Day 6: Practicing Recalls

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It's important to practice recalls frequently, and make them rewarding. Too often, we call our dogs for not-fun things (baths, nail trims, to end playtime). These can discourage responding to recalls in the future. For practicing distance recalls in open areas, use a long line or a confederate, as in this video. Be sure not to go too far and scare your dog, especially if using a long line. Since Sirius Black is blind, constant verbal reinforcement keeps him moving in the correct direction....
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Day 4: Sit for Leash

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Is putting on your dog's leash or harness a full contact sport? It doesn't have to be. Think about training to take the drama out of walk prep. When Sirius could see, he knew how to walk straight into his harness or collar. He cannot do that any longer, but he still knows how to sit and wait for his leash to be put on. As with any behavior, start with slight improvements from where you are. Don't expect to improve everything immediately. ...
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Day 3: Wait for Food Bowl

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Have you ever spilled the pet food all over the kitchen because your dog (or cat!) stuck his head in the bowl before it got onto the floor? If so, this exercise is for you. Work with your dog to sit or lie down until given a release cue. Eventually, you can start this behavior before you even get the food out and maintain a sit or down until the food is on the ground (and you have even taken a step or two away), but start slow. Ask for a sit or down as you hold the food bowl. Begin to gradually lower the bowl. If your dog stays in position longer than you expected, especially once he or she knows the food is coming, give the release cue....
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Day 2: Go Somewhere New

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Life always changes. Even if your dog is comfortable in all the places that are part of your daily routine now, you cannot be sure that routine won't change at some point during your dog's lifetime. It's good to work with your dog on comfort in new situations. Of course, the appropriate level at which to work on this depends on your dog. For more nervous dogs, taking a different walking route may be as much or more than your dog can handle. Confident dogs can handle a more challenging environment, but it still needs to be set to their level. I don't recommend starting even confident dogs with a new environment that will require them to stay for a long time. Look for something that allows a quick exit. In the DC-area, we have a number of dog-friendly bars and breweries, which can be a good place for this. Make sure you pick a time that the location is not likely...
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Day 1: Relaxed Down While You Move

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Relaxed down is one of my favorite activities, but it's true utility comes from incorporating it into everyday life. One way to do so is to help your dog remain calm and relaxed while you are moving around. Many times our dogs feel compelled to follow us—and we often encourage this—but it's not always convenient. Sometimes, we want our dogs to be able to stay still, and even relax, while we move around. Take the opportunity while you are doing something active but not all-absorbing to work with your dog on maintaining a relaxed down position. The photo at right was taken while I was playing Wii bowling. I had treats in my pockets and was rewarding Sirius Black occasionally for maintaining his position. This could be taken to the next level by looking for a more relaxed position from Sirius....
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January is Train Your Dog Month

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Happy New Year, everyone! January is a time when many of us reflect on the past year and make plans and set goals for the new year. If stepping up your training is one of your goals, why not start in January? January is also Train Your Dog Month, so it's a perfect fit. The Association of Professional Dog Trainers tip for 2017 is "Make training a part of your everyday life with your dog!" That's my goal for the month, and you can make it yours too. If you don't currently include basic training, such as sit before going outside or before getting dinner, this is a great time to start. If you already do this, you can step things up to the next level. To support this effort, I'll be sharing short daily posts with different training ideas, and also sharing the same ideas on Next Best Pet social media channels. Want to share your own dog training adventure? Use #31DaysofDogTraining...
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Costumes, Treats, and Tricks

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If the pumpkins, witches, and candy corn appearing everywhere didn't tip you off, let me be the first to tell you that Halloween is coming up this Monday. The time has come to prepare. I am not talking about the costume you have been laboring over for months or the mega bag of candy you bought at the superstore last month. I am talking about preparing your pets for a safe Halloween. Let's review three common Halloween dangers and how to prepare for them. Costumes Issue: Costumes may pose a risk to animals that ingest pieces of them, of course, but the bigger risk is animals being frightened by costume pieces which can alter your appearance, profile, way of moving and possibly even sound and smell. This applies to family members as well as friends, neighbors, and trick or treaters. Solution: Don't take your pets trick or treating with you or keep them with you when you answer your own door. Instead, confine them...
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Something Unseen

Something Unseen

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Sorry that I haven't written in a while. It has been a bit of a rough period. As you're about to read. I have discussed before what happens when we change the rules for our dogs, but the truth is, we don't have to change anything: life is always changing. A few months ago, we started noticing some changes in Sirius Black’s behavior. He was no longer reacting to, or even seeming to notice, wildlife along our walks, unless it crossed directly in front of us. He also showed some hesitancy on walks, above what could be expected from the hot weather. He also had accidents in the house at times when he never would have normally. We had no reason to particularly link these behavior changes, and, at first, we didn't. Then, about two weeks ago, he started walking into things. This wasn't just an enthusiastic dog who wasn't watching where he was going. He was walking straight into trees. He...
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Take a Break

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We all have daily routines that we can go through practically in our sleep. I don't need to be really awake to leash the dog up for his early morning bathroom break, or even to brush the cat’s teeth and feed her breakfast. These are all part of my routine. I frequently see clients whose dogs could basically walk their normal walk route without any guidance, because there is never any variation. And sometimes this is a good thing. Following the same routines can be soothing and can save our energy for other moments or decisions. But life is not predictable, and following the same routine too closely can leave us unprepared for the unexpected. If we always take the same walk, what do we do when construction on that street makes it unpleasant or unpassable? If we always do the exact same tasks in the exact same order, what happens when a new baby, or dog, or job requires a change...
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