Leo redirected on me last week during a walk. Things had been going just smashingly and we hadn’t had a reaction worth reporting in a long time. On this walk, he was triggered by a pedestrian and a bike on the other side of the road. He barked, lunged, and redirected twice on my leg.Continue reading “Leo vs. the Track Team”
Category Archives: barking and lunging
Homeland Security
The keys to the gym are under the dog. Powered by Linky Tools Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
Blame it on the pit bull
Gracie is a total wiggle butt/snuggle bug available at the Humane Society of Skagit Valley. At least she was the last time I was there, which was May 22 … ! What happened to me there, and the reason I haven’t been back yet is not her fault, but because of her breed, even though she’s a veryContinue reading “Blame it on the pit bull”
How to break up a dog fight
This happened during Positive Pet Training week when the theme was multiple dogs, but sadly I didn’t have a chance to write it up in time. Mia and Leo hadn’t been in a nasty fight in almost two years, and generally are the bestest of buddies. Most of the time, I feed them sort of separately. Leo getsContinue reading “How to break up a dog fight”
W is for Window Film
This one’s for the mailman. While we appreciate Leo’s gifts as a guard dog, sometimes the view outside the front windows is overstimulating. I considered his window reactivity a minor concern, but delivery men might tell you a different story. Blinds obscure the view from the outside, but clever dogs are able to peek between,Continue reading “W is for Window Film”
V is for Victory
I have proof that counter-conditioning reactive dogs to scary things works. On a recent walk around Rob’s parents’ neighborhood after dark, we saw some kids run out of a house. I thought they were going to get in a car, but they just stood there in the street. I worried they might hop on skateboardsContinue reading “V is for Victory”
U is for Understood
The best part of publishing Isis’s story, Bark and Lunge, has been getting feedback from other dog owners who relate to our experience. Some fellow dog-bloggers have been very kind to review the book on their sites, and I’ve excerpted their reviews on my Media page. Last week, I commented on this great post byContinue reading “U is for Understood”
N is for Normal
“I just wish I had a normal dog!” I’m told that dog trainers hear that a lot when they take on new clients. Funny thing – people’s complaints, which also wind up being the reasons they give when surrendering dogs to a shelter, are examples of dogs behaving normally: Digging Chewing Barking Marking Nipping JumpingContinue reading “N is for Normal”
L is for Lucky
Do you hear me, I’m talking to you Across the water across the deep blue ocean Under the open sky, oh my, baby I’m trying Boy, I hear you in my dreams I feel your whisper across the sea I keep you with me in my heart You make it easier when life gets hardContinue reading “L is for Lucky”
K is for Knock! Knock!
Who’s there? (The K is silent.) One of my favorite successes in treating Isis’s reactivity was getting her to lie on a mat when someone came to the door. Before I implemented the following reward-based training technique, a knock at the door was greeted with an intimidating German shepherd bark that made me want toContinue reading “K is for Knock! Knock!”
Kari Neumeyer 