Have you heard that playing tug can make your dog aggressive? That it's a game of power and whoever wins is the Alpha?
Read MoreSalinger: Week Two
Week Two and this little guy is starting to really settle. He makes me laugh out loud on a regular basis and I'm consistently blown away by his resilience. Walks are a lot of fun in this gorgeous weather as we explore the neighbourhood and meet some of the friendly dogs who live near us. There's a lot of exploring and grasshopper-hunting.
Read MoreThe Daycare Dilemma
Daycare can be a great option for dogs who would otherwise be left alone for 8+ hours a day, or if they have isolation distress / separation anxiety that you are currently modifying. We must advise that there are few dogs that are a good fit in a daycare environment. Dogs are not built to be physically and mentally stimulated for long periods of time, and daycare can do just that. Overstimulation can cause aggression and inappropriate play between dogs.
Read MoreThe "Dog Park Dog Trainer"
We dog trainers have what we call a negative conditioned emotional response to a few things in the dog world. The terms "alpha", "pack leader", "stubborn" and (human) behaviours like alpha rolling, or the use of positive punishment (leash corrections, shock collars, physical reprimands).
A common one comes to mind this week after three separate clients came to me and stated "this week I tried [XYZ] because there was a dog trainer in the dog park and (s)he said that it's very effective."
It's hard to bite my tongue in those moments because [XYZ] is generally well-meaning but poor or dangerous advice from someone who may be a hobby dog trainer, but has little to no education in the field. More often than not I have to undo the damage there and explain why pinning the dog on the ground after he barked at the dog who was relentlessly humping him [or insert some other normal dog behaviour here] is not only ineffective but dangerous and considered inhumane..
Read MoreYour Dog's Cottage Survival Guide
Summertime is cottage time for many of us and that includes our four-legged friends. While we all dream of our summertime travels being relaxing, oftentimes a lack of preparation causes more stress than we bargained for.
Whether you're heading to the cottage or a pet-friendly hotel or resort, or even simply to visit family and friends, this list of tools and tips will help you prepare for the worst and hopefully in turn give you the peaceful and enjoyable vacation you imagine.
Summertime is cottage time for many of us and that includes our four-legged friends. While we all dream of our summertime travels being relaxing, oftentimes a lack of preparation causes more stress than we bargained for.
Whether you're heading to the cottage or a pet-friendly hotel or resort, or even simply to visit family and friends, this list of tools and tips will help you prepare for the worst and hopefully in turn give you the peaceful and enjoyable vacation you imagine.
Read MoreThe Many Benefits of Dog Sports
If you think of the practice of dog sports as a competitive and fairly serious business, you’re only about 10 percent right. Just as in human athletic pursuits, the vast majority of dog sports enthusiasts are hobbyists; happy amateurs not much interested in ribbons or plaques. So what hooks people? The numerous benefits two- and four-legged sportsmen alike reap. For starters, a quick alphabetic inventory reveals something for every ability and temperament: agility, caniscross, disc dog, dock diving, earthdog, flyball, freestyle, herding, lure coursing, mushing, nose work, rally-o, tracking, treibball, and weight pulling. An exhaustive list would be much longer, of course, and still wouldn’t include the many fun, creative activity classes trainers, dog facilities, and dog groups might offer.
Read MoreFood Dispensing Toys for Dogs
Dogs are natural hunters and scavengers – they’re problem-solvers! When we bring dogs into our homes and feed them out of bowls, we’re asking them to do something that goes against what they are programmed to do…they need an enriched environment!
Read MoreWhy Size Matters in Dog-Dog Play
Your Chihuahua may love Boxers and your Rottie mix may adore Dachshunds. But when little and big play together, keep close watch. Big dogs can unintentionally harm small dogs—and on the rare occasions when friendly play escalates into a scuffle, the smaller dog is at risk for serious injury or death. If you let your dog play with very differently sized dogs, supervise vigilantly...
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