ARE RETRACTABLE LEASHES BETTER THAN NORMAL LEASHES?

My personal opinion? No. They are not.  Laying aside the training issues of a retractable leash…let’s just talk about safety. The first one being the safety of the dog. With a retractable leash, the dog has the ability to run 10 or 15 feet in front of the owner. Meaning any person or object that […]

WHAT SHOULD MY WALK WITH MY PUPPY LOOK LIKE?

It’s one of the first questions I get asked about puppies…”What should I do on a walk when they pull on the leash?” My answer actually depends on the age of the puppy.  Eight to ten weeks my answer is “you don’t do much”. They are babies. Just keep the leash on them and let […]

WHY TRAIN A PUPPY BEFORE THEY HAVE BAD BEHAVIOR?

That’s a great question.  The old saying “a pound of cure is worth an oz of prevention”.  Training them young to walk nicely on a leash, come when called, sit, down, stay, stop biting, stop jumping and stop tearing up the furniture can save you money and time in the future. A lot of dogs […]

WHEN SHOULD MY PUPPY BE IN THEIR CRATE? – DOG TRAINING TIPS

Good question! Puppies from eight to 15 weeks of age sleep roughly 18 hours a day. If your puppy’s bad behavior escalates, i.e. nipping, barking or being aggressive, they are probably tired. Please put them in their crate. So when exactly should I put them in their crate? Puppies are the equivalent of babies or […]

IS LEAVING YOUR DOG HOME ALONE RUINING YOUR SOCIAL LIFE?

I feel your pain. I was the expert in making sure there was nothing around my dogs could chew, nothing they could get off the counters, and nothing they could get in the bedrooms. Trying to keep my dogs out of trouble while I was gone was the cleanest I’ve ever kept my home!  I […]

DOG CHOKING ON THEIR COLLAR? SHOULD YOU SWITCH TO A HARNESS?

We all know the sound. We’ve experienced it, or else we’ve witnessed it. The hoarse, raspy breathing of a dog that is pulling on their collar and choking themselves on a walk. I experienced it firsthand. And I made the same mistake that you made… I went and bought a harness. (Gasp!) After all, I […]

MY DOG JUST SNAPPED AT ME…HOW DO I TRAIN HIM NOT TO DO THAT?

That’s a good question.  After all, biting (or trying to bite) is a lot more serious than jumping or barking. Stopping a dog from biting is a lot like trying to stop yourself from getting mad at your kids. It does no good to try and deal with the situation once you’ve reached peak boiling […]

“TREAT”ING BAD BEHAVIOR – DOG TRAINING

I bet I can guess your story. Your dog has some bad behavior. You begin to take some classes from a corporate retailer. Great!  Your dog learns sit, down, stay, and come. Your furry friend is rocking their way through the class!  But there’s a hiccup. Your dog is still lunging at other dogs on walks. […]

MY DOG DOESN’T LISTEN, IS THERE A QUICK FIX?

Yes, there is a quick fix. But do you know why your dog isn’t listening to you? Because there’s no value to what you are saying. Don’t take it personal, it’s how dogs (and people) function. And don’t worry, your dog still loves you. I’m guessing, though, that you want to know how to fix this problem, and […]