Welcome to my blog! I love to share what I know about dogs with other people, so thanks for reading this. I know that you’re going to learn all kinds of really cool things you didn’t know before.

Sometimes I’ll be silly because it’s fun. That’s probably why I’m a good dog trainer. I [...]]]>

Welcome to my blog! I love to share what I know about dogs with other people, so thanks for reading this. I know that you’re going to learn all kinds of really cool things you didn’t know before.

Silly Dog

Sometimes I’ll be silly because it’s fun. That’s probably why I’m a good dog trainer. I use dog training as an excuse to be silly and dogs love silliness.

My first labrador’s name was Silly Dog and that she was. She taught me how to be silly as well as how to live with and relate to dogs. We lived together for 15 years and I still miss her dearly.

She was my once in a lifetime dog and usually we only get one of those. But since Silly Dog, I’ve been lucky enough to have another and then another. I haven’t forgoten the many lessons that she taught me, includining, how to communicate with dogs.

Once in a Life Time Dog

Most people only think in terms of training dogs, which is usually a one way process all the emphasis is on getting the dogs to receive information. If you’ve been lucky enough to have a once in a lifetime dog, you know how much time you spent communicating with that dog, which is a two way process.

When you communicate with a dog, it creates a bond that can’t be explained to people who haven’t had the experience. It’s created with 10% chemistry, and 90 % communication. When you love a dog, you communicate in a thousand ways. It’s the communication that builds the human-animal bond and the relationship. In return, it is the relationship that increases the communication process – what a lovely cycle.

Communication in Many Ways

We communicate with dogs through our voices, facial expressions, touch, movements and gestures. In this blog, I have only my words to convey my true meaning. I hope you can ’see’ how much I care about dogs as I write about subjects as varied as the origins of the man–dog bond to the newest techniques and methods of teaching or training dogs. I think it all fits together – our bonds, our communication, and our lives.

The Full Circle Concept

I like to think there is a kind of full circle thing in the works here. In the beginning of human communications, men were communicating with other men (I say men although us girls are pretty sure we started the trend). Then men started communicating with canines.

Now, we’ve progressed all the way from grunting around the campfire to instant Internet communications of the 21st century, but our goal remains the same. Communicate with each other so we can communicate with the dog. Pretty cool.

This common misconception had survived for a long time however, we know now that playing tug is a natural game. Dogs play tug for the fun, which makes tug games are very effective [...]]]> Tug Games Stimulate Performance not Aggression

Studies have now proven that playing tug games with dogs will not cause a dog to be aggressive.

This common misconception had survived for a long time however, we know now that playing tug is a natural game. Dogs play tug for the fun, which makes tug games are very effective for training.
If your dog has a strong or dominate personality, playing tug can actually reinforce your pack leader status. Follow these two rules.

• End the game on your terms and before the dog is ready to quit.

• Keep possession of the toy when the game is over.

Don’t let the dog win possession as often as you might with a shy or insecure dog. Exhibit your control and strength, by winning possession and keeping the toy. Following these rules will let your dog see your ability to control the toy, the game, and him.

If your dog is a strong tugger get a toy that has a soft and sturdy handle like the Tuff E Nuff tug or two handles like the 2 Handled Fur Force Toy, which will help you hang onto and control the toy.

Here in the [...]]]> For many of us, learning about dogs isn’t boring or difficult. It comes easy because we’re fascinated by our best friends and competition companions and also want to understand them better. And for many of us, they are a complete mystery – a bit like aliens living among us.

Those Aliens Among Us

Here in the train category I’ll give you some tools that you can use to communicate or train your dog. I’ll give you step by step instructions on how to use some of the most effective dog training methods we have today and information on why those tools work.

In the learn category, you’ll find articles that will enhance your knowledge about our lovable little aliens in general, what they think about and react to and what they know and don’t know. I’ll tell you stories about my dogs, my students and their dogs and all sorts of fascinating facts – as well as lots of hints and tips gleaned from my 40 years of training dogs.

Agility Training

I quit training dogs for competition dog sports years ago and even though I know a lot about motivating dogs with toys, I’ll leave the specifics of dog training for sports to those who are current in their fields. I will post entries in the TRAIN category outlining training help and procedures for beginning trainers, dog owners, and anyone who desires general dog training knowledge.

Easy Training Rules

I will be posting articles here with easy dog training rules for common dog problems, which I hope you’ll find easy to follow. I’ve reduced each training problem or dog behavior modification (which is another name for training) to just a few simple rules that are easy to remember.

For example, here are my first two rules for training any dog to do anything.

