Thunder Phobia: Early Intervention Works!
Thunder Phobia: Early Intervention Works! On Good Behavior LLC The August that Flash was 5 ½, I noticed that he was behaving strangely during thunderstorms. He would hide under my desk, drool, and look generally miserable. It took me a few weeks to realize that this always occurred around thunderstorms, but once I put two […]
10 Uses for Leave-It
10 Uses for Leave-It On Good Behavior LLC I got lots of nice feedback from those of you who enjoyed the 10 uses for a sit stay article, so here are some thoughts on places I use “Leave-It”: Worst case scenario: dropped a whole bottle of ibuprofen on the floor. Looks like candy… Goose poop! […]
10 Uses for a Sit Stay
10 Uses for a Sit Stay On Good Behavior LLC Stay is my favorite command to teach and something I find wonderfully useful. However, I find many people think of stay as a parlor trick—stay while I walk across the room and call you, stay while I put a cookie on the floor or on […]
Teaching Your Dog (NOT!) to Raid the Garbage
Teaching Your Dog (NOT!) to Raid the Garbage On Good Behavior LLC You’ve probably heard me say that when you are teaching your dog something new, you want to increase the level of difficulty slowly and steadily. So how does this look for a slow and steady training plan? One Monday, the phone rings as […]
Can You Spoil Your Dog?
Can You Spoil Your Dog? On Good Behavior LLC There have been a number of recent newspaper articles poking fun at dog owners who give their dogs massages, organic food, trips to doggie daycare etc, but are we really spoiling our dogs? I don’t believe it is spoiling to make sure your dog is healthy, comfortable, well […]
Attention, Please! Teaching “Watch”
Attention, Please! Teaching “Watch” On Good Behavior LLC Trainer and author Brenda Aloff says that all behavior problems stem from failure to train impulse control, tolerance of body handling, or attention. I used to think that attention training was something that was only necessary for success in the obedience ring, where dogs are expected to heel next […]
Winter Activities: Ways to Exercise Your Dog When It’s Cold Outside
Winter Activities: Ways to Exercise Your Dog When It’s Cold Outside On Good Behavior LLC The Boxing Day snowstorm got me thinking about exercising the dogs without stepping out into the windy cold. My favorite winter weather activity is hide and seek link to article. Today, I have a list of ideas to keep you and […]
Success Off-Leash
Success Off-Leash On Good Behavior LLC Here are some dos and don’ts to successfully working with your dog off-leash, whether in your backyard, the dog park, at an agility class, or on a hiking trail. DO reward your dog for checking in with you with praise and an occasional treat. Remember, paying attention to you is […]
But He Knows it at Home!
But He Knows it at Home! On Good Behavior LLC As a dog trainer, I frequently hear this lament as an embarrassed owner struggles to get his dog to sit, come or lie down. And I don’t doubt for a minute that the dog has an awesome sit in his own kitchen. Many dogs listen […]
Lures, Bribes and Rewards
Lures, Bribes and Rewards On Good Behavior LLC I love the simplicity of lure and reward training, but I have found that there is one major drawback to this method: it encourages owners to bribe their dogs. What is a bribe?A bribe is something offered in hopes of getting what you want. The person (or […]