Training

This dog had developed a strong habit of urine marking in the house. His owner is managing the situation by making the dog wear a belly band (with a disposable sanitary pad inside), while also encouraging him to use puppy pads" to relieve himself if need be. A security camera confirmed that he's using the pads!üKeep a close watch on your dog

with all sorts of distractions. The "check in" contributes to his staying in touch with you

too! Just about any dog

Training a dog to "drop it!" is extremely useful, but what about when you're dealing with a resource-guarding dog, or a dog who insists...

or just the ball on the end of the stick? Do you want her to stand or sit when she touches the ball? Is it okay if she licks the ball or opens her mouth on it? The clearer your vision is

If your dog has arthritis or is recovering from an injury or has a condition that restricts her range of motion, a variety of assistance devices ranging from simple to sophisticated can help her live a more comfortable, active life. Steps and ramps are affordable, portable aids for dogs who need help getting onto or off of furniture or into and out of vehicles. For dogs with neck or spine injuries or osteoarthritis, elevated food and water bowls may help reduce pain (or anxiety about pain) from reaching down to eat or drink from low bowls.

we start with shaping that behavior and backchain to the completed "Fetch" behavior.üGradually

It's fortunate that there are many positive training options for our dogs today! Increasingly, people are choosing to extend their dogs' education past classes in good manners, and I strongly advocate following up those basic classes with a tricks class! Learning even just a few basic tricks is fun for you, your dog, and your potential audience! And while the benefits to you and your dog are many, I will describe my top five.

A couple of decades ago, when positive reinforcement-based training was in its infancy, we were quite sensitive to criticism from the dog training community about this new permissive" style of dog training. When we began encouraging people to play tug with their dogs

There is a lot of food for thought in this book. There is much that I find intriguing and would like to pursue, and also much that I disagree with. Arnold criticizes modern trainers for their focus on operant conditioning without acknowledging the great interest force-free trainers have already demonstrated in regard to the concepts of empowerment, choice, and cognition in their training programs. She insists that dogs really are eager to please" their humans – an idea I have long argued against. She hasn't convinced me on that topic

One would expect that the rise of force-free training methods and the increased awareness of and respect for dogs as sentient creatures would make life easier for them. We should expect to see a corresponding rise in the number of calm, stable, well-adjusted dogs who are happily integrated into lifelong loving homes. But many training and behavior professionals note with alarm the large number of dogs in today's world who seem to have significant issues with stress and anxiety, with high levels of arousal and low impulse control.

Great job to all of you amateur and professional dog trainers! Developing these skills in our dogs takes – first and foremost – an owner who is interacting with her dog and paying attention to what the dog says" in the conversation. That's the very foundation of a good relationship between two individuals of any species! The following are some of my favorite submissions from among the hundreds that Whole Dog Journal subscribers sent in – including one selected at random to win one of my books! We had to make a random selection; there were too many great submissions to choose "the best" one!"