Category: Dog Training

Dog Park Etiquette: Tips for Dogs and Their People

Dog parks can be one of the most fun social experiences for dogs, as they are able to play with others without leashes or constraints. It’s a perfect weekend activity to wear out your pup while also meeting some fellow dog owners. However, before going to a park, make sure both you and your dog are prepared. In this guide, we’ll be going over basic dog park etiquette, as well as dog park tips for...Read more

Dogs at Work — The Benefits and Challenges of Bringing Your Dog to the Office

In celebration of Take Your Dog to Work Day on June 25, we want to take a closer look at dogs in the office, not just one day a year, but year-round. As pet parents, we love the idea of having our dogs beside us at work; however, the scenario raises plenty of questions. Are there benefits of dogs in the workplace? What kind of rules should be in place for dog-friendly offices? Do certain...Read more

‘My Dog is Extremely Annoying’ — How to Live With a Dog That Constantly Wants Attention

You've got the cutest, yet most annoying dog on the planet. You know what we're talking about. Every time you turn around, your pet is begging for attention. You can't go an hour without playing a fetch game with a slobber-drenched tennis ball. That is a tough demand to meet, especially if you work from home. If your dog constantly wants attention, don't lose your cool, yell or scold your dog. You'll confuse your dog....Read more

Dog, Meet Cat! Introducing a New Dog to Your Home (and Existing Pets)

Yes, dogs tend to be social creatures and enjoy being around fellow canines. But they’re also territorial and some breeds are very protective. The reality is, introducing a new dog into your home with existing pets, whether cats or dogs, can be stressful for all involved, including animals.  You set the tone for how well your animals adapt to each other. Get stressed out, and you’ll pass that on to your pets. Take a few...Read more

Prey Drive in Dogs: Breeds That Are Least and Most Likely to Bolt

Prey drive in dogs is a natural, innate urge to chase other animals or objects. Almost every dog has some level of prey drive, but dogs with high prey drive ... well, they're in a class of their own. Dogs with high prey drive live for the chase, whether it's squirrels, cats, rabbits or other critters. What is prey drive in dogs, and which breeds are most likely to run away? Which breeds are least...Read more

How Does Scent Training for Dogs Work? And Why Would You Need It?

You’ve seen the crime shows where a dog sniffs an article of clothing and leads the police to a missing person. Or perhaps you’ve been in an airport and seen police use dogs to sniff travelers and wondered, what are they looking for? These dogs are actually detection trained. While not every dog can become a detection dog, scent training can benefit your pet. You might be surprised to learn that scent training for dogs...Read more

Best Options for Dog Training Online and Training Your Dog at Home

Need some help with training your dog but can't drive to your local training class every week? Or, maybe your pet doesn't do well with car rides and being around other dogs. Whatever your limitation, more companies are offering dog training online, especially since COVID-19 restricted many people to home-based activities.  There are many advantages to virtual dog training. When your dog is in its natural environment without the distractions of other dogs and people,...Read more

How to Train a Chihuahua, Small Dog, or Teacup Breed to Stop Barking and Start Listening

Small dogs are so cute but they have a reputation for being hard to train, especially Chihuahuas. They come by that reputation honestly. Chihuahuas and many small or teacup breeds seem to be prone to barking at everything, including the wind. We’ll answer common questions about how to train a Chihuahua without using training collars ... and without losing your patience. Why Do Small Dogs Love to Bark? Like most small breeds, Chihuahuas make up...Read more

Aggressive Dog Training Tips — With and Without Hiring a Professional Trainer

Your and your family’s safety is always our highest priority. So, before we get into how to train an aggressive dog, a disclaimer: If you have a highly aggressive dog that bites or threatens to harm someone, seek the help of a professional trainer and your vet. Make sure your dog doesn’t have an underlying medical condition that's causing him or her to be aggressive.  Whether you are training your dog on your own or...Read more

Why Dogs Dig, and How to Stop a Dog From Digging

Do you have one of those back yards that resembles moon cheese, thanks to your hyper-digging dog? This rather annoying habit to us humans, aside from destruction, serves many purposes for our canine friends. The good news is, once you identify why your pet digs up your yard like it's a minefield, you can correct this behavior. We've got tips that'll answer the burning questions about why dogs dig and how to stop dogs from...Read more

