In the world of positive reinforcement (reward-based) dog training, the term “correction” almost seems like a bad word. For many people, it conjures up images of old school trainers that use aversive, physical methods and tools to train and control their dogs. As a matter of fact, many dog training facilities that only use positive reinforcement (+R) techniques never mention … Read More
What is Opposition Reflex and Why Should I Care?
Have you ever heard of opposition reflex? Maybe you’ve heard of the term but you don’t really understand how it affects dog training in a practical sense. I’ll give you a hint, you might experience it every time you take your dog for a walk. Opposition reflex was discovered by Ivan Pavlov, the physiologist who also discovered classical conditioning through … Read More
How to Make Your Dog Howl
I’m sure I’m not the only person who’s howled at my dog, hoping she would join in and howl along with me, right? Some of you might have dogs that like to howl, like scent hounds or wolf-like dogs such as huskies, but Haley’s not one of those dogs. No matter how much I sacrifice my self-respect in attempts to … Read More
How Our Tone of Voice Affects Dogs
With all of the political talk about “tone” lately, I started thinking about how our tone of voice affects dogs and the various commands and messages we try to relay to them. I had to laugh when imagining how the current Republican and Democrat frontrunners would do if they attempted to teach a dog to sit. It might go something … Read More
Can You Meditate With Your Dog?
We’ve all heard about the benefits of meditation and how it can have a positive and sometimes profound effect on your physical and emotional health. Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of articles and books on topics like doga (yoga with dogs), Reiki and yes, even meditating with your dog. Hmm, can you really meditate with your dog? I learned … Read More
Do You Have a Dog That Doesn’t Like to Play?
I recently read an interesting article by Jen from Puppy Leaks called A Game of Tug is the Best Training Reward I’ve Found where Jen talks about how she uses a tug toy as a training tool for her dog, Laika. Training often involves using treats for motivation but Laika loves tug-of-war so much that Jen discovered using a tug … Read More
6 Simple Ways to Build Trust With Your Dog
Does your dog trust you? Maybe you never really thought about ways to build trust with your dog before, but this past weekend something happened with Haley that made me realize how important it is. I gave Haley a soft, chewable bone, you know the kind that are similar to dental bones and get a little gummy when chewed. Well, … Read More
Getting Your Dog’s Attention
Have you ever been frustrated over getting your dog’s attention? Maybe you were calling your dog to come in from outside or trying to teach her a new command and it felt like she was deliberately ignoring you. You’re not alone. One of the most common problems dog owners complain about is that their dogs won’t listen to them. It’s … Read More
For Love of the Dog – Building Love, Trust and Respect
Ironically, the same three characteristics that make for healthy human relationships are vital to creating a positive relationship between you and your dog. Love, trust and respect. Developing these qualities will not only make your life a lot easier, but you’ll end up with a happy, well-adjusted dog that loves, trusts and respects you as well. ove. Loving your dog … Read More
