burnell

Temperament can be defined as an individual’s way of behaving or reacting to specific or general stimuli or situations. Reactions can include fear, curiosity, willingness, courage, aggression, etc.. Temperament is a combination of genetics and environment. Genes define the outer limits of how and what an animal can learn. However, environment and experience can shape…

Prior to WWI, most dogs were members of family with important jobs (herding, ratting) The dogs became “trained” as a result of the working arrangement. During WWI, dogs were needed to assist the soldier, many dogs became casualties A need to train vast quantities to replace those lost. This need for rapid training brought about…

There are many different reasons why dogs bark. In most cases, the barking is actually a signal that another behavior problem exists and if that problem is addressed- many times the dog will stop barking on his own. These are six common causes for barking. Excited Play Alert Barking Fearful Alarm Barking Dominance Barking Territorial…

Is the puppy engaging in friendly nipping and mouthing or serious nipping and mouthing. Friendly nipping occurs during excitable greetings or during playtime with a puppy that is less than 5 months in age. Puppies explore their environment by touching and tasting everything. Puppy nipping is also a form of social play between puppies and…

Using a physical correction (i.e. leash) can be counter productive. Case in point- the dog jumps up on people and you use a leash to correct him. The dog could develop a negative association. The dog may learn not to like people as it is a cue that something bad is going to happen. An…

The idea is to provide the dog with every possible opportunity to learn that the new alternate behavior is more rewarding then the previous problem behavior. The owner needs to supervise the dog and it’s environment so the dog is not able to perform the undesired behavior. Since the “problem” behavior is rewarding, the dog…

Focus on being proactive, (i.e. praising the dog whenever he performs any acceptable alternate behaviors), instead of reactive, (i.e. leash and collar corrections, yelling, etc) Many dog owners ignore their dogs when they are behaving (i.e. lying quietly). As the dog receives attention when he is engaging in inappropriate behavior, the dog figures out that…

Dogs are happier, confident and secure in an environment where the rules and exceptions are consistent. Owners that teach a dog that a behavior is acceptable sometimes, and then gets angry at the dog for the behavior at other times will almost always have a difficult time eliminating the problem. Consistency is crucial in treating…