Marking the Trigger
A couple of months ago I wrote about how I was working on Clark’s reactivity towards other dogs. It is still an issue, but I’ve decided to tackle this issue head on. He barks at other dogs on leash because he gets super aroused by them. If he was off leash, he’d go check them…
Doggy Chiropractor
I’ve always been a skeptic of holistic medicine. I am a very rational/logical person and got a degree in Biology after all. Fortunately, I’m very open-minded (as you all know). Before I crossed over to positive reinforcement based training, I didn’t believe in using drugs or supplements to treat behavior issues. I believed that behavior…
Promoting Positive Reinforcement
As part of my “Let’s Talk About Positive Reinforcement Training” initiative, I recently put together a video that demonstrates the reliability and connection that positive reinforcement can create. I reached out to my friends on Facebook and there was an overwhelming response! Everyone wanted to contribute their videos to the project. I chose to demonstrate…
The Downfall of Labels and Miscommunication
What if you switched the word “interrupter” with “correction”? What if you switched the word “punisher” with “interrupter”? Does the label truly affect what is actually occurring? Is the label all that separates “all positive” trainers from “balanced” trainers? Is our difference in vocabulary the main difference between our training? Is it even fair to…
Reflections on a Horse Clicker Training Clinic by Peggy Hogan
In early October I attended a horse clicker training clinic taught by Peggy Hogan. I used to ride and jump horses and some day I hope to do it again. When I rode, I was knowing for having strong legs and being able to make any horse move. I was given the stubborn lesson horses…
Counter Conditioning/Desensitization Breakdown
Counter conditioning is when you teach the dog that good things will happen when the scary thing appears. It’s a simple tool to have in your toolbox and there are so many ways it can be applied. I use it a lot with both of my dogs to work with their reactivity to other dogs…
Why You Shouldn’t Need Verbal Encouragement in Training
I’ve caught myself talking to my dogs to encourage them to keep going. Usually, I try to remain silent to let them focus, but sometimes I’ll talk to try to get them to keep going. When I saw this pop up in a recent conversation, I realized it might be a good topic to discuss…
Educating the Community
In September, I had the privilege of sharing my observation skills with the “average dog owner.” I was invited to present about dog-dog introductions. This is tough for many people because they want to keep their dogs safe, but the leash creates a frustrating barrier for many dogs. I started with basic body language observation…