Is your dog afraid of people, loud noises, or even leaving the house? You’re not alone. Many dogs show signs of fear, and it can be tough for owners to know what to do. That’s where fearful dog behaviour therapy … Continued
What can cause anxious behavior in dogs? The causes are as varied as are the approaches for reducing that anxiety, and the cause must be explored in order to determine the best response. Some animals may be predisposed to developing … Continued
Even though few of us are fluent in the many dog languages, most of us can tell the difference between a friendly dog and an unfriendly one. The … Continued
It has abeen a sad week for the dog behaviour world with the passing of Dr. Sophia Yin. Dr. Yin quickly became a strong voice for positive training advocates, working tirelessly to make owners aware of the impact of human … Continued
What is the Difference? The discussion often comes up on the differences (or similiarities) between dog training and dog behaviour. People who are dog trainers will glibly point out that there ‘are no degrees in dog behaviour’ – this is … Continued
Punishment, or the use of aversives, force, coercion, or physical corrections in order to change an animal’s behaviour is commonly used by the general pet owner and by many dog trainers. Some punishments are seemingly innocuous, such as squirting a … Continued
Dog Collars I know that something as basic as dog collars might not require having an entire article written about it, but hopefully once you have read it, you’ll walk away understanding the differences between them all a bit more, … Continued
Conditioning is one of those terms people understand generally, but not specifically. I hear it used incorrectly by ‘dog trainers’ when they can’t explain a behaviour, much less change that behaviour. Here is a clinical definition of conditioning: In the … Continued
Using ‘Dominance’ To Explain Dog Behavior Is Old Hat A new study shows how the behaviour of dogs has been misunderstood for generations: in fact using misplaced ideas about dog behaviour and training is likely to cause rather than cure … Continued
Please watch this! BBC: Pedigree Dogs
I am constantly asked by people about dog parks. My response is always the same – I have a love-hate relationship with them. Dog parks can be fun for balanced, well socialized dogs as well as a place to help … Continued
How smart is a dog? The problem with understanding the intelligence of dogs is our obsession with comparing it to something – our human brains struggle with a reference point for that intelligence when there really isn’t one. There are … Continued
Hello, my name is Jock and I am a West Highland Terrier, I’m looking for good people to adopt me. I decided to go over a few things that I need in an owner, so there will be less arsin’ … Continued
Whether you are training a dog to sit, or working with a serious behavioural issue like aggression, there is one key ingredient that is necessary for success: Deference. What is Deference Deference is simply defined as the dog understanding that … Continued
A lot of dogs I deal with, at least those that fall under general problems, often have excitement and hyper-activities associated with their contextual responses to stimulus. As most of you know I have three categories that I use to … Continued
The biggest challenge in behavior work is determining why therapies work for some people and not for others. I have thought about this over the years and has worked diligently on giving better service to the clients, communicating effectively and … Continued
Excessive Barking is a problem for many people. It must first be important to understand that barking is a necessary part of a dog’s communication strategy. Essentially, it is an information gathering behavior designed to answer some very pressing questions … Continued
Dog kills newborn in Alberta community, that was the headline I was reading while I drank my coffee. As a father of 3 my reaction was sadness, as a dog behaviourist my reaction was frustration. As I read the scant … Continued
What is aggression? Aggression occurs in dogs for a number of reasons which we will discuss in this article. It varies generally from dog to dog, but occurs most frequently in socially mature and intact male dogs, (Reisner, 1997). It … Continued
Summary Over recent years there has been an increasing interest in the application of what we know about wolf behaviour to our understanding of the behaviour of our domestic dogs. While this may have helped to increase our appreciation of … Continued
Having a dog in your life is a huge responsibility. It must take precedence over your personal time, Facebook, Iphones, texting and all of the other self-indulgent things we distract ourselves with. Our dogs didn’t choose to come live with us, … Continued
The Fearful Dog Dogs may display a variety of behaviors when they are afraid. A frightened dog may try to escape, may show submissive behaviors (avoidance of eye contact, submissive urinating, rolling over to expose his belly), or he may freeze and … Continued