Out of the Dog House

Another good idea from my alma mater!

Though we often don't see it this way- we ask a lot of dogs when we invite them to share their lives with us. Much of what we ask of them does not come naturally - sit to say hello or before getting a meal, walk at our pace while connected to a 6' piece of rope, allow us to perform invasive procedures without protest and so on.

Taking a little bit of time to see things from the perspective of our dogs and then behaving accordingly ourselves can go a long way towards achieving better, happier relationships.

Understanding what motivates our dogs can change the way we interact with them and allow us to make good decisions on their behalf - and give them the opportunity to make better decisions as well.

Another great post by Zazie Todd!

Don't Punish Your Dog for Peeing in the House Why punishment is the wrong approach for house training mistakes, and what you should do instead.

Tug is a great game to play with your dog. Just remember to teach the rules.

Tug Games Teach your dog the rules of tug games, and learn how to get your dog to drop the tug toy in a jiffy!

Great post by Lisa Skavienski about dog predatory behavior.

Predation and Dogs: Normalizing Behavior One gorgeous summer morning, I watched from across the pool as a small grey bird fluttered down out of a tree and hovered just a few feet in front of my foster dog, Quinn. Quinn tilted her head to the side and froze for a brief moment before lunging forward and snatching it from the air, issuing a n...

Another great post from Maureen Backman. Check out her info at The Muzzle Up Project, too!

Leash reactivity: It’s trainable (but not how you might think) You look at the clock. It’s time to walk your dog. As you grab the leash, the p**p bags and your keys, you feel a familiar anxiety that occurs each time you step outside. You may fear that yo…

More on the dominance theory by Zazzie Todd.

"Dominance" Training Deprives Dogs of Positive Experiences Dominance is an outdated approach to dog training – and it also means dogs miss out on fun.

Another great post by Zazzie Todd.

What is Negative Reinforcement in Dog Training? A user-friendly guide to understanding negative reinforcement in dog training – and the three alternatives you should know about.

Good info on dog body language.

More from The Academy.

(1/7) Over the next several weeks, we'll be sharing a series of posts based on a blog by Academy grad Rachel Szumel. Resource guarding is an often misunderstood behavior, and getting the right information to people is an important step towards helping them and their dogs. Issues concerning aggression are best handled by a qualified trainer, and Academy grads are well-versed in the treatment of issues such as resource guarding.

You can read the blog here:
https://www.academyfordogtrainers.com/blog/vet-talk-resource-guarding-in-dogs

My alma mater!

Academy For Dog Trainers - Qualifying as an Academy graduate The Academy for Dog Trainers stands for excellence. By the time you graduate, you will have in-depth knowledge of dog behavior and outstanding practic...

Interesting study on verbal vs hand signals.

To gesture or not to gesture in dog training? Are visual cues more effective than verbal cues in dog training? Guest post by Sienna Taylor.

Great blog post from Kristi Benson (The Academy for Dog Trainers) for Dog International. What to do about roaming dogs. Also great info on why we don't use pain to train.

It’s About Time: What Dogs Really Need - Dog International What do dogs need most from us? What does a roaming dog have to do with a baby licking a dirty lollipop? Dog trainer Kristi Benson tells the story of a client with a roaming dog with humor and clarity. In telling the tale, Kristi has an important message for all of us dog owners about what our dogs....