Before I was a dog trainer, I was an entertainer… And during my apprentice years of entertaining, I was a circus performer .  Ringling...

The “touch” game is a great way to get your dog focused back on you, and also an excellent precursor for a reliable recall.

Whenever I introduce a new skill or behavior, I present it in a way that motivates the dog to  want  to do it. The dog will do the task...

I went to BJ’s Wholesale Club last Sunday to buy pork chops to make training treats for the week. I generally cook and cut up 8 pounds of...

I’m working with several dogs now who were rescued from puppy mills. These are not puppies, but rather dogs who were born in a puppy...

People get upset when their dogs growl – especially when the dog is growling at  them!  There’s an old, outdated idea that the human has...

I got a call from Jeff, who had rescued a 2 1/2 year old female Golden Retriever – a breeder dog from a puppy mill. TB was camped out on...

Caper is an Appenzeller Sennenhund (a Swiss herding dog), who did not like being in the car. She especially didn’t like getting into the...

Baxter and Bizzie are very smart lab mixes who needed help with recalls, polite leash walking, anxiety, and “boundaries,” – especially...

I was in a wedding this month. Actually, I was hired to be in a wedding... I got an email from a former client about Wally – a dog I’d...

It’s an adjustment when our furry friends start to age, but there are ways we can help them stay active, and feel happy and important....

It’s Dark. I’m Tired. It’s Cold. During the winter, it’s dark when most people get home from work. Life seems more stressful, you spend...

A strange thing happened this week. A guy stopped by my house asking about training. He was a big guy with a white beard, and he asked if...

Does your dog have boundless energy that can’t be satisfied by long walks and tossing a ball in the backyard? Some dogs are bred to be...

Sometimes dogs just bark. They get stressed and bark – it’s a reaction. You can punish it, or you can fix it by helping change the dog’s...

This month I’d like to talk about a reinforcer that will motivate your dog to work for you: TREATS! A high-value treat can make training...

As most of you know, I had shoulder surgery on August 11 for a detached rotator cuff and torn labrum. My recovery is exceeding all...

I was watching a video this morning from a K-9 trainer in a different state. It was one of his professionally produced “Before and After”...

Dogs don’t like to follow our random leash rules that we make up for them. It’s not natural for them to want to walk beside you like...

Poop bags serve an important purpose. They keep our streets and parks clean, and prevent dog waste from spreading disease. A single gram...