The quest for greatness One characteristic of a good shaper is flexibility—a willingness to change course based on new information coming in. Good science shares that characteristic. As

Run toward the sun In busy families, the front door seems to be in perpetual motion, constantly revolving and providing myriad opportunities for escape. Friends and clients who

I’ve always been fascinated by the cognitive abilities of animals. I used to teach a graduate course on animal intelligence. The popularity of the course was indicative of

Free shape—or not? Free shaping is a type of animal training where you teach the behaviors in gradual steps using a marker, like a clicker, and rewards. Shaping can be a great

If a dog is taught through positive reinforcement to love the crate, the crate becomes his own private and safe place, much like a bedroom for a child. The crate

Sound familiar? The 4 Fs of fear Many dogs struggle to stay relaxed when they see another dog, a person, or a specific environmental stimulus, and end up reacting

Bad behavior: the big picture Did a new dog join the family recently? Are you aiming to start with fine habits and manageable goals? Is this the time

Spooked? It’s autumn—the season of shorter nights, crackling leaves, the hunter’s moon, and, of course, Halloween. Costumed creatures come to your door and scary monsters parade across your

Sibling rivalry Getting a new puppy is exciting—at least for the humans in the family. Sometimes, however, the dog of the house doesn’t think the pup is a

Why all the barking? Barking happens for a reason. Sounds obvious, right? It didn’t always, according to applied ethologist Julie Hecht, writing in the spring 2013 issue of The

Times are changing For many people, the idea of a muzzle evokes a long-standing association with aggressive dogs. That impression can create feelings of fear and worry when

Really? That title is a typo, right? A professional dog trainer would never advocate against socialization, would she? Well, maybe! The problem isn’t with socialization itself, but with