The sad truth about puppy socialization is that most people do ‘what they think is right’ without any study into applied animal behavior, or even reading more than a few articles on the internet. I have been studying puppy socialization, at least 100 hours a year, for three years, and I still have more to learn. Puppy socialization is the equivalent of ‘early childhood education’. A lot can go wrong and when it does the… Continue
When you say socializing then what you mean is that you are forcing a baby to act like an adult. You really mean that you are teaching the dog that you don’t ‘have it’s back’ and that you will not protect it. The puppy is really learning that leaving the house with you is a terrifying experience. And the dog is learning that it is helpless. If it does try a polite ‘stay away behavior’… Continue
I listened to her explain that she has no idea why her 9-month-old golden retriever has started biting people. She went into length to explain how she socialized it. ‘Ever since it was 10 weeks old I took it to the dog park and puppy classes. All the dogs played with it and ‘taught it manners.’ Everyone petted it. We would go for walks and I would let everyone pet it. She would get so… Continue
Excerpt from Heeling Seminar June 3, 2017 One of the most common problems I see on a weekly basis is people whose dogs drag them, pull on the lead, or lunge and bark at other dogs or people. I’ve seen dogs brace their toes into the dirt, lean into their collar, and pull like a weight pulling champion. These dogs often attend class wearing harnesses, which destroy their shoulder joints. Or they are wearing prong… Continue
Download PDF: Bullying and Aggression One of the hardest things to deal with is bullying. I’ve seen it in lap dogs. I’ve seen it in well bred, well trained, and properly raised working dogs. The #1 problem is that 99% of dog owners do not want to recognize bullying behavior in their dog. Any dog that pulls, bracing its legs, and tries to drag you forward then it is a bully. Any dog that growls… Continue
