Letting Go of Puppyhood Things …
When should a dog stop sleeping in a crate?
Most people, when faced with this question, will think about whether the dog can be trusted in the house unsupervised: Will she sleep through the night? Can I leave her alone without worrying that she'll chew on things? Does she know that she's ...
A Positive Outlook on Canine Aggression
It usually starts when I receive a call from a distressed client who informs me that their dog is, or has, suddenly turned 'aggressive.' They tell me their dog has 'challenged' them in some way: baring teeth, snarling, growling or may have even bitten (with various degrees of severity). ...
An Open Letter on Defining, Determining and Maintaining Best Practices within Our Force-Free Organization
Each year I am reminded of the importance of PPG's Guiding Principles and our ability to manage them on a daily basis. As I read through them yesterday I felt it would be a good reminder for each of us to read this article written by Debra Millikan DipABST, DipDTBC, PAB in 2012 on how ...
Is Calm Really Just Another Behavior?
What is the most difficult thing to teach our dogs? Coming back or a great recall? While I do agree that this is a difficult behavior, I do think teaching calm is much more difficult.
Being calm is not the same as a cued ‘sit stay’ or ‘down stay’. Without becoming too airy fairy: Calm is ...
Electronic Containment System or Ambush Predator?
Much has been written about electronic shock (training) devices in their various forms. With all models a dog wears a collar fitted with an electronic device with two metal rods touching the neck of the dog, delivering electric shock.
Delivery systems fall into three categories: 1) A person ...
How to Stop a Dog From Digging
Why do dogs dig?
One of the questions I get a lot from my dog training clients is how to stop a dog from digging. This may be followed up with asking me why dogs dig in the first place. As with any dog behavior question, the answer can be summed up in two words, “it depends.” I know, probably ...
Getting It Right First Time
By Marilyn Krieger
Like any pet, cats enhance lives and make a house a home. They excel at helping their people unwind after a stressful day. There is nothing quite as comforting as having a cat serenely napping nearby.
Although cats bring joy and are great companions, they are a lifetime ...
Where Do You Stand on Raw Diets for Dogs?
A recent Canine Corner post by Dr. Stanley Coren, a well-known writer on canine cognition, strongly suggests that raw diets are unsafe. I’d like to present an opposing view of this often contentious question.
Full disclosure: I feed Cali a partially raw diet; I did the same for Jana for ...