Your trainer says you need to use "high value" reinforcers for your dog. But what exactly does that mean? Learn what we mean by reinforcer, and how to know if your treats are high, medium or low value when training your dog. What is a Reinforcer? The …
(The right kind of) ‘practice makes perfect’
Do you “practice at your performance?” I’ve been talking to a lot of clients about practice lately. People hate practice. Do you remember being forced to practice the piano? What about sports drills? It seems to be in our nature to want to get better at …
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Go for a better walk
If you're like many dog people, you and your dog spend a big part of each day going for walks together. Do those walks ever feel rote or routine? Each time you walk out the door, you get an opportunity for quality one-on-one time with your best buddy. Here's …
Aggressive dog behavior calls for compassion
Let's talk about aggression. I was recently asked to comment on a rather prominent case of a dog biting people. I was lucky enough that a couple of my statements made it into the story. But of course, my brief comments barely scratch the surface of what is, …
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High value dog treats that are easy on the stomach
If you have taken a WOOFS! class you have probably heard us request that you bring high value food rewards to class. So what's with the obsession with food, you might ask? To begin with, we are positive reinforcement trainers. This means that we use …
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Anxiety and arousal in dogs
I’ve been having a lot of conversations with people about their dogs getting into trouble. Not little trouble like chewing up a shoe or stealing a sandwich. That’s easy stuff. I’m talking about big trouble. Like biting the neighbor’s dog while on a walk or …
Boarding your dog, revisited
As school comes to a close for the year it’s time for summer vacations. Where to go? What to do? And who is going to take care of the dog? If you can’t take your dog with you, the next best option is to have a family member or friend stay at your house. A …
Puppy Olympics, and the importance of early socialization
The Puppy Olympics are almost here! 8 weeks ago, on April 1st 2016, our foster dog Harlie gave birth to 11 tiny puppies. WOOFS! has fostered many pregnant moms and their puppies over the past 13 years, but this time we decided to do something different. We …
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Puppy Challenge #1: House Training
So you have a cute new puppy? Congratulations! But now what? Puppies naturally bite, cry, poop and pee. Then we get them in the house and immediately want them NOT to bite, cry, poop or pee. It’s a pretty tall order for an 8 week old. So here are a few tips …
There’s help for dog reactivity
A reactive dog is a dog that reacts to specific things in their environment by becoming highly aroused and in most cases, barking and lunging. These dogs can appear to be aggressive, dangerous and “out of control.” But there is help for dog reactivity. Dog …
Veterinary visit etiquette and training
A few weeks ago, Clarendon Animal Care wrote a great article called "Healthy Paws: 10 Tips for a Successful Vet Visit". Having been to the vet several times in the past weeks, their article got me thinking about the training and behavioral aspects of a …
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Happy Train Your Dog Month!
January is National Train Your Dog Month, sponsored by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. If you have any room left on your resolutions list, perhaps you can add one more: train your dog for five minutes a day. Believe it or not, mere minutes a day can make …
