by Lindsay Stordahl on May 1st, 2010
13 Comments »
From time to time I take rescue dogs out running from the boarding kennels they live at. Most of these dogs are full of energy and anxious or excited when we pass people, other dogs, birds or squirrels. When I run with a calm, mellow rescue dog that doesn’t pull on the leash, I notice. A few weeks ago I met Levi. Not only is this dog adorable, but he has a calming energy I immediately noticed and was drawn to. ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on April 22nd, 2010
28 Comments »
Many dog owners are turned off by structured dog obedience classes because they find the environment too strict and structured. Others are bored walking in a circle and working on the same commands. Perhaps the very word “obedience” is the problem for some. My mutt Ace and I love attending “obedience” classes because we enjoy working together. I can’t think of a better environment that p ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on April 14th, 2010
28 Comments »
Dog walking or dog running is as much a chore for me as it is anyone else. I’m often tired or it’s cold or snowing or whatever. And walking is often boring. But guess what? If I’m bored, my dog just might find me a bit boring. Here’s an example of the walk Ace and I took Sunday night that was far from boring. We incorporated exercise, training and play: 1. Started out through the front door a ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on April 11th, 2010
4 Comments »
The last post was a guest post on how to stop a dog from jumping using positive reinforcement. I want to add some additional tips. I really hate when dogs jump on me. It’s one of the most obvious signs of dominance, a lack of control on the owner’s part and a lack of respect from the dog. Using positive reinforcement does work to stop a dog from jumping, however it takes a lot of patience, time and consis ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on April 9th, 2010
5 Comments »
Note: This is a guest post from Rachel at The Dog Training Secret. The site offers information on topics such as leash training and dog barking. Using strictly positive reinforcement dog training is not what I would use in most cases. However, everyone is different and what works for me and my dog is not always right for everyone. Dogs usually jump up on people because they are trying to get up to the human’s level ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on April 7th, 2010
4 Comments »
Note: This is a guest post from Jana over at Dawg Business. Check out her blog for more on dog ACL injuries and dog health information. If you have a large breed dog, you will hear about hip dysplasia, but the odds that someone will talk to you about ACL injuries are quite low. The first time we heard the words was after our dog blew her knee. There are at least three reasons why you should learn about ACL injuries i ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on April 2nd, 2010
6 Comments »
Do you give your dogs “time-outs”? I give my mutt Ace “time-outs” all the time when he needs to chill out. A time out could mean lying on his bed for a few minutes, lying in his kennel or taking a break from playing fetch. “Time-outs” can be effective for dog training if they are used to help the dog relax. All dogs should learn to quickly relax in any situation. A goal I always sh ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on March 26th, 2010
37 Comments »
What do you do when your dog becomes possessive of a certain object such as a bone, a toy or a sock? Here are my suggestions: First of all, nothing should ever be given to a dog for free. Even if certain objects “belong” to the dog, he should only be allowed to touch them with permission from his owner. Some people will allow aggressive behavior from a dog when the dog is being possessive of food or toys ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on March 18th, 2010
20 Comments »
My mutt Ace automatically becomes hyper in certain situations regardless of how much exercise he’s had. And hyper is an understatement. A lack of exercise is the cause behind most dog behavior problems, but not all. What I’m referring to in this post is a dog’s behavior issues related to his state of mind. Ace’s “problem areas” include agility and retrieving. Ace is obsessive and ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on March 12th, 2010
16 Comments »
My previous dog Brittni was trained to follow the commands “stay” and “wait.” Each command had a clear meaning, and I was consistent about how I used each. The trainer I worked with at the time taught me to use the two commands because stay should always mean stay here in this exact position until I return and release you. Wait should always mean wait here until I give you the next command. A ...