Helping fearful dogs

I don't mean to downplay the importance of providing a dog with exercise, but the reason for getting dogs out for a good leg stretch goes beyond the attempt to tire them out. The frequently heard statement that a 'tired dog is a good dog', makes me cringe. A good dog is a good dog whether they are exhausted or not. Anyone who has walked ...

For over 25 years I worked setting up and leading outdoor and cultural adventures for students and women's groups. Since I became obsessed with thinking about helping dogs with fear based behavior challenges, I've steadily begun to do less traveling. That and along with the fact that spring is in the air, I decided to empty out a filing cabinet of old paperwork. ...

It's not unusual when trying to sort out any behavior problems in our dogs to look for the simplest explanation for what is causing the issue. We hope that if we could only remedy that, everything will fall into place. Some of the common missing pieces heralded as the reasons for a dog's misbehavior include: A lack of leadership Insufficient exercise Ignorance of the dog's ...

When it comes to many issues in this world, I am firmly on the side of pro-choice and self-determination. This includes the work and play I do with dogs, especially shy, fearful or anxious dogs. Think about it. If something scares or worries you, is your anxiety lessened knowing that you have no control over your options when confronted with those things? Mine sure isn't. ...

Before I proceed, I have to respond to the title of this post with, "I only wish I knew." I have some ideas, but I suspect reasons vary from trainer to trainer and pet owner to pet owner. However, as someone who has done a bit more than just dip my toes into the pool of information regarding dogs and their behavior, I am continually ...

White water rafting is often described as organized chaos. No matter how much we plan, no matter how many times we practice running certain rapids, every time we get into a boat with a group of people we can only be sure of the outcome we want, not the outcome we're going to get. Not unlike life I suppose. Over the years I worked as ...

Over the past 30 years I have taken numerous first aid classes to complement my work leading recreational, outdoor travel groups. One of the texts, The Outward Bound Wilderness First Aid Handbook, in its first chapter called General Principles in Wilderness Medicine, includes this statement: Anticipating and controlling the development of swelling is one of the most important aspects of treatment in wilderness medical care. ...

It's easy to think that the fear we see our dogs display is just a veneer that needs to be stripped away to expose the solid oak dog. Certainly there are dogs for whom life has tossed a curve ball and they struggle to for a bit as they sort out their new life, but they have the skills for doing that. Perhaps a more ...

When people call me to ask about boarding their dogs or for information regarding working with a timid dog, early on in the conversation I will ask what kind of dog it is. It helps me to have a picture of the dog, in the case of boarding it may determine whether the conversation needs to continue or not. Two 9 month old Saint Bernards ...

One of the most useful behaviors any dog owner can teach their dog is to look at them. Trainers teach this checking-in behavior differently. I'll share my favorite. Like any behavior, the more a dog practices it and gets rewarded for it, the better they'll get at it. If I want my dog to pay attention to me it's easier if I've rewarded ...