Time To Walk the Dog!
Spring is here in the beautiful Boston Mountains, and if you are anything like me, you are ready to get out and enjoy it! There isn’t much better than a relaxing hike with your best friend, but for so many, walking the dog is anything but relaxing! I sometimes imagine that, if our dogs could […]
Genetically Predisposed to Aggression?
We’ve all heard the news stories about people being maimed and even killed by pit bulls. So what is the truth about dog breeds and genetic predispositions for aggression? Can aggression be bred into a particular dog? There are certainly biological reasons for aggressions, and genetic abnormalities play a role. For years now trainers have […]
A New Puppy For Christmas
This is a post from a previous year, but is still relevant. The good news is that Rockingham County, NC, where I lived at the time, has lowered the euthanasia rate drastically. Only about 50% of the animals are now dying (down from almost 100% prior to the building of the new shelter). That’s still […]
Who Comes First: You or Your Dog?
Am I A Monster?
I want to make something crystal clear: I do not hate anyone. There are some methods I don’t like. I don’t like seeing dogs in a pinch collar, a shock collar, or a choke collar. I believe these methods to be harmful to the dog, and to the dog owner relationship. I never like to […]
“Hey, have you heard the one about climate change and dog training?”
Wide World
There is so much to think about when we first bring home our little furry bundle of joy. Pups need so much from us; the right diet, compassion, compainionship and comfort. But what is the best predictor of a well adjusted pup? SOCIALIZATION. Socialization is more than just something dog trainers sello get pups into […]
A New Puppy For Christmas
What could be better than opening a wiggly box of puppy happiness on Christmas morning? Not much if you were in the market for a puppy, and the one in the box is exactly what works best in your household. But buying an animal as a gift is a tricky thing, and should be done […]
Beating a Dead Zebra – Part 5
Learned helplessness occurs when an animal/human finds their situation so out of their control, they eventually stop trying to change or escape it. This is the reason that humans stay in abusive relationships, and it happens when punishment is used with our four legged friends. Because our timing is not perfect, our dog doesn’t understand […]
Beating a Dead Zebra – Part 4
Next on our list: Modeling. Modeling is seen in humans when children live through abuse. The often grow up to be abusers. Thank goodness our dogs are so often capable of living through horrendous torture and still coming out the other side without any apparent signs. But as a general rule, violence in a relationship […]