What is a ‘Velcro Dog’ and How to Stop Clingy Behavior

It's a fact: Dogs love being around their humans. You can't blame them. Humans provide attention, comfort, shelter, and food. At the same time, dogs (and other pets too) provide us comfort, warmth, companionship, and entertainment. While this partnership typically works — it is, after all, why humans domesticated dogs and cats in the first place — there are times when a dog’s attention can feel clingy. That’s a Velcro dog — one that never...Read more

Getting Started With The BarxBuddy — How to Use an Ultrasonic Trainer for Your Dog

How does BarxBuddy work? Whether you are considering The BarxBuddy for training your dog, or you’ve purchased one and need tips on how to use it, this guide will help you understand how ultrasonic dog trainers work and get started with humane and effective training. Unboxing & Testing The BarxBuddy Device When you purchase the BarxBuddy ultrasonic training device, your box will contain the ultrasonic training device, a 9-volt battery, a wrist strap, and an...Read more

How to Calm an Aggressive Dog

What defines an aggressive dog? An aggressive dog is one that tends to growl, snap, bite and otherwise dominate other dogs, people and maybe even you. The common notion is that canine aggression is a large dog breed or "dangerous" breed issue. Unfortunately, this assumption couldn't be further from the truth. Given the "right" circumstances, any dog can show aggression to humans or other animals. While there's not a one-size-fits-all approach to aggressive dogs, there...Read more

Handle With Care: Adopting and Training Abused Dogs

Any time you walk into an animal shelter, you can find any number of dogs that are desperate for a new home that provides stability, care, and above all else, an abundance of love. For many of these animals, only they know their histories. Some were abandoned, some abused, while others were simply neglected and surrendered to the shelter. While many people fear adopting abused dogs, some make it their life's mission to help those...Read more

#StoptheShock: Positive Dog Training Without Shock Collars

A campaign called “Stop the Shock” has been making its way through social media and email inboxes in an effort to educate dog owners about alternative and humane ways to train their pets. We love it! Positive-reinforcement training is exactly what we recommend in our “Train, Treat, Repeat” approach to dog training. More on that in a moment.  Here is a short video message from Petco’s national dog training manager about positive reinforcement dog training:...Read more

Recall Command: How to Teach a Dog to Come When Called

Of all the basic commands you can teach your dog, the "recall" command is the most important. Training your pet to come to you when called not only keeps you in control, but it can save him from dangerous situations. While it is a crucial command, it is often the most difficult to train. Why? Think about the world of distractions your pet can face everyday, SQUIRRELS, other dogs, toys, and kids. Let us not...Read more

Do Bark Collars Work on Dogs (and Are They Safe)?

Does your dog bark way more than the shelter or breeder led you to believe? Does he bark at inappropriate times all day and night? If you are looking for tools and solutions to train your dog to stop barking, you're probably finding a lot of information about bark collars, also known as anti-bark collars. As training devices, all bark collars interrupt unwanted behavior such as barking so that you can redirect your dog. Each...Read more

Are Small Dogs Harder to Train?

If you're a small or toy dog person, you know the littlest canines are downright adorable. They cost less to care for, and they fit in your favorite designer bag. Everything about them is cute and cuddly. Even when they try to protect and defend, all you can do is smile.  While small dogs earn lovable points in just about every category, training them to follow your directions or stop barking isn't one of them....Read more

What Is the Best Bark Collar? Maybe It’s Not a Collar At All

About Anti Bark Collars for Dogs Anti-bark collars are devices that dogs wear around their necks so their owners or trainers can correct unwanted behaviors. To answer the question about the best bark collar, you have to understand what bark collars are, what types there are and how they work. The best fit for you and your dog depends on how much time and effort you commit to train your dog, as well as what...Read more

Why You Should Use Ultrasonic Dog Repellers and Deterrents

If you research “ultrasonic dog training,” you might come across some older posts about ultrasonic dog repellers and deterrents that question the effectiveness of these tools in training dogs. It’s the problem with a lot of information on the internet, isn’t it? You can find information that supports pretty much any point of view.    Well, we want to set the records straight on ultrasonic dog training tools because much of the information you’ll find is...Read more