Shaping Success
Shaping Success By Sarah Fulcher, CDBC Free shape—or not? Free shaping is a type of animal training where you teach the behaviours in gradual steps using a marker, like a clicker, and rewards. Shaping can be a great way to teach some difficult behaviours, expand your animal’s capabilities, exercise your…
10 Reasons Your Dog May Develop Behaviour Problems
10 REASONS YOUR DOG MAY DEVELOP BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS By Sarah Fulcher, CDBC, KPA-CTP Originally published on Clickertraining.com Bad behavior: the big picture Happy New Year! Did a new dog join the family this holiday season? Are you aiming to start a brand-new year with fine habits and manageable goals? Is…
When Pain Doesn’t Look Like Pain
My dog Dexter has been slightly anxious for several months. I had thought it was possibly due to me being away more frequently. We had been giving him some calming treats with supplements that seemed to help. I had the vet check him out and did some basic blood…
Podcast Feature
I was thrilled while on a recent trip to Chicago to be featured on the Dog Training Conversations Podcast with my friends Chad Mackin and Jay Jack. Feel free to listen to the Podcast (episode Bridging the Gap) here or here for non-Apple users. I was in Chicago to visit…
Poor Timing
Hi Sarah, I have a couple of questions. I’ve had two sessions – two nights in a row, where the owner’s timing is way off. I was trying to find ways of helping them to improve their timing, do you have any suggestions? Secondly, do you ever encounter people who are simple clicker…
What Should I Do?
Hi Sarah, I recently started using more food and treats when training my dog. I am very happy with the results except I am concerned because my dog has started to become possessive of me. I work in a dog daycare and have been training at work (I figured…
Confidence is Silent
This applies to dogs as well. Very often people tell me their dog is an ‘alpha’ because it is aggressive or pushy to other dogs. I explain that their dog is acting like a bully, not an ‘alpha’ and they are behaving this was because they are actually insecure. Truly…
To Crate or Not To Crate?
A bonus, not a penalty Many people refuse to crate or kennel-train their dogs because they feel the confinement is cruel. However, a crate or kennel can give dogs a sense of security. Crate training done properly is also a highly effective management system that can be a lifesaver for…