Lifestyle

In 1985, upon publication of Don’t Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training, written by the now-famous proponent of canine clicker training, Karen Pryor, some people were confused. Was it actually a dog training book? Because it talked an awful lot about changing the behavior of humans!

People have been told that dogs’ mouths are cleaner than a human’s. This is a myth! Dogs’ mouths contain just as many bacteria as our own.

What to do and what NOT to do with a stray dog you’ve found.

Adopting a new dog is exciting, wonderful, and a happy time. But bringing a new dog home is also an uncertain time. What will your dog be like? Will he be a good match for your family? Will he be everything you hoped for? Bringing a new dog into the home can also, quite frankly, be a rather shocking time for you and your family. Suddenly your life will be compounded by the energy and needs of the new family member. Everyone will go through an adjustment – dogs and people alike. What can you do to ensure that you and your new dog will settle into a long happy life together?

Many trainers use a platform or a box, also called a “place board,” to help a dog understand the concept of remaining in a designated spot. It is is a low, stable surface that is used to help a dog learn to stay in the same spot while changing positions or to learn a formal “stay.”

Adopting a dog who has been a long-term resident at a shelter can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Long stints in an animal shelter...

While the studies were small, the conclusions are big: Dogs do not negatively affect human sleep.

How to help your dog adjust to the clocks changing due to the beginning or end of daylight saving time.

Due to his or her familiarity with the issues that are likely to arise, an attorney with experience in dog-related issues may be able to help resolve a dog-related matter in a more efficient (thus, more cost-effective) manner than an attorney without such experience.

Walking with a dog in the dark can present a number of challenges for many dog owners. You may not be able to see well in the dark; this can make you take a hard step off a curb or trip on a rise in the sidewalk. Finding your dog's poop at night (so you can pick it up and dispose of it properly) is also a problem. Although definitely in the minority, some people walk their dogs off-leash at night. I've met a number of people at night who were walking off-leash dogs on the wide trail that tops the river levee that parallels my town's main street. If I wasn't a dog person, I would probably be unnerved by the fast approach of a strange dog in the dark. And as it is, if the dogs were mine, I'd be worried that one of them would wander off or get lost if I couldn't keep sight of them.

The biggest misconception about taking a dog to Europe or other overseas destinations is that a lengthy quarantine stay is mandatory. That’s old news, but there are still multiple hoops to jump through before you and your dog can jet off to an international locale.

Thank you for your article on prison dog training programs (Jail House Dogs