Addressing the issue of behavior, taking into account both nature and the environment (nurture) of rescue dogs. Learn why you must train based on your dog’s responses to cues, regardless of background and upbringing. Continue Reading >
Have you and your dog mastered the elusive art of recall? You can work to train your dog to always return to you when off leash! Continue Reading >
Imagine you are sitting on your couch, but are really craving a soda or a water. Wouldn’t it be nice to just be able to send your dog to go retrieve you something to quench your thirst? Or what about those large grocery hauls? Wouldn’t your furry companion be the perfect extra set of hands to help you carry those bags into the house? Lots of these types of tasks are teachable to any dog with the proper foundation and motivation. But how do you even get started in teaching something more complex like this? Learning and understanding the concept of backchaining can be a very helpful theoretical foundation to assist you in teaching these behaviors. Continue Reading >
As a whole, many of the dogs that I see come in for training arrive on my doorstep due to unsavory behaviors that a client is trying to train out of their dog. Many of these behaviors revolve around fear or aggression, such as reactivity. Removing undesirable behaviors from a dog’s natural set of responses can prove to be a challenging task - it does not happen immediately, and it requires some systematic work to help a dog to replace a poor behavior pattern with something that is more desirable. Continue Reading >
Previously, we discussed how to begin to build a recall with your dog. While for many dogs those steps help to build a reliable recall, some dogs are more easily distracted and will need some additional work to help further proof this behavior. Nothing beats the guidance of a one-on-one trainer, but below you will find some skills to practice to help build motivation for the recall. Continue Reading >
Everyone has that dream of being able to take their pup off leash at a park or the beach, but that dream can frequently turn into a nightmare if your dog does not have a reliable recall. Because the outside world can be SO stimulating for most dogs, this can be a very difficult command to build since distractions are more than prevalent. Fundamental skills should be developed to help build consistency for a solid recall. Continue Reading >
Teaching a dog tricks not only helps to build engagement for training, but it can also bring fresh enthusiasm to your regimen, mentally challenge your dog, and encourage skills that can be used for other tasks or for physical conditioning. Many tricks can build off of a handful of core skills that we can teach to help build more complex behaviors down the road. Continue Reading >
As a Bay Area native, I am deeply aware of the challenges that come along with living in this amazing place. Scare apartments, high rental costs, and most importantly, the limited selection in places that are dog friendly. With so many people having dogs and so few availabilities, knowing how to best market yourself and your dogs can go a long way in being able to secure your new home! Continue Reading >
Walk into a pet store, and you will find at least one aisle dedicated to tools to walking your dog on a leash. Walk down the next aisle, and you are sure to find more equipment dedicated to training - everything from treats and clickers, to crates and pee pads, wanting a well behaved furry family member has become a huge market for the sale of a wide variety of training equipment. So how do you decide what is the best for your dog? And most importantly, what actually works? Continue Reading >
Getting a dog to offer a new behavior with increased frequency in order to put it on cue requires precise marking and reward timing. In my experience, I find that I utilize two major techniques when trying to implement a new behavior into my dog’s repertoire - luring and free shaping. Continue Reading >
There is no better feeling that having the confidence in your dog to be able to comfortably let them off of their leash and know, without doubt, that they will come back to you when called. It is an elusive accomplishment for many dog owners, and probably the most frequently stated goal for new clients coming in for training. Continue Reading >
Leash reactivity, sometimes also called leash aggression, is one of the most common problems prospective clients come in wanting to address with their dogs. It can make walk time extremely uncomfortable, even though it should be an enjoyable activity for both you and your dog. So what is leash reactivity? Where does it come from? Continue Reading >
Is there anything cuter than a captured moment between a young child and a dog? There is something about those interactions that melt my heart. But with all of that cuteness, comes the challenge of properly acclimating a dog to a new human to help set them both up for a successful relationship. Recently, there have been some difficult to watch videos circulating around social media with dogs being pushed past their limits and redirecting their frustration on a child. These incidents are preventable, and it is time that proper techniques for introduction and management were addressed. Continue Reading >
Committing to having a well behaved, furry member of society requires dedication to the entire well being of a dog. A great first step to achieving this goal is to enroll your dog in training classes. Not only does this help you to teach your dog good manners, but it also helps you to build a working relationship and line of communication with your dog that will carry throughout their lives Continue Reading >
Try as we might, sometimes challenges arise with a dog that are very difficult to train out of them. Dog to dog aggression can often be one of those challenges. Even dogs that were social as puppies can develop dog aggression or selectivity due to bad experiences, over zealous play, or maturation that creates intolerance. Continue Reading >
