Leena barks, lunges and generally loses her mind when she sees other dogs on a walk. Her owner and I are walking in the park so I can teach the owner how to change Leena’s behavior. When we see another dog at a distance, Leena freezes and … [Read more...]
Journey of Finn – Are You a Puppy or a Piranha?
This week, Finn found his teeth. That means we've been doing some work on settle and impulse control. I am also continuing to work on socialization, loose leash walking and handling. In my posts I focus on the training we are doing … [Read more...]
Tell us what you want!
Hello everyone! I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about how best to serve my clients - both dogs and humans. I have a lot of ideas floating around and would love to hear from you. I would love to get feedback from you about the … [Read more...]
The Evolution of Darwin
(I am taking a break this month from talking about getting a new dog. Instead, I’m going to use this time to talk about my personal journey with my dog, Darwin, in the hopes that it will be beneficial to others as well.) I’ve been … [Read more...]
Starting off on the Right Paw – Part 2: Choosing a good breeder
Last month, I talked about choosing the right breed in part 1 of my series on “Starting off on the Right Paw”. This month I will talk about finding a good breeder. If you choose to get a purebred puppy, finding a responsible and … [Read more...]
Starting off on the Right Paw – Part 1: Choosing the Right Breed
There is so much that's exciting about bringing home a new dog. For me, the best part is anticipating the new bond and complex relationship that will form between the new dog and the rest of the family. However, for some families, this … [Read more...]
How to Manage Your Dog’s Indoor Energy Level
One of the most common complaints I get from clients is that their dog is constantly pestering them for attention. Picture the scene - you come home from a long day of work and sit down on the couch to relax. Except that you can't relax … [Read more...]
To Breed or Not to Breed?
I started my professional dog career as a shelter volunteer, then as a shelter staff member. For many years, my mantra has always been to rescue dogs. All of the dogs I’ve had as an adult have been rescued from one source or another as … [Read more...]
A Changed Dog: Musings on the importance of enrichment in dogs
My dog, Darwin, is one of the most laid back dogs I’ve ever known. With the exception of tracking (he is mostly beagle), he doesn’t generally get excited about anything. That includes food, toys and people or other dogs. He appears to … [Read more...]
A Brief Primer on Punishment and Reinforcement
Would you like to improve your understanding of your dogs' behavior? What about the behavior of your family, friends and co-workers? If you really want to understand behavior (and training) then it is absolutely critical that you … [Read more...]