Teaching a Reliable Drop Cue
When we ask our dog to “drop” something, we are expecting him to let go of whatever he is holding in his mouth. Sometimes we’d like our dog to let go of a toy that we are playing with to keep him from getting overly excited. Other times, our dog might find something that could be harmful for […]
10 Easy Ways to Incorporate Dog Training into your Daily Routine
When it comes to training our dogs, one of the most common concerns we have is not being able to make time to train them. While it would be great if everyone was able to spend hours a day working with their dogs, for most people, it’s just not a realistic expectation, especially in Singapore. However, […]
What is Clicker Training?
In the realm of dog training, two distinct camps exists, namely the ‘Traditional” and the “Positive Reinforcement” camps. “Traditional” dog training has been around for decades, possibly even centuries whereas training based on Positive Reinforcement and canine behavioural science is relatively new and has only gotten exposure and traction in the last 25 years. Positive reinforcement dog training […]
Unleashing your Dog
For a lot of people, a dog that is able to behave and remain focused on his owner while off of the leash is the epitome of a well-trained dog. Teaching your dog to stay tuned into your movements and to respond to your cues quickly and consistently allows you to engage in a wider […]
The Benefits of Training Tricks
Most pet owners spend the majority of their training time working on basic manners like Come when Called, Stay, and Loose Leash Walking. Without a doubt, those are important cues and concepts for your dog to understand and be able to perform reliably. However, in my opinion, there is another type of training that deserves […]
Dealing with Excessive Barking
Living with a dog that barks excessively can be very stressful. It’s hard to relax at home with a barky dog, it can be difficult to get along with neighbours if you have a dog that barks too much, and chances are, your dog is pretty stressed out as well. Excessive barking is a behavioural […]
Decoding Your Dog: The Eyes
A dog’s eyes are naturally expressive. Small changes in the shape and size of his eyes or the direction and intensity of his gaze can tell you if your dog is feeling happy, excited, nervous, or scared. Knowing how to interpret the changes in eye shape and size can give you a lot of information […]
Making Your Dogs’ Behaviour Work for You
Dogs are constantly taking in new information and interpreting new experiences. They make emotional associations with each new event, and they also pay close attention to the consequences of their behaviour in each interaction. Every behaviour has a consequence. A consequence is the action or reaction that follows a behaviour and it will determine whether […]
Decoding Your Dog: The Mouth
A dog’s mouth is just as expressive as his eyes and tail. Even though he can’t use his mouth to talk like we humans can, the way that he positions his lips, jaws, and teeth can still speak volumes. As with all other aspects of dog body language, some of the dog’s gestures with his […]
What to Expect from Your Adolescent Dog
Puppies are really cute, but they are A LOT of work. When they first come home, they need nearly constant supervision to make sure that they don’t potty in the house or chew on something that they shouldn’t. Luckily, it gets easier after the first couple of weeks. You develop a potty training routine, you […]
How to Survive and Thrive during Fear Periods
The first twelve to eighteen months of a puppy’s life are incredibly important. He is a little sponge that is constantly absorbing new information about the people, places, animals, and things around him. Most of us know that we need to socialise our puppies if we can hope to expect them to grow up into […]
Crate Training 101
What is it? A crate is one of the best training tools that you can use with your dog. A crate provides a place for your dog to go when you can’t dedicate 100% of your attention to your dog’s whereabouts or activities. Most crates are either made of plastic or of metal so that […]