We all know that family dog trainers don't train dogs, they train people. As I tease my veterinarian friends, our job is harder, because we have to train our clients to do the equivalent of the surgery themselves. And we all know that we, as a species, can be a bit challenging to train. Not because we're bad people, but because we inherently aren't consistent (ie, the downfall of synonyms), have a hugely variable repertoire, and focus on word content often more than inflection and visual signals. And now dog trainers all over the world are coping with social distancing rules that make in-person classes impossible. My heart breaks for all of those who are struggling right now, as are so many millions of people in so many different types of jobs. But the silver lining here is that so Read More

That's what I've got today. Solace. Just a little bit, but sometimes a little bit goes a long way. First, I want to share a book, Hand in Hand, that I am reading a few pages of every day. It is the kind of art that reminds us of all the good in the world, and is one of the things that is giving me exactly what I need right now. It's inspired by the macro photography of Meg Boscov, and the micro (non)fiction writing of her husband, Randy Brown of Matter Press. Here's the inside of the book--one side a stunning photograph, the other relevant muses, quotes and explorations. I read a few pages every morning. It's my favorite way to start the day. And the perfect reminder that we may be isolated, but we are all in this together. I've shared a few of Meg's photographs before, Read More

So many good questions. About how to socialize puppies. About whether to go to dog parks. So few good answers. But here's a perspective that I hope is helpful: Risk management. It's all about risk management. FOR PUPPIES what are the risks if you have a puppy and can't follow the usual guidelines for socializing your puppy? What are the risks if you do? We all know the risks by now of not following the advice about social distancing and avoiding contact with others as much as possible. We're all (or should be) trying to avoid this freight train of a virus flooding medical facilities such that people end up dying simply because there were no beds, doctors, nurses or ventilators available. It's not going to stop the virus from spreading so much as it will stop a surge in cases that Read More

What do we do after, to quote a line from the play Hamilton, "The world turned upside down"? I rarely write about current events, but it just feels wrong to not acknowledge the profound effects of the Covid-19 global pandemic. I have several fun topics for posts in the hopper for the near future (how to pick a new dog, how to handle a dog who plays rough, for example), but, like you, our lives here on the farm have been upended by what I am calling "the new abnormal". But it's not all bad. Surely there is a silver lining here for dog and cat lovers--surely we can make lemonade as much as possible? That's what I want to focus on today: How can we pet owners take advantage of the cancellation of so much of the rest of our lives? I should preface this post by saying that everyone has to Read More

    I always have the same reactions after seeing Ken Ramirez speak or watching him train. One: He is an astoundingly good animal trainer, possibly the best I've ever seen. Two: I myself am, by comparison, completely incompetent. Three: I can't wait to go home and train everything. Or anything. Right away. Because I know I'll be better than I've ever been before after watching Ken train. That sums up Ken's brilliance--presenting what he knows in such an organized, thoughtful and benevolent way that you leave his presentations excited, no crazed, to put into practice what you just learned. Rather than feeling discouraged by the gap between his abilities and my own, I always end up feeling inspired. The same thing happened after reading just the first few pages of Read More