Welcome Home Clark!
If you follow my blog you know that there has been a special addition to the family recently. I want to give him a special introduction. His name is Clark (AKA Superman) the Cardigan Corgi! He is a confident little guy who has big dreams of competing in Rally or Obedience, becoming a therapy dog,…
What’s Behind Reactivity in Dogs?
I recently watched the beginning of Suzanne Clothier’s recorded seminar on Arousal, Anxiety, and Fear and am looking forward to attending her seminar in Grapevine, TX this weekend. I am already hooked after watching 30 minutes of the 2 hour lecture. Not only is she entertaining to watch, but she puts things into perspective so that any…
Reflections on Prong Collars
I used to be a HUGE fan of prong collars. They allowed maximum control with very little effort. When I would roller skate (Cesar Millan style) down the street with three Pit bulls and a German shepherd mix, prongs and slip collars were a must to control the dogs. It was a ton of fun…
Stimulating Endorphins While Training Your Dog
Ever eat ice cream when you are down? Does it make you feel better? It should brighten your mood because eating comfort foods stimulate endorphins in your brain that give you that “feel good” sensation (unless you are one of the rare people that hate ice cream that is). The endorphins are natural stress fighters…
Don’t Under Estimate The Power of Classical Conditioning
I am a huge fan of clicker training (an operant conditioning technique), but I recently got a huge reminder of the importance of classical conditioning the other day when I attended a fellow trainer’s class. In both the Rally class and the orientation to the Reactive Integration class, classical conditioning was used. I feel like…
Shaping – Just Another Advantage of Clicker Training
One of the many benefits of clicker training is the ability to shape a dog to do behaviors they would not naturally do. Shaping truly utilizes a dog’s intelligence. One of the best descriptions I have heard is when someone described it as a “hot/cold game”. That is the best way to put it because…
Pros and Cons of Dog Training Class
There is no doubt that dog training classes are popular. It’s cheaper than private lessons and you get to work with other dog owners of the same skill set. It’s also a great opportunity to observe how others work with their dog. Here are some pros and cons to taking a dog training class. Pros…
Dog Training Games
As many of you know, I am a huge fan of clicker training. It’s always good to practice your skills with or without your dog. Getting the right timing takes practice! Here are some dog training games I’ve compiled so that you can have fun while you practice! If you are not familiar with clicker training,…