“The white dog stayed by the water for a long time. She was there every day. She stood by the water’s edge, very still. She just watched the waves. She watched the water. Sometimes she walked along the shore. I wondered what she was thinking, walking along like that. She looked thoughtful.” In January 2000, […]
My Training Partner: Til Death Do Us Part
I remember when Little Star and I we were going to the graduation of our intermediate agility class. We practiced all of our contacts in the yard all week, our yard being more of an agility course than the pet store where classes were held. She was great all week. I was nervous when we […]
My Dogs Don’t Know “NO”, Part 2
Part 1 of this blog a few years ago after a funny incident occurred in my backyard which could have turned ugly. Now I understand that this article could be misconstrued to have different and not-so-positive meanings. Much is said, incorrectly, that positive training, clicker training and not using punishment is producing spoiled, un-mannered, out-of-control […]
They’re Starting To Look At Each Other
In houses with multiple dogs the best way to know that everyone likes each other is if they are NOT looking at each other. They can be playing, sleeping on top of each other, eating together and even madly in love with each other, but the minute they start staring at each other, then it’s […]
Little Star White Dog
While writing the series of blogs for an APDT contest, I went into great detail about Little Star and her time having dental and eye surgery. She had a very hard time recovering and in fact she got worse. We have received devastating news about Little Star White Dog. Star is our oldest dog and […]
Treats: They’re Not Just Milk and Cookies, Part Two
In Part One, we talked about the importance of the quality and quantity of treats. We also talked about size, texture and variety. Variety is very important. Your dog will stay focused as long as you keep the variety interesting. Sometimes even dogs get totally bored with their food and stop eating. That’s a foreign […]
Treats: They’re Not Just Milk and Cookies Anymore
Most people when they work, work for salary, whether it’s money, room and board, or a promise of the candy store after homework. These are all rewards for behaviors accomplished. It is known that all living beings repeat behaviors that are reinforced. If we find the best reinforcement for our particular dog, it opens the […]
Somewhere Under The Threshold
From “At home with the dogs of kona’s touch” series celebrating APDT’s Train Your Dog Month and winner, best social media campaign. Human: “It’s pouring out, I can’t see a thing, I’m lost. I don’t CARE what we have for dinner. I may never eat again. All I care about is my life, my future, surviving […]
Reinforce Without Food? Yes, We Do It All The Time
From “At home with the dogs of kona’s touch” series celebrating APDT’s Train Your Dog Month and winner, best social media campaign. Sometimes a Hot Dog Just Won’t Do Dealing with Little Star’s dental issues has reminded me of a point I make to my clients all the time. “No, you will not need food […]
A Trip To The Vet, Part 2: Advocate For Your Dog
From “At home with the dogs of kona’s touch” series celebrating APDT’s Train Your Dog Month and winner, best social media campaign If I had known Little Star, my 10-year-old Lab x, would have surgery this month, I would have considered not doing “at home with the dogs of kona’s touch.” This personal up front view […]