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Running in Circles
By Jane Gerard
It is often stated that the relinquishment of dogs to animal shelters in Europe and the US is largely due to behavior issues (American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, 2008; Miklósi, 2007).
I am saddened but not surprised by this. As a trainer I have witnessed it many ...
BARKS News – February 2021
Starting this month, we are trialing a podcast version of BARKS News. We would love to know if this is of value to our members, so please have a listen and then take a moment to let us know what ...
That Lightbulb Moment
By Bob McMillan
Most of us have had that “ah- ha!” moment when we look at a dog and suddenly see more than a drooling collection of fur, bright eyes and animals instincts; when we realize ...
Latest Articles
Yes!
I am just back from ClickerExpo here in the UK and found the whole thing incredibly reinforcing. I gained a deeper understanding of things I thought I already knew.
Having been immersed in so much positivity for three days, back home I am seeing things around me through different eyes. At ...
Growl versus Scowl
Growling is often punished. If we understand that growling is communication and that there are many different types of growls, then we would respond as if a human was scowling at us.
or
Scowling says a lot without sound. Imagine adding a growl to the above looks.
The definition of a scowl ...
Sudden Death
The original title of this post was "I'm Broke, But My Dogs Are Fixed!" Sadly, that is no longer the case. I still am broke, only like all good short stories we read in school, this one took a surprising turn that I would not have predicted.
September was a busy month! Busy at work and then ...
Socialization — Rolling with the Punches
By Bob McMillan
Oona, my Irish wolfhound puppy, is about to turn 15 weeks old. Depending on which studies you follow, her developmental window for socialization is now closed or is closing fast. Adolescence is upon us — the wild child phase. We’ll see if I got it right this time.
I had a ...
In Defense Of Treats–And The Dogs Who Love Them
“My dog will do anything as long as there are treats.” Don’t dog owners say this all the time? Often the tone is light, with a grin and a “that's a dog for you” wink. But sometimes it’s got an undertone, an edge. Some owners wonder why their dog won’t act a certain way or do a specific ...
Is It Worth It?
Working in the industry of companion animal behavior and training, we all do things that are not financially lucrative and maybe take up a lot of our free time. Whether it is writing training articles and blogs; helping to raise money for animal shelters; running a Facebook page to help ...
Seven Effects of Punishment
Here are seven documented possible side effects of the use of punishment, negative reinforcement, and of aversives in general.
Escape/Avoidance: If you hurt or scare your dog, he will likely try to avoid you, the places you frequent, and whatever else it associates with the hurt.
Operant ...
Pet Professional Guild Launches Force-Free Dog Training Program at New Educational Facility
The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) has launched the first in a series of practical force-free dog training workshops and educational seminars at the new Canine Behavior Center on King Lake in Wesley Chapel, FL. The first workshop took place 27 – 28 September, 2014 at the state-of-the-art dog ...
Multiple Dogs Create Joy and Challenges
For many of us, dogs are like potato chips, you can't just have one. Living with multiple dogs can be joyous and chaotic. For 3 years, I had 3 dogs. The dogs, Dale, Jesse and Rio, got along fine for the most part. Dale was firmly in charge of our household. She was the play police, making sure ...