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Webinar-Medications To Treat Fear Based Behavior Challenges

By |2013-01-12T16:06:22-05:00January 12th, 2013|Categories: Alternative treatments for fearful dogs, Dog training, Helping fearful dogs, Medications for fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

Yes, yes I know, people use too many drugs. People think drugs are the solution to everything. Drugs have side effects. I won't dispute any of those statements, but at the same time drugs can save lives and the side effects of some conditions are worse than the possible side effects of some drugs. Being scared is no way to live. The reasoning ...

Conditioned Reinforcers

By |2012-12-22T11:53:05-05:00December 22nd, 2012|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

There are some things I take for granted, things that have become part of the fabric of my life with dogs, that I forget that at one time they were new ideas to me. Creating conditioned reinforcers to use in a variety of ways with my dogs is one of them. Here's a quick primer on what conditioned reinforcers are, how you create them and ...

Project Home Life

By |2012-11-24T12:25:15-05:00November 24th, 2012|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , |

Photo by DVGRR I love this. Flat out love it. At the Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue in Pennsylvania adult survivors of puppy mills are provided with skills to make the transition to being pets. Not only does DVGRR accept mill survivors they actively seek them out and make relinquishing these dogs easy. Their no questions asked acceptance policy means that more dogs will ...

Take Me To Your Provider Of Consequences

By |2012-11-20T08:55:29-05:00November 20th, 2012|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Language is important. The words we use to convey ideas matter. Times change and language changes with it. It is helpful to know that when someone is describing something as fat, they mean it's phat. There's nothing wrong with being gay and happy, or gay and homosexual, but using the word gay as an insult, as in that's so gay, should be discouraged, even if ...

Think Like A Human

By |2012-10-17T11:49:03-04:00October 17th, 2012|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Pet owners are often encouraged to think like a dog when faced with behavior challenges. I can’t help but feel a twinge of discomfort when I hear it. Attempts to think like a dog are often accompanied by fables of why a dog is behaving as they are. They’re jealous or angry, we need to be their leader, or treat them as a mother dog ...

A Rose By Any Other Name?

By |2012-08-26T10:05:14-04:00August 26th, 2012|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Is this a dominance hierarchy or bunk bed? They say a rose by any other name is still a rose, unless if you're naming it 'tulip' I won't know what you are describing. We may both understand that you are talking about a flower, but if you are ordering a dozen roses and ask for tulips you'll be in for a big surprise ...

Sunny & Seaglass

By |2012-07-22T13:02:22-04:00July 22nd, 2012|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , |

Strolling a beach who can help but be pleased to find a piece of sanded smooth seaglass?  With the sharp edges worn down to safety they are tiny treasures used to make jewelry. Bathrooms around the world contain baskets of the stuff gathered during vacations and holidays. Even with their shiny surface blurred by abrasion we rarely resist the urge to put a piece in ...

The Behavior Sandwich

By |2012-04-23T09:43:55-04:00April 23rd, 2012|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

People often think of a dog’s behavior in much the same way as they think about a sandwich. It’s usually the meat in the middle that they are most concerned with. But behavior, like a sandwich has more going on than just the filling. What’s around the filling can matter a lot. Imagine going into a deli and ordering ham & cheese on rye and ...

Poor puppy

By |2012-03-09T07:13:28-05:00March 9th, 2012|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

I have the opportunity to talk to many people about their fearful dogs. One thing almost all of them have in common is that they waited too long to get help for themselves and their dog. I'm not pointing a finger of blame at them, I understand the delay. Most of the dogs we've lived with have been adaptable, resilient and tolerant. Some have been ...

Living in the moment

By |2011-11-22T08:24:27-05:00November 22nd, 2011|Categories: Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , |

Of all of the silly things I hear in regard to dog behavior the proclamation that 'dogs live in the moment' perhaps takes the cake. It is usually used to criticize owners for being understanding of their dog's past and that unlike humans, that past doesn't effect them. They are furry zen masters of 'be here now'.  The idea that it is the owner's response ...

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