I’ve had rough-coated border collies for 16 years. I have hiked them in all kinds of terrain this entire time; much of these hikes in the dry Rocky Mountain climate I grew up in. Still, the burr (spiky seed pod) situation I experienced with my young Felix just a few days ago is unparalleled in … More Relationship>Vanity

“My dog would find that to be a punishment.” “Stop reinforcing that dog!” “Is punishment ever ok?” “Be careful that you don’t reinforce that fear.” “I always reinforce him, so why doesn’t he listen?” These statements all have two things in common: they are frequently uttered by the dog-loving world I belong to, and they … More Interpretive Dance

In talking about “methods” of training a certain behavior or chain of behaviors, we often get caught up in what will work for the dog we are training. Phrases like “I trained this dog with channel weaves; it worked better for him” or “this dog had to have more structure than a running dogwalk so … More What’s Best for the Dog?

Many of my clients suffer from something that I know all too well; perfection paralysis. It’s the fear of messing up your training beyond repair; the fear that makes us just not train at all. But this condition has an antidote (besides of course the personal work that often must be done!). The antidote is … More Perfection Paralysis

Ever heard the phrase “you get the dog you need”? Or even the thought that some dogs are “special” or universally arranged to land in our lives at the right time? The idea that some of our dogs will be game-changers over the course of our career I’ve heard it. I’ve said it. I even … More Game-Changers

I’m looking at the final four Worked Up seminars this year, and I can’t believe all of the incredible people I have met, and where this material has taken me. Here are just a few of the things I have taken home, that I hope my participants have held onto: Basic training mechanics are largely … More Worked Up World!

We–those of us who love, live with, and/or work with dogs–will all face the euthanasia of a dog we adore at some point in our lives. Most of us will face it many, many times. Usually the dog on the other end of the needle is old, or sick, or both. But there is a … More We Need to Talk About Behavioral Euthanasia