For a little over a year, I’ve been working to manage my boy Bear’s deteriorating health. On Friday, March 24th, I had to let him go. Winter 2021/2022 was really hard on Bear. He could no longer climb on the …
Shaping Behavior
Last week, we talked about capturing. This week, we’ll discuss shaping behavior. What is Shaping? Shaping breaks a training goal down into smaller steps. You reward your dog as he takes each step toward your larger training goal. For example, …
Capturing
Last week, we talked about luring to train your dog. This week, we’re going to look at capturing. What is Capturing? Capturing is teaching your dog to perform a natural behavior on cue. You catch your dog performing the desired behavior …
Luring Your Dog
The first training technique I learned was luring your dog into position. I’ve been very successful over the years in using luring for training. Positive Training Techniques While I will be the first to admit that I’ve had to use …
Christmas Weight Pull
On Christmas Day, Tank and I competed in a Christmas weight pull. Not a traditional Christmas, but perfect for us! Christmas Weight Pull I’m working on getting Tank up to 12 times his body weight, so we can get his …
SmartPak Dog Food
I’ve used SmartPak Dog Food for years. I prefer to feed a fresh diet, but when I can’t SmartPak is one of my top picks. SmartPak Customer Service SmartPak customer service is hands down the best in the business. I …
Cesar Millan
I’ve followed Cesar Millan and the debates about his training techniques for years. No doubt there are issues with his training philosophy, but there’s still a lot learn from him in his training. The Dog Whisperer The Dog Whisperer ran …
Holiday Weight Pull
On Thanksgiving, Tank and I competed in a holiday weight pull–our third IWPA weight pull of the season. Since I don’t have family near by, it was a great way to spend the holiday! Note: Photos courtesy of Abi Maxwell …
Rally Excellent Title
On November 19th, Copper earned his Rally Excellent Title. More importantly, he made big improvements in two major areas of anxiety for him. Nashville Dog Training Club I’ve mentioned in previous posts that Copper has struggled at Nashville Dog Training …
Motivating Your Dog
I’ve learned a lot about motivating your dog the last two years. In part, because I have a difficult dog and in part, because I’ve had to trial without treats or toys. Thinking Outside the Box For years, I only …