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When a New Home is the Best Home — For the Dog

August 21, 2011

Weekly I meet with dog owners full of angst. As a dog behavior consultant, disillusioned dog owners come to me with regularity, their dreams of a raising a perfect puppy or giving a better life to a rescue dog going awry. Usually it’s something simple (pulling on the leash, jumping on visitors, digging in the [...]

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“D” in Daycare? “A” in Canine!

May 22, 2011

The plethora of doggie daycare centers around the country in the last few years is nothing short of mind-boggling.  But with the popularity of daycare services for dogs, there comes an unrealistic expectation –that all dogs can and should be social with others – they’re “social animals”, after all.  The truth, however, is not nearly [...]

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It’s Not About “SIT!”

April 3, 2011

 Many years ago, when I first began my career  as a dog trainer, I was out training one of my students at our country feed store.  While I was putting the dog through his Sit/Down/Heel paces, a young homeless man passed me with his puppy on a rope and muttered, “Sit is stupid.”  At the [...]

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“THE SCOOP” on Housetraining

February 20, 2011

Some dogs housetrain themselves; others need our help in being convinced that it is more pleasant to do their business outside than on our Persian carpet. For a dog, pooping and peeing is just another behavior, like begging at the table or hanging around my horses.  Like with any behavior, they will repeat it if [...]

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BORDER PATROL: Teaching Boundaries

January 9, 2011

Does your dog fly out the door when it is opened?  Run into the street from the front lawn?  Leave the room you are in to maraud around the house on his own?  Your dog could use some boundary training!   To teach your dog safe and practical boundaries, you need just three things: a [...]

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#1 Cause of Dog Behavior Issues: TOO MUCH FREEDOM!

December 19, 2010

When dealing with dogs, we must THINK like a dog.  It’s not what we do that matters, but how the dog PERCEIVES what we do.  When we give our dog too much freedom – the freedom to patrol the entire yard or property while we are gone, the freedom to hike off leash without voice [...]

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HOW TO CURE JUMPING UP Part II: Jumping on Guests

November 21, 2010
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In my preceding post, I explained how to stop your dog from jumping on you.  Now, I’ll give you my favorite tip for solving another jumping problem:  Jumping on guests. To prevent this embarrassing situation, my favorite “cure” is teaching the dog to go to a special bed or mat whenever the doorbell rings, and [...]

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HOW TO CURE JUMPING UP Part I: Jumping on You

October 31, 2010

Almost every person bringing their dog to me for a training or behavior consultation has “Jumping Up” on their list of things they want to stop. Does your dog jump up on you or your guests?  Would you like to stop this annoying (and sometimes dangerous) behavior?  This post is about stopping your dog from [...]

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POWER-SAPPERS: Part III – Accommodation

October 24, 2010

In our human lives and roles as wives, girlfriends and mothers, many of us have come to equate accommodation with love. We clear the sofa for our husband when he needs to sit down; we change our schedule around so that we can attend our child’s recital or softball tournament.  It’s what we do.  All [...]

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POWER SAPPERS: Part II – Emotional Extremes

October 10, 2010

FRUSTRATION & ANGER vs. SMOTHERING LOVE Frustration and Anger Have you ever been so frustrated with your dog that you yell at him? It’s what most people do when they are at a loss on how to control, command or even just get their dog’s attention.  When your dog fails to respond, your anger and [...]

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