Dog Training
Puppy Socialization Essentials
Socialization is one of the most important parts of raising a happy, confident, and well-adjusted dog — and Puppy Socialization Essentials is your complete guide to doing it right! This practical and positive handout from Courteous Canine, Inc. helps puppy parents understand how to introduce their pups to the world in safe, joyful, and rewarding ways. To a young [...]
Tampa Bay Times Interview: Dog’s good manners according to a Lutz expert
By Philip Morgan, Tampa Bay Times Correspondent Originally published by the Tampa Bay Times here. Angelica Steinker loved dogs early on. “When I was little, I begged my parents for [...]
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 [...]
Health & Safety
How to Teach Your Deaf (and Blind) Dog to Wake Up Gently
Understanding the Goal The article How to Teach Your Deaf (and Blind) Dog to Wake Up Gently explains how to help dogs with hearing or vision loss wake in a calm and confident way. Many [...]
Reel It In – Why I Don’t Like Retractable Leashes
The article Reel It In – Why I Don’t Like Retractable Leashes outlines the many reasons why experienced trainers and behavior professionals prefer to avoid retractable leashes. Although these devices appear convenient, the author explains [...]
Why Prong Collars Hurt
Thank you Eileen Anderson for writing an informative blog on the physics of a prong collar. Please see additional note at the bottom of the post. Prong collars, also called pinch collars, are metal chain [...]
Dog Agility Training
Tampa Dog Trainer: Brenna Fender – Unexpected Effects of Recording and Sharing Your Training Sessions on Social Media
The Unexpected Effects of Recording and Sharing Your Training Sessions on Social Media By Brenna Fender, Tampa Dog Trainer Do you whip out your cell phone at training practice or set up your video camera [...]
Tampa Dog Trainer: Brenna Fender – Is Humility at Odds with Success?
Is Humility at Odds with Success? By Brenna Fender, Tampa Dog Trainer When you walk off an agility course, out of an obedience or rally ring, or away from your dog training class, do you dwell [...]
Tampa Dog Trainer: What’s My Dog Motivation?
What’s My Dog's Motivation? You can’t choose what motivates your dog. By Brenna Fender When I first got my Beagle from Tampa Bay Beagle rescue, I had to carry him off of his comfy spot [...]
Courteous Canine Articles
Teaching Deaf (and Blind) Dogs to Use Their Mouths Gently
Read the full article By Debbie Bauer HERE Teaching Deaf (and Blind) Dogs to Use Their Mouths Gently is an important topic for anyone living with deaf or blind/deaf dogs. Many guardians notice rough mouthing [...]
So Easy to Miscue…
This article takes a closer look at how easily human influence can alter the results of canine scent detection, making it So Easy to Miscue during real-world searches. It explains how dogs often respond to [...]
How to Teach Your Deaf (and Blind) Dog to Wake Up Gently
Understanding the Goal The article How to Teach Your Deaf (and Blind) Dog to Wake Up Gently explains how to help dogs with hearing or vision loss wake in a calm and confident way. Many [...]
Clicker Training for Cats (1/6)
If you’ve ever wondered whether cats can benefit from positive training the same way dogs do, this introduction to Clicker Training for Cats will open the door to a whole new world of feline learning. [...]
Dogs Are Better Partners to Humans Than to Other Dogs
The article Dogs Are Better Partners to Humans Than to Other Dogs explores why domestic dogs often collaborate more effectively with people than with members of their own species. The discussion centers on research comparing [...]
With Her Tail between Her Legs
Rethinking Tail Position in Dogs The article With Her Tail between Her Legs challenges the common belief that a tucked tail always signals fear or discomfort. Many people assume this posture reveals stress, but the [...]
A Milestone for Clara: Socialization Work Pays Off
Overview of “Socialization Work Pays Off” The article Socialization Work Pays Off highlights the powerful impact of thoughtful exposure and confidence-building experiences on a sensitive dog learning to navigate the world. The story follows Clara, [...]
Reel It In – Why I Don’t Like Retractable Leashes
The article Reel It In – Why I Don’t Like Retractable Leashes outlines the many reasons why experienced trainers and behavior professionals prefer to avoid retractable leashes. Although these devices appear convenient, the author explains [...]
6 Ways to Take Fetch to the Next Level
A fun article on playing fetch with your dog by John Gilpatrick Dogs go crazy for fetch. For some, not even an unwatched roasted chicken on the kitchen table can bring as much excitement as [...]
Cognitive Dog Training
Another forward thinking blog by Pam Hogle. I first started teaching about what I called cognitive dog training several years ago. I didn’t invent it; I simply named what a lot of positive, forward-thinking dog [...]
There are no short cuts
A wonderful blog on training short cuts written by one of the masters: Kay Laurence. When we are working with an animal our own needs can direct our choices and decisions. We focus on outcomes [...]
It is Unwise to Say, “Just Ignore the Problem Behavior!”
Niki Tudge shares some important information about the misguided advice of "ignoring unwanted behavior". Ignoring a problem behavior is just one part of the equation; at the same time, an incompatible or alternative behavior [...]
Why Prong Collars Hurt
Thank you Eileen Anderson for writing an informative blog on the physics of a prong collar. Please see additional note at the bottom of the post. Prong collars, also called pinch collars, are metal chain [...]
“Naughty” Dog Or Normal Dog?
by Anna Francesca Bradley In spite of the various labels commonly assigned to them, dogs do not deliberately set out to make their s’ lives difficult. Photo: Susan Nilson I’ve lost count as [...]
Do Dogs Have a Negativity Bias?
This is a fascinating article by Linda Case on Negativity Bias and how it probably also applies to dogs. This article helps support the need for positive reinforcement based training! Negativity bias – We [...]