Dog Behavior

Explore extinction in dog training for a well-behaved companion. Learn practical tips, alternatives, and effective behavior change with positive reinforcement.

If you have ever done some research online to find a dog trainer, canine behavioral consultant, behaviorist, etc, you most likely noticed the many varied acronyms in front of their names.

Dog training is a science-based profession much like psychology, and we use principles that can be applied to all animals, humans included.

Since I started working with dogs many, many years ago, my philosophy of “dog training” has evolved. When I was young, the mainstream theory of dog training was the theory of the pack leader. As outdated as it is today, it is still evoked by… Read More »The outdated pack leader theory in dog training

There are quite a few choices for us to use from food items to toys, to praise, and a few others in between but for the sake of this discussion, let’s consider a food item – dog treat – as our reinforcer.

Whether you have shared or share your life with a dog, you have likely heard of using psychology in dog training. We use psychology in all aspects of our lives, and it comes as no surprise that we also use psychology when training our dogs. … Read More »Psychology has gone to the dogs – beyond sit and stay

The last thing you need during leash walking when planning a peaceful and relaxed walk around the block is a puppy dragging you around and perhaps even causing you to slip and fall. One of the many reasons we (dog trainers) get called is to… Read More »How to control your dog from pulling on the leash

So you have a problem you need help with. Your dog may be reactive on the leash, may not be able to cope with alone time at home, may chase the cat he shares the home with, or may even need to learn to walk… Read More »Not all trainers are qualified to treat your dog’s behavior challenges

Did you know that …. Some of the dog behaviors humans consider nuisances are actually natural dog behaviors? Yes! And even though we may like to remove those behaviors from the dog, we may do them a better service if we either redirect or harness… Read More »Natural Dog Behaviors