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 Anonymous, unsigned comments will not be published.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…
Self-Reinforcement and Self-Correction
We talk in terms of reinforcement and punishment all the time. These are the basic rudiments of the Skinner 4 quadrants of learning theory.
Living with a Dangerous Dog
The point being, there is no ‘getting to the fun stuff’ if you cannot master the basics. Especially if you are the owner of a dangerous dog.
Choosing a Pure Bred Dog or purchasing a Pure Breed Puppy
Choosing a Pure Bred Dog or purchasing a Pure Breed Puppy for Your Household Choosing the 'right dog' for your household should be less of the impulse buy it has become to a heavily researched, informed decision. More emphasis is placed on the refrigerator in your...
A Zwei file update. Our Pointer wild child is growing up!
I know it's been a while since I updated the Zwei file, but summertime is busy here at Lionheart K9 and we barely have time to eat, let alone write! Zwei is now a substantial and well grown young lad. At just over 7 months, he is getting ready to debut at the...
My dog is driving me crazy!
If you searched that phrase, you are already past the point of curiosity. You are frustrated, maybe even questioning your decision to get a dog. That is exactly where this conversation needs to start. Before we talk solutions, we need to talk about the reason your dog...
A Conversation on Ethics in Dog Training
Ethics aren’t just what we shouldn’t do to dogs, it’s also what we shouldn’t do to people. Owners, clients, other trainers, even ourselves
Understanding the Use of Pressure in Dog Training
We employ pressure in a variety of ways, using a variety of devices through a variety of applications. Dog trainers can create too much pressure, not enough pressure, oppositional pressure and directional pressure. Pressure can be delivered socially, environmentally, using our hands, or through withholding things the dog wants.
Positive Reinforcement
People equate positive reinforcement to treat training or clicker training. ‘Catching’ a behavior with a conditioned marker and then rewarding the dog ensures the likelihood the behavior will occur again
Pet ‘Parent’ or Pet ‘Owner’?
I ran a single-question survey on my facebook page the other day. I asked folks to determine if they saw themselves as a pet parent or as a pet owner.
Dog Training Methods
Folks have a tendency to conflate dog training methods and equipment. I frequently get inquiries from people who have never trained a dog and want to know what ‘methods’ I use.