Oct 2, 2023 | Aggression-Reactivity, Behavior- misc, Blog, Fears & Phobias, Training Skills, Uncategorized
In a prior post about reactivity, we went over the all-important stress zones and offered a checklist to determine if your dog is reactive. In part 2 we offer an avoidance tool and a To Do checklist to begin to help your dog. What is a reactive dog? To start,...
Sep 2, 2023 | Aggression-Reactivity, Behavior- misc, Fears & Phobias
One morning about a year ago, after a ferocious clap of thunder, my border collie, Decker, reminded me of the power of classical conditioning. Many of us know the story of how Ivan Pavlov in 1902 showed how classical conditioning can be used to make a dog...
Aug 17, 2023 | Aggression-Reactivity, Behavior- misc, Fears & Phobias, Gadgets-Tools-Toys
Dog muzzles can sometimes get a bad reputation due to misconceptions and misunderstandings about their purpose and use. There are certainly pros and cons depending on the specific situation and how they are used. Let’s begin with the muzzle cons (I’m starting...
Jul 9, 2023 | Aggression-Reactivity, Behavior- misc, Blog, Body language, Fears & Phobias, Training Skills
What is reactivity? We hear the word, reactive or reactivity bandied about as it applies to dogs, but what does it really mean? Reactive dogs become over aroused and will overreact to common stimuli in their environment. They may be unable to control their escalating...
Jun 19, 2023 | Aggression-Reactivity, Behavior- misc, Blog, Body language, Fears & Phobias
You can help your dog change his fearful behavior. Check out our 8 tips. I was out recently and saw a dog that was obviously scared, though his pet parent was totally unaware. It brought up a memory of the time I worked with an adorable 7-month old Australian...
May 16, 2023 | Aggression-Reactivity, Behavior- misc, Blog, Fears & Phobias, Fun & Games
The Power of Radical Acceptance Can we make our dogs become something they are not? Learning radical acceptance can be mind-blowing. By Cheryl VanVoorhies, M.Ed., CTC How many of us, myself included, have wanted our dog to be a superstar at a dog sport such as...