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Simple concepts. Easy techniques.

Articles, thoughts and philosophies that will move your training forward.

Training doesn’t have to be complicated or frustrating.

 

Latest post

4 things that will simplify your dog training time

4 things that will simplify your dog training time

Gah! It’s so hard to fit training into a busy family life. From the minute you’re up in the morning, you’re going somewhere, doing something, coming home or going out. If you’ve got kids, the issue is compounded EXPONENTIALLY, because everyone’s going in different directions.

But you adopted a dog. You made the commitment and sometimes behaviour needs addressing. I have 4 things I recommend to make training easier, without biting into your busy day.

read more
How coffee made me think about setting up easy-peasy dog training

How coffee made me think about setting up easy-peasy dog training

My kitchen is a decent size but not the most efficient.

A couple of years ago when I started drinking more coffee at home, my kettle was in the northeast corner of the counter, my coffee paraphernalia was to the west of that in a cupboard, and my compost pail was in the south east corner…the sink was in the middle of all that. But the whole ‘system’ wasn’t working. You know where this is going, right?…

read more
To Be or Not to be…a dog’s dog

To Be or Not to be…a dog’s dog

We all want our dogs to be friendly to other dogs—and shouldn’t it come naturally? Dogs are social, after all. So why
does an otherwise sweet-natured canine buddy turn into a killjoy at the park? One reason is that dogs can be introverts, too. Like humans, they can have bad days and they occasionally form instant dislikes to certain dogs, or feel uncomfortable meeting strangers. But we get to choose our friends and are free to avoid anyone we can’t stand. Dogs pretty much have to go wherever we take them.

read more
Nosework FAQs

Nosework FAQs

Nose work, scent work, scent detection, sport detection…..

…..It doesn’t matter what you call it – it’s a sport for pet dogs, based on real life bomb, drug or contraband detection.

What are the dogs searching for, if it’s not bombs or drugs?

read more
3 Simple Fixes for Food Training Gone Wrong

3 Simple Fixes for Food Training Gone Wrong

I love using food in training.

Close up or at a distance, it’s dead easy to deliver as a reward and dogs generally love it and want to work for it. 

Some dogs will do cartwheels for cheerios (can anyone say “Labrador Retriever”)?  

Food can be used not only as the perfect reinforcement  for good behaviour, but it can also be used as a lure.

read more
How to do the “Running Bunny” in Nosework

How to do the “Running Bunny” in Nosework

In the sport of nosework (or scent detection) dogs search for a target odor that has been secretly placed in each of the four
‘elements’.  Dogs must learn to search containers (like boxes or suitcases), interior spaces, exterior spaces and vehicles.  In a nosework trial, dogs can be asked to search any kind of vehicle.

read more
How to Socialize Your Puppy

How to Socialize Your Puppy

Puppy socialization is something I think about a lot because I’m a trainer and I run puppy socialization classes here in Victoria
BC. But what socialization is, and how it can be accomplished is at the forefront of everything I do because I think it is misunderstood and mishandled by many new puppy owners.
What is Puppy Socialization Really?

read more

4 things that will simplify your dog training time

Gah! It’s so hard to fit training into a busy family life. From the minute you’re up in the morning, you’re going somewhere, doing something, coming home or going out. If you’ve got kids, the issue is compounded EXPONENTIALLY, because everyone’s going in different directions.

But you adopted a dog. You made the commitment and sometimes behaviour needs addressing. I have 4 things I recommend to make training easier, without biting into your busy day.

read more

How coffee made me think about setting up easy-peasy dog training

My kitchen is a decent size but not the most efficient.

A couple of years ago when I started drinking more coffee at home, my kettle was in the northeast corner of the counter, my coffee paraphernalia was to the west of that in a cupboard, and my compost pail was in the south east corner…the sink was in the middle of all that. But the whole ‘system’ wasn’t working. You know where this is going, right?…

read more

To Be or Not to be…a dog’s dog

We all want our dogs to be friendly to other dogs—and shouldn’t it come naturally? Dogs are social, after all. So why
does an otherwise sweet-natured canine buddy turn into a killjoy at the park? One reason is that dogs can be introverts, too. Like humans, they can have bad days and they occasionally form instant dislikes to certain dogs, or feel uncomfortable meeting strangers. But we get to choose our friends and are free to avoid anyone we can’t stand. Dogs pretty much have to go wherever we take them.

read more

Nosework FAQs

Nose work, scent work, scent detection, sport detection…..

…..It doesn’t matter what you call it – it’s a sport for pet dogs, based on real life bomb, drug or contraband detection.

What are the dogs searching for, if it’s not bombs or drugs?

read more

3 Simple Fixes for Food Training Gone Wrong

I love using food in training.

Close up or at a distance, it’s dead easy to deliver as a reward and dogs generally love it and want to work for it. 

Some dogs will do cartwheels for cheerios (can anyone say “Labrador Retriever”)?  

Food can be used not only as the perfect reinforcement  for good behaviour, but it can also be used as a lure.

read more

How to do the “Running Bunny” in Nosework

In the sport of nosework (or scent detection) dogs search for a target odor that has been secretly placed in each of the four
‘elements’.  Dogs must learn to search containers (like boxes or suitcases), interior spaces, exterior spaces and vehicles.  In a nosework trial, dogs can be asked to search any kind of vehicle.

read more

How to Socialize Your Puppy

Puppy socialization is something I think about a lot because I’m a trainer and I run puppy socialization classes here in Victoria
BC. But what socialization is, and how it can be accomplished is at the forefront of everything I do because I think it is misunderstood and mishandled by many new puppy owners.
What is Puppy Socialization Really?

read more

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I write about all kinds of dog training stuff…puppies, terrible teenagers, sport training, nosework, reactive dogs. So many topics, and so much to say! If you’d like to understand more, train more, and enjoy your dog more, then subscribe!