Pet Training Tips & More

You may have heard of positive reinforcement. It may also be called classical conditioning. When used with people, we call it behavior modification. Under classical conditioning/behavior mod, there are four types of reinforcement: positive reward, negative reward, positive punishment, and negative punishment. In this sense positive means adding and negative means taking away. So negative reward simply means taking away something undesirable. Positive punishment means giving s

On a regular basis I run into people who are frustrated with their dog's bad behavior. They tell me the problems they are having and I give them a business card and tell them to call me when they are ready to set up private training or enroll in a class. The key is that an owner MUST be willing and ready to step up and commit to changing what they are doing. The typical problems are jumping up, not coming when called, nipping, pulling on the leash, and barking. Shaping behavi

E collars is a softer way of saying shock collars. Most trainers that offer board and train use these tool. Some will have you buy the "training collar" from them for use in a class. There are two primary dog trainer certifications: APDT (Association for Professional Dog Trainers), and CCPDT (Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers). These organizations offer a strict code of ethics, training and testing certification program for dog trainers. Both REQUIRE the tra

Does your dog lunge and bark at people or other dogs when you are out for a walk? Perhaps he pulls frantically trying to chase a child passing on a bicycle. This behavior is embarrassing at best, and dangerous at worst. Usually this behavior is a result of lack of socialization and the dog is over stimulated. Punishment (shock collar, yelling, hitting, or jerking your dog) only makes matters worse. Dogs can sense your fear, frustration, or lack of confidence. Gather up your s

With the internet, there is a lot of information out there available for prospective and current dog owners. Being informed will help you avoid getting taken advantage of by unscrupulous breeders. The American Kennel Club has a great breed information and comparison tool to help you pick the best breed for your lifestyle. This will help you know if the breeder is telling the truth or just selling you a lie to get your money. For example, Golden Retrievers only come in three c

Proofing is the training we do to make sure our dog understands the command and will do it 99% of the time. Generalizing is when our training and the dog's performance will remain the same in various situations and locations. For example, your dog may do the recall perfectly every time while on leash, but not when off leash, so proofing is needed to fix that. Another example is that your dog will recall off leash at home, but not in the park. First, figure out what triggers y

A dog that lunges wildly at the end of his leash, barking at every person he sees is displaying reactive behavior. Reactive behavior is...

Both male and female dogs may engage in this embarrassing habit. If you had your dog spayed or neutered, it can take a few months for...

Dogs are social animals and that is one reason why humans enjoy them as companions. There are various reasons why dogs get separation...

Many people tell me that their dog is stubborn, or will not listen, or just plain loses focus. By changing owner behavior we can see a...

We might think that dogs will automatically love going for a ride in the car, but the opposite may be true for your pup. A stressed dog...

This is a common problem that clients have with their pups. And puppy teeth can be very sharp! Bite inhibition is partly taught by mother...

Puppies naturally have a following behavior. Start with treats in your pocket and standing in your living room with your pup. Turn and...

Puppies will be teething up to around 8 months. However many dogs continue to be chewers throughout their life. Let's address puppies...

Training methods have progressed over the years. The "old school" way of training the sit command was to pull up on the leash while...

When adopting a shelter or rescue dog, we often do not know its history. Not only are we unsure of the mixture of breeds, we don't know...

Before you add a dog to your family, it is helpful to decide in advance what are your expectations and boundaries. However, if you...

If you think about it, people would not likely continue working if they never get a paycheck. Dogs are not robots and they will often...

The three "D's" stand for duration, distance, and distraction. While this is most applicable when teaching the stay and recall, keeping...

There are many reasons why a puppy may bark: fear, startle, boredom, needing to go out, wanting attention, etc. Understanding why your...