Take a walk around your neighborhood. Chances are within a couple of blocks, you will pass things like benches, fire hydrants, planter ledges, mail boxes, etc. To the average person, these are just everyday objects that do not attract much attention. Now imagine your dog being able to balance on these objects, walk across them, or jump up onto new surfaces - your mundane neighborhood walk just took on a whole new life! I fondly refer to the utilization of these everyday objects as “urban agility”. Continue Reading >
One of the most challenging experiences for owners and their dogs can be visits to the vet. Tension runs high, so very often, dogs will exhibit behaviors they never do anywhere else. Teaching your dog handling skills to make checkups and other vet visits less of an ordeal can make these trips much less traumatic for both the dog and their person. Continue Reading >
Who doesn’t love summer time?! The barbeques, the beach, the long days, the vacations, and most importantly, the extra time with your pooch! While most people love the warmth of the summer, those day that are brutally hot for people are just as tough on the dogs. Here are some tips and tricks to keeping your dog cool (and safe!) during those scorching days. Continue Reading >
Like many other hot topics in dog training, the use of a muzzle has a lot of stigma around it. For most people, seeing a muzzled dog walking down the street automatically causes feelings of panic as the dog is assumed to be unpredictable. There are many positive uses for a muzzle, and ensuring any dog is properly muzzle trained can be a huge relief should any situation arise where your dog might have to don one of these Hannibal Lecter masks. Continue Reading >
Every trainer has a repertoire of commands that they find to be most useful in their training programs and the way they work their clients’ dogs. One commands I find to be extremely useful and common across all trainers is the use of a ‘place’ command. Continue Reading >
Dog parks are a hot topic amongst dog trainers. On one hand, they are wonderful places to socialize your dog with fellow dog lovers. On the flip side, they can be the source of many health and behavioral complications for dogs. This article is not meant to sway you one way or another, but more to discuss the pros and cons of the utilization of dog parks. Continue Reading >
There is a lot of buzz around the various types of dog training available. From purely positive to compulsive training, every trainer has their theories on what method is the most successful (for the broadest range of dogs). Ultimately though, all theories are based off of interpretations and study on dog behavior and how they learn. Continue Reading >
Challenges with dogs come in many shapes. From health problems to aggression, many dogs struggle with a wide array of behavioral problems that often bring them through the doors of a training facility. Having handled and train hundreds of dogs of all breeds, I often get asked what the most difficult dog is to train. Continue Reading >
One of the hardest parts about working with dogs and their people is breaking the news to an owner that their dog might not be capable of certain goals they desire. Learning to work with the dog that is in front of you is a huge part of having a successful training relationship with your dog. Continue Reading >
Clear lines of communication between the dog and the handler is the most crucial components of a successful training program. Continue Reading >
Enrolling your dog into a training program and finding the right trainer for you and your dog can be an arduous process. With no overarching governing body that regulates who can and cannot train dogs, and no required education to be completed before beginning to train dogs, finding a qualified dog trainer that you trust with your fur baby can be a challenge. Continue Reading >
Styles of training have shifted dramatically over the years. As people are wanting their dogs to be better trained to join them on outings, trainers are seeing more and more people expecting high end obedience out of their pets to ensure good behavior in public. I absolutely love this! I firmly believe in having dogs be a part of the family system, and raising the standard of dog training helps to make this possible. Continue Reading >
As a professional dog trainer, I spend a lot of time during my day to day work routine teaching owners how to get the most out of their dogs. I love my work and find it extremely rewarding. However, there are definitely moments when I find myself stuck in a monotonous routine. Continue Reading >
One of the most common things I have clients tell me is that they don’t want to have to use treats for the rest of their lives. Building the intrinsic motivation for your dog to want to work with you takes time and trust and continues to be fostered throughout your training program. Continue Reading >
There is no easy way to accept the fact that dogs’ lives are never long enough. When the aging process begins to become more evident, it can be a heartbreaking transition, or it can be one of the most inspiration processes you have with your dog. Continue Reading >
Making the decision to welcome a new furry family member into your home is a big step that requires forethought and planning. Choosing the right dog to fit your lifestyle is a big component in making the move to be the best doggie parent possible! Continue Reading >
Bringing a new puppy home is an incredibly exciting time for the entire family. Socializing your new fuzz ball is always a challenge every person faces, and it is a crucial component to ensuring your new pup is a well-balanced member of society as they grow up. Socialization is one of those buzz words that can mean something different to every person you ask. Continue Reading >
Picking a pet trainer to help teach you and your dog how to reliably communicate with one another can be an arduous experience. Continue Reading >
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