“How do I crate train my puppy?”

 

Maestro enjoys his crate

Crate training is a simple way to keep a pup out of trouble, or to give an older dog their own “bedroom”. Dogs, as den animals, are generally more comfortable in small confined spaces. It can help them feel more secure, and provide a safe haven from a variety of problems. 

Help! My dog is aggressive with other dogs on the leash!

In our last post on this topic, we talked about reasons WHY a dog can be more aggressive towards other dogs when on the leash. Here we will give just a few tips on things to do to handle this problem. We of course have more tricks up our sleeves to deal with this annoying problem, after all, where would we be without a job? But these are some things to think about and do to lessen the behavior while you’re trying t find a trainer to come and help you with this problem.

My dog reacts aggressively at the front door?!

This can be a common problem. And it’s often a frustrating one for owners, especially those that have a lot of company come over. It’s always best to consult a professional trainer or behaviorist when dealing with any type of aggression. But we can give you a few tips on what NOT to do here.

how to housetrain a puppy – tips on potty training

 

Potty training a new puppy can be a hard time during the new pups life as well as yours. It usually occurs at a time when the new relationship between you and your pup is just beginning to form. Doing it incorrectly could damage this new relationship and confuse the dog.

Dog Parks – “petiquette” – pros and cons

Dog parks have become a large part of American society. People want to take their dogs out and let them run uninhibited. They enjoy watching their dogs have “friends” and most people love to watch their dogs play. But almost every day I hear of an “incident” at the local dog park. Why is this so? I think a key element in problems at dog parks is the fact that there are a lot of pet owners who are uneducated in the area of canine behavior and body language. Some are completely irresponsible with their dogs, or oblivious to anything going on around them. This leads to problems.

To treat? or not to treat? the use of food during dog training!

This can be a controversial topic among dog trainers. Some trainers argue that the use of food treats constitutes an attempt to “bribe” the dog to do what you want, other trainers contend that it is a perfectly acceptable motivator. As with any other training “tool”, I truly believe that it is as the saying goes “the fool not the tool”. Meaning, that it is not the use of food, or the lack of treats in a training program that trains a dog. It is the trainer/handler.

dog pulling on leash, how do I teach loose leash walking?

A dog that pulls on the leash when walking can create alot of problems. If the dog is very large and/or the handler is unsteady on their feet, it can even become a major safety hazard. It also may make it harder and harder to walk the dog, which means the dog gets less exercise, and the problem is perpetuated.

To correct, or not to correct…thoughts on squelching aggression

Over 20 years ago I owned a big red doberman pinscher named Rusty. Rusty was my best friend, but he had a problem, he wanted to attack other dogs, and sometimes would nip at people. Looking back now, I think his biting on people had to do with redirected aggression, and he had a very low tolerance for frustration. But, he risked losing his happy home because of these tendencies. We decided he needed to be trained and since I was extremely interested in dogs and dog training, I was the one enrolled into obedience school with him. The instructor at that time was an “old school” trainer. Exercises were very military-istic and training was no-nonsense in those days. I was told to take a strip of rubber hose, and when Rusty turned to bite me I was to hit him as hard as I could over the head. Surprisingly enough, this worked. But at what cost? Could I have gotten the same results while using another method?