A dog is never too old to learn; however, it is much easier to teach him before bad habits have the chance to develop. With that being said, you will still find that your dog regresses in training if you are not consistent with your expectations. An excellent example of this is Brody, my 13-year-old Golden Retriever. I met Brody…
Six Steps to Muzzle Training Teaching your dog to love the muzzle. Please refer to the blog “Changing the Stigma of Muzzles” if you have any concerns about why muzzle training is beneficial. Here are a few important reminders before you begin training: Make sure that you are in an area with few distractions. The crucial part of training is…
Changing the Stigma of Muzzles Why dogs wear them and what owners want you to understand. As a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, I regularly work with clients whose dogs have acted aggressively towards, or severely bit, a person or another animal. Some of the animals have even died as a result of their injuries. While it is at first hard…
This article was published in the IAABC Fall Journal of 2018 and can also be found at https://fall2018.iaabcjournal.org/2018/10/25/from-foes-to-friends-si-jeter/ BACKGROUND Si is an approximately 6-year-old domestic short haired tabby cat. He was found as a stray when he was about a year old. At the time, our home consisted of two dogs and two other cats. Si instantly snuggled with the…
As a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, I talk with many people about different methods used to train their dogs. Being a trainer that works on scientifically supported methods of building confidence, creating replacement behaviors, and decreasing anxiety and aggression with reward-based training, I am firmly against any use of force and intimidation. I often hear the following comment from people:…
Now that you have read about the benefits of using a clicker to train your dog, it is time to teach him just what the clicker means by charging the clicker. Charging the clicker means that he learns that the click precedes a treat. Practice the following activity in an environment with few distractions. You are not asking your dog…