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Latest Behavior Articles
The Problem with “Furry Little Humans”
By Andrea Carne
Let’s open this discussion with the whole cats vs. dogs “thing.” Honestly, why do we continue to debate this ongoing battle of the species? Social media is filled with cartoons and memes depicting the supposedly obvious differences and, while I can enjoy the funny side as ...
Case Study: From Reactive to Relaxed
By Dr. Sheryl L. Walker
Of all my years studying animal behavior and consulting with individual clients and animal shelters, there was one case in particular that stood out, partly because it featured two incredibly dedicated guardians. Ironically, it was also one of my most complex ...
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Portland Blog Competition: Changing a Dog’s View of the World
By Kathleen Godfrey
As a trainer, my goal is to help to help both dogs and their guardians have the best possible life together. New client Angie heard about me through a friend I’d helped the friend work with a rather “wild” foster dog (he ...
Create Sensory Spaces for Dogs
An article from Australian Dog Lover on how to create a "sensory garden" for dogs was a nice escape from the cold of a Montana winter. It's filled with great tips for creating mental stimulation for dogs that you can adapt to any space.
The ...
‘Spring Clean’ Your Relationship!
Spring's here (almost), the weather's improving, the mud's drying, the morning's are getting lighter and the day's longer and you just feel better. So why not use this time to think about how you and your dog work together? It's a great time ...
Portland Blog Competition: Conflict vs. Cooperation
By Marie Selarque
At the time of writing, Bix was almost 8 months old and was staying with me for board and train. The focus of his training was jumping and biting, but the truth is, he taught me as much as I taught him. Silly me though, I ...
Herrnstein’s Matching Law and Reinforcement Schedules
When we bake cookies, some reinforcement is on a variable interval schedule.
Have you heard trainers talking about the matching law? This post covers a bit of its history and the nuts and bolts of what it is about. I am providing this rather ...
Dog Adoption, Done Right
Dog adoption is near and dear to my heart, and one which, hopefully, leads to a celebration that lasts for the life of the pet. The main concern I have heard people express is that adopting a dog is likely to result in dealing with “issues” ...
An Allegory: What Happens if a Dog is Punished for Having a Phobia?
By Sandra Machado
Johnny is five years old and he is a great kid. He is loving, does very well in school and absolutely adores his mom.
One day he was playing in the park and was badly bitten by a spider. He was never afraid of them ...
Portland Blog Competition: May I Speak to the Manager?
By Tina Ferner
Last week, I received a voicemail that a trainer NEVER wants to hear. It went like this, “Tina, this is Eileen. Dolly just killed Miley.” Dolly was a rescued mixed breed dog that weighed approximately 65 pounds while Miley was ...