Canine Enrichment during the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19

As communities begin taking direct action regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, people will be stuck at home for 2-4 weeks (or longer). Some areas have already begun this self-isolation while others are just gearing up. Working from home might keep you busy, but what about our furry family members? They may be used to going to…

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Invisible Fences: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Dog in front yard behind an invisible fence

Many homeowners rely on underground, or invisible fences to contain their furry family on their property. Sometimes this choice is made because the property is quite large, and a physical fence would be cost prohibitive. Other times, it’s the community rules that prohibit physical fencing for aesthetic reasons.   The Good The only “good” part…

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Canine Enrichment for the Real World

Canine Enrichment for the Real World Book Cover

By Allie Bender, CDBC & Emily Strong, CDBC Book Summary A major focus in all my training and behavior modification work is ensuring sufficient and appropriate enrichment for my client dogs. But, what exactly is enrichment? Is it just physical exercise? Just mental stimulation? And if it is those things, what constitutes “sufficient and appropriate”?…

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When Your Dog Growls …

Dog Growls to Communicate Image, The Academy of Pet Careers

So Your Dog Growls…To Punish or Not to Punish?   A stranger approaches your dog, and your dog growls. Your dog is dozing on the couch, and you sit down next to him, startling him awake, and he growls. Perhaps your dog is chewing on a favorite toy or eating his food and a child…

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Playing Tug of War: Good Exercise, Great Bond-Building

Tug Of War Image, The Academy of Pet Careers

There is a school of thought that suggests we shouldn’t play Tug of War with our pups because it can create aggression. That same school of thought will say that if you do play Tug, make sure you always win so that the dog knows you’re the boss.   I could not disagree with that…

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Resource Guarding In Dogs

Resource Guarding In Dogs, The Academy of Pet Careers

Resource Guarding, also called possession aggression, is a common behavior problem for many pet parents. Your dog suddenly becomes defensive over his food bowl, a toy, his favorite bed, maybe even a favorite person. He hovers, with his chin held over his prized possession. He may show his teeth and growl or snarl or even…

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Snow Day Activities For Your Dog

Snow Day Activities For Dogs, The Academy of Pet Careers

Sometimes it’s just too cold outside to go for a long walk or play fetch in the yard. But our dogs still need their exercise. What can we do to help our furry family burn through that cabin fever?   Did you know that a dog will burn more energy engaging in mental exercise than…

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Empowerment Training By James O’heare

Understanding Empowerment, Training For It, And Rehabilitating Disempowerment Book Summary Mr. O’Heare does a nice job of summarizing basic learning theory as understood by behaviorism and applied behavior analysis. He also provides details of the evolution of behavior modification techniques. He covers past methodology when the focus was on using aversive stimuli and punishment to…

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