Space Invasion!

Common courtesy when out and about with your dog

A dear friend of mine who does not LOVE dogs and lives in an elevator building often asks me how to politely tell her neighbors she does not wish to have dogs plunge their face into her laundry basket on her way home.  Before you judge, she does not dislike animals.  She simply does not …Read More

The Sassy, Sensitive Type

Those confusing dogs who will bark for attention inside but shrink in fear outside

They lure you in with their good looks and charm.  You spend countless hours together in the house, easily enjoying each other’s company.  Yet, the instant you walk outside or have a friend come into your condo; your dog backs away, trembles and sometimes growls.  If only people saw the wind-up tail bounding to you as you …Read More

How to Calm an Aggressive Dog

izzy1

If you have ever been surprised by a sudden display of aggression, the following can help you safely diffuse the situation and prevent it from happening in the future.  Once you do so, immediately call a qualified training and behavioral professional to help you determine the cause and also give you techniques to teach the dog new ways to cope with aggressive triggers. Be calm. If …Read More

Know Your Dog, Respect Others

Harvey

  I received a disturbing email from a client about her dog being attacked by another dog.  I am always heartbroken when clients share this kind of news.  What makes the story even sadder and shocking was that her dog was attacked twice by the same dog.  Yes, twice by the same dog.  Even worse, …Read More

Socialization 101

Spartan

Socialization does not mean pushing your dog to do something he is clearly uncomfortable doing. Unfortunately, well intending humans often do just that and the results can be very detrimental. I recently witnessed a common situation in which two on leash dogs walked towards each other and their guardians stopped to allow them to interact. …Read More

Aggressive Dogs Are Not Bad

notbad

Many have responsible guardians who do the right thing by veering off to the side to give you space to walk past. Others will redirect their dog to “sit” or make eye contact. Aggression is not something to be afraid of or to label your neighbor’s dog as “bad”. What scares me more than a …Read More