We all know that too much stress can be harmful to our mental and physical health. So, to celebrate Stress Awareness Month this April, let’s focus on creating some new, healthy habits to reduce our stress and anxiety levels. Spending quality time with our pets certainly helps and maybe you’ve even wished you could trade places with your dog during … Read More
Does Your Dog Give Dirty Looks?
We dog owners are often accused by canine researchers of assigning human emotions to our pups. But according to Stanley Coren in his article for Psychology Today, those dirty looks just might be real. Stanley doesn’t have to convince me though. If Haley had a middle finger, she would probably use it occasionally to express her feelings. I should probably … Read More
Help! My Dog Doesn’t Work for Treats
When it comes to dog training, almost every article you read suggests using food or treats as an incentive, especially with positive reinforcement training. Food is a great motivator for most dogs but every once in a while, I get a comment or email from a reader saying their dog doesn’t work for treats. What? How can it be that … Read More
12 Ways to Help Your Dog With Holiday Stress
Do you have a dog with holiday stress? Every year, Haley watches as I begin to drag out all of our Christmas decorations. Some are in the garage, some in the basement and others in closets. She’s a velcro dog, so she follows me on my many trips back and forth and all around the house while I gather the … Read More
Dog Drive Types – An Outdated Theory?
Have you ever heard someone say their dog has a strong prey drive and wondered what they meant? After reading a lot about dog drive types, I understand why some dog trainers and behaviorists rely on them to motivate their client’s dogs. But just how useful are they? Can they really help you better understand and train your dog? First, … Read More
14 Things Your Dog Hates
We all know that most dogs hate fireworks, baths, vet visits, and dressing up for Halloween. But here are some other things your dog hates that might not be as obvious to you. Could you be irritating your dog and not even know it? How many of these things do you do? Even though we humans like hugs, most dogs … Read More
3 Misconceptions About Dog Body Language
Dogs are masters of reading our body language, but how well can you read your dog’s cues? While observing a dog’s behavior, some signals are confusing and might not mean what we think. Have you ever heard any of the following statements about dog body language? Dogs wag their tails for a number of reasons. If their body is very … Read More
Help! My Dog Gets Too Excited
Do you prefer energetic dogs or laid-back, calm dogs? I like spirited dogs. It’s entertaining to watch them get worked up and go a little crazy sometimes while playing, but there’s a downside to all that energy if a dog gets too excited too often. Here’s why! Overexcitement can be an inherited trait or an environmental (learned) behavior. Sometimes it’s … Read More
What’s Your Pet’s Pet Peeves?
I have a few pet peeves when it comes to people and these three are at the top of my list. Here’s what’s strange. I know it’s not their fault, but noisy eaters bother me the most. Ironically, I don’t mind watching or listening to Haley crunch food or chew with her mouth open. As a matter of fact, I … Read More
Do Dogs Feel Guilty?
Every time I see one of those dog shaming images with a guilty looking pup displaying their confession written on a sign hung around their neck, I wonder if any of those dogs really feel ashamed. Even though they may look or act remorseful, do dogs feel guilty? Most of the research on this subject suggests that dogs aren’t capable … Read More
