Training & Socialization

I see it all the time. I bet you do too. The dog wants to sniff something. His person wants to keep walking. She grabs hard on the leash and pulls the dog in a new direction. Sadly, I’ve done it myself. Treated my dog’s leash like a steering wheel. But I’m trying to remember …

I don’t know if Honey is well-trained. She walks loosely on leash, never poops in the house, and will “high-five” me if I ask her to. She also has a rock solid sit and stay, even if I place a cookie on the floor in front of her. But sometimes I think my dog is …

For those of us who tend to be overly polite, having dogs is one more excuse to beat up on ourselves. Not only do we strictly police our own behavior so we don’t irritate or offend someone else. We also feel intense guilt any time our dogs act “rude.”   Here’s the short list of dog …

Little dogs pee in the house–it’s a common complaint. I’ve never had a little dog of my own. But when I hear about them acting like a$$holes, I assume it’s their person’s fault. After all, they’re dogs. They’re “god” spelled backwards. They couldn’t possibly be Satanic hellspawn who constantly yap, bite, and jump. At least …

In the recent heat, Honey is a wilting flower.   Instead of spending her day upstairs on my down comforter, Honey stays downstairs, under a ceiling fan, and lies on the cool wooden floor. She seeks out the floor fan so much I’m continually combing knots out of the fur behind her ears. When I walk …

Humans believe all kinds of crazy things, like sharks are more dangerous than cars, the Kardashians are actually interesting, and being a good leader for your dog means acting like something out of a werewolf horror movie. But what if people who want to be strong pack leaders for their dogs learned about leadership from …

I got a great deal on liver at the supermarket. Now I have a huge container of liver jerky and I gotta find some way to use it. I know. I’ll teach Honey a new trick. That will take our supply down really fast. But what should I teach her? Luckily, Koby and his person …

How can a clicker help you safely introduce a child to your dog? Watch and learn. 5 Steps to Introducing a Child to Your Dog 1. Make sure the child has a space where they can watch the dog from a protected spot. Behind a baby gate or from a crib should work. 2. Allow …

I hit a nerve. Dozens of people commented on my post about why I don’t train my dog better, sharing their love for their dogs’ individual quirks. And hundreds more have come from all over the web to read it. I’m pleased I didn’t get any wackadoo comments from people who think training a dog …

Honey is the easiest dog I’ve ever lived with. She doesn’t counter surf, root through the garbage, or bust in on me in the bathroom. She doesn’t cry when I leave her to go to work. But she’s not perfect. Mostly because I refuse to finish her training. Why? Flaws Make Us Special Many years …