We have all heard it before — “Where can you get a good nail trim for your dog?”.
My answer for those of you who have anxious dogs, is, your living room!
By utilizing the principles of operant conditioning, your dog can choose how to file his own nails to earn reinforcement. It’s so much fun to help your dog learn this behavior because there is definitely a lightbulb moment where the dog goes, “A ha! Paw movement earns me reinforcement.” And you, the owner, get to relish in a small training session with your dog while eliminating stress from your (already) long, to-do list.
Now, get in touch for tips on how to get started!
And if you need the reminder, you can do this! Now, let’s go!
It's a New Year, so let's further our understanding of dogs and their communication system -- their body.
"A dog with a wagging tail is a happy dog" -- we've all heard it before. The truth is there's a lot more than the movement of the tail. There's the base of the tail, where is the dog holding it? High = arousal, low = fearful/nervous. Then there's how it moves. Does it move in a circular motion = friendly/safe state of being, whereas, a tight and fast wag = nervous/unsafe state of being.
Next time you meet a dog and interact with them, take notice of how they are communicating with you -- look at their eyes, their tail, and their gait. I bet you will be able to figure out if they want to say hi to you before you even ask the owner!