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How to Teach Your Dog Left and Right

By Aidan Bindoff on 03/01/2012

This is a fun exercise that is handier than it seems at first. You'll set up two targets at a distance, and teach your dog to go to either target—left or right—on cue. Later, you will set up similar exercises to bring more general meaning to the cues "left" or "right."

A dog that understands "left" and "right" has a terrific skill for many competition venues including agility, herding, mushing, water dog, and retrieving. This understanding would also be handy walking on trails—and service dog owners could think of a dozen or more applications for "left" and "right."

Podcast: Eva Bertilsson and Emelie Johnson Vegh Read Selections from Agility Right from the Start

By KPCT on 03/01/2012

In this month’s podcast, authors Eva Bertilsson and Emelie Johnson Vegh share audio selections from Agility Right from the Start, the comprehensive guide to agility based on their powerful modern training system. Listen as they share some of the basic principles that have made this book a must-have resource for beginners and competitors alike!

The Need to Gnaw: How to Prevent Puppy Chewing

By Rebecca Lynch on 02/01/2012

Choosing to chew?

What do pet stores sell? Toys for dogs to chew on. Bones for dogs to chew on. Treats for dogs to chew on. Are you seeing a theme yet?

How to Practice Clicker Mechanics

By Tia Guest on 02/01/2012

Do you remember when you learned to tie your shoes? Maybe that's too far back and the details are fuzzy. How about when you learned to type? I remember that well. It was during my freshman year of high school, the first period of the day, bright and early. My fingers were still asleep! As I clicked away at the IBM Selectric typewriter, it seemed so awkward. But as I practiced each day, I became more and more comfortable and my skill improved. By the end of the semester I was typing over 50 words per minute.

Helping Shy Dogs Blossom Using Targeting

By Dee Ganley on 02/01/2012

Shy dogs are an especially difficult challenge in the shelter environment because it is so hard for them to establish trust. We have found that teaching these dogs to target our hand can help many shy dogs develop confidence with people fairly quickly. You can't begin to try this method until there is at least one person (staff or volunteer) the shy dog has a little trust in.

Target training teaches the dog to touch his nose to some object or person for a click and then treat. (If the shy dog is very noise reactive, you may choose to use a "soft" voice marker or a muffled clicker)