Reactive: Acting out in order to ward off or escape a stimulus, for example, other dogs or people. Reactive dogs may be more tense and worked up when separated from the…

Adopt don't shop. Isn't that the mantra of pet lovers these days? While that's all well and good there is little effort put into keeping dogs in the homes where…

Predatory drift: When a dog’s behavior shifts from acceptable play behavior to predatory behavior. This sometimes occurs during interactions between large and small dogs; the smaller dog squeals or runs away…

Marker: A stimulus that pinpoints the behavior the dog performed. The most common markers are clickers and a specific word, such as “yes.” The marker should be used at the exact…

Learned helplessness: When a dog learns that no matter what he does he cannot escape from an aversive situation and gives up trying. Learned helplessness is a negative, detrimental emotional state…

The world is a wonderful place for a puppy. To them everything is novel, new, exciting, and an opportunity to explore and immerse themselves in some mud. From the age…

Classical conditioning: Pairing something of little or no value with something of intrinstic value until an association is learned. This gives the thing of lower value, value. ie: a dog learns…

Broken. Most people view this word in a poor light, especially in the animal world, and I want to change their view. How? Through the story of an animal I…

Bite inhibition: A dog’s ability to control the amount of pressure when mouthing an object. Lack of bite inhibition may be an indicator of play or aggression. Indications of a dog who does…

Capture: Marking and rewarding a naturally occurring behavior, such as sitting or lying down, as the dog is doing it. Once a behavior is captured, marked and rewarded, the dog learns…