How to Teach Your Dog to Come When You Call Has this ever happened to you? You call your dog by name over and over… to no avail. Then you open a can of food and voilà! Out of nowhere, you hear the pitter-patter of paws heading toward you at top speed. As a certified trainer and also a dog mom, I feel very … Read More
Dear Inquisitive Canine, How do I handle the situation when I am walking my boxer on her leash and we are confronted by an off leash dog or two? It happens a lot in my neighborhood and my former street dog (she was rescued from a neglectful life of living on the streets of East Dallas) goes crazy and barks and lunges at the … Read More
Dear Inquisitive Canine, Our new Shih Tzu puppy hides from us, only coming out when no one is around. She also lowers her head when we pet her. I know it takes time, but I’ve heard some dogs will start interacting with their new environment after 1-3 days, and tomorrow will be her third day here. I just want her to be a happy … Read More
I love behavior – which is a good thing, considering I’m a certified dog trainer. I also enjoy observing the interactions – behaviors – not only between inquisitive canines, but other species as well. Recently, I witnessed a conversation between a father and his young son – about 4 years old I’d guess – that could have been written for a behavior modification course. … Read More
Dear Poncho, My dog barks enthusiastically, very loudly, over and over. He does it at many different times, including the morning when I’m taking him outside, when I come home from being away, or when we arrive home together from a car ride. He barks in the car, out of the car, and everywhere between! I don’t know how to stop him. I tell him “No,” … Read More
When it comes to dog behavior and training, it’s common for many to lose sight of the bigger picture of how great our dogs are. In general people tend to focus on the irritating things their dog does, even though these are often the behaviors that drew them to their pooches in the first place. As a professional dog trainer I like to remind … Read More
How to Play Mutt-Matchmaker Dear Poncho, Several years ago, I brought a new puppy into the family “to keep my older dog company.” That backfired because they fought constantly. The older one passed away a few years ago, but now I’d love to add another dog to my family. What is the best way to introduce a new dog into a family with another dog while avoiding … Read More
Dear Inquisitive Pet Parents, As we head into the fall season and get back to our usual routines with school and work, it’s not uncommon for dogs to develop behavioral issues. Why? Because they go from being around us humans all of the time to suddenly being home alone. In fact, most people think of the “dog days” as being the hottest days of … Read More
I’ve received lots of questions from owners of inquisitive caninesabout “stealing” stuff off of counters and table tops… Hello? We’re dogs! These are some of our normal traits, and what makes us dogs in the first place…If you wanted a pet that didn’t do this, you should have considered getting a turtle or a fish… But, I’m glad to hear you adopted a dog…and … Read More