Dog Training
The Problem With Shock Collars
It isn’t that shock collar training doesn’t work, because it does. The question is at what price? Some extremely skilled trainers may be able to offset some of the problems shock collars can cause. However, shock collars are for sale at almost every pet store making them readily accessible to the general public. A shock collar can potentially lead to [...]
Click & Praise
Click & Praise By Angelica Steinker, M.Ed., C.D.B.C, CAP2 Imagine a reward your dog will never fill up on, a reward that can last exactly as long as you want, [...]
Play, Don’t Train
Play, Don't Train By Angelica Steinker, M.Ed., C.D.B.C, CAP2 Are your clients less motivated then you would like them to be? Stop telling them to train their dogs, and start [...]
Is Your Dog Bored?
Is Your Dog Bored? Enrich Your Dog’s Life! By Kimberly Archer, Dog Behavior Technician Have you ever wondered what a day is like through your dog’s eyes? You may [...]
Health & Safety
Animal Abuse Harms People Too
by Daniel Antolec If you are reading this blog then I may safely assume you are an animal lover, but sometimes love is not enough. Sometimes advocacy through direction action is required. I post this [...]
Goodbye Food Allergies, Hello Play Training!
Angelica Steinker was interviewed for a cutting edge new product that offers hope for allergies. "This is Power, a seven-year-old purebred Border Collie who up until recently has continuously suffered from both environmental and food [...]
Quality of Life for Blind/Deaf Dogs
By Debbie Bauer I receive a lot of great ideas for new blog posts – Thank you so much for those. I’m always looking for ideas to write about that will be useful to each [...]
Dog Agility Training
AKC Offers a New Agility Program for Newcomers to the Sport
The American Kennel Club has begun offering a new program that makes agility more accessible to newcomers. According to the AKC’s website (https://www.akc.org/events/agility/act-program/), the ACT will be available in two levels. “ACT1 is designed [...]
Million Dollar Dog Games
Million Dollar Dog Games is looking for dogs to compete in a cross discipline competition featuring Agility, Dock Diving and Flying Disc for CASH. Read more about it >
Tighten Those Turns
By Brenna Fender Several dog sports benefit from tight turns. Agility is the most obvious one, but rally and traditional obedience also include about turns that are best done tightly around the handler. Turning tightly [...]
Courteous Canine Articles
The Truth About Dominance Theory
The Truth About Dominance Theory By Angelica Steinker, M.Ed., C.D.B.C, CAP2 The truth is there is nothing noble in being superior to another being. The only real nobility is in being superior to your former [...]
Preparing Your Dog For Your New Baby
Preparing Your Dog For Your New Baby By Heather Gibbs, CPDT-KA, ABCDT, SBA Overview Preparing for a new baby's arrival can be an exciting and stressful time for all family members involved - especially your [...]
Say “No” To Dog Parks: Here’s Why & Better Alternatives
Say “No” To Dog Parks: Here’s Why & Better Alternatives By Kimberly Archer Dog Behavior Technician As a dog parent you just want the best for your pup, and as such most of us want [...]
Pitfalls of Punishment
Author’s Note: Positive punishment is when you add something unpleasant when an undesirable behavior is displayed to discourage that behavior. Negative punishment is when you take away something pleasant when an undesirable behavior is displayed [...]
Agility for Dogs with Issues
This means that for some dogs playing the game of agility around other dogs can make other dogs seem fun also. The same thing can happen if a dog is afraid of people, being around people when doing agility can come to signal fun.
Dog Fight Emergency Handling
All dog fights must be considered extremely dangerous. Even dogs that are intending not to hurt each other could cause serious damage. Dogs can significantly vary in size so a large dog can even accidentally fatally injure a small dog. Never follow the very poor advice of “letting the dogs work it out.”
Muzzle Training
Canine muzzle training games to play with your dog.
The Sharing Game
By Angelica Steinker, M.Ed., PCBC-A, AABP-DBCT, CDBC, CAP2 Please note that if your dogs have a history of fighting, do not play the sharing game without the guidance of a professional. Safety is always [...]
Laser Pointers & Our Dogs: Are They Really Having Fun?
By Beth Napolitano, CPDT Many of us are familiar with the red or green beam of light from laser pointers that may be useful during presentations to direct the attention of an audience. Perhaps [...]
The Neurological Benefits of Counter Conditioning Leash Reactive Dogs
by Drayton Michaels Counterconditioning and desensitizing dogs when on leash also has neurological benefits © Can Stock Photo/Amaviael Creating new and better associations for dogs on leash when exposed to fearful/stressful stimuli is [...]
Talking to Dogs
by Pam Hogle Photo by Deni Elliott A newly published study finds that dogs pay attention to both the way we talk to them and to what we say. Alex Benjamin and Katie Slocombe’s ‘Who’s a good boy?!’ [...]
Animal Abuse Harms People Too
by Daniel Antolec If you are reading this blog then I may safely assume you are an animal lover, but sometimes love is not enough. Sometimes advocacy through direction action is required. I post this [...]
Thunderphobia in Dogs
by Daniel Antolec Thunderphobia is the fear of thunderstorms and it can be severe enough to make a dog’s life miserable. It may be more common than you know. At least 20% of dogs suffer noise [...]
Goodbye Food Allergies, Hello Play Training!
Angelica Steinker was interviewed for a cutting edge new product that offers hope for allergies. "This is Power, a seven-year-old purebred Border Collie who up until recently has continuously suffered from both environmental and food [...]