Humans are the only species that refuses to use punishment as a means of correction.  All animals reprimand their young. Dogs bite each other, horses bite and kick each other, lions and tigers, bite and wrestle each other; humans just nag and “talk about it”.  When raising a dog, you must treat them the way their mother would.  Your dog’s mother would nip, bite and keep her puppy in a down/rolled over position for any indiscretion, no matter how small.  All misbehaviour is reprimanded with the same level of correction.  Most individuals are so averse to correction that they are creating monster canines who are dog aggressive, people aggressive and downright dangerous to have…

Since I am around so many dogs, I have noticed that most dogs have lost their natural ability to read each other’s body language and foremost they have lost their ability to know how to greet each other.  I see it while I am training with people entering class and I see it when I am training at the dog park.  Unless a young dog lives in a house with an adult dog, most do not know how to greet another dog whether on a walk or in a dog park.  For this reason, it is important that the owner be able to read dog language and be able to…

Dogs don’t talk, dogs communicate.  Whenever I say to a client that their dog will not talk they look at me quizzically. Yes, dogs communicate with each other and with other species that they come in contact with but they do not speak the way humans talk to each other.    Because of our ability to communicate with our mouths, humans have lost the ability to read and interpret body language, human or other.  It is amazing to see someone who has lost a sense (hearing, speech or sight) have heightened use of another sense; it is amazing the way nature takes over and assists this person in his or her…

For the last 9 months I have a very nice German shepherd in my Intermediate class.  A nice young couple that thinks the world of her owns this dog.  This dog does have a great temperament and is also class clown.  Typically, the wife handles the dog in class and puts her through her paces.  Everyone in class has passed her by and progressed at a nice pace. This dog is still having problems staying when commanded and breaks position in the heel much too often. She runs around class trying to antagonize everyone into a chase.    For 9 months I have instructed her owner to correct her for this behavior and…

Last night while I was teaching an Intermediate Training Class one of my clients’ just blurted out a question:  “How do you do that?”  I had no idea what he was referring to and looked at him quizzically.  I had been working a dog in class which was the same dog I had in class the week before.  My client continued, “That dog was a mess last week and this week he is calm and obedient”.    I never really answered the question but I pondered it throughout the night.  The next day I told my partner Lorry about the conversation and without thinking she answered the question, “You don’t confuse the dogs when…

 Many trainers, including myself, have a program in their school where a dog stays overnight for training for a period of two to three weeks.  During this time, the dog is taught all the basic commands and any minor behavior problems are corrected.  While this is a costly way to train your dog, it is exceedingly effective, especially if are away from home for long periods of time and do not have enough time to work with your dog on a daily basis to ensure he understands the basic commands.     We do the hard part of the training, the part that takes a lot of patience because it is the…

Since I am around so many dogs, I have noticed that most dogs have lost their natural ability to read each other’s body language and foremost they have lost their ability to know how to greet each other.  I see it while I am training with people entering class and I see it when I am training at the dog park.  Unless a young dog lives in a house with an adult dog, most do not know how to greet another dog whether on a walk or in a dog park.  For this reason, it is important that the owner be able to read dog language and be able to…

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is upon us.  Somewhere between Halloween and New Year’s you will find your beloved dog hoping you will find time for a romp in the yard or a long walk in the park.  The holidays are incredibly stressful for your dog because, let’s face it, between work and celebrating the holidays; you are unable to spend as much time as you usually do with your best friend.  Just because you are busy, doesn’t mean your dog doesn’t require the same amount of exercise and mental stimulation that he is used to the rest of the year.  Obedience:  Get back to obedience class. …

Did you know that the risk of dog bites increases on Halloween night, as compared to other nights by 25%?  That equals to 1 in 4 dogs biting someone on or around the Halloween holiday.  In my opinion, that is too high and the reason for this increase is the fault of the owners, not the dogs.  In any situation an owner must first consider what may happen, anticipate what their dog’s reaction is going to be, be prepared to control the situation.  In training class, things are done in a controlled environment and we can recreate the situation many times to desensitize a dog’s reaction.  In the real world,…

The “Blame Game” runs ramped through our society with dogs and children.  When dogs misbehave, owners blame everyone under the sun: the previous owner, the breeder, the rescue group, the breed, and, of course, the trainer.  The truth of the matter is owners and handlers must make sure to relate to their dogs in the present and not justify behavior based on their dog’s previous misfortune in life.   I’m not saying that dogs do not feel or do not have souls. I’m saying that if we immediately react to negative behavior, the message that we are conveying is that this behavior is not acceptable.  Dogs follow strong and dominant leaders who…