In the past few years, I’ve notice a resurgence of outdated tools and methods used for training our dogs. Choke chains and slip leads, pinch collars, electronic collars, air horns and other tools that cause discomfort, pain, startle, and fear. I want to very clearly state that we do not use these methods at Good… [Read More]
Welcome to Ruffly Speaking.
I hope you enjoy my blog. My goal is to get people thinking, talking and exploring a wide variety of dog-related topics. Please let me know what you think!
Training Tip: Teaching “That’s all!”
When we are training our dogs with food or toys, they often get very excited about training. We often pull out treats, do a training session, and then abruptly stop training (at least from the dog’s viewpoint). The same thing can happen when we play with our dogs or even when we are done with… [Read More]
You’ve got to love those adolescent yahoos!
When puppies start to grow up, sometime between four and six months, they become insatiable. They need more of everything—more training, more play, more attention, and even more sleep. This is what I call the age of “Oh my god, I can’t possibly give my dog enough exercise and attention!” Fortunately this is a stage, and… [Read More]
A cautionary tale about collars and dog-to-dog play…
Over the years, I have heard of many collar and harness accidents—some with tragic results. This story, thank goodness, has a happy ending. But it could’ve ended much differently. My client has two border collies who were approaching their first birthday. They both had beautifully woven martingale type collars that they wore all of the… [Read More]
Do you have home alone challenges?
As things open back up in our post-Covid-shut-down world, many of us will find ourselves leaving our dogs home alone more than we have in the past year. How does your dog do staying home alone? If you have been home with your dog for the past year, will they have separation anxiety now? It… [Read More]
Puppies put everything in their mouths! What can you do?
Puppies put everything in their mouths. They all do it to some extent—it is perfectly normal for puppies to explore the world with their mouths. Most of the time it is not a big deal and no harm comes from pups learning about their environment in this manner. Puppies will pick things up, chew a… [Read More]
Does Your Puppy or Dog Bark When People Come to Your Door?
You are not alone. Most dogs bark some when there is a surprise visitor at the door. Here are some of the reasons they bark and what you might be able to do to help them stop barking sooner. The dog doesn’t know what to do when people come. One of the best things to do… [Read More]
Counter Surfing: The Key is Prevention!
Counter surfing is a fairly easy behavior to prevent, but it is a much more difficult behavior to fix once a dog is doing it. Make a plan. Don’t leave it to chance and just expect your puppy or dog to know they shouldn’t take things off of counters and tables. They are dogs after all,… [Read More]
Puppies and Kids Together
We think of kids and puppies going together like peanut butter and jelly—a perfect pairing. But there are some significant challenges that come when you have puppies and younger children together. Here are some things that might help you keep everyone safe, calm, and happy. Children 0-4 years: With very young children you will need… [Read More]
Looking for Ways to Entertain Your Dog? Try Fun Brain Games
If your dog is sometimes bored around the house or missing their usual activities, doing brain games can help entertain, engage, and wear them out! Here are three of my favorites. Food puzzles. Dogs are both predators and scavengers by nature. That means that they are wired to search for food sources and work to… [Read More]
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