What are handling exercises and why might they be useful? Exercises that use gentle and positive handling can help to increase the enjoyment and decrease any fear associated with handling and restraint. In addition, they provide a means for achieving a relaxed state, which might then be used if the dog begins to get excited or aroused. Verbal and physical …
Collar and Harness Options for Dogs
There are many types of collars and harnesses that are used for restraining or training dogs, ranging from simple strap/ buckle collars to head halters; in the case of collars and harnesses, one size (or type) does not fit all. “Functionality, comfort and safety should be the prime considerations in any choice.” Functionality, comfort and safety should be the prime …
Behavior Modification – Clicker and Target Training
What is clicker training, and how does it work? Clicker training is used as a means of clearly and immediately reinforcing a behavior in virtually any species of animal. A clicker or an audible tone (found on some remote collars) is paired with a food reward until it becomes a conditioned stimulus for food. This is done by consistently sounding …
Children and Pets
The birth of a baby or the adoption of a new child is associated with a great deal of anxiety, excitement, and stress for not only the family, but also the family pet. Some dogs and cats can have a difficult time adjusting to these changes, especially if this is your first child, but preparation and planning will help. How …
Puppy Behavior Training – Training – Sit, Down, Stand and Stay
How do I teach my puppy to sit on command? Using a food treat, hold the food over the dog’s nose and slowly move it up and back over the dog’s head. As the puppy follows the food with its head it will sit down. Now couple the word “sit” with the action. The upward motion of the hand as …
Canine Communication – Interpreting Dog Language
Dog communication uses most of the senses, including smells, sounds and visual cues. Pheromones, glandular secretions, barks, whines, yips, growls, body postures, etc., all serve as effective means of communication between dogs. Unlike in people, canine body postures and olfactory (scent) cues are significant components of dog language and vocal communications are less significant. People are listeners; dogs are watchers. …
Interpreting Tail Wags in Dogs
What does a wagging tail mean? When your dog wags his tail, is he telling you that he’s happy? Not necessarily! Canines know many variations of the “tail wag” and they all mean different things. In fact, a wag of the tail is one of the best methods of communication in the canine kingdom. Like human infants, dogs must learn …
Human-Canine Communication: Tone vs. Volume
Sometimes it’s not what we say, but how we say it that resonates in interpersonal communications. Nonverbal cues are essential to effective communication with other people, and the same also holds true when communicating with our dogs. What does my dog hear when I speak to him? Before he learns word associations, your dog hears “yadda, yadda, yadda” when you …
Canine Cognition: How Smart Are Dogs?
What is cognition? According to the Merriam and Webster Dictionary, cognition is defined as conscious mental activities: the activities of thinking, understanding, learning, and remembering. How do we know what dogs can learn, think, understand and remember? You may think that your dog is brilliant. Perhaps he fetches your shoes and can bring the sneakers or the flip flops by …
Dog Toys: One of Your Best Management Tools
By choosing the right toys for your dog and using them wisely, you can make dog toys one of your very best dog-management tools. Here are some different types of toys, examples of each, and how you can use each kind when managing your dog. Chew Toys Dogs NEED to chew. Not just puppies; adult dogs, too. If you don’t …
