How dare you!
I often wonder why people are so quick and ready to choose coercion* as a method for dealing with their dogs. Perhaps we believe that they are not smart enough to learn any other way. But I think that one of the main reasons is because their behavior often makes us angry or frustrated. When ...
Elementary my dear Watson
As much of a pain as it was to find myself with a project instead of a pet, I not only adore my fearful dog Sunny (who I am upgrading to my 'super cautious' dog Sunny) I am grateful to him for bringing the joy of inquiry back into my life. As a kid the ...
It’s what I usually do
Daily I head out with the dogs for a walk through the woods on trails not far from our house. Old carriage trails, built by the farmer who had his homestead at the top of the hill to get down to the river road and into town, wind through what were at one ...
Candy aisle etiquette for dogs
Sometimes I have the fun of confirming for an owner that the dog they have recently rescued is a star. I had initially dreaded meeting McGregor, but he quickly became one of those 'other people's dogs I wouldn't mind having as my own'. A friend had recommended that McGregor's owner bring him by for an ...
Finding our way with our dog by heart
Years ago a fellow named Vince, out in Colorado contacted me to purchase a collar pendant for his dog Ellie. I sell pendants made from gemstones that are suppose to help the wearer feel more courageous. Mostly I think they just make us feel good because they look nice. I suggested that Vince also try ...
The Good Samaritan Law
I spent 3 days at a workshop with Suzanne Clothier focusing on the treatment and handling of fearful and reactive dogs. The fabulous Deborah Flick of the The Boulder Dog Blog came out and joined me and I can't imagine a better time. One of the questions asked of Suzanne was- when was it appropriate ...
Origami & the art of folding behavior
When we fold a piece of paper, even if we return the paper to its original shape, the memory of that fold remains. When we are building different objects out of paper we might create a fold which we do not intend to use right away, but will return to it further along in the ...
Feminism & the art of dog training
If when I was in university someone had suggested that my major of Women's Studies would help me be a dog trainer I probably would have thought they were crazy. Majoring in Women's Studies was like majoring in Philosophy or English Lit, it made for good late into the night conversations with housemates but the ...
It’s not just about being nice to your dog
I often say to people that I can talk about dogs anywhere, with anyone. Friends who asked me to officiate their wedding may have thought I was joking when I suggested that weddings were not excluded. I was not joking. As a dog trainer I had learned something about animal behavior that applied to people ...
