Taking your dog for regular annual exams with your veterinarian is a New Year's resolution that may be more important than you previously realized. The reason your dog's annual exam is so critical is simple.

You might think that dogs wouldn't have serious behavior issues regarding food, but just like humans, they do. I've provided information on three types below. "Doggie Table Manners Gone Bad" Compulsive disorders are manifested as repetitive behaviors that are excessively repeated for no apparent reason (think OCD in humans).

Dogs can be profoundly resilient both physically and emotionally. They don't appear to hold grudges or consciously dwell on the past. This is why rescued dogs can make outstanding pets and severely injured dogs adapt so well to their handicaps.

What implied promises do we make to our dogs when we bring them into our homes? This thought occurred to me recently while attending the wedding of a nice young couple (yes, I was paying attention to the ceremony). As I listened to their wedding vows, I realized that we essentially make these same kinds of "vows" to our dogs when they become part of our household.

Dog behavior specialists and behaviorists use a scale when assessing dog bites. This is essential when diagnosing aggression issues and providing a prognosis. There are many scales, but the one that is most commonly used is Dr. Ian Dunbar's Dog Bite Scale.

I hear it every day, "My dog is dumb." To be sure, there are dogs that are, um, well, not as smart as others. However, almost all dogs are pretty bright and even the ones that aren't can do some pretty amazing things when taught using the correct methods.

The most common behavior issue I see is aggression. Below I've listed three major categories of dog aggression with a brief description. Fear Aggression. Simply stated, these dogs have learned and have been reinforced for using aggression as an offense-is-the-best-defense strategy for dealing with things that scare them.

Yes, dogs can have OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) that manifests as tail chasing, licking their paws until there is an injury (lick granuloma), fly snapping (biting at imaginary flies), flank and blanket sucking (literally sucking on their rear legs or on inanimate objects), pica (eating non-food items) and the list goes on.

I was recently taking a walk with my wife, Barbara, at one of our favorite parks. We came upon an older couple that was sitting on one of the park benches with their two beautiful German Shepherds. I asked if it would be okay for us to approach their dogs. The husband replied, "No. They are highly protective of us. You know how German Shepherds are."

Humans are incredibly resistant to letting go of long held beliefs - even when faced with evidence that should point us in a new direction. The following popular beliefs can get in the way of our relationship with our dogs and decrease our effectiveness when training them.

"My dog, Chester, tears things up when I'm away at work. Today it was the drapes! I know he's doing this to get back at me for leaving him alone all day. When I come home he looks guilty and cowers."

As a professional dog behavior specialist, I long ago made the decision not to use prong, choke or shock collars. Let me tell you how I reached that decision.

Men's Health magazine recently ran an article with some interesting facts about men and their dogs. Here a few of the more interesting. The percentage of men who don't have a dog, but wish they did is 88%.

As a dog trainer and behavior specialist, I'm frequently asked the following questions. "What do you think are the best breeds for a family dog?" Basset Hound - Friendly to people and pets - great with children too. Get one from rescue.

Below you'll find some old and familiar dog training terms that in recent years have become somewhat outdated in some circles. These old terms are candidates for an update in light of what we've learned in the last 20 years about dog behavior. Read the following and see what you think.

Puppy mills (also known as commercial breeders) see puppies more as "livestock" and breed them in large quantities and as economically as possible - an estimated 4 million every year in the US, which sadly equates to the number of dogs euthanized in US shelters annually.