New Content
The Rollercoaster of Reactivity
By Mary Jean Alsina
Leash reactivity can be one of the most common (and embarrassing) problems dog owners deal with on a daily basis. It is also one of the most requested behavioral issues I work on with clients. Disapproving glances from passersby, the constant feeling of being out of ...
Pit Bull Pete: One Dog’s Journey with Fear
By Daniel Antolec
As an accredited professional dog trainer and certified canine behavior consultant I have devoted myself to helping anxious and fearful dogs. My journey on that path began ...
BARKS Podcast with Claire Staines of Lothlorien Dog Services: January 22, 2021
Join Niki Tudge as she Chats and Chuckles with Claire Staines of Lothlorien Dog Services in Linlithgow, Scotland, UK about all things UK dog training and behavior.
Listen to Podcast here on a ...
Latest Articles
What Does “Aggressive” Look Like Anyway?
I was recently looking for photos of dogs displaying “aggressive behavior” for an article in BARKS from the Guild, the quarterly publication produced by the Pet Professional Guild. There were plenty of them in the image library. Pictures of dogs showing their teeth that is. The only problem ...
Enjoyable Walks: More Than Just Dog Training – a Holistic Approach
This is the story of a new client I went to the other day with two three-year-old re-homed German Shepherds: Princess and Duke. I was called because walks are a nightmare for the whole family, the lady in particular.
First a bit of background.
The five family members are very conscientious ...
A Little Truth in Advertising, Please
Can a dog trainer advertise that they’re “force-free” and then strap a shock collar on your dog? Surprisingly, they can — and some do. This puts dog owners in a bad place if you believe positive training is the only acceptable way to help your furry friend learn your rules. How do you wade ...
It’ll Be a Cold Day in July…
Thanks to the polar vortex, Lexington, KY enjoyed near-record low temperatures in the mid-50s (Fahrenheit) and lower humidity this past week of July. I took advantage and walked Zip and Trevor in my neighborhood after work most evenings. One evening Zip and I shared dinner ...
Getting Started in Getting Organized
by Niki Tudge
One of the hardest parts about getting organized is sorting and sifting through all the “stuff”. But all this “stuff” can cause distractions and take up valuable space. When you find yourself among stacks and piles of “stuff” it feels really overwhelming. So let’s breathe and ...
Corrections. Paradigm Shift?
Let's face it, humans are "trained" to correct other humans. We correct our spouses, our children, our co-workers and so it isn't a stretch that this thinking spills over into dog training. We wait for something to go wrong or for someone to do something wrong so we can then correct it. The ...
Not All Dog Bites Are Created Equal
Dogs bite because they have teeth is a saying among dog trainers. It is not said in the spirit of sarcasm, though in some benign cases it could be applied, it is said in an attempt to remind people, all people that dogs have teeth and they use their teeth and mouth for many aspects of their ...
A Little Night Music, Please
By Bob McMillan
It’s a question I’m sure that Beethoven and Mozart asked themselves at some point in their illustrious careers: “Sure, the crowned heads of Europe love my stuff, but how do dogs feel about my music?” Well, as it turns out, dogs are big on classical music. Researchers have ...
Does Your Dog REALLY Want to Be Petted?
Newsflash. Not all dogs want to be petted. But you wouldn’t know it from watching videos on YouTube.
What you can learn on YouTube is that there are lots of dogs whose owners “think” they are enjoying petting. But they aren’t. This is another one of those disconnects between dog and people ...