I’ve written before on the topic of why you should consider not phasing out treats and under which circumstances it is ok. (Your Dog’s Paycheck) I’m not addressing that today. Today I want you to consider when and how you deliver rewards. I have SO many clients who want nothing more than to eliminate the… Continue reading What Treat?
I’ve heard a lot of awful advice on teaching a dog not (when to) jump. Most of it involves some kind of pain or violence inflicted upon the dog. Be reasonable here: who taught the dog to jump to begin with? You did. Or some human did. So why are we hurting our dogs to… Continue reading Jumping
First, let’s clarify: there is a HUGE difference between teaching your dog not to pull on the leash, and teaching your dog to heel. A heel is an advanced behavior which requires your dog’s absolute focus for the entire duration of the cue. Loose leash walking is the relatively simple exercise of walking without pulling.… Continue reading Loose Leash Walking
As a trainer, I have the unique opportunity to train Jasmine in a huge variety of circumstances. You may remember the term “generalization” from another post. Generalizing is the understanding of a concept, cue, or task in multiple environments. For instance, a dog might understand that jumping on you delays dinner so he sits quietly… Continue reading A Lesson in Subtlety and Thresholds
This week I have heard no fewer than 3 people brag about how quickly other trainers have trained their dogs. “I sent him my dog and the dog knew beginner obedience in two weeks!” My thoughts? Oh? Is that all? In positive reinforcement training we have a saying: “Fast is slow and slow is fast.”… Continue reading Time To Train
This is my favorite tongue twister. “Generalization”. So. Many. Syllables. Honestly though, it is a word I use almost daily. It is defined as “a general statement or concept obtained by inference from specific cases”. In training we use it as an indication of an animal’s understanding of a concept or cue. For instance, training… Continue reading Generalization
I have so many people ask me what we teach in beginner obedience class. Group classes vary slightly from class to class, but private lessons are world apart. I’ve decided, for my convenience more than anything, to make a list of cues we teach in beginner obedience class and their meanings if needed: Sit (Lay)… Continue reading 15 Beginner Obedience Cues
Potty training is easily one of the most frustrating aspects of living with a dog. I didn’t say “puppies” for a reason. There are a lot of circumstances under which you can find yourself living with an adult dog who has no idea how or where to potty. Most shelter dogs over a year or… Continue reading Potty Trainng
In which I am a human and not a dog trainer every second of every day. I know. We are all shocked. I don’t actually know everything. Take a moment to gather yourself before you read on. Jasmine is a trial to me. As a dog trainer, I end up frequently with the worst of… Continue reading A Human Moment
Most puppies bite their new owners hands when they are first brought home. There’s no quick fix to this, but understanding why can make a big difference in how well you’re able to shape this behavior into something acceptable. Bite inhibition is a dog’s learned ability to control the pressure they exert while biting. Bite… Continue reading My puppy keeps biting!
