Shiny New Tricks: A simple life hack to build better dog training habits
I used to be a lazy trainer. Not lazy in that I skipped steps… Or jumped to less than ethical methods to reach my goal quickly. No, not lazy like that. I was a trainer that...
The Sky Isn’t Falling: Teaching bravery to a fearful dog
This is Tej… We lovingly call him “Bones”… …or Tedgy… …or “Chicken Little”… And he arrived at our house last week for a little bit of help to learn to be...
Getting Prepared: Simple tips to handling off leash dog encounters
Well, …it happened. I was walking my dog on the trails behind my house yesterday… You know, the trails where leash laws are in full effect… Where there are periodic signs that...
Don’t Walk the Dog: Why walking your reactive dog might be making things worse
I remember when I got my first dog. I mean, I had dogs growing up, but Koby was MY first dog. I got him when I was in college, and he completely turned my world upside down. A...
Lessons Learned in AP Biology: There’s no room for blame in effective leadership
“Those dog owners didn’t follow through…” How many times have you heard a dog trainer utter these words? Ever find yourself uttering them? It’s ok…I don’t judge. Or how...
Missed Messages: Is Your Dog Feeling Secure in Bitework or Tug Play?
“Check out this video. What do you think? I’d love your opinion” It was sent to me by a friend and it was a video of her young dog starting bitework. Normally, I keep my...
Training Goals: Is your engagement and drive work really helping?
If you’ve seen any of my videos or been in my courses, you know I like my dogs to be a bit pushy. I like a lot of drive and energy. In fact, with my newest lab puppy, who...
Science, Dog Training and the Power of Experience
I can’t tell you how many times I publish something and people get angry. I think it’s a function of just being on the Internet. It seems that, no matter how tolerant I try to...
The Big What If: Fears, Insecurities and Shifting Your Mindset
I did something colossally stupid… It was last week…it was not dog related…but it was a HUGE mistake. I sent an email to nearly 10,000 people…with a giant...