Are the stairs your dog’s racetrack?
(originally written in 2019)
The puppy came to us at 4 months old thinking that stairways were a combo racetrack/high jump. Any time anybody started using the stairs, Skipper was there, determined to be first up… or down. In addition, he would leap down from the 4th or 5th step, skipping all those boring lower steps. “Skipper” has turned out to be a very fitting name for him!
It's everywhere and we hardly notice it!
Call me crazy, but I have a theory that we unwittingly practice the 3-Second Rule in many different human contexts as a matter of course.
The rule is a part of our cultural norms.
Pleasing Us
Her words struck me so intensely that you might have thought I’d been physically hit. I heard, “she doesn’t love you.” That’s not exactly what she said about my dog, but that’s the message I received.
Where's the Line?
“My toddler has mastered the cello.”
This is a ridiculous statement, right? A toddler 1) doesn’t possess the required physical abilities such as coordination and dexterity; 2) hasn’t been in the world long enough to have received sufficient training; and 3) is not developmentally at a stage where she can “master” a skill like this.
Always learning new things
Thank you, Dog Lovers, for another year of dog! It’s a fun journey to be in this with you and I wish you the very best as we all continue to learn and grow from our lives with dogs.
As 2022 comes to a close and we look toward flipping the calendar to another year (and in some cases, enthusiastically flipping this one away!), let’s have some fun together by playing a canine cognition game.
It’s always good to be curious, ask questions, and put on our critical thinking caps, right?
Love at First Sight....
...or maybe not?
Congratulations! You’ve added a new canine member to your family!
The Importance of Learning Boundaries
Let's get rid of the term, "socialization."
“Socialization.” It sounds lovely, doesn’t it? When humans talk of socializing with each other, it carries a connotation of “party” or at the very least icing on the cake of the day-to-day routine. “Socializing” when referring to puppy development is, however, so crucial to their long-term well-being that it should be renamed “survival training.”
Unsocialized or improperly socialized dogs tend to be fearful. Fear is the primary cause of aggression. Aggressive dogs have a hard time thriving in human society. It’s plain and simple.
Sarah earns her dog training certification!
The Language and Culture Gap
I graduated from college with a degree in “Language and Culture.” Yep, it was one of “those” liberal arts degrees that can lead to… what, exactly? Though I tried to convince her, my mom could never quite grasp the connection between my degree and dog training. My career is actually a product of that education - with help from a zigzagging progression and convergence of experiences and life choices.
Harness the Power!
We share a serious obsession with our canine friends: a passion for flying round objects. Balls. Balls of all sizes and colors and textures incite incredible excitement from both species.
The Miracle of a Stationary Dog
Learning Games Rock!
Dogs are a “neotenous” species; juvenile traits persist throughout their lives, unlike most other mammals. They don’t care about “working” or personal responsibility – they just wanna have fun!
Do you have a good Recipe for Success?
I love to eat and to cook, so it’s natural for me to love to use food analogies when it comes to training dogs.
Are you SURE you are ready?
Useful? or not?
The next time you use voice navigation, imagine Siri telling you where NOT to turn, what street NOT to take, and to boot, she uses an accusatory tone with you. There you are, driving through a big, busy and unfamiliar city. You are a bit nervous, not sure how to get to your destination and Siri tells you things like, “No! Don’t turn there!” “Not that street!” “Not the next one, either!” Absent is all the information on which street to look for, how far away it is, which way you’ll be turning, etc. In other words, everything you need is missing.
Dogs' Best Friends are Often not Dogs
Time to get into shape!
Proper stretching, movement, and body awareness contribute to overall good health whether we're dog or human. Don’t wait for your dog to be injured before you teach him some beneficial “doga poses” – start now!
Here are two of my favorite “tricks” that carry with them some whopping physical benefits:
“Who’s your queen?”
What's up with that?
The cashier overheard a conversation I was having with the person behind me and gleaned that I was a dog trainer. She motioned me closer and said, under her smoky breath and with a snicker and a slight air of superiority, “My two rescue dogs didn’t need training. They came fully trained.” What could I say, but “um, that’s very nice. You are lucky.”
Teaching Puppies Their ABC's
When we venture beyond our dog’s familiar training space, it’s difficult for him to maintain the level of responsiveness he has at home. If a dog rarely goes anywhere, he may appear to be untrained in other situations, so different are the “environmental cues*” to act or respond in a certain way. It’s for this reason that we need to mix up locations when we train.
