|
Press Room : Training Articles
 |
|
| 1/30/2010 |
Fear Aggression
Fear in dogs is not an uncommon thing. This behavior could be caused by a couple of things. You will want to identify the source of the fear first. It could either be a result of specific breed tendencies, possible mistreatment, or a lack of socializ... |
| 1/30/2010 |
The Novice
The opportunity to embark upon a new career as a professional dog trainer would be any canine enthusiast’s dream. As an Administrative Assistant of Animal Behavior College (ABC), I have witnessed all types of animal lovers pursuing or transitioning i... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Building Your Dog Training Business Through Other Pet-Related Sources
In earlier editions of this newsletter as well as in Off Lead Magazine (2005), I wrote several articles on how dog trainers can build their business through “other” sources. At that time I focused on doggie day care and animal shelters. In this artic... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Dogs don’t speak english
Or German. Or Swahili. Or Portuguese! We human beings are so accustomed to communicating through verbal language that it’s difficult for us to comprehend that dogs don’t understand English! Owners will attempt several versions of the same comman... |
| 1/30/2010 |
It’s The Leash You Can Do!
The best leash to use when walking your dog is either a nylon or leather 4- or 5- foot leash. This type of leash will help you stay in control of your dog during the walk and enable you to keep him close by your side as well as extend the leash enou... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Be A Fair Enforcer!
Corrections and discipline can be enforced ONLY at the time of the “infraction”—we cannot correct a dog’s misbehavior after the fact, and we must be specific. Dogs live in the moment and do not understand why they would be yelled at or physically ab... |
| 1/30/2010 |
How Low Can You Go
I want to challenge you to communicate with your dog in the most calm and quiet way possible. Think about interacting with your dog using a sliding scale of intensity ranging from one to ten — try to keep the scale fluid and have varying degrees of ... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Follow the Leader
If a dog senses that his human owner is not assuming a leadership role and taking charge of the household, the dog perceives a leadership vacuum and feels the need to step in and fill that role. This holds true especially in multiple-dog households ... |
| 1/30/2010 |
A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste
While it’s important that we make the big, day-to-day decisions for our dogs, such as when to eat, how much to eat, when and where to walk, when and how to play, and so on, they also need to have the opportunity to think for themselves, make decision... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Kong Stuffing Pointers
Why Stuff a Kong?
Dogs are animals that are genetically programmed to hunt for their food. Part of
the reason there is such a prevalence of behavior problems in pet dogs is that they
have so little mental challenge or work to do: their fo... |
| 1/30/2010 |
You and Your New Dog - Starting Out Right
Supplies
·Dog food
·Water bowl, food bowl or Kongs / food balls (highly recommended by our trainers)
·Treats for training
·Toys (chew bones, chew toys)
·Bed (dog bed, blanket or towels)
·Crate and/or baby gates
Put al... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Set Your Rates Right
Most of us are dog lovers first, trainers second, and business men and women dead last. A number of challenges arise from this reality, including a pervasive sense of guilt about charging money for what we do. This guilt is then alleviated ... |
| 1/30/2010 |
The Case for Day Training
We trainers often feel frustrated by unfinished cases and low client compliance—endemic issues in our industry—leading us to describe owners as lazy, uncommitted, unskilled, uncaring, cheap. Alternately, we internalize the failure and blame poor resu... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Dog Walking For a Living
As seasons go, summer inspires by far the most career changes. That’s hardly a surprise. Gazing out on one perfect sunny day after another from behind the dreary landscape of our desks, few are the people who can say they’ve never given a t... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Is a Dog ever too old to Learn a New Trick?
Whenever I am asked this question, it always brings a smile to my face. I am reminded of my old friend, Kado, a German Shepherd/Husky mix. My three young daughters and I adopted Kado in 1987 when he was three years old and he lived with us until he... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Target - Fear
Target training is one of those essential behaviors all dogs should know. By teaching a dog to touch his nose to your hand you have a clear behavior you can use for many things, like a recall. If a dog understands “touch my nose to handler's hand” ... |
| 1/30/2010 |
The ABC’s of Barking
It is normal for dogs to bark; however, in the world of humans, it is disruptive, and can be problematic for every reason you can imagine. If your dog’s barking is driving you crazy and you want the behavior to change, you must first discern the cau... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Doggy Park Etiquette
Dog parks are becoming increasingly popular as more and more space is being designated especially for dogs. Now we need protocol in order to ensure safety and healthiness for all those dogs and dog owners who attend the off-leash parks as well as tho... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Where am I?
Generalized Anxiety versus Hyper-bonding
There are many ways to add a new furry, family member to your existing family. Every addition will come with a unique set of issues, some more difficult then others. This topic is going to focus on re... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Structuring the Multi-Pet Household
You didn’t mean for it to happen. The situation developed without warning: your best buddy, Fido is housetrained, quiet, a pleasure to your family and then BLAM! You find another dog or another dog finds you and your quiet home becomes a noisy, chaot... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Resource Guarding
Q: I think my dog has a problem with resource guarding. What is that and how should I deal with it?
Resource guarding can be defined as anxious, reactive, or threatening behavior when a dog is in possession of any item (i.e., food, toys or e... |
| 1/30/2010 |
What is the Best Age to Begin Group Classes With My Puppy?
The answer is 8 weeks of age after their first set of vaccinations. Surprised? Then keep reading.
