Discover six rare and often misunderstood types of dog aggression, including sleep startle, redirected aggression, and predatory behavior toward humans. Learn why professional help is critical.
Do dogs go to heaven? A pan-religious look at what Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Eastern traditions say about pets and the afterlife, plus personal reflections on grief, the Rainbow Bridge, and the book Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant.
Do dogs know when another dog dies? Learn how dogs perceive death, why they react differently, and how to help surviving dogs adjust after a loss.
Uncover the truth behind dog aggression. Learn why barking, lunging, or snapping is a symptom of fear, not a "mean" personality. Discover the 7 common types of dog aggression and how understanding triggers leads to effective behavior modification, not just labeling.
Worried about your dog and new baby? Discover the reassuring truth: dogs rarely see babies as prey. Learn the key safety periods, how dogs truly perceive infants, and actionable steps for a harmonious home.
Standard dog training often worsens fear and anxiety in sensitive dogs. Learn why obedience-based methods fail anxious dogs—and what actually helps.
Is your dog bored or anxious? Learn why 'giving your dog a job' is the key to channeling natural instincts, stopping bad behavior, and creating a happier, more fulfilled canine companion. Practical tips inside.
Bringing home a new dog is exciting, but first-time owners often discover the learning curve is steeper than they expected. After working with hundreds of families, I’ve noticed I approach first-time owners very differently than experienced ones — not because they aren’t intelligent, lack commitment or care, but because they’re working from assumptions that just don’t match how dogs actually learn.
We’ve all seen them—the modern “training” collars that promise a quick fix for all kinds of dog behavior problems. These collars are really just old-school shock collars (also called e-collars) with a built-in buzzer. While the electric shock function is increasingly recognized as aversive and inhumane, many well-intentioned dog owners are drawn to the “buzzer” or “vibration-only” mode. It seems like such a harmless beep or gentle nudge, a simple way to get your dog’s attention.
Barking is one of the most natural things a dog can do—but when it becomes constant in the backyard, it can strain relationships with neighbors and even cause stress for the dog. The key is to understand why your dog is barking and then take steps to make things quieter and calmer for everyone.
Here are eight ways to stop your dog’s backyard barking:
You’ve seen it a hundred times: one minute, your dog is a perfect angel. The next, they’re a blur of fur, tearing laps around the coffee table, skidding across the floor with a wild look in their eyes. It’s a scene of pure, unbridled chaos… and it’s completely normal.
About ScottScott Sheaffer, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA, is a certified dog behaviorist. Scott specializes in the assessment and treatment of fear, anxiety, aggression and phobias in dogs six months and older. Learn More |
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In an earlier article, 3 Words I Wish Dog Owners and Dog Trainers Wouldn’t Use, I identified 3 words that make me cringe a little bit when I hear them: “alpha, pack and dominant”. As a postscript to that article, I identify 6 more cringe-worthy words below that need to be removed from the world’s canine vocabulary.
Read MoreGreyhound dogs, a breed that can be polarizing. Almost all of the Greyhounds that you see as pets came from the racetrack. They ended up at a Greyhound rescue organization because they either retired from racing at four to six years of age or because they never made the cut and therefore can be very young.
Read MoreBarking is a completely natural behavior for dogs, but humans don’t always appreciate it. What many people don’t know is that the act of barking can be a self-rewarding behavior for dogs – thus we need to get it under control as it typically only gets worse.
Read MoreIn the 30-second video below you see Winston, a client's English Bulldog. Winston was brought to me with the owner stating that Winston was showing aggressive and compulsive behaviors (i.e., OCD in humans).
Read MoreWe all have things that people do that make us crazy. For example, some of us can’t tolerate it when people put on makeup in a public place (that one doesn’t bother me), others find it disgusting when restaurant employees don’t wash their hands after going to the bathroom (that one bothers me), and there are those who come unglued when people crack their knuckles (I’m neutral on that one).
Read MoreDo you ever wonder if dogs have emotions like humans? Do you sometimes stop to consider what motivates dogs? Are their emotions and motivations similar to ours? This is the short techie answer to those questions: Applied Behavior Analysis states that dogs’ behavior is learned through external stimuli.
Read MoreIt is my utmost hope that everyone reading this article understands that the title of this article is tongue-in-cheek. Let me explain what inspired me to title an article this way. I recently spent a number of days with my 10-month-old grandson. Anyone who has spent time around 10-month-olds knows they can certainly be cranky from time to time.
Read MoreIn your mind’s eye, I want you to imagine that you are sitting next to a passenger on an airplane who is really afraid of flying (known as aviophobia - maybe this is you). I’m talking sweating, trembling, fast breathing, death grip on the armrest, etc. If you’re a relaxed flier, sitting next to someone like this can really be annoying.
Read MoreI was looking through an expansive dog breed reference recently and found some things that bothered me - and should bother you too. The information I’m referring to is found on a smartphone app that documents over 500 breeds; there are many of these types of apps. I never take the information in encyclopedic dog breed references too seriously for three reasons.
Read MoreI recently received the following email from a lady asking about my dog behavior consultant services. “I have an energetic 1 year-old male Mini Australian shepherd. Overall he is an okay puppy, but he is aggressive toward other dogs…”
Read MoreDo you know what your dog is telling you when he or she greets you with a long and low stretch? Watch the 60-second video below to find out!
Read MoreI first saw “Knickers” about two years ago. She is an Australian Shepherd and was 1.5 years old at that time. She had been in three homes before her current adopters, Joseph and Gail, brought her home.
Read MoreHow can you use distance to modify your dog’s behavior? This 60-second video will give you some insight.
Read MoreIn one form or another, I am frequently asked some version of this question, “My dog and cat do not get along; can this be fixed?” Just like with so many issues involving animal behavior, the answer can be thorny. Let me explain some basics about dog-cat interactions.
Read MoreA question I'm asked all the time is whether dogs protect their owners. Get the answer in this 60-second video.
Read MoreThe question as to whether or not you should repeat a command to a dog is one I am asked all of the time. Put a group of dog trainers together and ask them this question and you won’t get 100% agreement. For this article I will use the word “command”, but dog behavior consultants and specialists almost exclusively use the word “cue” for a number of reasons.
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Dog owners often unintentionally cue fear and aggression in their dogs. Learn how subtle human behaviors can trigger reactivity—and what to do instead.