If you’ve ever packed your car at 2 a.m. with smoke turning the sky orange, you know: the time to figure out your dog’s disaster plan is not during the disaster. May is National Wildfire Awareness Month, and for those of us in wildfire zones, flood plains, or earthquake country, it’s the nudge to do […]
Disaster Preparedness Guide for Shasta County Dogs Read More »
Basic obedience goes beyond simple commands like sit and stay. It includes important skills like impulse control, self-calming, and attentive check-ins that build trust and help dogs make good choices in everyday life. Effective training focuses on communication and relationship building between you and your dog.
What is “basic obedience”? Read More »
Encountering off-leash dogs on walks can be stressful and dangerous. This guide shares real experiences and teaches safety behaviors like “hide,” where your dog positions behind you, and “come front,” bringing your dog in front and facing you. Stay prepared with practical tips for protecting your dog and yourself.
Mouthy behavior can be frustrating, especially when playful nips turn into something more. In this post, we explain what mouthiness is, why it happens, and how to teach your dog gentler habits. Whether you’re dealing with a bouncy puppy or a full-grown dog, these tips can help you set better boundaries and build a more peaceful relationship.
Help with Mouthy Dogs Read More »
I was reminded today how useful the command “Get It” can be when my handy dryer ball bounced off the wall and rolled under the bed while I was doing laundry. Instead of going to get a flashlight, discovering the batteries were almost dead, finding new batteries, replacing them, and then crawling around on the
The universal usability of “Get It” Read More »
Adding Duration to Backing Up Once your dog knows how to take a few steps backward, it’s time to build duration. That means teaching your dog to keep backing up for longer distances before they get a reward. This video shows an example of how to work on increasing the number of steps your dog
Training “back” with duration Read More »
