Dog Gone Good Pet Training

08/10/2022

Great resource!

There's really just three main types of dog behavior problems and this flow chart summarizes how you can resolve all three.

Obviously, there's only so much info we can fit on a single page but if you'd like to learn more about how to resolve these 3 common types of dog behavior problems you should enroll in our free online course:
https://dunbar.info/6steps

It all starts with NOT feeding your dog from a food bowl. If your dog has a behavior problems, there's a very good chance you can use their regular daily allotment of food to help resolve this problem. You might be able to resolve it without using their food but making use of their food will almost certainly accelerate the training.

Do the problems occur when the dog is at home and unsupervised? The key is preventing these problems with confinement, either a crate or playpen, but it's essential that you start by teaching your dog to LOVE hanging out in these confined areas, and the best way to do that is with food-stuffed chew toys.

Are the problems the result of fear or stress? Is there any element of aggression? If so, you have to manage for safety and then use classical conditioning to teach your dog to feel more at ease. You'll also want to use lure reward training to put useful skills on cue, which you can use to redirect your dog's attention from stimuli that stress them.

If it's not an at-home unsupervised problem, and it's not a fear or stress-based problem, then all you need is a simple obedience training solution. Your dog is doing something you don't like. What would you like them to do instead? Sit-stay? Down-Stay? Go to their bed and settle down? Be quiet?

Teach them to do this behavior on cue and then practice it in progressively more challenging situations until they do it reliably, anytime, anywhere.

Want to learn more? Sign up for our free course, Six Simple Steps to Solve Your Dog's Behavior Problems: https://dunbar.info/6steps

14/08/2022

Good body language review

Understanding “dog language” is extremely important, not only for the safety of the people around the dog, but for the dog as well. Too many dogs are given up or euthanized for being “biters,” when in reality they warned you all along they weren’t comfortable with whatever situation led to the biting. Learn their cues, and keep everyone safe!

12/05/2022

Don't punish your dog for growling. A growl is communication, not aggression. What's going on that YOU should protect your dog from so that he doesn't take on a perceived threat himself as a last resort?

If you're wondering how to teach your dog to stop growling at your baby, you're thinking about it the wrong way. Every opportunity that your dog has to do that is one negative experience too many.

First, manage the environment so that guarding isn't possible. Once that is up and running, work with a qualified behavior consultant to change the way your dog feels about your baby near their stuff.

11/03/2022

If you want a dog bed you won't have to replace, go Kuranda.

Wildly beautiful

10/03/2022

Absolutely---Think of a growl as communication, not aggression. Look for the chance to understand the problem and help the dog out of an uncomfortable situation.

For safe human-canine interactions, learn to speak dog...and teach others.

21/01/2022

30/06/2021

We get these phone calls--

Caller: Help! My dog is chasing my kids! He nips at them, and the run and scream!

Me: What kind of dog do you have?

Caller: It's a Blue Heeler.*

Me: Oh....Well, that's kind of what those dogs were born to do. Maybe we can help you train your kids though.

*Might also be cattle dog, Australian Shepherd, Border Collie

https://youtu.be/HuWGFJc6WVc

24/05/2021

It's important to think about what your dog concludes regarding your reaction to things! Better to actively teach acceptable behaviors rather than just react to bad behaviors.