Clara left this world on September 28, 2024, four years to the day after Zani. I’m not ready to write a tribute to her yet. But maybe my thoughts about grief and remembrance can help others. This post is more raw and less edited than what I usually publish. I wrote most of it the […] The post Grief Triggers appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

Lewis joined my family in December 2021, and I started walking him in my neighborhood in early 2022. We’ve been at this about two and a half years, and I feel like I’ve cracked the code. Here’s how I think about it. I’ve identified the array of things that can bother him, and the things […] The post Creating Happy Dog Walks by Controlling the Pressure appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

In January 2022, the dog trainer Ivan Balabanov emailed me to invite me on his podcast. I knew little about him at the time except that he was world famous in protection sports. I declined. I’m a writer, not a trainer. I don’t think well on my feet in conversation. I wouldn’t be a good […] The post “The Real Facts About Science Based Dog Training”: A Bad Faith Argument appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

Most of us have experienced what it feels like when a dog takes treats like a shark. We probably know some situations in which our dogs do that and what it might mean. But what about when a dog takes a treat extra gently? I’ve been writing about dog body language since I began this […] The post Does a Soft Mouth Mean My Dog Is Relaxed? appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

Dogs can’t hear all sounds at four times the distance humans can. They can probably hear some sounds at an even greater distance factor than that, compared to humans. But there are other sounds humans and dogs likely hear at about the same distance, and even some that humans can hear at a greater distance […] The post Can Dogs Hear Sounds at Four Times the Distance Humans Can? 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

This is an unsolicited review with no affiliate links. I purchased two balls from this company and Lewis and I both think they are great.Shoutout to a company with a great product and customer service. I’m always looking for sturdy, throwable tug toys for Lewis. I think I saw an ad for these, or perhaps […] The post Foam Dog Balls for the Win: A Review appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

Pavlov was scooped, but nobody noticed. Most people have heard of Ivan Pavlov and his dogs, and many are aware of the specifics of his discovery. He accidentally conditioned dogs to salivate at the sound of a buzzer, realized what he had done, and explored some of the profound implications. But hardly anyone knows that […] The post I Got a Kick Out of You: Twitmyer’s Discovery of Classical Conditioning appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

This is for people who have started to train their dogs with food. First, good for you! Food is a primary reinforcer, dogs usually love to work for it, it’s handy, and you get a lot of bang for your buck! If your dog responds only when you have food, nothing is wrong with her. […] The post What If My Dog Responds Only When I Have Treats? appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more

How can I tell if there is high-frequency sound in my house or yard that could bother my dog? To detect possible ultrasound in your home, you need two things: Concerns about Ultrasound I get asked about ultrasound a lot. We guardians with dogs who seem to get scared “out of nowhere” often consider the […] The post How to Check a Dog’s Environment for Ultrasound appeared first on eileenanddogs ..read more