Puppies are more likely to die (get euthanized) from not being socialized soon enough and developing bad behaviors than from disease from takin... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Creating and Peaceful and Quiet House Dog
Do you work at home?
Does your dog constantly bark throughout the day?
Having trouble completing tasks due to your barking dog?
Below are some tips to create a more peaceful and quiet household.
These tips ar... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Not In There, Please!
Are there certain locations / rooms that you would prefer your dog to not venture into ... the basement, the living, or the kitchen, etc.?
You can train your dog to stay out of certain rooms and locations.
The first step is manage... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Your Dog’s Prey Drive—Fact & Fantasy
What is a prey drive? A prey drive is defined by Wikipedia as the instinctive behavior of a carnivore to pursue and capture prey. “But,” you ask, “What does that have to do with Fluffy?” Answer: a lot! Whether Fluffy is a Maltese, a Puggle, or a Sibe... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Barking: How and When to Make it Stop
Some folks think that barking dogs are a nuisance. Others ignore the noise to the dismay of their neighbors. But however you feel about Mans’ Best Friend’s verbal greetings there are a few simple ways to make those howling noises stop on cue! First a... |
| 1/30/2010 |
Choosing a Dog to Fit Your Lifestyle
So you go to your local shelter and fall in love with a dog. The shelter staff tells you the dog is a 2 year old Poodle-Rottweiler mix. You fill out the application and go home to your 2-bedroom apartment that you share with your wife and baby daught... |
| 12/3/2008 |
The Business of Private Lessons – By Steven Appelbaum, President and CEO of ABC
After graduating from ABC, most trainers start their careers by teaching group classes. While group class training can be rewarding for both trainer and student, private lesson training offers the student (and you) even greater flexibility. It also a... |
| 12/3/2008 |
Building Business Through Your Existing Client Base – By Steven Appelbaum, President and CEO of ABC
After several years, many trainers reach a point where they have literally worked with hundreds of clients. This is a group of people who have shown themselves to be actively involved in the lives of their pets. Surprisingly some trainers do little o... |
| 12/3/2008 |
Marketing Do’s and Don’ts – By Steven Appelbaum, President and CEO of ABC
As small business owners, trainers will come across, consider or be approached with numerous marketing ideas. Some are worth considering, some should be considered with caution and others quite frankly should be avoided. This article will focus on a... |
| 12/3/2008 |
Motion Picture Dogs: The Truth about “The Biz” – By Steven Appelbaum, President and CEO of ABC
Many trainers, myself included, were drawn to the training business with a half-formed notion of breaking into the motion picture/TV part of it. By this I mean training the next big animal actor, becoming a world renowned animal wrangler, or at the v... |
| 12/3/2008 |
Behind the Bite: Dog Aggression Basics – By Debbie Kendrick, ABCDT and VP of ABC
As an ABC Certified Dog Trainer, you will undoubtedly encounter aggressive dogs at some time in your career. Learning why the dog is reacting aggressively will go a long way in helping you treat the behavior. In this article I will talk about three ... |
| 12/3/2008 |
Poison Awareness – By Debbie Kendrick, ABCDT and VP of ABC
Introduction
As a fellow dog enthusiast I am sure you are aware that one of the most direct routes to winning a dog’s heart is through his stomach. I believe most of you will also agree that dogs use their mouths to investigate the wo... |
| 12/3/2008 |
We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Leashes: An Article about Off-Leash Training – By Debbie Kendrick, ABCDT and VP of ABC
As an ABC Certified Dog Trainer, you may be offering private lessons as well as group classes. As you know, on-leash obedience can be obtained through group classes; however, many dog owners are desperate to get help with off-leash training. This a... |
| 12/3/2008 |
Separation Anxiety: An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure – By Debbie Kendrick, ABCDT and VP of ABC
Separation anxiety can be a very serious problem. Many dogs have injured themselves jumping out of windows, digging out of yards, or chewing through walls and doors trying to find their owner. This is unfortunate because separation anxiety is often p... |
| 12/3/2008 |
There is a Better Way! An Article Discussing the Cons of Electronic Training Collars – By Debbie Kendrick, ABCDT and VP of ABC
As professional dog trainers, we have many training tools at our disposal. Food treats, toys, pinch collars, head collars, leash pops, choke chains and clickers are just a few. However, almost no other training tool ignites a more zealous debate than... |
| 12/3/2008 |
Can’t We All Just Get Along? An Article on Introducing Dogs and Cats - By Debbie Kendrick, ABCDT and VP of ABC
Having a dog and cat that do not get along can be very dangerous. Some cats can get fed up with the harassment and decide to leave home, or worse, they can be chased, mauled and even killed. Some dogs, large and small alike, can be seriously injured ... |
| 12/3/2008 |
Can’t We All Just Get Along? An Article on Introducing Dogs and Cats - By Debbie Kendrick, ABCDT and VP of ABC
Having a dog and cat that do not get along can be very dangerous. Some cats can get fed up with the harassment and decide to leave home, or worse, they can be chased, mauled and even killed. Some dogs, large and small alike, can be seriously injured ... |
| 12/3/2008 |
Don’t Want No Stinkin’ Car Ride: A Treatment Plan for Car Sickness - By Debbie Kendrick, ABCDT and VP of ABC
The initial symptoms of car sickness are easy to recognize. They generally begin with extreme panting and/or an excessive amount of salivation which is often followed by gagging and vomiting. The question you as a professional dog trainer should a... |
| |
Click here to see what the press is saying about ABC! |
|
