Unbelievably, there are people in dog training circles who think positive-only training is wrong. But as Victoria Stilwell explains, positive does not equal permissive. Cesar Millan is big on saying that dogs need rules, boundaries, and limitations, more than they need affection. Whether or not that’s true, I abandoned that notion around the time I learnedContinue reading “Do dogs need rules?”
Category Archives: doggies
WOOF! Handler Error
You know how no parents think their baby is ugly? Sometimes it’s hard for parents of reactive dogs to see their dogs as scary. I’m not completely delusional. Leo is a 98-pound dark German shepherd. When he barks and lunges, I know he’s a frightening sight. But I’d like to think, and this isContinue reading “WOOF! Handler Error”
And I’m done
Since I hopped on the A to Z Challenge on day 2, please consider this my contribution to the Letter A. A is for Alphabet. I’m surprised how rewarding and validating I found this challenge. How much I had to say on each topic. After I wrote about Choke Collars, Corrections, Classical Conditioning, and Clickers, IContinue reading “And I’m done”
Y is for Yogurt
To celebrate Leo’s fourth birthday last week, we took the pups out for frozen yogurt. I ordered a custom-made toy for Leo too, but it hasn’t arrived yet. He didn’t mind; it’s not like he knows it’s his birthday. I’m rational enough to recognize that the celebration was more for us than him. He hadContinue reading “Y is for Yogurt”
X-Rated and eXposed
Since my most popular post remains Spider-Man’s Balls, I decided to push the envelope again. Mothers of male dogs, has this happened to you? You post an adorable photo of your baby boy, only to realize later that he has, um, exposed himself? To maintain some sense of propriety, the following are the sanitized photosContinue reading “X-Rated and eXposed”
W is for Water! (Whee!)
Isis loved to play with the hose, as seen in this video from 2009. During the several months we tried to get Isis and Leo to be buddies, the closest we ever came was when Grandma sprayed them with the hose on either side of a fence. I describe it in Bark and Lunge: Isis reared upContinue reading “W is for Water! (Whee!)”
V is for Ventriloquism
In my post about growling, I demonstrated my talent for translating my dogs’ conversations. I also am a gifted ventriloquist. Let’s say Rob asks, “Ugh, Leo, did you have to knock these papers off the table?” I throw my voice, imitating Leo’s high-pitched tones, and respond, “I’m Leo. I’m a bug. It’s what I do!”Continue reading “V is for Ventriloquism”
U is for Undercoat
German shepherds are notorious shedders. Here’s why. Plucking Leo, who celebrates his 4th birthday today. Happy birthday, Leo Bug! I took my car to the shop yesterday. Remembering my past humiliation of watching a car mechanic brush off his pants after exiting my car, I put my “guest” car-seat covers over the layer of dog hair. Normal peopleContinue reading “U is for Undercoat”
T is for ThunderCap
Leo rocks the ThunderWorks brand Calming Cap, a.k.a. the ThunderCap When we were first introduced to the Calming Cap, our trainer, Shannon, lent us a bright blue one. “The idea is that it reduces visual stimuli by filtering a dog’s vision,” she said. “I held it up to my eyes and you can still seeContinue reading “T is for ThunderCap”
S is for Squeaky Balls
I love it when, out of nowhere, Mia picks up a squeaky stuffie and squeaks the living hell out of it. A few years ago, we brought home some squeaky tennis balls from a Golden retriever’s birthday party. I videod the kids with their new toys and posted it, even though I have a hard timeContinue reading “S is for Squeaky Balls”
Kari Neumeyer 