Upcoming Shy Dog Talks
Just thought I'd share the locations & dates of shy dog talks that I'll be presenting. West Swanzey NH, Monadnock Humane Society January 23, 2010 Concord MA, Concord Dog Training Center February 27, 2010 Each 3-4 hour presentation includes information about why dogs are afraid and the most effective and humane ways to help them. ...
Annie’s Tale
In September I adopted a six year old female, buff cocker named Annie. In June my 12 year old female, buff cocker Sabu had been struck and killed by a car. I was bereft. I knew I could never replace her but the void left by my cuddly, sweet cocker loomed large for ...
What Are We Winning Anyway?
I overheard a woman talking about a visit with relatives during which a 5 month old baby, lying on the floor with a toy, began crying. The woman's son asked her to pick up the baby but she declined claiming, "If I pick him up then he wins." She then went on to ...
Change of Heart
In the years I have been living with a very fearful dog I have often thought that shelters and rescue groups that adopt out dogs like Sunny are doing a disservice to the people looking for a pet, and ultimately to the rescue industry. I hear people say that they will 'never adopt a dog ...
Behavioral Medications For Fearful Dogs
Behavioral medications can help fearful dogs. So why the reluctance on the part of pet owners to use them? I will share what mine was. 1. Medications can have side effects that will affect the health of my dog. 2. Medications are a cop-out. 3. I didn't want to 'medicate' my dog. While ...
Risk of mishandling a fearful dog
Depending on the situation, when faced with something scary a dog has limited choices as to how to respond. Early in the life of a fearful dog many choose to move (i.e., run as fast as they can) away from things that scare them, if this is an option. This is the behavior that the ...
Keeping Holidays Happy For Your Dog
Life with a fearful dog requires additional management to ensure that our pets are kept safe and as stress free as possible. There are simple steps that an owner can take to help make the holidays a time of joy and happiness for everyone. Be sure that your dog has a 'safe' space to retreat. ...
They Are What They Eat
It's not news that the quality of food we eat affects our health. The same is true for our dogs. It is possible however to get too much of a good thing, obesity is a serious health issue which can also impact a dog's quality of life. Here are a few simple ways to improve ...
Thanksgiving Thought
As challenging and frustrating as living with a fearful dog can be, learning to work with one successfully is the best education any trainer (and we are all our dogs' trainers) can have. Here is my Thanksgiving thought of the day: One of the ways that shy dogs help us become better trainers is they ...
