Anything Dog Can Do…

Anything Dog Can Do…

by lennearbNo Comments
Most of us focus most of our training attention on our dogs. I do this just as much as others. I balance talking about training my dog with discussing cute things my cat does: sit in boxes; climb on my shoulders—sometimes while I am trying to brush my teeth; sit on my hands while I'm typing. But in doing this, I am selling my cat short, and you may be doing the same to yours. Cats, like most animals, are perfectly capable of being trained to do a number of things. Since most of us have cats that are smaller—and quieter!—than our dogs, we are often able to ignore a great deal more of their obnoxious behaviors. But I encourage you to pull our your clicker and treats with your cat in mind. I would guess that you would be shocked at how much your cat can be trained to do. That old adage that you can't train a cat is...
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BOO! Watch Out for Halloween

by lennearbNo Comments
This week is Halloween—the start of the fall yard decoration season. The return of cold weather means that winter clothing, including parkas, hats, gloves, and scarves, are making a return as well. What does this mean for you and your dog? Yard decorations can be scary for many dogs. They appear where nothing was before. Many move, flash bright lights, or even make noises, all of which dogs may find unnerving. Halloween decorations will be quickly followed by holiday decorations at many houses. As a dog owner or walker, you are responsible for being aware of these potentially scary objects and planning accordingly. Never force dogs to approach things they may find scary. A forced approach may reinforce fear in the object and also erode your dogs trust in you to keep him safe. Additionally, a sudden movement or sound from a motion sensitive decoration may also startle your dog, increasing fear. Keep in mind that scared dogs may also redirect...
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Relax Already!

by lennearb3 Comments
Never underestimate the power of relaxation. It's a skill that too few people - and very few canines - have truly mastered. I always emphasize the importance of teaching self-control, especially to owners of young and energetic dogs. Having shared my home with a border collie mix for the past four years, it is a skill I can truly appreciate the importance of first-hand. There are numerous ways to teach this important skill, although my go-to method is Dr. Karen Overall's Protocol for Relaxation (from Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals, First Edition), which provides an excellent systematic method for mastering the three "D"s of a stay - distance, duration and distraction. Additionally, Dr. Overall's basic set-up can be altered to focus on areas of particular concern for a given dog. In this video, Sirius Black demonstrates Day 5 of Dr. Overall's protocol. He has not quite mastered the "relaxed" part of it, as I point out in a few places....
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Trouble on Easy Street

by lennearbNo Comments
This post briefly sets the stage for why we should take time to train our cats. It is the first in our cat-training focused series. I don't know anyone who would argue with the statement that cats love sunbeam. Yesterday morning, I found my cat, Nefertiti, lounging on the bathroom rug right in the path of a morning sunbeam. However, most cats are looking for a lot more out of life than 20 years or so of moving from sunbeam to sunbeam - unfortunately, that is all that is expected of many of them. While there is not a lot of detailed evidence about the exact evolution of cats, most scientists seem to agree that cats evolved to live with people primarily as vermin hunters with a side of companionship. This is in distinct contrast to dogs, who evolved as co-hunters and protectors as well as companions and were subsequently selectively bred for a variety of tasks, including herding, tracking, retrieving, as...
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Doggy Play

by lennearbNo Comments
Growing up in a house with one dog (and, for a long time, one dog who didn't like other dogs), I never really appreciated the nuance of dog play. Sure, watch dogs run around a field together and it looks like they're having fun, but I never looked beyond that level. Once I began working in shelters and had more opportunities to watch dogs play, I started to more fully appreciate the elements that go into dog play. That appreciated has only been more fully developed as I have moved into teaching - especially teaching puppy classes, which provide more opportunities for free play than most adult dog classes, as well as the unparalleled opportunity to watch dogs learn to play from week to week and develop their communication skills.* This first video shows two puppies - chocolate lab Molly, 12 weeks, and pekingnese/cairn terrier Spartacus, 7 months - who have just met and are playing for the first time....
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“Are we there yet?”

by lennearbNo Comments
"I'm bored." "There's nothing to do." You don't have to be a parent to be able to conjure up the sound of that childish whine. In fact, if you cast your mind back, you might even be guilty of having said something similar in your childhood - or more recently. Unfortunately, boredom often leads to trouble-making, in both both kids and pets. It's not that anyone intends harm, its simply that your pet's idea of a good way to pass the time may not closely match yours. When the weather gets nice in springtime, there is nothing I would like more than to spend all my time walking my dog and playing with my cat. Unfortunately, springtime also means finals time, which eats up a lot of that theoretical pet exercise time. It doesn't help that days that I do have time always seem to be the springtime shower days. However, just because your short on time doesn't mean you can...
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Bittersweet Beginnings

by lennearb1 Comment
The opening of Next Best Pet is an exciting time. It is the culmination of several years of planning and study. But the timing is bittersweet. The name Next Best Pet signifies two things. The first is my firm belief that, with effort and proper support, we can make our companion animals the best pets - not in the world, but for our families. (This is NOT a guarantee of results - often helping our companions become the best pets involves adjusting our own expectations.) The other day, a friend asked me, "Do you think I can be successful with my new puppy?" My answer? "Of course!" There is no way to promise she will end up with a dog that is exactly what she envisions right now, but I believe that, with sufficient effort and support, she can have a wonderful companion for her family for years to come. Bailey in 2011 The second and more private meaning of the name Next...
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