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Latest Training Articles

Feline Behavior Unmasked: Kitten Socialization

By Francine Miller  Q: Should I socialize my kitten? I’ve heard that this is important for puppies, but is it important for kittens too? A: Yes! Although very few people are aware of how important this is, the socialization period is the time when all primary social bonds are formed and ...

PPG Summit 2020 Sessions: The Magic of Muzzles

BARKS presents session details from PPG's 2020 Summit and Workshops in Phoenix, Arizona *Early bird discount available if you register before January 31, 2020! Session Details: Presenter: Dr. Deborah Jones Session Title: The Magic of Muzzles Session Type: Lecture/Lab (1 Hour) For many ...

More Articles

Never Look Back: How the Switch to Force-Free Changed My World

Like so many of us, I got involved in dog training thanks to a dog who entered my life. While I had always had dogs, my only attempted at formal training was a failure. Back in the early 80s, the methods were forceful. My dog hid when I got the ...

The Clicker versus Yes!

I have recently seen and heard discussions on message boards and dog training forums about the use of clickers versus verbal markers such as using ‘yes’. I actually use and recommend both, not at the same time as this weakens the conditioning ...

Reality Check for Carers/Owners of Dogs with ‘Issues’

LOSING HEART Why do so many clients with fearful or reactive dogs, who often have started off so well, lose heart? The reason is because they just don’t fully accept the time and work that changing fear-based or guarding behaviors in ...

How Did The Aversive Get There? A Call for Honesty

I am mystified by one particular argument of those who use protocols for fearful or reactive dogs other than desensitization/counterconditioning (DS/CC). These other protocols often use negative reinforcement; if not that, then sometimes ...

Understanding Canine Body Language Essential to Preventing Dog Bites

The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) is promoting education and a better understanding of canine body language as paramount in reducing the number of dog bites this National Dog Bite Prevention Week, taking place 18 – 24 May, 2014. According to ...

Choke, prong and shock collars can irreversibly damage your dog.

by Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM Read the full blog here Why can collars cause hypothyroidism and other health problems Learn about better alternatives. Before you start reading the following lines, I invite you to do a little test. Open your hands ...

Choke and Prong Collars: Health Concerns Call for Equipment Change in Dog Training

By Angelica Steinker and Niki Tudge © 2012 Effective training procedures lay the foundation for an animal’s healthy socialization, capacity for learning and will help prevent behavior problems.  Since a wide variety of equipment and tools ...

Take the Choke Out of Walking Your Dog!

by Niki Tudge April is designated Pet First Aid Awareness Month™ so I started thinking about the things  that pet dog owners may be doing on a daily basis that could be risking the long term health of their dogs without their knowledge. The ...