WARNING: This may be a controversial or provocative post. As always, it is meant to get you thinking - about dogs, about yourself, and how to improve your life with your current and future canine companions.
But, I realize some folks will be triggered by it.
It still needs to be said.
So…you got a new puppy. Or a new rescue dog.
And now the fun begins - well, mostly fun. Except that your new pooch seems to think your most expensive rugs are the perfect doggy toilet station.
Potty training can be elusive for many dogs and owners, but it doesn’t have to be. Read on to find out more!
Socialization. It’s a buzz word that’s thrown about by puppy owners, dog trainers, groomers, veterinarians - really anyone and everyone in the dog world.
If you have a new puppy, you might have even already searched for a trainer who offers puppy socialization classes.
But what IS Socialization?
And is there a right way (or wrong way) to do it? Read on to find out more!
It’s that time of year.
Kids are back in school; establishing the routines of getting out of bed early and heading off to classes - spending their days (hopefully) learning useful, meaningful lessons, and probably having homework and tests.
But what about the dogs?
With the Winter Holiday Season just around the corner, now is a great time to make sure Fifi or Fido’s manners and obedience are up to par - BEFORE the turkey, ham, and other goodies hit the table, and BEFORE the guests arrive, or the travel to family or friends’ houses begins.
So…it’s time for a pop quiz! How is your dog’s Report Card looking in the following areas?
In her book, The Science of Natural Healing, Dr. Mimi Guarneri talks about her patients’ health like a tree - with the leaves being various forms of disease (heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.).
The trunk of the tree is comprised of our genes - our genetic makeup - “the book of life we are given.”
Last, she describes the soil (environment) that the tree is in, and that how we nurture the soil - what we put into our soil (micro & macro nutrients, mental, spiritual, and emotional support, exercise, etc.) - will determine a lot about the health of the tree.
This analogy really struck a chord with me, and got me thinking about how it could be applied to dog behavior (because, let’s be honest, that’s how my brain works…I am ALWAYS thinking about dog behavior on some level or another…).
Read on to see how your dog's behaviors (leaves) are shaped by it's genetic makeup (trunk) and environment (soil!)
I was more than a little excited to see my next dog training client. So excited, in fact, that I was waiting at the door, peering out into the parking lot of the training facility.
These were smart, dedicated dog owners; and I was anxious to see how they had progressed since our last session.
As I saw their car pull into the parking lot - right on time - I looked forward to watching them walk the dog in.
When they began working with me, their dog had been a lunging, barking tyrant on the leash.
But so far, training had gone really, really well - and he’d begun to be transformed into a dog who actually cared who was at the other end of the leash. The last time he’d been in, he was actively and happily looking to them for guidance, even when there were other dogs or people around.
They had been on vacation for 2 weeks, but there had been no emails expressing any troubles, so I was more than hopeful things were still right on track.
Here they came….
And…my heart dropped.
You know the kind of disappointment that even if you’ve experienced it a hundred times - it still hits you right in the gut every time it happens?
Yeah.
The small-but-strong dog was dragging hard on the leash; hard enough to be coughing and gagging. His training collar and the handling skills I’d worked so hard to teach the owners in previous weeks were nowhere to be seen.
WARNING: This may be a controversial or provocative post. As always, it is meant to get you thinking - about dogs, about yourself, and ho...
