Training

Week 2 of my Peaceable Paws Good Manners class, I ask the question, “How many of your dogs jump up on people?” Generally at least 80 percent of the dog owners in class raise their hands. “Why do they jump up?” I ask. I usually get at least one incorrect answer of “Dominance!” but most of my students realize their dogs jump up for attention. And because much of the time the behavior is successful, it’s a challenging one to extinguish.

bonding

It’s frustrating and embarrassing when your dog puts on the brakes and refuses to move. If he’s small you can pick him up and carry him; although that might not be the best training solution, at least it gets you out of there and you can save face. But what if it’s a Great Dane, a Newfoundland, or any breed – or combination of breeds – that’s too big to be portable?

Current research has demonstrated that many species, including our beloved canines, share brain circuitry very similar to the human part of the brain that controls emotion – the amygdala and the periaqueductal grey. While there's no doubt among most dog lovers that dogs have emotions, this concept is still being discussed in the halls of academia. Some insist that even though animals show emotional behaviors that we can observe, we can't assume the behaviors mean the animals who display them have emotional feelings. (I don't know how anyone can think this, but some scientists really do!) Others, such as the esteemed neurobiologist Dr. Jaak Panskepp of Washington State University, argue that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck – it's probably a duck!

Michigan State University (MSU) trains its athletes using five golden rules as a guideline to ensure positive reinforcement works. Not only do we think these five golden rules are excellent for human athletes, but we found that the coaching advice can apply to dog training as well. MSU’s five golden rules of positive reinforcement are:

It’s your skill at communicating with your dog will help you live happily with your dog for the rest of the dog’s life, not the trainer's.

Want to teach your dog to talk? Teaching a dog to “Speak” is a simple trick, especially if your dog is already vocal. It...

Are you having a difficult time teaching your dog to lie down? With some dogs, it’s more difficult than others, but it’s not impossible. The reason is likely that you are not properly communicating what you want. In some cases, however, timid dogs are less comfortable lying down. It’s up to you, as the trainer, to determine where your difficulties lie.

Recently, I switched the group class format at my Peaceable Paws Training Center to Levels." Instead of a progressive curriculum with new exercises introduced each week

How to solve the mystery of why your previously potty trained dog has regressed and is now “going” in the house.

A cue becomes “poisoned” when the dog’s association with the cue is ambiguous – it’s sometimes associated with positive reinforcement, and sometimes associated with punishment. When the association is ambiguous, the dog becomes confused and doesn’t know what to expect. Poisoning your “Come!” cue is the best way to ensure that she’ll stop and weigh her choices, then take off after the bounding deer, rather than come galloping to you when you call.

Do you and your dog absolutely love people? If so, this rewarding volunteer activity might be for you. Here’s how to prepare yourself and your canine partner for providing comfort to people in need.