Knowledge, Education, Tips & Tricks For The Everyday Super Hero’s Owner
A question I get asked a lot: When can I start training my puppy? The answer: Right away! People often think that puppies can’t learn until they reach a certain age or that a newly adopted dog needs time to settle in. And while you should be patient with young...
When training a dog, every great trainer needs three things: Timing, Consistency and Motivation. What do I mean about motivation? I mean the thing that makes your dog WANT to work. For you, it’s your paycheck. Regardless of the amount of love you have for your job,...
Our Blog Knowledge, Education, Tips & Tricks For The Everyday Super Hero’s...
Thinking about getting a puppy is super exciting but takes a lot of planning. It should not be an impulse decision. After deciding what kind of puppy will be best for your family and lifestyle, your next decision is where you should get the puppy from. There are a...
If you’ve ever been to one of my classes, had a private lesson with me or even read one of my other blog entries, you know that I LOVE talking about mental stimulation. Mental stimulation is simply working out your dog’s brain with training or other activities. This...
This article was featured in the May 2017 issue of SA Amigo- San Antonio Bilingual Pet Magazine. Check out the digital copy here.
You’re very aware of your mental state-sometimes you’re happy, angry, anxious or nervous- but do you give your dog’s mental state much thought? Probably not. While we humans can talk about how we’re feeling inside, our canine companions communicate the same thing in ways that may not be so clear to us, through body language and behavior. The funny thing is that mental state and training affect each other in reciprocal ways.
Let’s clear up what the term “aggression” means
As a professional in an industry that unfortunately has many schools of thought as to training methodology, I have to be careful about the specific words I use when explaining behavior to non-positive reward based trainers. I hear from clients every single week that their dog is “aggressive” but when they describe the dog’s behavior, aggression is not the right label.
As a pet professional I frequently get asked about what I feed my dog or for recommendations on pet food brands. Everyone has two things in mind when deciding on what food to purchase: quality of food and price. But not everyone knows what makes a quality food.
When I begin training with a new client, I often ask what kind of food they’re feeding their dog. Sometimes my clients look a little bewildered as to why I would even ask. The reason is because food not only has huge implications on health, skin, and odor but on the mental function and energy level of our pets as well. Think about this – how do you feel after eating a big, greasy burger from a fast food joint? On the other hand, how do you feel after eating a balanced meal of vegetables and lean protein? While that greasy burger may taste fantastic going down, an hour later you may feel sluggish and ready for a nap, or have trouble concentrating on what you’re working on. The same thing happens to our pets! Feeding a low-quality food with little nutritional value is the equivalent of you eating pizza, burritos and fast food for every meal.
Getting a puppy is a fun and exciting time. But if this is your first puppy ever, or it’s been a while, you may have some questions. These are the questions I get asked the most as a trainer: When can I start training? RIGHT AWAY! Whether you think you’re actively...
Some dogs love their crates without any training. Yea, they do exist! Both my dogs took to the crate no problem! But some dogs may need some help and some dogs may downright have severe anxieties about being confined. ...
With the calendar rolling over into August, it’s time to get the human children ready for school- get those school supplies, shop for that new wardrobe, and schedule the carpool! But what about our furry children? Surprisingly,...
With these Texas temperatures, we have to get creative with how to stimulate our Sidekicks . A long walk outdoors may not be a safe option, so here are a few new ideas to try out! Bobbing for treats/fruit-...
I know, the title is heavy. But this issue is important because a harmless midday walk can easily turn into a life or death situation in a matter of minutes. And it can all be prevented. As if getting...
Now that we got the wolf talk out of the way (read the previous blog post), let’s talk about why dominance theory is a detrimental way of teaching our Canine Sidekicks. If we still were thinking in terms...
I talk to lots of people all day long about dogs and training methods. Thanks to popular dog training shows such as The Dog Whisperer, one term I hear often is “Dominance”. I am so happy that...
Having a furry creature who doesn’t speak English living in your home can be confusing at times. Even more confusing is having TWO furry creatures of a different species who also don’t speak the same language as each other....
The weather is cooling down and the holiday decorations are making their annual appearances. For some of you, this is the first time your dog is experiencing these new, huge inflatable yard fixtures, or the spooky ghouls...
A question I get asked a lot: When can I start training my puppy? The answer: Right away! People often think that puppies can’t learn until they reach a certain age or that a newly adopted dog...
When training a dog, every great trainer needs three things: Timing, Consistency and Motivation. What do I mean about motivation? I mean the thing that makes your dog WANT to work. For you, it’s your paycheck. Regardless...
