More Harm than Good: 3 Reasons Why I Never Socialize my Puppies
She stood atop of the massive metal bleachers, her puppy triumphantly standing on one of the rows, as she called down to me. “Aren’t you going to socialize your puppy?” she asked. “I’m good.” I said with a smile. “I’m going to work on engagement down here.” She looked perplexed. As if I had just…
There’s No GPS in Dog Training – Creating a Plan to Get Results
I stared blankly at the screen. Rewind, split video, delete, play. Wash, rinse, repeat. I was editing a video project, and for the umpteenth time, I let the lecture I was editing bounce off my ears, a dull background noise as I focused my attention on audio levels, on pauses that were a bit too…
1+1=3 : Building Your Team for Maximum Effect
It was hot. A sweltering 90 degrees in the heat of the day, and the fact that the air remained motionless, the breeze taking the afternoon off, made standing in the direct sunlight feel like we were in the middle of the Sahara. The bright sun reflected hard and sharp off of the pristine turf,…
An Interview with Former Navy SEAL Eric Davis
Many of you have asked me about the work that I do with the former Navy SEALs over at Sealed Mindset Leaders. If you haven’t read along on the blog, very simply put, we use K9s to teach leadership development and human performance training to corporations and individuals. I’ve invited my good friend and colleague,…
Changing the Game: Combatting Conflict on the “Out”
The puppy tugged hard, trying with all of his might to rip the toy from his owner’s hands. He growled and he thrashed, trying everything he knew in a frantic attempt to claim his prize. His handler shook the toy, moving it side to side, amping the puppy further with every movement she made. In…
Precision Obedience: Battling Reinforcement History to Correct the Heel
“Au pied”, I quietly commanded my dog. It is the French version of the heel command, and with my words, my dog snapped into position. The onlookers formed a semicircle around my dog and I, gazing at our heeling routine and picking it apart with every step we took. “Your heel is awfully loose,” one…
Pride, Inexperience, and Prong Collars – When Bad Training Becomes Dangerous
“Take the dog off the lead!” he shouted from the sidelines of the field, exasperated with my seeming inexperience. “She’s not ready,” I retorted as my dog stared at the decoy, waiting for her cue. She had never worked off leash and had just begun learning to “hold the line”, staying until released as the…
Sharing is Caring: Are You Making Your Dog Selfish?
The puppy barreled towards me. As he caught a glimpse of the toy in my hand, he was barely able to keep his own massive paws from tripping him as he threatened to plow into my knees, the promise of play dangling in front of him. I had only known him for a short while,…
The Art of Play: 3 Things You Might Be Doing Wrong
She stood in front of me holding a leather lead. The dog at the other end lay quietly but alert at her side. As the dog scanned the park, fixating on any and every movement and occasionally barking at a passerby, the woman explained her plight. As she spoke, describing to me her dog’s engagement…
Two Pounds of Fur and Fury – Understanding Puppies with Drive
“We adopted a puppy, and we NEED you,” said the exasperated voice on the voicemail message. I chuckled to myself when I heard it. I laughed… and not because I was writing off her plea and complete desperation. While most would assume that a two pound puppy couldn’t wreak too much havoc, I knew better.…