Enjoy this archive of
articles on dog behavior, dog intelligence, dog training, canine sports and others of
interest to people who have active dogs.
March-April 2014
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Here are 6
Great Ways to Challenge Your Dog's Mind, preventing boredom and anxiety, from Cesar
Millan - new toys, tricks, jobs and more
January-February 2014
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Behavior: Do
dogs understand pointing gestures better than young kids? and Dog
Pointing Cue Test: Two Jack Russell Terriers Flunk but a Scottie Passes
November-December 2013
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"If I
Could Talk to the Animals" - search to understand animal languages and create a
"dog translator" to improve human-canine communication, and what we can do now
May-October, 2013
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Forget
about being alpha in your pack with your dog or dogs - this theory doesn't match dog
origins. Focus instead on rewarding positive behaviors.
March-April, 2013
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Dogs as Gamblers: use both variable and continuous reinforcement plus a
"menu" of reinforcement options to turn your dog into a top performer.
May 1-May 31, 2010
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Power
of Social Interactions as Rewards: When training a dog, use both high value treats and
social contact as rewards.
March 1-April 30, 2010
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VIDEO: What do dogs understand? Meet
Brian Hare at Duke who is studying how dogs learn through social interactions, more.
January 1-February 28, 2010
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Working Dog & Service
Dog Stories: Enjoy inspiring stories of working, service, therapy and SAR dogs
changing lives for the better.
August 1-December 31, 2009
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Dog Domestication Not in
Asia? Research on African village dogs finds they are as gentically diverse as dogs of
East Asia, overturning proof of domestication in Asia. Eurasian grey wolf reconfirmed as
canid source.
May 1-July 31, 2009
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Motivation in Training: There are 4
main types of motivation to use in training dogs. A great trainer knows how to match each
of them to their dog and the particular training situation.
April 1-30, 2009
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Checklist for
Establishing FOCUS: Follow these guidelines for making sure your pup is focusing on
you in training, obedience. Consider this: keep one special toy as a reward for focus and
good work!
March 1-31, 2009
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Bama, the Dog Who Really Talks: teaching
a search and rescue dog new ways to communication both enhanced the search work and
provided a new window on Bama's intelligence. Fascinating!
February 1-28, 2009
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Peaking for Competition: No matter your dog
sport - sled dog racing, obedience, tracking - you want your canines to reach peak
performance at trials and tests, not during training. Here's how to do it.
January 1- 31, 2009
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Marking - Shaping - Linking Dog
Behaviors: A long-time dog trainer discovers the benefits of "marking"
desired dog behaviors as a benefit to training, and shares detailed how-to info in an 80+ page ebook.
November 1-December 31, 2008
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]
Using Positives AND Stress is a vital
combination in training dogs for high achievement in competition. Dogs need to understand
that doing is not optional. Appropriate strategies discussed.
October 1-31, 2008
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]
Building Hunt
Drive in Search Dogs: Explore creative means to increase a dog's desire to hunt...
search... or work. Discover techniques that allow you to increase a dog's enthusiasm and
work intensity.
September 1-30, 2008
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A dog owner must
learn about canine behavior, how to "read" their dog, how to handle a leash
and more as vital first step before starting to teach his/her dog its first command.
Emphasize teamwork!
July 1-August 31, 2008
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DNA testing can
now determine which breeds are behind many mixed breeds or mutts, unless too many breeds
are involved. And owners find it helpful to get an idea of behavior traits, health.
June 1-30, 2008
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]
Developing FOCUS
for Obedience Training: Teach your dog to have full and intense focus on you, the
handler. This will improve your dog's ability to learn other skills and perform at peak
level.
April 1-May 31, 2008
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Leadership Basics in Dog Training:
Learn crucial factors in ensuring that your dog considers you the leader, today and
tomorrow, including control of "resources," proactive intervention and more.
March 1-31, 2008
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Lure /
Reward Training provides a clear and direct means to bring your dog into the desired
position - sit, stand, down - during training. Also learn about varying position changes
to keep a dog's attention.
