lewis expressed that indicate his wariness towards the trailer. I believe it is essential for everyone with a dog to be very familiar with its body la ..read more

Pet Insurance – How to Choose A Provider By Don Hanson, PCBC-A, BFRAP < A version of this article is scheduled to be published in Pets and Their People  > < A version of this article was published in the September 2022 issue of Downeast Dog News> < Updated 23OCT22 > < A short link for this page – https://bit.ly/PetInsurance-Choosing > In my article Pet Health Insurance – Why It’s A Good Idea, I discussed why I recommend every pet parent consider purchasing pet insurance, especially when their pet is young and before they have any preexisting conditions. In this art ..read more

Pet Health Insurance – Why It’s A Good Idea By Don Hanson, PCBC-A, BFRAP < A version of this article was published in Pets and Their People on  October 10th, 2022 > < A version of this article was published in the August 2022 issue of Downeast Dog News > < Updated 23OCT22 > < A short link for this page – https://bit.ly/PetInsurance-Why > My wife and I decided pet insurance was worth investigating when we adopted Muppy in 2013. We had several unplanned vet bills with previous pets requiring emergency surgery or because they were treated for chronic issues for m ..read more

When Can I Stop Training My Dog? By Don Hanson, PCBC-A, BFRAP < A version of this article was published in Pets and Their People on June 28, 2022 > < A version of this article was published in the October 2022 issue of Downeast Dog News> < Updated 22OCT22  > < A short link for this page – https://bit.ly/WhenCanIStopTrainingMyDog >   My students often ask when they can stop training their dogs. That’s when I ask them when do you anticipate you will stop learning. My point is that we are still learning as long as we are alive. The same is true of our dogs. If ou ..read more

< Updated 22SEP22 > Knowing what “human foods” you can safely feed your dog can be confusing. Unfortunately, the internet and even pet care professionals, who should know better, often give contradictory and confusing advice. Sadly, that advice is often only supported by myths and not research studies based on science. Even sadder is that we deprive our dogs of some healthy, natural sources of vital micronutrients. On September 21st, 2022, veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker posted an infographic on Facebook, adding clarity to this topic. Thank you, Dr. Becker! You can view, print, or download ..read more

< A version of this article was published in the June and July 2022 issues of Downeast Dog News> < Updated 31AUG22 > < A short link for this page – https://bit.ly/12Steps-BestFriendsForLife > If you have read my article, Help! My Dog is Stubborn! you already know that I believe that dogs are never stubborn but simply misunderstood. In this article, I will introduce twelve steps to help you and your dog become best friends for life, a far cry from stubborn. Step #1 – Focus on being your dog’s best friend, not their master. Be committed to the idea that you and your dog are a t ..read more

Help! My Dog Is Stubborn!By Don Hanson, PCBC-A, BFRAP < A version of this article was published in the April & May 2022 issue of Downeast Dog News> < Updated 29AUG22 > < A short link for this page – https://bit.ly/HelpStubborn > What Is Stubborn? I have often heard a prospective or existing student say, “Can you help me? My dog is so stubborn.” I’m not a fan of the word “stubborn.” Too often, it is used in a derogatory manner as a result of frustration when something or someone is not behaving in a way that is perceived as desirable. Yet it is a word that most of us, myse ..read more

< Updated 29AUG22 > < A short link for this page – https://bit.ly/NO2RetractableLeashes > Thanks to Cathy Gair for this excellent article for outward hound outlining why retractable or Flexi leads cause far too much harm for any benefit they provide. Read the article at  https://outwardhound.com/furtropolis/water-safety/why-are-retractable-leashes-bad ..read more

< Updated 14JUL22 > In her blog post of July 11th, 2022, Eileen Anderson of EileenandDogs describes how unexpectedly getting stung by a wasp dramatically changed her behavior. I have shared Eileen’s post on my blog because this same type of response can occur when our pets experience something they find punishing. Understand that what they experienced may not seem traumatic to you; however, how you perceived the incident is irrelevant if the injured party found the experience traumatic. Mammalian brains are designed to remember traumatic events FOREVER so we can avoid being hurt again. T ..read more