The Handler’s personal agenda is the most frustrating things I encounter when working with clients whose dogs are either fear reactive, or aggressive towards people or dogs. When we have a dog that has reactive problems we need to realize it is no longer about: We want to go for a walk We want to go to the dog park We want our dog to make friends We want our dog to be polite when…   Continue

The problem with dog training and dog behaviorists is that neither industry is regulated. A person can give themselves any title they want and start charging – even if they have a 100% fail rate. In the London Ontario area there are several people who are good, a few who are bad, and one or two who have given themselves a bad reputation. How to find a good behaviorist in the London Ontario area One…   Continue

Everyone who has a reactive dog wants to help them. I have met very few people who do not want to put the effort in to give their dog a better life. Even if your motives are to prevent a lawsuit your efforts will improve your lifestyle and your dog’s. There are some good programs in the London and Toronto areas. There are some good behaviorists and trainers, but there are also some bad.  Even…   Continue

It amazes me that there are still people who want to use a choker collar and punitive measures when training. With the wealth of research and the number of case studies the question shouldn’t be, ‘do I want to use a clicker’ when training. It should be ‘how well do I want my dog to behave?’ Clickers are not magic. All they do is capture a behavior, repeatedly, and increase the chances of that behavior…   Continue

When people ask me this question the first response is because you haven’t taught the dog to heel. Putting a choker collar on a dog and punishing it when it moves away from you doesn’t teach the dog to heel. Dragging the dog around by the leash doesn’t teach the dog to heel. First we need to address the handler – You. Do you know what heel means? Before you start teaching a dog to…   Continue