Dog Owner Confidence Crash!
There's so much written about emotions of our dogs, how they're thinking and what they're feeling in various provocative situations and scenarios, but sometimes I think we, the dog owners, may end up being a little neglected! You can't successfully help dogs with behavioral or training ...
Winter Hiking Tips for You and Your Dog
Winter is here, but that doesn't mean you and your dog need to stay inside. A dog needs both physical and mental daily exercise. Hiking with your dog in the winter can be a lot of fun. But, before you walk out the front door with your dog in tow, you and your dog need to be prepared for your ...
Getting Started with Touch Cues
By Debbie Bauer
There are two types of touch cues - these are cues that you give to your dog by touching various parts of his body in different ways, to mean different things. If your dog can't see or hear you cues, touch cues give you the perfect way to begin communicating with him. Having ...
A Quadrant by Any Other Name is Still a Cornerstone of Operant Learning
This 2003 edition book is $4.89 on Amazon. Contents: priceless.
There is a science that deals directly with how organisms learn and how to use that information to change the environment in order to change behavior. It’s called applied behavior analysis (ABA). It is the applied version of ...
Getting Scientific about Dominance
By Don Hanson
What we know about the science of canine behavior and dog training is continually evolving. As such, every year I like to select a new book to recommend to my students, my staff, area veterinarians, and my colleagues that I feel will be the most beneficial to them and their ...
Give New Pets Time to Adjust
Getting a new pet is exciting and family members may feel eager to get started with all the fun they have imagined having with their new addition. That is certainly how I felt about every new animal which I took into my care over the years.
Even though the new pet may well be in a better ...
Want Your Dog to Listen? Stop Doing This!
By Yvette Van Veen
Dog training often boils down to a single statement. “I want my dog to listen.”
It’s a reasonable request and seems simple. We ask our dogs to do something. In return, we want the dog to listen to that request and respond in a timely manner. Training is the process ...
Portland Blog Competition: Redirecting Aggressive Behavior
By Dr. Lynn Bahr
As cat lovers, we’ve all been scratched at least once. But why do some cats play so rough when others never scratch or bite?
Cats, by their very nature, are ferocious hunters. These behaviors are formed when they are very young by instinct, observation and playing with their ...