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 hanging from trees. To you and I, these decorations are all fun...
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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...
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, the one...
I’ve talked to a lot of families about how to potty train their puppies (and even adult dogs). There are some things that make different families’ situations unique, but here are a few mistakes that nearly everyone makes: Not letting your puppy out at the right moments or often...
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 handful of places where puppies...
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 is a very...
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...
Picture this: you come home from a day at work and your dog is so excited to see you that he goes bonkers – jumping, barking, racing around. Or how about this: you’re walking your dog around the neighborhood when he spots a squirrel, and explodes full speed ahead,...
Let’s talk about all the shmoopies in our lives: kids and dogs. This entry was inspired by National Kids and Pets day which just passed this week. Kids and Pets day began in 2005 and is celebrated on April 26th. According to their website, www.kidsandpetsday.com, the day is “dedicated to furthering...
As a dog trainer, the two questions I get asked the most are “Is my dog trainable?” and “How long will it take?” Well, I think it’s time for this trainer to reveal her secrets. (Spoiler alert: the real answer is, it’s up to you!) Trainability has nothing to...