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10 Ways To Improve You and Your Dog’s Behavioral Relationship

Sometimes we get a little stuck in a rut, same old, same old - its easy, life is fast, time is hard to come by.  Have you ever sat and thought about your relationship with your dog?  Too often it's only when things go wrong that we contemplate uh oh..what can I do here to change things! How ...

Confessions of a Dog Trainer. Part 1: Feeding from the Table!

By Sue McCabe I have a confession. I sometimes feed my dogs from the table.  When I go out to eat with my dog we are sharing quality time, and a meal together. So as long as my dog is quiet and calm and settled, he gets to share my food or he gets a Kong of his own to enjoy. Below is a ...

BARKS Recorded Podcast with Alexandra Kurland: April 17, 2019.

Guest: Alexandra Kurland, a graduate of Cornell University where she specialized in animal behavior,  whose area of particular interest is the development of a horse's balance: physical and emotional. Alexandra Kurland is the author of "Clicker Training for your Horse"; "The Click That ...

The “Invention” of Cues in Training

Once upon a time, there was a girl who decided to teach her dog some tricks. She figured out that if she gave her dog something he liked after he did something she liked, he was liable to do the thing again. So she taught him some simple tricks using food and play as reinforcement. As she ...

Does Your Animal Have Control?

By Karolina Westlund Ph.D. of PPG corporate partner Illis Animal Behaviour Consulting Many animal trainers, veterinarians and pet owners highlight the importance of controlling animals. Controlling them, as in restricting the animals’ movement, their choices and their opportunities to ...

For a Healthier Life, Don’t Let Your Pet Get Overweight

Years ago my wife and I adopted a wonderful yellow Labrador named Charlie. At first, he had normal weight, at around 75 pounds. He steadily gained weight until he reached 100 pounds.  A veterinary exam determined Charlie had a thyroid problem. With daily medication his weight returned to ...

The Reality of TV Dog Training

By Niki Tudge and Susan Nilson In recent years, much creditable scientific study has been given to dog training and behavior modification methods and their respective efficacy and consequences. The preponderance of the evidence shown by these studies indicates that the implementation of ...

Dog Training: Why I Do It

By Joanne Ometz Eight people enter the room with five puppies. I encourage whole families to attend my puppy classes. “Let’s get everyone on the same page,” I have told them, so parents, kids, couples, and single puppy parents arrive, leading or being led by their puppies. All take their ...