In the past, there has been some debate about whether or not we should play tug with our dogs. The thought was that high energy games like tug were dangerous and encouraged dogs to bite.  It’s true that Tug is a game that can get…

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…

Teaching a Leave It behaviour is a great way to begin teaching your dog about self-control, especially around people, other dogs, or other items that he REALLY wants to investigate. It’s a way to teach him to ask for permission instead of just grabbing. Sometimes…

There are some dogs that are naturals around the water; they require no training and sometimes seem more comfortable with swimming than with walking on dry land. Other dogs, however, don’t have that natural instinct or desire to swim for hours, but that doesn’t mean…

Dogs are intelligent, active creatures. Many of the breeds that are popular today were originally bred to do something – herd livestock, help us hunt game, guard their property from intruders, or exterminate vermin for example. While many of us don’t really have a need for a…

There are so many things that to teach a new puppy that it can be a little overwhelming to think about it all at once. Where to even start? One thing to keep in mind is that what your dog learns first, he learns best….

For many years, describing dogs as “alpha” and “dominant” have been a big part of dog training culture. Dogs that are difficult to handle or that don’t get along with other dogs or people are labeled with one or both of those adjectives as a…

Teaching your dog how to go to a designated spot, like a bed or a mat, and stay there until released is one of the most useful skills that he can learn. It’s a great way to ask your dog to stay out from underfoot…

Come when Called (a behaviour also known as a Recall) is one of the most important things that you can teach your dog, and it’s one of the first things you should start working on when you get a new dog. A dog who responds quickly and…

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…

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,…

I Promise that He Can Do It at Home! One of the best things about working with clients in dog training classes is seeing how excited they are to show me the progress that they have made with training their dog in between classes. It’s…