Why Are So Many Dogs Reactive When On The Leash Most dog owners, at least most of them that seek help from me, find loose leash walking challenging. There are many aspects to loose leash walking. For the sake of this article I’m going to focus on dealing with distractions on the walk. About half… Continue reading Dealing With Distractions
Finally there is a resource to help dog owners choose the right dog food for their situation and their dog! I am of the opinion that dry dog food (kibble) is the bottom rung on the ladder. Dogs bodies are not designed to eat kibble — they’re designed to eat raw meat. Your dog doesn’t… Continue reading Choosing the Right Dog Food For Your Dog
Why Walking Your Dog Doesn’t Count as Exercise — No Matter How Much You Walk! One of the first questions I ask prospective clients is, “How much exercise does your dog get and in what form?” I start with this because dogs that don’t get enough physical and mental stimulation often have behavioral issues.Without daily… Continue reading Why Walking Your Dog Doesn’t Count as Exercise
Let’s shift our focus momentarily from how to train our dogs to how we pay attention to our dogs. The insight from this new perspective might surprise you, and may even help you find a more centered, deeper connection with your dog. Keep in mind, dogs are often prescribed as therapy animals. They have an… Continue reading Dog Relationships as a Gauge
An article in “Cell Metabolism” last month talks about a recent finding that reminds me, in many ways, of my approach to training dog owners. The author writes that it’s not what we eat that matters as much as how we eat it! The study showed that mice can eat whatever they want and won’t… Continue reading It’s All in the Details!
Why do dogs behave the way they do? There are as many factors motivating dog behavior as there are dogs and situations. To complicate matters, every behavior your dog exhibits is motivated by many factors rather than just one. Understanding these motivations can be greatly simplified by grouping them into two categories — the “behavioral”… Continue reading Dog Behavior Simplified
Happy holidays to all! I hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying the time of year — and especially getting outside with your dogs. As many of you know, I don’t have a dog at the present time. This surprises people more than any other fact about me. See my recent blog article titled “Dog… Continue reading Distinctive Dog Training
Be Reasonable — Especially in Dog Training The most frequent dog training question I get asked is, “How do I change this behavior?” The behavior might be pulling on the leash, jumping on people, chewing, digging, aggression, etc. This seems like a reasonable question to ask, but I believe there is a more fundamental… Continue reading Be Reasonable
Clients often ask me what kind of dog I have. Most are quite surprised to find out that I’m not a dog owner. I’ve had a few over the years, but I don’t currently have one and have no plans to get another any time soon. When asked why, I offer one of the following… Continue reading Dog Trainer, not Dog Owner
A client with two small children and an eight week old English Bulldog once said to me, “Puppies are much more difficult to raise than kids. It’s like having a baby that doesn’t wear a diaper.” Most people considering getting a puppy have no idea what they are getting themselves into. I often tell clients… Continue reading Why I Would Never Get a Puppy
There are many ways to train a dog to do anything you want him/her to do. The methods used by trainers reflect this and run the gamut. Some trainers use positive reinforcement only – they only reward desired behavior; while others use shock collars exclusively to discourage unwanted behaviors. I prefer a balanced approach that… Continue reading Effective Corrective
Many dog books and trainers assert that playing aggressively with your dog encourages your dog to be aggressive. In my opinion, the opposite is true! For dogs with aggressive tendencies, rough play can provide a healthy outlet so that aggressive behavior doesn’t come out in unacceptable ways. Let’s look at a popular breed which is… Continue reading Aggressive Play
Many dog trainers disagree with me on this, but not all dog behaviors should be addressed through training. Just like people, dogs have basic needs for food, water, shelter, physical, mental, and emotional stimulation. These basic needs must be satisfied before you can work effectively to change your dog’s behavior. If you were so hungry… Continue reading Treating the Problem — Not the Symptom
Finally a single map showing all of the dog parks in the Sacramento Metro area! I firmly believe there is no substitute for dogs being able to run full speed and chase other dogs and be chased by other dogs. But the dog park can be a very dangerous place. I urge lots of caution… Continue reading Sacramento Dog Parks
There is no single thing that you as a dog owner can do that will improve your relationship with your dog more than to start walking your dog with a slack leash. I get more inquiries from people that want to be able to walk their dog without it pulling all the time, than I… Continue reading Why a Slack Leash is So Important
Dog-sharing can take many forms. Maybe you are frequently away from home, but would like to have a dog nonetheless. If the idea of having to kennel your dog every time you travel does not appeal to you, then you might want to co-own a dog or do a dog-share with someone that lives in… Continue reading What Is Dogsharing?
