Pet Training Tips & More

During the pandemic when most people had to stay at home, many dogs developed separation anxiety. Here is a list of things the owner does that can create this problem: •Pet your dog, all the time •Talk to your dog, all the time •Allow your dog to follow you, all the time •Allow your dog to be on your lap or laying on your feet, all the time •Pet, soothe, comfort your dog when it whines or barks for attention...or is simply anxious •Allow your dog to demand affection/interacti

There are several reasons why a dog becomes food aggressive. If he was in a shelter, or was a stray, or there were issues with food scarcity or bigger dogs taking his food, we may have a dog that growls or snaps at anyone or any dog that approaches him while eating. Another problem is the dog that jumps and knocks the food from your hand in his rush to get it. Here are some tips to help your dog get over this problem. Be sure to feed your dog in a quiet secure place away from

Recently a client asked if her 4 month old pup would grow out of the bad behavior of jumping up and biting. The short answer is that behavior that is "rewarded" will continue. Let's talk about rewards. Dogs are like young children and will engage in all sorts of naughty behavior to get your attention. My question to people is "What did you do about it?" If you scolded your dog, looked at your dog, touched your dog, yelled at him to sit, pushed him away- you just rewarded that

This is a common problem with young dogs. Many dogs have an instinct to tug and play with things that are close to their face. It is always easier to train a dog when we first make sure their needs are met. These needs may include plenty of attention, exercise, and mental stimulation, sniffing, along with games of chase or tug. Now that my dog has had his fun, it is time to focus. Make sure that you gather up some of the excess leash in your hand so that it is not flopping ar

The leave it command can be one of the most useful in preventing a dog from touching or eating something potentially toxic. On the other hand, it tends to be over-used. One of the first things I teach a dog is to focus and "watch me". If I see a food wrapper with some remnants of a hamburger in it as we are walking, I can instead get my dog to keep eyes on me as we walk on by it, then a big reward afterwards for the focus. Generally speaking, I much prefer to use a positive c

Dogs' communication relies heavily on body language. We can better understand our dog when we look at clusters of body language and that paired with any vocalization the dog makes. My Rottweilers have at least four different vocalizations: a playful bark, the alerting bark, the Rottie "rumble" happy greeting growl, and the warning growl. When a dog growls it is usually a warning that the dog is uncomfortable (fearful or anxious) about the approaching person or dog. Most dog b

I prefer to use different words for specific commands. An example is I use the command "Down" for lie down, and "Off" for getting off the couch or if my dog jumps on me. I also prefer distinct 1-syllable words whenever possible so my dog does not get confused when words may sound similar. I use the command "Heel" but not "Here" as they are too similar in sound. So I stick with heel and "Come". First let me differentiate between stay and wait. Stay means to freeze and remain i

Many people come to me with a long list of all the problems they need help with regarding their dog. Sometimes they have had the dog more than a year and it is still not housebroken. Most of it boils down to one thing: the owner is too busy for a dog. I hate to say it, but if a person can't commit to training a few minutes every day and the dog is getting neglected, they would be better off with a "pet rock". I realize this sounds harsh. My husband and I both worked full time

Puppies have little to no emotional self-regulation. They seem to be going full out until they finally fall to sleep. Let me say that most puppies seem hyper and we must remain the steadfast calm if we expect them to learn that behavior. If we bring any intensity into the situation, the pup will feed off of that and get more ramped up. First, make sure that your pup is wearing a snugly fitted flat buckle collar that he can't pull out of. For teaching this, I like to use the c

Nipping and biting is normal behavior for a young dog that is teething, but the dog needs to know that teeth on skin is never okay. There are several ways to deal with this, but I always start with the least correction to effect the change. First, I make sure my dog's needs are met. Many very intelligent breeds that have a working drive, tend to be chewers even well past the teething s tage. Make sure your dog has ample safe chewing toys such as a stuffed kong toy. Observe yo

I have competed in AKC obedience trials since the 1980s. Obedience trials have a set order of exercises to complete that include off-leash even at the novice level. Rally (or sometimes it is called rally obedience) has a large variety of stations and exercises that follow the judge's course map. Rally became an event in 2005 and has amassed a large number of participants. The novice and intermediate levels are all on leash. Handlers may clap their hands, praise and encourage

Often people tell me that their dog behaves great at home or in the house, but outside of that environment the dog doesn't pay attention. To start, dogs have a hard time paying attention in various environments, as they may become over-stimulated. When over-stimulated, a dog may show fear or be very excited. Either way, they cannot seem to process the commands you just gave him. First, I like to observe what triggers my dog. Once I know what those triggers are, I try to keep

I lived in Wyoming for 20 years and often had a puppy to house break when it was bitter cold and snowy outside. Dogs, much like cats, prefer to use a designated place away from the area where they play, sleep, and eat. Our current litter of Rottweilers are litter box trained. I buy bags of very fine pine shavings like what may be used in a horse stall. My puppies are in a large pen with carpet, and with the litter box at the back. The pups go 100% of the time in that box. I h

Dogs are pack animals and establish leadership and a pack hierarchy. As the owner, you should be the leader of the pack. Many dogs will gladly take on the role if you do not. And who wants to have the dog in charge? Establishing the role of leader can be done gently and humanely. I want to have a dog that feels safe with me and trusts me, therefore I do not do "Alpha Rolls". With a puppy or smaller dog, I start out by holding the dog in my lap on it's back like a baby, while

I like to make things simple but easy to maintain the dog's success. That is why are start training using food lures to encourage the pup into the correct position without physically guiding him. As soon as the pup hits the correct position following the food lure, I mark the good behavior with a "Yes!" and immediately giving the treat from that hand. Once my dog reliably will come and sit, then I will ask for a couple or more behaviors before giving him the treat. Still, I

Naturally when we get that new puppy we are anxious to take him out and about and show him off, but also to socialize him. The key is how to do that safely. If you purchased a puppy from a reputable breeder (perhaps a breeder awarded "Breeder of Merit" status by the AKC) the puppy will have received some good experiences already. Socialization is more about gentle exposure to different sights, sounds, smells, floor textures than meeting a bunch of people and dogs. I do not re

I have had several people ask me about dealing with their dogs that tend to fight at meal time. While I know trainers and others who can successfully train their dogs to only eat from their own bowl, I find it easier to avoid the hassle in the first place. You don't want to have to try to separate dogs fighting over the food. Over the decades I have usually kept around 6 to 7 dogs. This group may include up to three different breeds, various ages, and dietary needs. I am not

Has your dog ever counter surfed or grabbed your sandwich off your plate? Leave it can be used for a variety of situations, such as medicine dropped on the floor, a food wrapped in the McDonald's parking, or your child's shoe or toy. I teach my dogs to leave it unless I direct them otherwise to take it as this might save their life or an emergency vet visit. First, you dog should know the "watch me" command where you have rewarded eye contact from your dog. I start with some

I like to set my dogs up for success. I pay close attention to not rush them into situations that I know will lead to undesirable behaviors. I set strong foundations and build slowly before asking for more than my dog can manage. One tool I often use in the house is a leash. If I get an adult dog that is not housebroken or that counter surfs, I do not trust him to be loose in the house. I let him drag a long line that is light weight, so I can grab it at a moments notice to p

For many years through much of the 1900s and even early 2000s, the tradition dog training required some level of force. Some examples are pushing on the dog's butt to get him to sit, pulling down on his leash while pushing down on his shoulders to get him to lie down, hard jerks on the leash to reduce pulling, etc. Personally, I feel this is in direct opposition to the relationship I want with my dogs: loving companions with a deep bond and willingness to do what I ask. In fa