We're taking the week off between Christmas and New Year's Day to relax and refresh. See you next year! Read More
Archives for 2016
Intake Interviews: Part II
Last week I wrote not so much about what to ask in an intake interview, but how to ask it. I promised to add the what part this week. I will, but I also want to expand on some of the things I talked about last week. Specifically, what to do about one's observations of the clients themselves. It's all very fine to notice that the two owners aren't talking to each other, or clearly disagree on how to handle the dog. But what do you do with that information? As usual, the following is meant to generate a discussion as much to provide information. But, I'll start first, with... WHAT TO ASK: The Problem(s) Obviously (and early on as noted last week), what is the problem behavior exactly? When exactly does it happen? What happens right afterward? When did it start? What does success look Read More
How to Do an Intake Interview – Part I
I’ve thought about intake interviews every day since someone wrote, “Yes, please tell us what you asked clients during an intake interview.” I don’t know why this question speaks to me so much, but perhaps it is because of my interest in human psychology. I’ve always said that my two favorite species are people and dogs, and although there are times that the people part of that equation challenge my affection, I still am equally fascinated by the species at both ends of the leash. That might be why I’ve found myself thinking not so much about what I asked clients, but how I asked it. Honestly, the bare bones facts that you need are pretty straight forward (I’ll list them next week in Part II), but I’m going to argue that HOW you ask the questions is the key to a good interview. Much Read More
Well, This is Awkward: Christmas Book Ideas
Someone just asked me what book or books they would recommend for someone who wants to learn more about dog behavior. This person's interest is not superficial, she is serious about studying canine behavior. My friend wanted to buy her some books for Christmas to get her started. What would I suggest, she asked. I suggested that she look at The Classics on my website, because I compiled it as an answer to that very question. I should note that the entire package of six books a tad expensive, however, and more than a person might want to spend on a gift. If you wanted to send a few books, I'd suggest two. One is Barbara Handelman's book, Canine Behavior, a Photo Illustrated Handbook. I recommend this book because visual signals are such an integral part of canine Read More
Less is More (When It Comes to Training)
When I first started seeing clients, I felt a need to send them home with as much information as I possibly could. How could I deprive them of all the things that they could do to help their dogs? Because I knew that people only remember a relatively small percentage of what they hear in one appointment, I wrote a number of booklets over the years for them to take home and read. The Cautious Canine, Feisty Fido, and I'll Be Home Soon, for example, were all written as supplements to the information I covered in my early sessions with clients. But there was always so much more. Dogs who were reactive to other dogs on leash were confused by the owner's lack of consistent cues. Fearful dogs needed more than classical and operant conditioning when strangers arrived; they needed to live in a Read More
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