Treats that Beat Squirrels!
By Yvette Van Veen
Treats that Beat Squirrels!
What if I told you that tiny little treats could beat a high level distraction like a squirrel? It doesn’t seem to make sense. The distraction is clearly more desirable than a paltry pea sized biscuit.
It would be like saying that ...
Dispelling the Myths: Tuggy, Retrieve and Safe Play
By Sue McCabe
I still regularly hear from clients that they have been told they shouldn’t play tug with their dog. It causes aggression; it creates a hard mouthed dog who will damage game (if you’re into that sort of thing); you’ll never get a decent hold if you teach tug. I still ...
Portland Blog Competition: The Journey of a Crossover Trainer
By Nichola Marshall
This is going to sound like an Oscar acceptance speech and it kind of is because I feel like I have won something very special – a change of perspective. So before I start crying I want to say, “thank you” to all of you for sharing your experiences and being supportive, ...
Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Started Training Dogs – Gus, the Dominance Myth, An Alpha Roll, and a Damaged Relationship
By Don Hanson
In a recent interview, I was asked a series of questions about how to choose a dog trainer. One of the questions was “What would you like to have known when you started training dogs?”
In the spring of 1991, I had a new 12-week old Cairn Terrier puppy named Gus. I had no ...
The ‘Quick Fix’ – Not So Quick After All
In today's society, it seems everything has to happen 'now.' Results are expected instantaneously and I think, sadly, this notion has to a certain extent worked it's way into how we think, feel, and live our lives with our dogs too. Time is precious, and we haven't always got space for ...
Teach Your Dog to Cooperate with Grooming and Vet Visits
By Debbie Bauer
Brushing, combing, cutting toenails, being held for vet examinations and treatment - these things are a part of life for our dogs. These aren't events that will happen once and never again. Instead, these are lifelong skills that our dogs will need to learn to deal with ...
The Last Trip To the Vet: What If Your Pet’s Last Breath Is on the Operating Table?
Alex in the foreground, with Rusty and Andrew behind him—photo from 1993. Yes, they are in a bathtub.
Many years ago I lost Alexander, my dear, dear cat to stomach cancer. This was before veterinary medicine had the technology that’s available today. It was also before I took as proactive an ...
Beating the Winter Blues
This winter has been very challenging, especially for those of us living in the northern half of the United States. Winter has behaved like a house guest who does not know when it is time to leave. As I type this and look outside I still see thick snow and packed ice, with temperatures about ...