Training

I use treats when I train. So do my clients. Now that positive reinforcement training has a 25-year-plus track record in the dog world (supported...

Canicross—the name comes from the words “canine” and “cross-country”—is, essentially, the sport of long distance trail running with your dog.

volunteers can improve the "curb appeal" of these dogs

The behavior has several different names (inhibitory self-control, emotional self-control, self-regulation), but the term “impulse control” is used frequently in dog training. It means...

Dr. Hare opened the Duke Canine Cognition Center (DCCC) in the fall of 2009. With his wife and co-author Vanessa Woods (a research scientist at DCCC, as well as an award-winning journalist and author of Bonobo Handshake), Hare wrote the book to provide a comprehensive review of what they’ve been studying at the DCCC – everything about dog cognition or, as they call it, “dognition.” Their goal was to bring historical and current information about canine cognition to the general public. In the not-too-distant past, if you heard the word “dog” and “mind” in the same sentence, someone was probably talking about obedience, as in: “My dog minds pretty well.” Or, “You’d better mind me, or else!” Today, if you hear those two words in relation to each other, you are at least as likely to be listening to someone talking about canine cognition – the fascinating possibility that dogs are far more able to process thoughts and grasp concepts than previously given credit for.

Teaching your dog to “yield to the pressure” of the leash can help you safely and easily end an encounter between your leashed dog...

When it comes to learning to come when called, not all dogs are created equal. Some dogs learn the “recall” very easily. They seem to know instinctively that coming when called is to their advantage. Others will come when called most of the time, perhaps more reluctantly. For some dogs, however, coming when called is the most challenging behavior they will ever learn – especially when faced with choosing between complying with the request and distractions like squirrels, cats, balls, or other dogs.

One would expect that the rise of force-free training methods and the increased awareness of and respect for dogs as sentient creatures would make life easier for them. We should expect to see a corresponding rise in the number of calm, stable, well-adjusted dogs who are happily integrated into lifelong loving homes. But many training and behavior professionals note with alarm the large number of dogs in today's world who seem to have significant issues with stress and anxiety, with high levels of arousal and low impulse control.

Why the words you use make a difference in your relationship with your dog – and perhaps even the success of your dog training program.

Stress is not specific to humans – it affects all species, including our dogs, and it takes a toll on every living thing that...

These days, it seems that every time someone posts a picture on social media of a child with a dog it is immediately followed...

Unwritten rules—and sometimes written laws—help dictate how to keep you and your dog safe while walking.