I have so many clients who worry about the cue “come”. Honestly, I don’t. It is the first word in our business name, and undoubtedly one of the most important cues in a dog’s life. But we never once address this cue in our beginner class. Don’t mistake me: it is on the test. It is… Continue reading A Foolproof “Come”
Operant Conditioning is a fancy way to say “how animals learn”. Its a scientific theory which has four quadrants, or categories. The quadrants are these: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment. If you want to learn more about those, I suggest employing our mutual friend Google because I haven’t written that blog… Continue reading Your Dog’s Paycheck
Next to crate training, teaching a dog to be quiet is probably the most common complaint I hear from dog owners. I can’t stand a yappy animal myself, so I sympathize. But I adore Chihuahuas, so how does that work? Simple, I ask them to hush. (Ok, let’s be honest, maybe the word I use… Continue reading How to teach “Hush”
Finding the right trainer is one of the most important things you’ll do for your dog and your family. I’ve compiled a list of things to ask, look, and listen for when you’re interviewing trainers. Aversive, harsh methods are proven to be harmful and ineffective in training. (reference) You should to listen for words like… Continue reading What to look for in a trainer
I get a lot of questions about how clients should go about getting a service dog. Most ask for a recommendation for an organization that will pair them with a dog, thinking that this is the first step in their quest. It isn’t. The first stop you need to make on your journey will be… Continue reading How to get a Service Dog
“Well we tried crate training him. We stuck him in there and we waited until he was quiet. But it only lasted a couple of nights and then now he just barks and howls and I’m not sure I can stand it anymore. I don’t know what else to do.” Does this sound familiar to… Continue reading Crate training
