A Separation Anxiety Trainer's Blog

"I often hear the refrain, 'My dog isn’t allowed to have people food,' echoing through the years of my work with families on teaching their dogs basic manners. It's a sentiment often expressed when I suggest using chicken or cheese as dog treats during training sessions. Observing dogs reluctantly accepting treats, owners sometimes conclude their pets aren’t food motivated. But there are compelling reasons why 'people food' can be effective in training. There are two main rea

Last summer I was in the backyard with my dog Whimsy working on some agility drills. Agility is a lot of fun, but it can be a difficult...

It’s so exciting to bring home a new dog or puppy! Hopefully you’ve been planning this addition for some time and are prepared for all...

Is your dog a digger? Is your previously nice yard turning into a landscape of divots? There are many reasons a dog may dig in the yard,...

In a previous blog post I wrote about how important it is to help your dog develop resilience. Dogs with resilience are better able to...

Do you know if your dog is an optimist, or a pessimist? Optimistic dogs are more likely to expect good things to happen, while...

There are many reasons an owner may want to crate their dog: They may want to use the crate as a tool for housetraining a puppy or...

“If you let your dog sleep on your bed, he might become dominant”. That’s what I was told when I got my first dog as an adult almost 30...

Many people assume that the dogs belonging to dog trainers are highly trained, responsive dogs that always obey every request. Some...

“My dog will chase the ball, but doesn’t bring it back.” Or “My dog will play fetch for two throws, but loses interest after that.” I...

If you’re planning on bringing a new dog into your family, you have some choices as to where to obtain one. Your decision should be based...

I think most people who are considering adding a dog to their family want to be a good dog owner. Being a good dog owner doesn’t start on...

The key to house training is to have your dog eliminate in the correct area 95% of the time. You also need to be able to interrupt them...

It makes me just a little bit anxious to even think about moving, and everything that it entails: Sorting through your belongings to...

I admit it. I used to be a mat training skeptic. “Why use a mat when you can just train a good stay?” was my line of thinking. But then I...

My dog Quinn can be sweet, loving, funny, and well behaved. He can also be a jerk. No, that’s not official trainer speak, that’s just me...

You’ve worked with your dog on a behavior, they’ve performed it hundreds of times and you believe your dog is well trained to do it. Then...

As a species we speak many languages. Personally, I only speak my native English fluently, and a little bit of the High School German I...

You’re watching TV, reading a book, or talking on the phone. You suddenly glance over at your puppy who is walking through the room with...

Because dog separation anxiety most likely has a genetic component to it, sometimes people believe that if their dog is destined to...