Practice? Liszt or Chopsticks
Years ago in another life I was a music teacher. In addition to class music lessons for many years, I also taught the piano and the flute. What’s this got do do with dogs, you might ask.
My pupils’ results showed I was quite a good music teacher. Being a piano teacher in the exam system was ...
Jekyll and Hyde – Social off Leash but Reactive on Leash?
It might be a coincidence but over the last few weeks I have met a lot of dogs who are reactive on leash. They bark, lunge, whine and pull towards other dogs on walks. Some will aggress if given a chance and may even hurt another dog.
Leash reactivity presents in at least two forms, dogs who ...
Total Recall
I suspect most dog owners wish their dogs could be off leash and enjoy themselves without restriction, or at least be free of the leash in most situations. In that ideal world a dog could assuredly be called back on cue and no harm would occur if he occasionally strayed afar.
My personal ...
Puppy Biting: Learning the Rules
Anyone who has a puppy will know that they have needle sharp teeth. The current thinking is that this serves a useful purpose. If they hurt their litter mates when play biting them, (which most puppies do most of the time!) the other pups will squeal and not want to play and so each pup ...
But Every Dog is Different!
But every dog is different!
This is another common argument against trainers who train without force. It usually goes like this:
But every dog is different! You can’t just use a cookie cutter!
But every dog is different! Why limit yourself to only one method?
But every dog is ...
Setting Judgment Aside
Professional dog trainers and behavior consultants who use force-free methods are some of the most compassionate people I know. We couldn’t do this work if we didn’t care deeply and want the absolute best outcome in every situation. So it pains me to think about these same individuals ...
Toads, Snakes, Spiders and Chocolate!
Did you know that an encounter with a toad could have devastating consequences? During a recent class I was teaching, one of the students said that her training buddy and his friends had found a large toad in their yard. They were very fortunate as none of them made actual contact with the ...
Why Do Cats Purr?
By Diana Hutchinson
When you hear your cat purr, the common assumption is that your favorite fur ball is feeling quite happy and contented. However, there’s more to purring than just pleasure. One might view purring as similar to a baby’s cry – the sound may be the same but it could ...