Dog Training
Fetch Rules Cheat Sheet for Judges and Competitors
The Fetch Rules Cheat Sheet for Judges and Competitors by Courteous Canine is your go-to guide for mastering every level of AKC Fetch — from Novice to Retriever. Designed to support both judges and handlers, this quick-reference tool simplifies the rules, requirements, and expectations so everyone can focus on teamwork, accuracy, and fun. At the Novice level, dogs fetch [...]
The Power of Fun in Dog Training
The Power of Fun in Dog Training Being a fun detective pays off huge in dog training It’s six am and while sleeping in your bed, feeling cozy and content, [...]
Why Counter Conditioning Doesn’t Work
A common criticism of counter conditioning is that it does not work. While there can be many reasons why a behavior modification protocol based on counter conditioning fails it is [...]
Dog Training 101: What is Clicker Training?
Dog Training 101: What is Clicker Training? By Angelica Steinker, M.Ed., CDBC, CAP2 edited by Kimberly "Kim" Archer, CPDT-KA, CTDI Clicker training is a training method using a handheld plastic [...]
Health & Safety
Animal Abuse Harms People Too
by Daniel Antolec When Love Isn’t Enough: Why Advocacy Matters 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 [...]
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
Understanding the quality of life for blind and deaf dogs is important. Many people assume these dogs suffer. However, this assumption is often incorrect. Dogs experience the world through far more than sight and sound. [...]
Dog Agility Training
Homemade Agility
By Brenna Fender Before you could buy agility equipment online, and even before plans for making agility equipment became available, people practiced agility for fun in their backyards, and you can too! As long as [...]
A Quick Guide to Agility Organizations
By Brenna Fender The United States offers many agility sanctioning organizations, which means that American competitors have lots of options for different agility experiences. There are more similarities than differences between the organizations. Most are [...]
Tampa Dog Trainer: Dog Travel Safety
Dog Travel Safety is an important concern Tampa Dog Trainer: Dog Travel Safety By Brenna Fender Dog s often travel with their pets to competitions, on vacation, or just about town while on [...]
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.
Muzzle Training
Canine muzzle training games to play with your dog.
The Sharing Game
The image above is an advanced version of the game, your coach will help you find the ideal starting point. By Angelica Steinker, M.Ed., PCBC-A, AABP-DBCT, CDBC, CAP2 Please note that if your dogs have [...]
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 even [...]
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 The Neurological Benefits of Counter Conditioning Leash Reactive Dogs focuses on creating new and better [...]
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 When Love Isn’t Enough: Why Advocacy Matters 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 [...]
Thunderphobia in Dogs
Thunderphobia is a serious fear of thunderstorms. It can make a dog’s life extremely difficult. Many dogs suffer more than people realize. Research shows that at least 20% of dogs experience noise phobias, including thunderphobia. [...]
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
Understanding the quality of life for blind and deaf dogs is important. Many people assume these dogs suffer. However, this assumption is often incorrect. Dogs experience the world through far more than sight and sound. [...]
The Opposite of Force
The concept of choice has become extremely popular in positive reinforcement–based dog training. Many trainers use the word often, and it sounds appealing. Choice feels like the opposite of force, so it seems humane and [...]