1. Your dog wants your attention and wants to please you, even if he sometimes has some pretty funny was of showing it.
2. If your dog isn’t doing what you want, it’s because he doesn’t understand what you want.

It’s All In What You Know

I expect to get some argument over rule #2 from people with badly behaved dogs. Even though you may think that your dog doesn’t care about what you want, and is deliberately flaunting or taunting you, the truth is that the two of you are having communication problems and your message is NOT getting through to the other side.

Dogs have their own methods of communicating between themselves and for deciding what’s going to happen and who’s going to do what. If we tell them what we want in terms that they can understand, we’ll get what we want.

Earth to Major Tom

If you understand how your dog perceives your communications, it’s easy to get your message across to him or her. Because almost 100% of household dog behavior problems are a result of faulty communications, you can solve them if you clear up the communication channels. It’s like talking to a space ship; you just have to get the right frequency.

The Bigger Picture

In the LEARN category, I’ll be explaining the man/dog communication process in more general terms, with articles on how dogs learn and what they perceive, which will help you to understand more fully how to communicate with your dog.

To The Club

Here in the TRAIN category I’ll go into detail about how to use my training rules, answer specific dog training questions, and detail how to train specific behaviors. Please send me your questions and dog training issues so I can illustrate how easy it is to understand your dog’s behavior, and get what you want.

The best response would be a reasoned explanation about [...]]]> “What’s the big deal about dog training? I should be able to tell the dog what to do and he’s supposed to do it.” How many people feel that way? If you have a quick answer for this remark, let me know because I could use one.

The best response would be a reasoned explanation about dog behavior modification, dog motivation and dog training, but nobody is going to sit still for a lecture. They don’t want information or dog training buzz words. They’re frustrated with the dog and want results.

Play Is The Way

Did you ever have a boss that was overstressed and unhappy? Ya, right, like THAT ever happens. How much fun is it working for that person? Zero. How motivated are you to work when you get a frustrated and angry response for them? Zero.

Use your imagination to envision a work place where work is fun. And you’re rewarded with praise and a prize? Ooohhhh…. Now we’re really dreaming. Even a cookie or a thank you would be appreciated, wouldn’t it? How about a nice pat on the head (oops I mean back) or a chance to win a reward with increased production or customer satisfaction?

Dog Mammal, Man Mammal

We’re all mammals. It’s not a popular view, but for what’s it’s worth, I think we have similar reactions to similar situations. What we make of those situations is very different, but the basic reactions are much the same. Play and reward beats the heck out of negative feedback and that goes for both our dogs and ourselves.

Enter the Dog Toy

I don’t really need to finish this blog. I’m sure you’re way ahead of me, understanding the concept of rewarding desired dog behavior with play to create an eager ‘worker’. All that’s left is the details, so here’s the basic outline:

1. Get a dog toy that your dog likes
2. Play with the dog, be nice, be happy
3. Take possession of the toy
4. Ask for a behavior
5. Reward the desired behavior with fun, a game of tug, chase or keep away
6. Reward

Reward Me!

Each of these steps bears more than one article of detailed explanations, instructions, hints, tips etc. and I’ll get to them in time. For now do the best you can and keep things fun.

In the mean time, I’d like something from you. I’d like you to write with questions about what I’ve written here. I’d like to know what you want to know. It’s ok to be specific and ask a question about your dog, or ask a general question about dogs or training concepts.

I’ve been training dogs for over 40 years and much of what I know is now second nature so your questions will help me to choose the subjects that you want to know about.

If you’ll write with questions I’ll reward you, by writing everything I know of about training with toys, positive motivation training and understanding dogs.

#1 Take it slow when teaching your dog new behaviors.

#2 Teach your dog to fetch the paper in 5 steps.

#3 Link several behaviors to teach your dog new tricks.

Teach your dog faster with Play

#1 Dogs learn fastest and best when playing.

#2 Have fun and enjoy your dog training, you’ll [...]]]> Train you dog to fetch the paper

#1 Take it slow when teaching your dog new behaviors.

#2 Teach your dog to fetch the paper in 5 steps.

#3 Link several behaviors to teach your dog new tricks.

Teach your dog faster with Play

#1 Dogs learn fastest and best when playing.

#2 Have fun and enjoy your dog training, you’ll both be happy you did.

#3 Play motivational games with your dog to improve learning.

Train Your Dog to Respond Quickly

#1 Tips to get your dog to respond quicker.

#2 High Value rewards will get your dog moving.

#3 A Buffalo Toy could increase your dogs motivation.