Some breeds of dogs are natural diggers, such as Terriers as they are ratters & instinctively go after rodents & vermin. Of course not all Terriers are diggers,the same as not all herding breeds herd, or hunting breeds, hunt. I have fostered a variety of dogs from 6 lbs to 120 lbs & luckily not […]
Tag: training
#114. 17 Tips to Help You with Your New Puppy
In the past year I have known at least 4 people who have gotten puppies, from 10 weeks to 4-5 months old. They have been my inspiration to write this post. I hope these things will help a lot of people with new pups, but some can apply to any new dog in your house. […]
#109. Counter Surfing & Stealing Food
Counter surfing is when a pet steals food off the counter. Counter surfing is self rewarding & we & pets repeat what is rewarding. This can be an annoying problem, but there is hope. The first thing you need to do if you have a pet who counter surfs is to manage the pet’s environment […]
#106. Chewing on inappropriate items: Ideas to help
As humans we sometimes assume our pets should know what is appropriate to chew on (their toys) & not our slippers or other things. The puppy above is a new dog for one of my co-workers, she is estimated to be 5-6 months & may never have had a family of her own before to […]
#100. Understanding Dog training Methods (3rd in series) Negative Reinforcement/Positive Punishment
Negative Reinforcement means removing something a dog dislikes or causes pain (example:pressure on it’s neck) to increase a behavior (example the dog sits to get the pressure to stop). Positive punishment means adding something a dog dislikes (a leash correction or a startling noise) to decrease a behavior. In the US where I live dog […]
#99. Understanding Dog Training Methods #2 in Series (Positive Reinforcement)
Dog training is a way to communicate with another species. Just as we learn to understand a dog’s body language, so can a dog learn to understand the signals we give. We speak different languages than dogs, so please remember it takes time to learn each other’s language. Dogs mostly speak with body signals & […]
#97. Understanding Dog Training Methods, 1st in Series
There are a variety of trainers out there who use a variety of training methods. In The US where I live there is no licencing or school/college/training programs required to set up a training place & label yourself a dog trainer. Now some dog training facilities or places do require you train under them for […]
#96. Can I Change My New Pet’s Name?
The simple answer is yes, you can change a pet’s name. Now depending on how long they had the name it could take longer for the pet to answer to the new name. I fostered for 20+ years & honestly I would say there probably was under 15 pets out of close to 175+ that […]
#79. Choke Collars, Slip Leashes, Rolled Collars & their Potential Risks
Choke collars are appropriately named, they cause a dog to be choked as a means of teaching them to do what the owner wants. I have heard people say I have used these for training for years without issues, but my reply would be Do the ends justify the means? Meaning is it worth hurting […]
#75. Are Retractable/Flexi Leashes Safe???
I often get an idea of what to write about while going through life. Yesterday I took my dog Echo out to a forest preserve to walk. It was a weekday & he is not dog friendly so figured midday not many people or dogs. This is not usually a busy place as it is […]
Echoing Great Pet Care 