Training

It is well known in the dog world that our canine companions are primarily body language communicators, i.e., visual learners. This makes sense; they...

I confess: I am absolutely fascinated with animal behavior and “training.” I think about it all the time – so much so, that I even...

Have you ever watched an assistance dog work? On the campus of the Virginia university where I attended graduate school, I often crossed paths with a student who used a wheelchair, accompanied by her assistance dog, a lovely Golden Retriever. They went to classes, visited the snack bars and cafeteria, hung out in the student lounges, and hoofed it all around campus together.

It's frustrating at best, dangerous at worst, when you can't get your dog to come to you. Indoors, he may be suspicious that you're going to do something aversive, such as treat his ear infection, or put him in his crate. Outdoors, he may also have an aversive association with coming to you, or he may just be having entirely too much fun. Whatever the cause, here are five tips for handling the crisis:

Meet Mollie

During the two-plus decades that I trained my dogs in old-fashioned obedience classes, I never learned the pervasively useful and versatile behavior of targeting. The closest I came was the narrow application to go-outs" in advanced level competition classes – not really the same thing at all. Even today

you'll find that your training really slows down . . . and it's easy to blame the dog for this

Whether or not they think about it, most people who care for dogs have at least a vague notion of what they consider cruel or humane treatment of a canine companion. Definitions vary wildly, however. Some people have no compunction about smacking or yanking their dogs in an attempt to make them behave as they would like them to. Others may completely eschew the use of physical force on their dogs. The definitions of “cruel” or “humane” treatment tend to reflect an individual’s own experiences and conscience — which may be completely divergent from the societal norm.

Fact: Puppies have a developmental need to bite. Here’s a plan for directing and fulfilling that need – with your skin intact!

How to train your dog to reliably work off leash: First get solid responses to your cues on leash, then on a long line. When moving to an unfenced area, introduce distractions gradually.

Suddenly, thanks to COVID-19, the whole world is asking the question that’s all too familiar to savvy puppy owners: “How likely is this experience...

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