January 1-February 28, 2008
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]
New Tricks for Old Dog
Trainers: Positive dog training means building
a meaningful relationship with your dog, and letting go of coercion, punishment,
choke or prong collars, more! Ideas
for the new year!
December 1-31, 2007
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]
What
agility training teaches you about dog training in general, such as teaching big
routines in small segments, rewarding the behavior you want, and remembering to have fun
with your dog!
November 1-30, 2007
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Life is a dog-training
opportunity: Guide your dog to better behavior using these valuable tips from trainer
Caryl Wolff: learn to read your dog, give your dog a job - and reward, reward, reward!
October 1-31, 2007
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10 Tips
for Best-behaved Dogs: Use this checklist of tips from Suzanne Clothier to help your
dog be better-behaved in all situations and to increase your enjoyment of your canine
companion.
September 1-30, 2007
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Hard
to train? Dog breeds react differently to training for specific tasks.
Suzanne Clothier offers a formula for assessing training of different breeds and advice to
increase your training success.
August 1-31, 2007
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]
Teach
new behaviors step by step to increase your dog training success. Well known trainer
Patricia McConnell gives lively examples of dog training problems solved with this
incremental method.
July 1-31, 2007
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Too Much Fetch?
In our emphasis on giving dogs enough exercise, through activities such as fetch,
we may well be overdoing stress experiences. Try mixing fetch with other training plus
cooling down.
June 1-30, 2007
[
Top ]
Using
Corrections Correctly: Dog trainers must use the correction that is most appropriate
for the individual dog and situation. Make sure your dog understands a command before
using corrections.
May 1-31, 2007
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Conditioning
the Canine Athlete: Written with a small, active show dog in mind, the concepts of
workouts, quality food and vitamins, and breaks from performance apply to canine athletes
generally.
April 1-30, 2007
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Eye Contact in 5 Seconds:
Here is a simple yet effective exercise that builds and rewards eye contact as a key
element of training. It begins with a pup sitting in front of you. Don't miss this one.
March 1-31, 2007
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]
Recognize & handle stress in working
dogs: Working dogs and their handlers will experience many stressful situations. Learn
to see signs of stress and handle it so your dogs can perform at their best.
February 1-28, 2007
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]
Listen to your Dog! If you pay close attention, you can learn what your
dog is trying to tell you with its various sounds and behaviors, what the author calls
doggie charades. It could be important.
January 1-31, 2007
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]
Teaching New Dogs Old Tricks:
This article starts with fetch, but moves on to more challenging activities to enhance
your dog's training such as hide and seek, obstacle course, and favorite tricks.
September 1-30, 2006
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]
Rewarding for calm
behavior: You can use positive reinforcement (+R) with a young dog to achieve calm
behavior and a willingness to lie down or sit without punishment (-P), a savvy trainer
finds.
August 1-31, 2006
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]
How much does a dog's cooperation weigh?
Expert dog trainer Suzanne Clothier offers a new view of how it feels when a dog
and its human are working in harmony - and when they are not.
July 1-31, 2006
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Dog's
Motives: We
tend to attribute human feelings and motives to our dogs but are often wrong. This leads
to problems in training and in our relationships with our pets! Jon Katz offers a
new view.February
-June, 2006
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THINK DOG: Take a minute
to examine some of your behavior from your dog's perspective -- and discover how simple
changes can improve your dog's life and your relationship! |
ORDER
Katz
on Dogs
|
January 1-31, 2006
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DOG
FOOD RECALLED: Here are all the brand names of the Diamond dog foods recalled due to
dog deaths from aflatoxin and all of the 23 states where the dogs have been affected. Important!
ARCHIVES OF
PAST FEATURED LINKS TO DOG ARTICLES
FOR YEARS: 2001-2003 | 2000 | 1999
December 1-31, 2005
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Relationship-based
Dog Training: Give holiday generosity a new meaning - read Suzanne
Clothier on building a caring relationship with your dog as the basis for training and
good living. Do read!
