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Retractable Leashes

Submitted by wabniaq-k9 on Thu, 03/21/2019 - 13:27
A leash is ideally a means of humane communication, and if necessary, a tool for effective control. It is difficult to accomplish either function with a retractable leash, as commonly used by pet owners, retractable leashes can be dangerous to the person using it, to the dog on the end of it, to other dogs, other handlers, and innocent bystanders. I caution my clients to watch out for and steer clear of people who are talking on their cell phone while walking their dog on a retractable leash, likewise, to be alert for the people who pay out retractable leash every time their dog pulls, while calling out, "It's OK, he's friendly." Here (following) are some opinions about retractable leashes from some experts in the field.

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Overweight Dogs

Submitted by wabniaq-k9 on Fri, 02/22/2019 - 09:14

Obesity is a leading factor among many of the pet dogs that are brought to us with behavioral problems. And with almost equal regularity their humans express surprise and disbelief. If you touch your dog's ribcage gently with your fingertips and you cannot easily feel ribs, there's a pretty good chance your dog is overweight. If your dog does not have a visible waist looking from above or a clear abdominal tuck viewed from the side, there's a pretty good chance your dog is overweight.

Is your dog not motivated by food? Read on, please.

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Intro To Dogs 11-22-18 Session One

Submitted by wabniaq-k9 on Thu, 11/22/2018 - 19:43

History of Dogs and Humans -- Dogs have evolved together with humans for about 12,000 to 14,000 years. As a result, they are able to understand us very well. While they don't understand human language, they can read our intent in our voice, our touch, and our body language or posture and movement. They can associate sounds or movements with behaviors, and they can use those behaviors to earn rewards and be in relationship with us.

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Rewarding Your Dog

Submitted by wabniaq-k9 on Mon, 11/12/2018 - 19:51

Sometimes (a lot of times) when people bring their dog for training it's because the dog is not doing what the human wants.

Does the dog understand the desired behavior? Is the dog able to produce the desired behavior? Can the dog associate the behavior with the command? Does the desired behavior earn a better reward than other options?

If you were offered a job that payed better, payed more often, had better working conditions, greater chances for success, and more interesting and meaningful work, wouldn't you take it? And what if you were paid in cash?

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Herding Airplanes

Submitted by wabniaq-k9 on Mon, 11/12/2018 - 12:31

At a job site some years ago I met someone with two Border Collies who were frantic. They were running around as though they were having an anxiety attack, looking for anything they could make move. The first time I saw them focus on anything was when an airplane flew past. And the dogs tried to herd it, too. The fact that the airplane did not comply with their direction appeared to add to their distress.

I asked the owner what was happening and he replied, "Oh, that's just the way they are, they're a little crazy."

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Seven Habits Of Well-Behaved Dogs -- Habit #1

Submitted by wabniaq-k9 on Tue, 10/09/2018 - 13:29
Working Dog With Handler

Whether we’re talking about high-performance working dogs or enjoyable pets, there are certain common factors shared by healthy, well-behaved dogs. Here are seven of them, we'll discuss one a week so please check back.

Habit #1 -- Their person is the most interesting thing in the world.

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Wellness

Submitted by wabniaq-k9 on Thu, 08/30/2018 - 11:43
Dog Wellness

If we form the conditions for wellness, that is what tends to happen. Some of those conditions are, in no particular order:

1. appropriate social structure

2. discipline and training

3. humane treatment

4. safety/security

5. establishing and maintaining trust

6. clear communication

7. nutrition

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