At a large dog event I watched with some disgust and much dismay, as people who probably really care about their dogs handled them with all I can label was "disrespect." Dogs were being dragged around on leashes, being reprimanded and jerked for spending too much time (typically measurable in seconds) looking at or sniffing something, not responding to cues fast enough and being left ...
I returned home yesterday from a multi-day workshop on training birds at Natural Encounters in Florida. Watching and learning from the best bird trainers on the planet (and that is not hyperbole) was inspirational along with educational. One of the take-aways for me was new language to use when talking about training, any animal. Many of the participants at the workshop were zoo keepers. People ...
I'll be at my vet's office tonight running a class called "Vet Ready!" to help owners and dogs feel more comfortable coming to the clinic. Few things are as clear as how they respond to handling to give you an idea of what they have learned to expect from you. For some owners the way their dog responds is....well....history. The dog has learned that visits to ...
I don't want to come across as someone who trolls the internet looking for other people's websites, blog posts or videos to criticize. More often I try to ignore most of it. Sometimes it lands in my lap. The link to the video included in this post was shared with me by the manufacturers of a new product designed to eliminate anxiety in dogs. I ...
I try to be careful when I start feeling like the fellow in the cartoon tapping away at a keyboard late into the night because, "Someone said something wrong on the internet." I try to be tolerant knowing full well that I've written stuff or have videos that someone, for one reason or another could find fault with. Maybe you can guess where this is ...
At my first appointment with a new dentist after I moved to Vermont I asked if he'd like me to have my charts sent from my previous dentist. His reply was, "I don't need them, I have your mouth." Everything he needed to know about my teeth was in front of him. When we begin to work with fearful dogs it's not uncommon for us ...
When we meet a dog, especially a dog in a shelter or in the rehoming process somewhere, the first piece of information we need to give them is why they should engage with us. Most of us, dog lovers that we are, would never say to the dog, "Because I said so!" when it came to the reason they should pay attention to us. But ...
The subject of using medications to treat dogs with fear and anxiety issues is a controversial one among pet owners and trainers, and one I frequently feel inclined to address in regard to working with fearful dogs. Drugs have been a blessing and curse for humans. They can both save and destroy lives. Deciding to give a scared dog medications is often a struggle for ...
When we ask a dog to do something in exchange for something they want it's not about "no free lunches" or that dogs need to learn to work for what they want. Every organism on the planet, if they are going to be around for long already has this information. If they didn't there would be no beaver dams, no mice caught by cats, no ...
Imagine taking your car to a mechanic to find out what was wrong with it and having a discussion like this- Mechanic: When did you get it? Car owner: Six months ago? Mechanic: Â When did you notice something wasn't right? Car owner: Not long after I got it. Mechanic: Tell me what's wrong. Car owner: It doesn't work the way it's suppose to. Mechanic: Does ...
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