Pet Training Tips & More

You may have heard it said that for your dog to understand what he is getting punished for, you have to "catch him in the act". While this may be true, I prefer to train using positive reinforcement rather than punishment. Nonetheless, for the dog to make the connection, your reward must be well- timed in the same way. Dogs understand our body language and sense our emotion far better than our words. When I an teaching my dog a new skill/command such as "down", I use a food l

One of the most basic needs is for our dog to feel safe. If our dog is stressed, we might notice they are panting when it is not hot, drooling excessively, have a worried look on their face and possibly trying to escape away from the situation. If we attempt to force our dog to ignore or approach that stressor , he may develop fear or make fear worse. When the brain is flooded with a flight response, the dog cannot learn. I want to build the trust with my dog so that if he is

This blog is not about being the "alpha" dominating your dog. There are many outdated ideas in dog training that are still common. One of my favorite sayings is, as we know better, we can do better. We have well-researched scientific evidence in the field of dog behavior. Dogs will mirror your emotions and energy, so what you are seeing in your dog may be a reflection of you. So how do I show my dog that I am boss when I have a large, powerful breed like a Rottweiler? The ans

Yes, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks! While puppies are cute, they are a lot of work. If you are looking to add a dog to your household and you work full-time, consider perhaps getting an adult dog. Decades ago I bought a five year old female Rottweiler. She had been a ranch dog and was never leash trained, crate trained or housebroken. The benefits to me at that moment outweighed the problems, so we brought her home. It can take a dog up to 3 months to fully adapt and se

Often times my weekly topics are based upon issues clients have with their dogs. Today, I decided to do a "myth buster" because a group that I am part of on Facebook, has people responding with harmful and outdated advice. My answers and advice are always based upon scientific research and veterinary journals, not just my own experience. Research relies on having a large sample size for the results to be reliable and able to generalize. So, here we go! Q. As long as the puppy

Many dogs go missing during fireworks. With Independence Day just a few days away, I am well aware that many dogs are very anxious when they hear loud noises like thunder, gun fire, or fireworks. It is helpful to prepare in advance, but sometimes that is not possible. We need to keep our dogs inside and secure at least. Here are some things you can do at home to help: Pheromones can naturally help calm a dog. You can purchase a plug in spray or buy a collar. I recommend the b

When people get a puppy and the puppy starts misbehaving, the most common thing they tell their dog is "No!" Dogs do not understand the meaning of words and have to be taught what each word means, such as sit. What does "no" actually mean for your dog? If you notice, using no may temporarily interrupt the behavior, but then the unwanted behavior comes back. Dogs will do naughty behaviors as they seek our attention, so by interacting with them (touching, looking at them, talki

I was recently asked if I just teach my dogs some basic commands or do I actually train it to heel formally and follow commands out in public. My reply that I do both! Most people contact me about trying to fix a bad habit and manners at home. Even my competition dogs are pets first! Therefore, I would start with training home manners, then proceed to manners in public. I would encourage most people to strive to train their dogs to reach two goals: Pass and earn the AKC title

Many people are unaware that it is illegal in most states to sell or give away a puppy before 8 weeks of age. If the breeder or other person tells you that the puppy is weaned and ready to go younger than that, refuse to take the puppy, and report them to the authorities. Reputable breeders will not release a puppy prior to 8 weeks and many not until 10+ weeks of age. The puppy needs to remain with it's mom and litter mates to learn bite inhibition and manners. In addition, m

I have owned a variety of breeds from various groups. Some breeds may often be labeled as "stubborn". Many hounds may fall into that category, and so do Rottweilers, etc. So really? Dogs are sentient beings and have feelings, but they do not have the same set of complex emotions as humans. When it appears that my dog won't listen or just plain ignores me, I need to re-think the why behind that behavior. Breeds that get the stubborn label are often independent dogs. They were

A dog that rushes the door (or gate) is not only exhibiting bad manners, it can turn harmful. In earning a Virtual Home Manners title through AKC, door manners is part of the test. Since 1986, I have always owned several dogs at a time. Whether I am opening the door from the house to the yard, out front, or the gate, I teach my dogs to only come through when I call their name. I can tell you that it is dangerous to have a big dog knock you over in their rush through the openi

Recently I have seen where some counties or states are trying to pass a dangerous dog law. In reviewing these proposed laws, a dog could be labeled as dangerous if it threatens to bite (or actually does bite) "unprovoked". The underlying problem is that people do not understand dog body language or how to properly approach a dog. The American Kennel Club has a program called Canine Ambassadors. The ambassador with their dog will teach any group about safety around dogs or res

I know this might not sound like a dog training issue. Unfortunately, children under age ten make up the majority of dog bite victims, and often by the family dog. Parental supervision does not always work because the parents do not understand dog body language sufficiently to know when a dog is fearful or uncomfortable. Most dog bites are out of fear rather than aggression. Here are some tips to guide child interactions, and tips for recognizing dog fear. Have a crate set up

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