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]
Help! My Puppy Bites My Legs When I Walk
Do you have a puppy that bites your feet or ankles when you walk? Does your pup grab your pants leg and start tugging? Are your toes getting bloody from his playful pounces? This is one of those puppy problems that I get asked about so often that I thought it might be helpful to… [Read More]
Puppy Socialization While Sheltering In Place
If you have a young pup, you probably know how important socialization is. Early socialization can impact on your pup’s behavior later on. And even more importantly, it can have a big impact on how your puppy feels about the world around him. But, and this is huge during a time of social distancing—socialization doesn’t… [Read More]
Puppies–Starting Off on the Right Paw!
I started my training career almost 20 years ago working with a wonderful young woman and her new puppy. I was so excited to have discovered clicker training that I wanted to share it with the world! And what could be better than playing with a puppy, socializing it, and yes, teaching beginning behaviors using positive… [Read More]
Handling the Puppy Crazies
Our discussion at puppy class this week was all about the puppy crazies. You know, when the switch flips, and your normally sweet and wonderful pup turns into a wild, jumping, biting, running, out-of-control tornado. I totally understood why my students were both frustrated and worried. Is there something wrong with the pup? How do… [Read More]
11 Ways to Safely Socialize BEFORE Your Pup is Fully Vaccinated
Most of us know that we need to socialize our pups. But did you know that socialization needs to start early? And that it is critical to socialize your pup before he or she has the full set of Parvovirus and Distemper vaccines? So how can you safely socialize a pup before he is fully… [Read More]