positive reinforcement

Support Systems

By |2013-03-30T09:34:19-04:00March 30th, 2013|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

There is so much progress that needs to be made in regard to how people "think" about animal behavior and training that it can seem overwhelming. But seven years ago I had to seek out and search for information regarding the most humane and effective ways to help dogs with fear based behavior challenges, whereas today it streams on my Facebook page and twitter account. ...

Save Your Breath

By |2013-03-29T16:33:58-04:00March 29th, 2013|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

Every now and then a Cesar Millan fan will find my blog and do their darndest to convince me of the error of my ways and assessment of his. I have to give them credit for their efforts. They are right to accuse me of moderating many of their comments. I didn't always but I decided that he has gotten enough airtime without my blog ...

Bite Me!

By |2013-03-18T10:11:55-04:00March 18th, 2013|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I recently had the unfortunate, albeit educational experience of being on a radio show with three other dog trainers. When asked if we'd ever been bitten I recounted the story of being bitten when I was a kid, another trainer spoke of his experience with sharp puppy teeth and his nose, but it was the last trainer whose response was most disturbing. This self-proclaimed dog ...

Relationship Capital

By |2013-03-16T20:10:50-04:00March 16th, 2013|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

When I was in my 20’s I worked as a guide on the Wanganui River in NZ. One day during a hike, one of the participants on the trip, a woman in her 60’s commented to me that she thought I “weighed too much for a girl my age” and went on to give me dietary advice which consisted primarily of switching from butter to ...

Feeling is Believing

By |2013-02-24T15:13:22-05:00February 24th, 2013|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

During our daily woods walk I spied a piece of birch bark rolled up and lying on the snow. Nibbles also saw it and tentatively stretched his nose toward it for a sniff. I felt myself experience a small hit of adrenalin that often accompanies events that scare or startle me. Other than it being the same size and dimensions of a belly-up grey squirrel, and ...

We may love them, but we sure don’t respect them

By |2013-02-07T09:28:12-05:00February 7th, 2013|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , |

It would seem that it is too much to expect that people who decide to make a living from "working" with dogs, actually spent some time learning about them. There are plenty of jobs out there that don't require any education for someone to excel at them. If you want your lawn mowed and raked hiring a neighborhood kid with the tools is probably not ...

Competing Motivators

By |2013-01-29T09:43:30-05:00January 29th, 2013|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Motivation. Everyone talks about it. Did you make a New Year's resolution to go to the gym? There are blogs devoted to helping you stay motivated enough to actually do it. Sometimes getting out of bed in the morning requires a level of motivation we may question whether we have or not. Some motivators are very powerful, while others lag behind, yet even if that ...

Sew Buttons On Your Underwear.

By |2013-01-21T09:39:39-05:00January 21st, 2013|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Anyone who has spent time with prepubescent or adolescent humans has had or heard a conversation that goes something like this after an adult makes a statement or request- Kid: "So?" Adult: "It's important." Kid: "So?" Adult: "I feel insulted when you talk to me that way." Kid: "So?" Adult: "That's a rude thing to say." Kid: "So?" Adult: "I'm losing my patience when you say ...

The 7 Habits of Successful Fearful Dogs

By |2013-01-19T10:42:13-05:00January 19th, 2013|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

"Not sure why you want me to do this, but ok, whatever." On my book shelf is a CD by Wayne Dwyer on the power of intention. It’s an inspirational presentation. But as powerful as intentions are, given the right set of circumstances, habits will win out. Recently I moved the app icons on my iPod around. I deleted a few and moved ...

Creating Harmony

By |2013-01-14T10:21:24-05:00January 14th, 2013|Categories: Dog training, Helping fearful dogs|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

When I was a kid I had piano lessons. It was obvious I was no prodigy, and my enthusiasm at the keyboard was in seeing how fast I could play Love Story, but I don't think the lessons were a complete waste of time and money, even though I convinced my parents that they were. Before I succeeded in ending the lessons I had a ...

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