Dealing with the Death of Dogs
My relationship with a client usually begins with a picture of a precious pup or a rescue who is giving them a run for their money. Now that I have been training for quite some time, I am getting more and more gut-wrenching calls and pictures of those who have passed. I don’t have as
Cancer, Coronavirus and Canines
The corona crisis came, and just when I didn’t think I could take any more gut punches, the cancer diagnosis came. Dogs live in the present. So should you. Dogs don’t dwell in the past or worry about the future. Neither should you. Getting prepped for my bilateral mastectomy, my life quickly flashed before me
The Comfort of Canines during the Covid-19 Crisis
For those of us whose love language is physical affection, social distancing is hard. Definitely necessary, and worth it to protect the most vulnerable, but hard. Once again, dogs are proving to be a most comforting companion during uncertain times. While we are all worried about even breathing on one another, thank God dogs love
What Dog Training Taught me about Parenting and Partnership
Whatever you feed, not only lives, but grows. Whatever you starve, dies. While positive reinforcement may look like just feeding dogs treats, it’s much more than that. It’s complex, because if positive reinforcement isn’t done correctly, it can actually be encouraging/enabling the very behaviors that are trying to be extinguished. We are marking behavior we
Pets Helping People with Pain
Every single one of us is enduring some sort of pain. For some it’s physical, for others it’s emotional, or psychological. However, I have come to learn that the worst kind of pain is usually invisible. I say it’s the worst pain, because oftentimes there is little to no support, whether it’s because the illness
The Heroes of Hurricane Harvey: Saving what matters most
I am not from Texas. I’ve been here 10 years, but it’s never quite felt like home. Then Harvey came to Houston. I saw Texans walk their talk of “Texas tough.” I have never been so proud to call myself a Houstonian. I was in awe at the lack of chaos, and the calm of
Patience Please
Nothing stifles learning or a spirit more than the fear of making mistakes. Even with positive reinforcement training, if dogs are not getting a click/reward, you will see some start doing restless displacement behaviors like shifting or scratching, etc. There will often be looks of desperation in their pleading eyes. At that point, I am
Aggressiveness versus Defensiveness
Very few dogs are actually aggressive. Why? It goes back to the foundation of all dog training, which you will hear me say often:
Dogs will always continue to do what gives them the greatest benefit.
It is not to a dog’s benefit to attack. If a dog were to bite a person or another dog, the chances of it getting hurt in return is high.
No Regrets
To put it simply, I teach owners to train in a way that they will have no regrets.
If somebody tells me, “We hit our dog and it worked,” I simply reply with the foundation of all dog training:
“A dog will always continue to do what gives it the greatest benefit.”
Of course it is to its benefit to not get hurt.
The Power of Positive Reinforcement
Do you prefer working for a boss who uses bullying/fear of punishment to get you to perform, or a boss who incentivizes you to want to work to your best potential by being a good role model, drafting for you (while patiently guiding/leading), and then rewarding you with benefits and praise as you grow in skill?