The Many Faces of Behavior Myopia: Recognizing the Subtle Signs
By Angelica Steinker and Eileen Anderson with additional contributions by Jan Casey and Niki Tudge. Originally published in BARKS from the Guild, October 2014.
The fundamental goal of any behavior modification program should be to improve the dog’s (1) and owner’s emotional states, both ...
LEFT FOOT OR RIGHT FOOT – What is the best foot to start forward when heeling?
LEFT FOOT OR RIGHT FOOT – What is the best foot to start forward when heeling?
by Barb Levenson
For years most obedience people, except yours truly, have been taught to start heeling with their left foot, the foot closest to the dog. I started my obedience training in Dallas with two ...
Get Your Paws Off My Plate!
It was my first day on the job and I was sitting in the cafeteria at a table with other new employees. This was an exciting time, not only beginning a new job, but also the opportunity to get to know more people. As I was attentively listening to the woman’s conversation on my left, I couldn’t ...
A Dog is for Life, Not Just for Christmas
Now that Thanksgiving is in the past, our focus turns to Christmas. Finding the perfect gift for a loved one can be a daunting task. If you are considering giving or getting a pet as a present, please do some research.
First, be sure the intended recipient wants an animal. A client once ...
Can You “Baby-Proof” Your Dog?
The dog training school where I teach has a exciting new partnership with Babies-R-Us: We’re about to start monthly seminars for expecting and new parents on finding your “new normal” with a baby plus a dog. I’m using today’s post to organize my thoughts and brainstorm a bit. I’ll lay out the ...
Humans Have Feelings Too
Most extreme behavior issues will take considerable time and work to resolve.
The case of two of little dogs I went to a few weeks ago, was very unusual in that the dramatic change was virtually instant.
It was all about the humans and not about the dogs at all. Seldom have I been to dogs ...
Captivating Clever Trevor
More than a month has passed since my wire fox terrier Trevor died suddenly of acute right-sided congestive heart failure at the age of 14. I picked up his ashes and paw print from the vet clinic two weeks ago when I took Zip in for an EKG following a weekend of accelerated heart rate. Life ...
Ten Ways To Use Problem-Solving Games in Behavior Modification
Mental, intelligence games and problem solving activities can be used in a behavior modification program. We use games in environmental enrichment, but why couldn't we use them, like we use toys in behavior modification? How would you do that, you ask? And, you might not know that this can be ...