What the Treat Toss Actually Shows You
There’s a moment in Treat/Retreat that looks, to the casual observer, like a dog running away. Someone tosses a treat…
The Dog Gets to Decide: Understanding the Dog-Driven Timeline
People who are new to working with fearful dogs often want to know: how long will this take? It’s a…
What a Fearful Dog Is Actually Asking For
There’s a conversation happening every time a dog backs away from a stranger, shuts down at the end of a…
Beyond Reactive and Stubborn: Why Vague Labels Fail Dogs
We love our labels. “Reactive.” “Stubborn.” “High drive.” “Shy.” Walk into any training facility or shelter, and you’ll hear these…
What Your Eye Misses: Hidden Traits That Can Determine Training Success
You watch a dog in training and see the obvious: jumps up on people, pulls on leash, doesn’t come when…
The First Piece of the Connection Puzzle: Why The Auto Check-in Changes Everything
Picture a jigsaw puzzle with five hundred pieces scattered across your dining room table. You’re staring at all those pieces,…
The Trust Fund Puppy: When Your Client’s Dog Has a Better Life Than You Do
You know those celebrities who are famous for… well, for what exactly? They appear to be utterly free of the…
Your Thumbs Are Enough: Training Reactive Dogs Without Physical Management
Inspired by a clip from her talk at the Aggression in Dogs Conference – Suzanne decided to write a blog…
The Individual vs the Breed
“He’s a German Shepherd, so he should be good at protection work.” “She’s a Golden Retriever—perfect family dog.” “Mixed breeds…
The Mixing Board Approach to Distraction Training
Mastering the Three Variables of Distraction Training Think of a sound engineer at a concert, fingers dancing across a mixing…
