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Skills for Every Day

How to Teach Voluntary Blood Draws: Lessons from Dolphins and Horses Apply to Dogs

By Laura Monaco Torelli on 06/01/2013

Size—it's all relative

Ten years ago I was introduced to my first Rhodesian ridgeback. Actually, I met two ridgebacks then—stunning males a year apart and known as brothers, even though they weren't related. Their names were Luca Brasi and Clemenza (fans of The Godfather will understand). The dogs belonged to my boyfriend, Jim, who is now my husband. Jim adored "the boys," and I felt the same way the instant I met them.

Both dogs came bounding up for their share of attention. I received the "hound handshake"—noses in my private parts coupled with inquisitive head turns as they scoped me out. Since I worked at Brookfield Zoo, I am sure there were many enticing odors on my clothes and shoes.

Carnivorous Chairs and the Cone of Shame: Creativity in Action

By Alena Van Arendonk on 04/02/2013

Click and create

One subject that crops up frequently in training circles is the side effects of various training techniques. We caution against the harmful fallout of punishment-based methods. We debate the relative merits of luring, shaping, and capturing. We examine studies that compare the rate of behavior acquisition using various marker signals. And, of course, we love to talk about the added benefits of clicker training—engaging the dog's mind, the respondent conditioning of a positive emotional state, the fostering of creativity in both trainer and trainee.

Muzzles—Not Just for Aggression Anymore!

By Nan Arthur on 02/04/2013

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 people hear about or witness a dog in a muzzle. There is no denying that when many people see a muzzled dog, they envision the likes of a Hannibal Lecter character (a monster, but in fur)!

Happy Together: How to Train Successfully in a Multi-Dog Household

By Irith Bloom on 01/04/2013

Two (or three or more) times the fun!

If you have more than one dog (or more than one clicker-savvy pet) in your household, you may find it challenging to manage training at times. There are strategies that can help make it easier to train in a multi-dog household, though.

Stay Until Released

By Helix Fairweather on 12/01/2012

Stationary behavior: What are we really looking for?

Recently, I watched a man working on duration of a behavior—his dog's front feet, stationary, on a target. Watching his training session, I did not see anything out of the ordinary. But there was a problem. The trainer said he had achieved 5-7 seconds of duration, yet when the class instructor asked for a demonstration, he could only demonstrate the barest fraction of a second of standing still on the target.