Training & Management

Honey went to puppy preschool followed by puppy kindergarten. Then we homeschooled her for several years. But something showed us we needed extra help. Time to go back to school for Honey.

Click and treat. Click and treat. Do you always associate positive training with food treats? Because maybe there’s a better training reward for your dog.

If you asked me, I’d say Honey had poor rear leg awareness. But I took out my clicker and she did this:

Honey loves it. It builds our relationship. And it’s a good way for both of us to train our brains. So why do I keep having such a huge training fail?

What kind of crazy person would move onto a boat with a golden retriever who doesn’t swim? You’ve been asking yourself that, right? Hopefully yesterday’s brief, shaky video evidence has reassured you that we’re not planning to drown Honey.

Regular Something Wagging readers know we’re getting our dog Honey ready to live aboard a sailboat. Many of the things we’re doing for Honey might help you even if the only adventure you’re planning is a trip to the vet, a long drive, or a kayak trip across a pond. Here are a few of …

We get lots of questions when we tell people we’ll be setting sail: “Will you be visiting Guam?” “Aren’t you worried about pirates in the Indian Ocean?” “Are you planning long, ocean passages?” The answer? It depends on our dog Honey. And it all comes down to poop.

Honey looked worried. We were packing bags at a frantic pace and she didn’t know what was going on. How do you reassure your dog if she doesn’t understand when you talk to her in English?

Dogs barking through the fence? No problem. Elevator rides? A piece of cake. A broom leaning against the wall? That’s the scariest thing ever to my dog. I need to help my dog face her fears. Or stop sweeping the floor.