Our very own Dog Blog for training and the State of the Trade in The Age of Wingnuts and Zealots.
A collection of articles written by Linda Kaim on the State of Dog.
All comments are moderated, but open, intelligent discourse is welcome. Posts MUST be signed with a real name. Anonymous, unsigned comments will not be published. Inflammatory, troll-like behavior will not be rewarded by inclusion, nor will profanity, threats to my person or other nonsense. Spam is welcome in some parts of the world, I guess, but not here.
If you are still with me, read on…
Dog Behaviorist vs Dog Trainer
The concept of a dog behaviorist isn’t surprising, since the term dog trainer seems to conjure an image of a drooling, toothless troglodyte these days, while the term behaviorist renders the image of a sensitive intellectual steeped in academia that can solve your dogs issues with a prescription pad and a pen.
Dog Behavior
The maddening insistence that dog behavior is somehow divorced from dog obedience is an addlepated view of a pretty straightforward problem. Dog behavior is an observable act. When a dog engages in a behavior, he is doing something. Whether that behavior is directed...
How to choose a dog trainer
How to choose a dog trainer Some years ago, in a discussion of ethics and professionalism in an unregulated industry (that would be dog training), a wise and thoughtful colleague shared his checklist. He's not with us anymore, but his wisdom lives on. Useful, too, for...
Dog ownership in the 21st Century.
Dog ownership in the 21st Century. What's next? Just like children, dogs are a product of their environment. If your child never goes anywhere or interacts with other children, it’s a fairly high probability that you will be named when your adult child seeks therapy...
Dog Training Storytime
There really is nothing new under the sun when talking about dog training. Years ago, I was handling a dog at a public event being put on by an animal rescue. We were sort of in between showtimes and resting comfortably under an awning near my truck. Cotton was...
Groomers take a lot of risks
Groomers are Saints I pay homage to my roots and to all the groomers past and present that have endured the worst of the worst, and still kept their wits about them. This may come across as a bit like kicking a dead horse, if you will forgive the phrase. I am a person...
Buying a dog isn’t that hard
I hadn't intended writing a post on buying a dog today, but here we are! So, I did a thing this morning, before sitting down to my desk and trying to figure out which roller coaster I was going to ride today; the productive, lifestyle supporting one, or the merry...
How to train a dog
When it comes time to learn how to train a dog, the leash and collar is the primary device we use to communicate with them. Whether that collar is a buckle, martingale, chain, prong or electronic, it is still accompanied by a leash that acts as a conduit for...
Littermate Syndrome In Dogs
“Littermate syndrome” is not specific to littermates or even dogs of the same behavioral age range. It can happen at any age.
My dog is driving me crazy!
My Dog Is Driving Me Crazy! Drive. It's a hot-button, poorly understood and frequently misused word in dog training. Dog owners want their dogs to stop driving them crazy. Dog trainers talk about building drive, channeling drive, switching drive, engaging drive, all...