"Three days, three weeks, three months." That's the mantra of many dog trainers and behaviorists, when welcoming a new dog into their household. The "magic of threes" is especially relevant when adopting an adolescent or adult dog into your home. Dogs, especially non-puppies, are often in a bit of shock for the first three days in a new home, and don't show you too much about who they are until they've been there a few days. After three weeks many dogs have settled in such that they behave as though they feel like they are "home" now, but don't fit into your routine until about three months have gone by. The number three has another relevance to new dogs: See below for the three ways we most confuse new dogs, and how to prevent it. I've thought about this a lot lately, for a couple of Read More
Archives for 2014
Resource Guarding Revisited
A little over a year ago I wrote a post about the causes and treatment of resource guarding. It generated a lot of interest, and no wonder. It is such a common problem. Ironically, I was reminded of that by the opposite: My new dog Maggie seems happy to let any person or any dog take away whatever she has in her mouth. She is the classic "dog in a manger," because she wants whatever toy Willie has, even if I give her its exact replicate. She wants it because Willie has it. And yet, any one could take a bone out of her mouth, and she is happy to share her water bowl or the wading pool and just about everything else I can think of. Perhaps happy isn't the right word. What do I know about how she feels about it? But she tolerates it without any sign of distress, and I am grateful every day Read More
Memorial Day and Dogs in War
It is Memorial Day in the United States; a day for remembering those who have lost their lives in war. It is only fitting that National Geographic just came out with an article on "The Dogs of War." I read with it the same mixed feelings I always have on the topic of young, healthy lives lost because of our inability to solve conflicts without violence--admiration and respect for those in the military, and deep sadness for all the loss that war creates. It seems only right then to take a moment to thank all of the dogs that have been enlisted into our battles; for their commitment to a job, to their moments of bravery, and to the comfort that they give to the men and women caught in conflicts, far away from home. I admit to feeling a great sense of sadness that they are there at all, Read More
How to Talk to Other Dog Owners
When I was seeing a lot of clients I could always tell when I was tired because I started working with the dog, rather than training the owners. Perhaps that's the irony of language: It makes communication easier in one sense, and harder in another. Things were so simple and clear when I was working with someone else's dog. Trying to influence the behavior of the people felt much more complicated. It is not that I didn't enjoy it--I love people, they are one of my two favorite species. It's just that it was harder to work with them than the dogs. It's no surprise then that talking to someone you've never met about their dog's behavior is especially fraught. Whether it's at the dog park, in the neighborhood, or at a dog class, we've all struggled with what to say to the person whose dog is Read More
2014 Spring Book Review
As always, there are piles of books on my desk, my bedside table, the dining room table, and Willie's crate. Books are one of my greatest joys in life, but like gardening, I never feel caught up. However, that never seems to stop me from buying more books, so here are some thoughts about some of the books I've been reading and reviewing. I love hearing from you about the books you have enjoyed (or not), so consider this an invitation to have a "Book Club" evening together. The Dog Trainer's Resource 3: The APDT Chronicle of the Dog Collection. This is the third in a series of articles written for APDT's magazine, Chronicle of the Dog. As a result, it has an eclectic set of topics, from "The Emotional Life of Dogs" (an article I wrote) to "Teaching Group Classes" to "Business Development Read More
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