Dog Puppy Behavior Training Help

iPhone 3Gs Video ** Do it or Suffer: Your Weimaraner Needs Exercise!

Today I went with my clients, Derrick and Megan, to Shelby Farms to exercise Bimmer, their 1 year old Weimaraner dog. Scroll to the bottom of this post to watch 2 iPhone 3Gs videos of Bimmer playing fetch. I first met the clients January 2009, when Bimmer was a puppy. Derrick and Megan were model students, and it shows. Bimmer was an excellent guest at the dog park. Derrick and Meagan have a wonderful...

Fire Hose Game: Simple Solution for Excited Dogs Jumping Up on Visitors

Sometimes we get so engrossed in stopping our dogs’ behaviors, we overlook the simple solutions. Friendly, jumping up on guests is the most common problem reported by my clients. Many dogs calm down after a few minutes, so this solution is for those guys, the dogs that are too excited to obey during the first few minutes, but do relax after their initial exuberance has passed! We’ve all read...

Signs your Dog is Not Getting Enough Exercise

All dogs need exercise. The amount and type of exercise needed varies with each individual. The perfect amount of exercise is just enough for your dog to be tired enough to be a relaxed calm member of your household. If your dog has lots of unused energy, it will emerge as annoyances. Tired pups and dogs don’t jump up excessively, bark and whine excessively, destroy everything, run away, dig for...

iPhone 3Gs Video ** Submissive Dog Behaviors are Not an Indication of Guilt

Common submissive dog behaviors include lowering of head, tail, body, or rolling over and exposing the underside. Many people believe they are teaching their dogs by scolding. They place items the dog destroyed into their outstretched hands, fuss at the dogs, and the dogs cower away. The people support their misbeliefs by the phrase, “She knows what she did because she looked guilty when I held...

Amateur Shock Collar Use Starts Dog Fight

If you want to control your pet dog’s involuntary aggressive responses via force and intimidation, you are entering a spiral of blackness and doom. One day, your chosen method or equipment will fail; injuries and sadness will emerge. I’ve seen it many times. Point being, punishing the growl with a quick burst of energy via an e-collar, leash jerk, Caesar Milan hiss, alpha roll, spank on the butt,...

You Should Not Stop a Dog from Jumping Up on Counter

Forget about stopping naughty behaviors.:) Instead, spend a little time with your dog and teach him a behavior that is incompatible with jumping up on counters such as to Go-To-Place. If you focus on stopping behaviors, you are destined to make a full-time hobby out of training. For example- If you focus on stopping a dog from jumping on the counter and succeed, you really haven’t taught the dog...

Submissive & Excitement Urination – Solutions

Sometimes dogs seem to leak urine. I’ve noticed that it occurs more often during initial greetings. This can be caused by youth, a developmental problem, a medical condition, a behavioral issue or a combination of factors. It’s always possible that sudden urination is the result of both behavioral and non-behavioral causes. Contributors such as underdeveloped organs, medications that facilitate...

Help! My Dog Races Through Open Doors!

Why wouldn’t a dog bolt through an open door? Because you teach him not to, that’s why! Does your dog race through open doors and gates? Most people either pick up their dogs or hold the dog’s collar to prevent door bolting behaviors. Both of these actions “pay” the dog for trying to run through the door. The ultimate pay is the chase and adventure of escape. Every time your dog...

Canine Behavior Modification for Reactive, Unwanted, Behaviors, including Fear and Aggression

Okay, so your dog is fearful, barking, lunging and otherwise distressed when he or she sees people, trucks, cars, or dogs. Depending on who you are talking to, those behaviors may be classified as territory or protective aggression, possession aggression, inter-dog aggression, fear aggression, or leash aggression. I’ll refer to the other people, other dogs, trucks, cars, as “triggers”,...

Untrained Dog Misbehaving? Attach a Leash. You are a Zookeeper.

If you have a new puppy or dog, you need to manage the environment so your puppy does not practice rude behaviors. Use baby gates, crates, leashes, tethers to control your pup’s access to territory. Many people overlook the most basic tool for controlling a dog inside the house, the leash. It’s a neat device that has a coupler on one end that attaches to your dog’s collar. Several...

Frozen Kong for Dogs and Puppies Provides Stimulation, Exercise, and can Aid in Crate Training

Frozen Kong® Sometimes the weather or my schedule prohibit outside adventures. Sometimes I’m too lazy or tired to exercise. I’ve found ways to entertain Bentley without walking or playing fetch. Here’s how you can exercise your dog when you are busy. Get a Kong®. Amazon has excellent prices on these famous Kong toys. You an get a large kong for under $8. Order two or three and keep them...

Canis lupus familiaris, Food Related Aggression

Many people are aware that some pet dogs will guard food. Food guarding is not uncommon when it occurs between dogs. If that is the only problem, it can usually be controlled by managing the environment. Feed the dogs in different areas; remove the empty bowls, avoid feeding rawhides, crate the dogs during dinner, during pizza parties, et cetera.  Some people accept food guarding between dogs as...