Beginner Dog Training

Sandi chooses a
quiet location. Blue is easily distracted, so
she works at a close range and slowly builds
the duration of the Stay.üWhen a cyclist pulled up, Sandi moved right
next to Blue to ascertain how he would deal
with a distraction.

Sometimes we need our dogs to follow tucked up close to us in a heel position, so it’s a valuable skill for your dog to learn. While most often useful for safety, it can also be helpful for foundational work.

Sit is one of the first things many people teach their dogs, and it’s a helpful trick. It’s the foundational skill for a sit-stay...

Usually humping is associated with male dogs, but humping is also very common amongst female dogs. Some girls will hump toys or other objects, some hump air, others hump other dogs or even people. To learn more about humping, why girls do it, and how to keep your female dog from humping, we talk with Certified Professional Dog Trainer and Chair of The Association of Professional Dog Trainers Nick Hof, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, KPA-CTP, CSAT, to answer some of your most commonly asked questions about female dogs and humping.

but finds it even more rewarding to teach their owners how to build a better relationship with their canine family members

You'll never hear me say that coercive dog training methods don't work; they can. Nor will you ever hear me say that positive dog training turns every dog into a model canine citizen. It doesn't. There is a big difference, however, between positive and coercive training. When methods that rely on the use of force and application of pain fail, it's often because of the dog's inability to tolerate coercion and intimidation. This can result in serious long-term behavioral damage and sometimes physical injury.

It's really not natural for dogs to offer direct and prolonged eye contact. In the dog world, direct eye contact is a threat, and the appropriate response to a direct stare is to look away as a deference or appeasement behavior (I'm not challenging you/please don't hurt me!"). In many human cultures

There's a new dog coming into your life who needs to learn her name. A puppy perhaps? Or maybe an adult rescue do-over" dog? You might even have a dog who's been with you for a while

Can dogs learn everything they need to know in one eight-week puppy kindergarten or basic obedience class? No. That’s just a small part of your dog’s education.

You've no doubt heard the adage, You can't teach an old dog new tricks." If you have an older dog

We still love the basic Kong toy, as well as the variety of other toys made by Kong. But we have to admit, we also love many of Kongs competitors in the food-stuffable toy category. In fact, there are so many its hard to even have favorites anymore! But at a minimum, we think you should be aware of how many options are available to you and your dog today, so you can select the ones that are best suited to your own dogs needs and wants.