DOG TRAINING AND BEHAVIOR

How Your Personality Impacts Your Dog

Extroverts have better results than introverts when they work with an animal behaviorist to help their dogs get over various fears, according to new...

What Won’t Work When Teaching “Come”

Renowned veterinary behaviorist Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, once said that when asked what is the one thing most people would like their dog to be...
Tug of war doesn’t have to be off limits, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to teach your dog how to play it.

To Play Tug of War or Not to Play?

Time was that animal behaviorists said not to play tug of war with a dog because it could make him too aggressive. The thinking...

Dear Doctor: Play-fighting or just plain fighting?

Q. Sometimes my dog interacts with another dog in a way that seems kind of frightening. They growl and will even bite each other,...

Growl, Snap, Bite — In that Order

Before a dog reaches the age of 6 months, she will begin to show whether she’s feeling aggressive through various signals. She will also...
A dog often yawns when he is feeling stressed or anxious. It should serve as a potential cue to dog walkers and passers-by that the animal is uncomfortable.

Walking a Dog Who’s Afraid of People

Last month we discussed walking a dog who is uninterested in or a little wary of people outside of his social group, but who...
Some dogs are happy to go walking with a human family member but don’t want to greet other people they pass. Nothing wrong with that.

Please Don’t Pet My Dog

While dogs in general are predisposed to liking people and may even have evolved to bond with us, that does not mean that every...

Even Mild Punishment Has a Negative Impact

You consider yourself a loving dog owner who would never hit your pet or otherwise cause harm. But did you know that even mild forms of punishment you might inflict regularly without thinking could damage your dogs psyche and create behavioral issues?
Sad dog waiting alone at home

If Your Dog Refuses to Go Out In the Rain

Some dogs absolutely hate to go out when it’s raining. It becomes a tug of war at the door. Yet you want your pet...
Dog jumping

No More Jumping on People

Teaching your dog to refrain from jumping up on people is not one of the easier behavior training tasks. One reason is that your...

Using a Shock Collar for Getting a Dog to Come

Ask 100 dog parents the one thing they wish their dog would do that they currently don’t, and the answer will be, “Come when...

Should You Wake Your Dog From a Nightmare?

Lots of dogs move their limbs during sleep, twitch, or emit soft barking sounds. None of those are signs of nightmares. They just mean...