Month: June 2018

Our ability to communicate with dogs is one of the primary reasons why we were able to nurture  our human-canine bond so effectively. Body language is an important communication tool as since they are unable to speak, the rely heavily on body language. Our bodies communicate concepts to our dogs and effective communication relies on… Continue reading The Importance of Body Language and Facial Cues in Communication

When you lose your determination and begin slipping and falling behind on your training, it can have serious consequences. When dogs do not get enough physical or mental stimulation, they look for ways to entertain themselves. This usually means they begin chewing or destroying something important to you (shoes, your couch, etc.). Similar to humans… Continue reading I Can Destroy This: Destruction and Boredom

Longevity of training takes determination. Determination requires a change in mindset that allows you to see the importance of completing a task daily. If you don’t create a daily training routine, your dog may become neurotic. Listed below are 5 steps that I have used to ensure that I stay determined in meeting Odin’s long… Continue reading 5 Ways to Stay Determined

There are multiple ways to communicate with your dog. You can use treat luring, positive reinforcement, shaping with clickers/markers, and/or body language. This week, I will be discussing how clicker/marker reinforcement can be used to effectively communicate. You may not have known it, but you have probably experienced clicker reinforcement in your daily life. When… Continue reading Clicker Communication: Click and Treat

If a dog does not enjoy their job, they won’t be motivated to do it. Dogs need to be passionate about their work in order to be motivated. If they do not enjoy the job they are doing, then they will just go through the motions because they were told to, rather than because they… Continue reading Don’t Try to Fit a Square Peg into a Round Hole