The Golden Rule of Animal Training
The Golden Rule of animal training: Don’t ever, ever call your pet to you (or ask your bird to step up), then do something they don’t like. Animals are not stupid; they learn by association and consequences, and if there is an unwanted consequence for coming to you, they will be reluctant to do it […]
Puppy Socialization
Puppy Socialization: What it means and how to do it right It’s not just a buzz word! Socialization simply means “learning to live in a society.” For dogs, this means learning to live in a human society, which takes some active effort on our part. Most young social animals are very receptive to new experiences, […]
4 Tips for Introducing a New Pet
Trying to introduce another dog, cat, rabbit, or bird to your resident animals? Avoid disaster and lots of stress down the road by following these simple rules. Go slow. If you feel like you’re going too slowly, then slow down. The goal is that by the time the animals meet each other, they are so […]
Teach Your Dog to Wear a Head Collar
There are many brands of head collar (such as the Halti and Gentle Leader), but they all work basically the same way: by turning your dog’s head when she hits the end of the leash, you can redirect your dog easily, and discourage pulling on walks, barking, and lunging. They work essentially the same way […]
The Lassie Package
A bundle of Puppy Kindergarten, Basic Manners, and two 3-week Field Trip classes to take your new dog from puppyhood to adulthood with excellent socialization and manners. It’s the equivalent of kindergarten through high school for your dog! This package is ideal for people who want a well-behaved, friendly, easy-to-train partner for years to come. […]
In Defense of Small Dogs
In our line of work, we hear debasing comments about small dogs all the time. They have a reputation of being “yappy,” “ankle biters,” and difficult to train. If you’re looking for agreement from a dog trainer, you’re talking to the wrong ones. We love small dogs. Many of us have small dogs, and they’re […]
Parvo and Rabies in Reno and Sparks: A Plain-English Explanation
You may have already heard that for at least the last year, veterinarians are seeing increasing amounts of Parvovirus cases in Reno and Sparks. A few weeks ago, a puppy in Carson City was discovered to have had rabies. What you need to know is why this scares everyone so much, and what you can […]
Top 5 Preventable Dog Behavior Problems
This Training Tidbit is used with permission from our colleague, Carla Brown, of The Savvy Dog in Truckee, CA. Thanks, Carla! Owners whose dogs have “behavior problems” keep trainers (and shelters) busy. Many of the problems are a result of people not understanding how dogs think, learn and communicate. Some of the more challenging behavior […]
4 Tips for Making “Friends” with a Scared Dog
“How come he likes you? He never likes anyone! You must be magic.” We get this all the time. People are always amazed when normally fearful or aggressive animals like us. It’s a handy skill, considering that we work with animals with behavior problems for a living. And because we like you, we’re going to […]
Home Alone: Boredom Busters for dogs
Is your dog bored while you’re at work? Boredom is probably the most common cause of behavior problems in the house, and can lead to more severe problems like anxiety. Dogs are notorious for getting into all sorts of mischief as soon as their human family has left for the day. And can you blame […]
