Fun Way To Proof Stays

This game of proofing stays is super fun for your dog. It can be done indoors or out, on or off leash depending on your dogs skills, and you can either use food or a tossed toy. We want to make sure that the dog understands stay before we start this game. Here are someContinue reading “Fun Way To Proof Stays”

We Need To Talk

Those are dreaded words, aren’t they? Don’t worry, I’m not breaking up with you, but we need to have a discussion about control and etiquette. Over the past couple days I’ve run into a few situations where I could only shake my head and try to be “nice”. Two involved dogs, and two involved kids.Continue reading “We Need To Talk”

Leash Tension

Leash tension is something I see a lot and it gives your dog mixed or confusing messages. Often people add leash tension when walking and they don’t realize that they are even doing it, usually a habit from trying to hold a dog in place. Leash tension means you are holding your dog back, youContinue reading “Leash Tension”

A Little Secret About Dogs

Come here … a little closer. Little bit closer. I want to tell you a secret. A secret about dogs that you may or may not know. A secret that may help you understand your dog better while you are training … or dealing with issues. There are NO perfect dogs. There, I said it. ThereContinue reading “A Little Secret About Dogs”

Keeping An Open Mind

I think it’s important, being a teacher, to be open to all different methods of training and working with students. Here we are shaping a sustained head in bucket performance (for no specific reason other than its cute and it entertains me). We are using shaping and initially started with luring to the extent ofContinue reading “Keeping An Open Mind”

Say It Once! Always?

This is something you will hear a lot when training dogs. Only ask the dog once, for a known command, and if they don’t do it, follow through. So, essentially, if I say SIT, and the dog doesn’t sit, it’s either physical placement or a correction that follows. I get the premise behind it. We’dContinue reading “Say It Once! Always?”

A Discussion on Place

I like the place command. I teach it, I used it, I do believe it is practical in certain situations. But I use it for seconds or minutes, rather than hours on end. For things like answering the front door, when guests come in, eating a meal, taking boiling water from one side of theContinue reading “A Discussion on Place”

Do You Do Stuff That Your Dog Likes?

Hang on, let me clarify. I don’t mean eating rabbit poop with them, or rolling in dead things or items of that nature, that would likely make you a psychopath. I mean, do you do stuff with your dog that is natural, that they actually enjoy? Things that dogs enjoy naturally are sniffing, eating rabbitContinue reading “Do You Do Stuff That Your Dog Likes?”