The fist and probably most important decision you have to consider when getting a dog is “What Collar Will I Use?” With so much information out there, it can be a daunting task. People will give you so much confusing information and you could make a bad choice. To start with, I avoid using contraptions that are not collars …
Piddlers are dogs that leak a small (sometimes a large amount) when excited. This behavior should not be mistaken with dogs that mark intentionally or are peeing. There are generally two reasons why dogs piddle, one is due to a physical condition such as bladder problems, but more commonly the issue is behavioral. It is often seen in highly excitable …
The basic position of SIT and DOWN are imperative for a dog to learn. There i also the STAND command, but I won’t address that in this video. I may address the STAND command later and separately since I do think it is an important exercise. Teaching the DOWN and SIT in a particular order makes it easier for …
With all of the natural flea and tick solutions and products available I am stunned that people still buy poison to put on their dogs. Think about a product that you squirt on your dog’s skin (less than an ounce) and it’s so powerful that it repels fleas over your dog’s entire coat for a month. Let’s think about what …
The information contained in this article may be a bit advanced for some readers, but it is extremely important if you are dealing with a dog with difficult behaviors and are looking to hire a trainer to work with your dog or you are working with the dog yourself. Suppressing the drives of a dog may seem like the answer on …
As some of you may know, I studied martial arts and eastern philosophy most of my life. I taught traditional martial arts / Budo here in Los Angeles as well as in Switzerland for about ten years in the 1990’s. Meditation has been part of my daily routine for most of my life. I accredit my success in life as well …
One of the greatest obstacles facing humans when it comes to training or communicating with dogs is not skill, rather patience. People think that the dog should immediately understand what it is the human wants the dog to do. If the dog doesn’t get it people either think the dog is stupid or give up. People often ask me, “What …
Let me start out by saying this was just an impromptu video that I shot in my house last week. I was working with Goofy and Maya on some new “core strength” exercises when I realized that I had never made a video on how to build focus with a dog using rewards delivered from my mouth. I also call …
All too often people will analyze a dog’s behavior and draw conclusions from what they see. Such as a dog that flinches when you go to pet his head must have been beaten, dogs that are afraid of men were probably abused by a man or dogs that are afraid of loud sounds were traumatized as puppies. As much as …
Among the most important things we should focus on in dog training is getting our dog to connect with us, that is best achieved when our dogs look into our eyes. Eye contact with dogs connects us on a basic level that can promote a healthy training bond as well as a good overall relationship. Many dogs don’t ever look …