About Group Classes

by lennearbNo Comments
I welcomed new students to my classes this past Saturday. Every time I do that, I am reminded of the questions people have about classes, including questions about what they can and cannot do for you. So here are some quick tips. Things Group Training Classes Can Do Provide a support community. Group training classes, especially age-based classes like puppy training, provide a great place to meet other people with similar experiences who can help you with issues you might be facing. Connect your dog with playmates. Especially in puppy classes and play-based classes, you may find a good play match for your dog, even if you don't have any in your circle of family and friends. You may even find someone you can meet up with outside of class. The class will be supervised, and the instructor will provide guidance about what to look for in safe dog play. For young dogs, this socialization experience is especially important. Provide a grounding in the...
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Prepping for Snow: 4 Tips

by lennearbNo Comments
We adopted Sirius in July of 2009. In December of that year, we had the first of what turned out to be three major snowstorms of the winter. On the day the first storm began, I was home and trying to get some chores done before I planned to venture out into the snow to meet a few people coming from the metro. Sirius came up to me and asked to go outside. I didn't want to have to stop what i was doing or bundle up twice, so I told him to wait. He looked at me plaintively for a moment before peeing on the floor. He couldn't wait. Except during illness, it remains the first and only accident Sirius has had in our house. When he has to go, I take him out, as safely as I can, be it blizzard or hurricane. I am not proud of this story, but I tell it as a lead in to my tips...
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When Change Isn’t Progress

by lennearbNo Comments
We often think of dog training as a progression: first teach sit, then down, then stay. Many classes and manners of instruction are set up this way, my own included. Class names also tend to reinforce this progression mentality: Basic Manners, Intermediate Manners, Advanced Manners. There is some truth to this perception, of course. By starting training with simple behaviors that make use of dogs’ natural behavior patterns, and therefore are easy for our dogs to learn, we help them learn how to learn and plant the seeds for success in more advanced training down the road. However, having once learned a behavior is not a guarantee that your dog will continue to know and perform the behavior forever. Dogs, like people, respond to incentives, and they also form habits. If the incentive to perform a certain behavior is removed, the behavior is likely to fade. We use this to our advantage when we work to discourage undesirable behaviors like jumping up...
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Resolved for 2016

by lennearbNo Comments
What will you train your pets to do (or not to do!) in 2016? A new year is right around the corner, and, like many people, my mind is turning to the things I want to do next year. Although I adopted Nefertiti in 2007 and Sirius Black in 2009, there are always more things I want to do with them. Some of these come from friends, training colleagues, and clients. Many others come from the part of the training process that i sometimes describe as whackamole (an inelegant turn of phrase that I promise does not involve any actual whacking). Inevitably, any training or behavior modification regimen will bring to light new things you want to work on with your pet. Some of this is because successfully addressing one issue makes one that seemed minor in comparison more pressing. Other times, some part of the solution or management routine can actually contribute to a new problem or solving one problem may allow...
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Something a Little Different

by lennearbNo Comments
And now for something a little different… Isn't that what the holidays are all about? Whether you celebrate a religious holiday, or just appreciate a respite from your daily routine, the holidays provide an opportunity to do something just a little different. Many of us have days off, we may travel, or dust off those old family recipes for a once a year treat. What could be better? In my opinion, nothing. However, changes in our own routines often mean changes in our pets’ routines as well. Sometimes planning for these changes can fall by the wayside in our intense holiday planning. So here are three new things that your dog might experience during the holidays and what you can do to be prepared: New places. Whether you are traveling with your dog, as I am, or boarding your dog in a kennel or private home, new places can be difficult. Are there new rules in the new place? Make sure you know what they...
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Training—This Time with Squirrels

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My husband and I refer to this time of year1 as "ground squirrel" season because of the number of squirrels we see in our neighborhood hanging out under trees; dashing across the street, seemingly as close to our dog as possible; and generally making a nuisance of themselves. Most of the year, when the squirrels are hanging out in the trees, Sirius Black will ignore them. However, when there are thirteen squirrels hanging out under a tree a few feet from where we are walking, ignoring them becomes a lot harder for him. Instead, he thinks it would be a good idea to chase them. Barking at them is also a good alternative. (Barking is also his reaction to sheep, deer, and geese that are not where they belong.) There are a few ways to deal with this: I can resign myself to being spun around like a top by an almost-fifty-pound Border Collie mix barking and pulling.2 I can take advantage of this...
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Giving Thanks for Dogs and Pie

Giving Thanks for Dogs and Pie

by lennearbNo Comments
I love dogs. And pie. The presence of both dogs and pie in my life are things I am definitely grateful for as Thanksgiving draws near. Like many Americans, my Thanksgiving will be full of dogs and pie and a number of other food items that are definitely Not For Dogs (NFD for short). That makes this the perfect moment to discuss how to keep our dogs safe this Thanksgiving. I have talked before about dogs at parties, but Thanksgiving has a few differences from other parties. Most of the guests are often family members. In my experience, family members can be some of the hardest to convince to follow your rules. So make your rules clear and explicit in advance. And make sure they are followed. Lots of food. Admittedly, a lot of parties have food, but Thanksgiving has some extra-delicious and very not-dog-safe food items. Like turkey bones. And pie. Not to mention, a lot of food that may be served in...
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On Being a Dog

On Being a Dog

by lennearbNo Comments
Fall is one of my favorite times of year, and one of Sirius Black’s as well. This is not a coincidence. The weather at this time of year is perfect for us, not too hot and not to cold, like Baby Bear’s porridge, and, like Goldilocks, we like to take advantage of it, usually by hiking. We try to go hiking year round, but our best hikes are usually in the spring and fall. This fall has been perfect. A few weeks ago, we spent a day on a glorious 8-mile hike with beautiful views and great leaves. I know long hikes are not for every person, or every dog, but this is there is something Sirius and I get out of these hikes that everyone should be looking to find a way to get with their dog: a chance for Sirius to be a dog and to be completely comfortable in the world he’s living in. Sirius is a rescue dog who...
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Quiz Time!

Quiz Time!

by lennearbNo Comments
Pop quiz! Scenario 1 You are trying to cutback in sweets. You walk into the breakroom at work and find a large platter of your favorite dessert sitting in the middle of the table. The sign next to them says: "Help yourself." Do you Say, "Thank goodness!" And grab a large helping? Say, "No thanks," and sit down a few seats down to eat your healthy snack? Say, "Uh-oh" and walk out of the room before you can give in to temptation? Scenario 2 You check your receipt and realize the store clerk overcharged you by a few cents. Do you March back into the store and loudly demand things be made right? Quietly approach the customer service counter, explain what happened, and request a refund? Shrug and decide it is not enough money to waste time on? The way you answer these questions depends on your personality and personal circumstances (health, finances), but it also depends, more than we sometimes like to admit on our mood and what else has...
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Good-bye, Old Friend

Good-bye, Old Friend

by lennearbNo Comments
This post is almost two weeks late for one simple reason: I didn't want to write it. By writing this post, I am acknowledging that I have lost a friend. A young dog who only a short time ago seemed so healthy, is gone. I don't want to dwell on the negatives, instead, I am trying to remember the good times we had walking, visiting, and watching her play with Sirius Black. And I think that is the right approach. Loss is something we live with in life, especially when we share our lives with pets, who are typically shorter-lived than we are. Of course, the sense of tragedy is increased when one dies so young. But there is nothing to regret in a well-lived life. And there is nothing to be sorry for when we know we have done everything we can for the animals in our lives. So, I propose a toast for my late friend, "It was a privilege to know you....
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