My Smart Puppy

Can Dogs be Born Loving Children?

Socializing your puppy with a Golden Retriever puppyIn short: yes.

Absolutely.

It can happen by happy accident or it can be part of a careful breeding program. When looking for a new family dog, seek out a dog who adores your children. A-D-O-R-E-S! Goes all ears-back, tail-waggy, melt-in-your-hands squiggly for them.

The Dangerous Dog Survey

Please take this survey.  It is simple and it is quick.

Please share it with friends.

The more "yes" answers you have, the more worried I am about your dog.

Please seek help immediately from a qualified dog professional if your dog shows any of these behaviors.

If he is an intact male, please neuter him! Yesterday, if not sooner.

How to Praise a Dog Past Their Past

Dogs don't fear praising people.

Obvious, right? But why is it true? Because dogs aren't hurt or overwhelmed when people are praising. Praise is a consistent, clear signal of "no harm coming your way" from the praising person.

Understand this and you can help dogs who are frightened or defensive get passed their past. By linking happy praise with situations where their history has taught them to be doubtful, you can change their tension into willingness to trust/try.

Is Your Dog a "Cork"?

Years ago, a doggy friend told me: Training for advanced obedience is like trying to hold 20 corks under water at the same time.

She meant that with complicated training tasks when you focus on one area some other area will weaken or revert or, for the purposes here, bob to the surface. 

6 Steps to a Better Behaved Dog

Attentive puppy shows how puppy training improves everyone's life!You want your dog to change? Want to see big results in a few days? Try these 6 things:

Keep It Simple

Part 4: Helping the Reactive Rescue Dog Find Calm with The Simple Sit

Here we are at the end of this series. Now, where was I? Right, I had a calmer dog who was seeking some contact and was able to stand still. At that point I started to work with “Sit.” For this sort of dog, “The Simple Sit” is my favorite tool.

Part 3: Using Touch To Help A Reactive Rescue Dog Find Calm

Reactive dogs are hyperactive dogs who need dog trainingI am sitting in a chair in the middle of the classroom, observing this dog. He keeps moving - not touching me, not looking at me. This looks like the physical manifestation of doubt and worry to me; like this is the best idea he has at the moment. I want to give him a better one and I begin that process with wanting him to be calm to touch.

Part 2: Options for How to Help a Reactive Rescue Dog Find Calm

Reactive dog learns to calm himself through creative dog training.This dog moves around me as I sit quietly in the chair. I do not fidget or shuffle. I am talking as I teach, but if I were alone with him I would be silent. I’m observing him closely.  He doesn’t so much as glance at me, his attention is everywhere else. I considered three of my options:

Helping a Reactive Rescue Find Calm

Reactive / hyperactive dogs improve with calm training.The handsome black-and-white rescue dog looks around the room as he trots within the range of his leash. His handler, calm and experienced, catches every good moment this dog gives to him, rewarding it well. While this creates a pause, within seconds the dog is moving again, disconnected again.

Walking with My Dog: Moving Meditation

Walking with our dogs is spiritually good for us.My feet slap the ground jarring my legs with each step but I do not slow. The frozen mud of winter’s waiting must be passing beneath me but I do not notice. It may have been a nice day out, there may be birds calling through the otherwise winter barren trees, who knows?

Not me.

"Are You Done?" How Our Dogs Get Us Off the Computer

 Dogs training people - good dogs!Pip can be a patient dog. She has to be with the amount of time I can spend in cyberspace.

You Like This? Really? The Magic Moment when Doubtful Dogs Join the Process

How puppy and dog training engages your dog to succeed.The huge puppy stood still. He looked at me; his inner wheels obviously turning. Slowly he sat, watching me carefully. As his rear lowered I grinned, as his rear touched the floor a stream of warm praise surged out, then I reached for the treat I knew he loved. Stroking him as I delivered a goodie, we lingered in that happy moment, then I stepped away.

Another Rover Goes Over: Enough Already!

Dog training and puppy training keeps dogs safe!Yet another dog plummeted off a cliff in the UK this week. He lived. And that’s the news part of it since most of them don’t. And the UK isn’t the only place that happens. The sign here is from the US.

Here is a simple rule: Don't bet your dog’s life on your verbal control alone.

How to Put the Fearful Dog in Control of What They Fear

An easy, effective and fun game to play that can turn a dog's "oh no" into "Oh Good!". One of my favorite games for dogs who are fearful of sounds and objects.

  

 

by Sarah Wilson

Four Times to Pick Up Your Small Dog and Why

Recently, I encountered four situations when I picked up the small dog I had with me. I thought sharing my reasons might be helpful, so here are the events and my thoughts:



1) Narrow Trail with Steep Drop Offs + Young Puppy + Family of Five on their Bikes

Closing the Loop: One Reason We Love to Love Dogs

Human beings want to see our loved ones feeling loved; and, according to Relational Theory, this is especially true for women.

Not a Bonehead! Normal...for a Labrador Retriever

With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.

Top Five Tips for Surviving the Holidays with a Puppy

HoHoHo can turn into

Tea with Bilbo

Bilbo wat

Decidedly Dangerous Dog Gifts: The Retractable Leash

Seemingly ever popular, these tools are by far the most dangerous dog tool I know. After more than 25 years as a dog-care professional, I know multiple dogs who have died and multiple people who have ended up in the ER while using this sort of leash.

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