October 1-November 30, 2005
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Canine "flu"
appears in Florida: a new canine disease that has some similarities
with "kennel cough" has been found in Florida. The new disease can be serious as
dogs lack immunity to it. Do read!
September 1-30, 2005
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Veterinary
Medical Assistance Teams of 25 people each are responding to the crisis to animals and
people caused by Hurricane Katrina. Learn how they are helping and how you can help them!
July 1-August 31, 2005
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]
Prepare your pooch to be a therapy
dog: there's great demand for therapy dogs for hospitals and nursing
homes. Here are the stpes needed to prepare your dog for this rewarding activity!
June 1-30, 2005
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Pick a Breed - Pick a
Working Personality: You'll be more successful choosing a dog breed if you
really learn a breed's working style and how you can provide activities to keep that breed
happy!
May 1-31, 2005
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Clever Canines: Did
dogs get smarter as they were domesticated? What can we learn about dog training from the
latest research on dog intelligence, reactions to human cues, communication, more?
April 1-30, 2005
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Enjoy Activities
with Your Personal Dog: The greatest satisfaction comes from having a personal dog and
doing dog sports together, plus picking a breed for and training a personal dog,
even an older dog.
March 1-31, 2005
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]
Romancing the Cookie:
an experienced obedience trainer shares insights on positive training, use of food
as reinforcers, a dog's attitude in training versus the obedience ring, and more. February 1-28, 2005
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]
Get Your Dog's Attention:
Here are some great games and exercises to help your dog learn that watching you is
the fastest way to the treat or reward - plus the important "walkaway game"! |
ORDER
How
to Behave
So Your Dog
Behaves
.
|
January 1-31, 2005
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12
Commandments of Agility: Nancy Guyes and Scud share their top dozen pieces of advice
on how to increase success in agility, be a great sport, and have fun with your dog!
December 1-31, 2004
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NOVA's Dogs and More Dogs: View an
online slideshow on working dogs with wonderful photos, match 14 breeds to their
environment, and discover more about dog diversity. Companion site to TV show.
November 1-30, 2004
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Teaching a Sled Dog To Lead:
a musher who believes in "nuturing a dog's instinct" helps a talented
young leader discover what it means to make decisions out front, and when to listen to the
driver.
October 1-31, 2004
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What really motivates
your dog? If you are planning to use positive reinforcement in your dog training, read
what this trainer has to say about food treats, toys, praise and affection as motivators.
September 1-30, 2004
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]
DOG: Wolf & Myth &
Hero & Friend: A look at aspects of the dog, from communication to dog genome project to dogs helping people to form and function
of working dogs including endurance and
more.
June 26-August 31, 2004
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Dog Training Wisdom
from a champion sled dog trainer and racer truly "in tune" with
his dogs, the late Roland "Doc" Lombard, based on insights from his training
journals, presented by Nancy Cowan.
June 1-26, 2004
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Maximizing Potential in
Athletic & Working Dogs: an introduction to dog conditioning,
issues of heat and pains, assessing potential and setting realistic performance goals, and
more.
May 1-31, 2004
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Beginners Meet Agility:
Here's a great introduction to this popular dog sport by a couple with a young
German shepherd. They offer training tips and a step-by-step look at developing their
dog's skills.
April 1-30, 2004
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Top 10 Misconceptions about Clicker
Training: Is clicker training "all positive"? Is a word
better than a clicker? Can a clicker be used in a training class? Discover answers on this
popular training method.
CLICK ABOVE to browse our dog bookstore - thanks!
March 1-31, 2004
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]
Canine Stress Signs:
Reading your dog's body language - including signs of stress - is important for
avoiding behavioral problems and seeing when your dog needs to learn to handle new
situations.
February 1-29, 2004
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]
Meet musher & explorer Pam
Flowers: enjoy WorkingDogWeb's own interview with a remarkable sled dog trainer and
author who ran the Iditarod, mushed 2,500 miles across the Arctic and more!
Jan. 1-31, 2004
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]
Dogs Think in Images:
Dogs may not think in words, but they do think in images and patterns, often of
their human's behavior. See how to use this insight in your dog training and
relationships.
.