My Puppy, My Self

We take our dogs to trainers or obedience classes, but the truth is we don't need to teach them how to be dogs. They already know that. On the other hand, if we pay attention to what their "dogginess" might tell us about ourselves, they can teach us how to be better human beings. At least that's the lesson I learned from my dog Charley. Read More

Everyone has their own theory of why dogs behave the way they do. People who don't even have dogs at least have a theory. This is due in part to our Disneyfication of animals, which causes us to unconsciouly confer "personhood" on our dogs. But it's also the result of something very clever that the domesticated dog, and no other species, does. Read More

Free play facilitates the growth of pro-social circuits in your pup's brain, helps develop impulse control, and increases neurological and emotional development. In fact, a puppy will learn and retain more in one vigorous thirty-minute play session than he will in a six-week puppy class. I'm among a growing number of trainers who think it's time to reverse the current trend of pushing puppies into learning obedience skills long before their brains, emotions, and bodies are ready. Read More

Dogs have two basic emotional/behavioral states. One is when they're feeling connected to their owners or to other dogs. The other is when they're looking to connect to something in the environment, be it a squirrel or pigeon, a tasty bit of garbage on the sidewalk, or just a really interesting smell. By tuning in to your dog's emotions, and making your dog feel that you share what he's feeling, you bring the dog back to that group state, which automatically creates better obedience and better behavior. Read More