Gratitude is such a powerful emotion; I love taking time to consider the things in my life that bring me joy and allow me to feel grateful. My dog, Jake, and getting to train dogs for a living are right there at the top of the list. I’m sure your dog is one of the top things you are grateful for as well. Last year I wrote a blog post about 13 Things Your Dog is Grateful for and I thought it made sense to update that post for 2021. Researchers debate whether dogs can feel gratitude, but we pet moms and dads know they can. All it takes is a look at the face of a rescued pup when you take him ho ..read more

This article was originally posted in March of 2019. I’ve updated it a bit for 2021 and am reposting it as the message still needs to be heard. Confessions of a Former Shock Jock Dog Trainer The blog article I get the most (and mostly angry) comments on is one called “Why E-Collars are Cruel.” Lot’s of traditional trainers who use punishment as a training method rant and rave about how wrong I am. The thing is, despite the overwhelming amount of research that supports my position, I also know from personal experience that using shock collars and other aversive methods on your dog causes both ..read more

Cues versus Commands: the importance of language in dog training As humans, the way we use language says a lot about who we are. Language choices say something about your intentions (are you speaking to appease, intimidate, amuse, etc.). Before I was a dog trainer, I certified as a life coach and earned an M.S. in Education and spent many years teaching people about effective communication. Effective communication meaning that you speak in a way that aligns with your intent and is understood by your listener.   COMMAND = to give an authoritative order CUE = a hint or indication about how ..read more

What’s Your Dog’s Lifestyle? What lifestyle should your dog have? Are you supposed to change your lifestyle to suit your dog or are they supposed to adapt to you? These are questions I often find myself discussing with clients. The answer, as with most complex questions, is: It depends. Recently, I wrote about the behaviors I like all my dog clients to know for general good manners and safety. I also wrote about some of the delightful hobbies you can share with your dog. Together along with your dog’s daily routine, these things make up the bulk of your dog’s lifestyle. What expectations shou ..read more

Does your dog need a hobby? Would your dog simply enjoy trying something new? There are so many great hobbies you can do with your dog no matter your level of activity. There is truly something for everyone. The list I share here is by no means exhaustive but I hope it sparks your imagination. Don’t agonize over what is the best hobby for your dog either. Simply pick one that seems interesting, give it a try and, if it’s not quite right for you, try another. Last week I shared some of the basic manners I like all my client dogs to know and mentioned I’d follow up this week with some fun hobbi ..read more

There are so many things you can teach your dog from basic manners to problem solving to fancy tricks to cool dance moves. What you should teach your dog depends on a few factors including your lifestyle, hobbies and needs. In this article series, I’ll share the basic manners I like to teach all my clients, some fun hobbies you can teach your dog to do with you and teaching your dog how to fit into your lifestyle. This is a two part article. This week I’ll cover the basic manners to teach your dog, followed by some of the fun hobbies you and your dog can share in the next article and wrap it ..read more

As so many people are heading back to in person work and school, there is an alarming trend of people choosing to surrender the dogs they adopted during COVID. What about you? Will you surrender your COVID dog? This is something that many of us in the dog training world have been holding our breath hoping not to see and it’s so sad to see it actually coming to pass. As people return to work and pre-pandemic social activities, they are surrendering the dogs they adopted during COVID to shelters. This is doubly tragic as the demand for dogs during the pandemic led to increased breeding so ..read more

How to Calm Your Dog During Fireworks It’s Independence Day here in the US which means Fireworks. Whether you love them or hate them, most dogs don’t enjoy them. Reactions can run from slight anxiety to health damaging terror. That’s why today I’m sharing tips and tricks on helping your pup cope this weekend. Whatever the fireworks season is where you live, these tips will help your dog (and you) get through them with minimal problems. One of the side effects of fear is the fight or flight response. Too many dogs panic and run away during fireworks displays so a key tip is to keep your dog ..read more

I’m very excited to share this special guest post written by my friend Trey from caninecompilation.com. Be sure to check out all the great info Trey shares over at caninecompilation.com. Liver cake for dogs – high value training treat It’s not always easy to get your dog excited about a training session. Liver cake is an excellent high-value training treat that dogs go nuts for! It’s not only perfect for getting your pup engaged in learning new tricks and commands, it’s also healthy! In this blog post, I’ll tell you how to make liver cake for your pup! Liver Cake High Value Dog Training ..read more

I originally wrote this article a couple of years ago but have been having a lot of conversations about dog parks lately so I thought it was time to update it. The first dog park in the United States was created in Berkeley, California, in 1979, by Martha Scott Benedict and Doris Richards. It was called the Ohlone Dog Park and is still in use today under its new name of the Martha Scott Benedict Memorial Park. According to the National Recreation and Park Association, there were an estimated 1200 dog parks operating in the United States in 2015. The Trust for Public Land notes that off-leash ..read more