Positively | Victoria Stilwell | Forum

There is absolutely something real that is trying to be described by various scientific fields that use the term dominance/social dominance. it's a real thing. And while my understanding has grown a bit since posted the comments Judy linked, the basics in those comments are unfortunately still true....

I spend a lot of time working with fearful dogs. I am not impressed with the thundershirt. the evidence that it works is....well a bit thin shall we say. I much more prefer working with Desensitization and Classical Conditioning, combined with teaching the dog skills that will help them either learn...

You may be trying to go too fast, too soon. This is probably a significant part of why you are struggling to make progress. Another, it is possible you still haven't connected with a trainer that truly specializes in what you are needing to help Apollo. I don't want to spend too much time on that p...

that face...

thank you for sharing pictures of Miles. had a few ridgebacks ocme through class, always fun dogs. I can see why you enjoy them.

I saw this Shock Collar (url removed) which is the most common tool used when training dogs. the claim of most common is based on what? It is Inexpensive, safe, and effective, this clever device is able to give guidance to dogs on what behaviors are right and wrong. What do you think about this tra...

can't wait to hear the stories as you raise Mr Wonderful

oh wow...how did I miss this....

Sooooooooo sorry to hear ari has passed. I so enjoyed his stories and the pictures you shared.

Yes, raw chicken and UNCOOKED bones are fine - cooked bones are dangerous. There's a number of threads on the forum about raw feeding if you're interested. An example would be to give the dog a fresh chicken wing, meat still on the bone. depending on size of the dog you might want to remove the ski...

Sorry haven't followed up quicker. been a busy few days. One thing I am really struggling with is how to positively reinforce good behaviour with a dog who is food aggressive and becomes tense around food. To solve this, you do have to view each situation you feel your dog is being aggressive over f...

big red flag here is the pain. is the pain being managed? is something being given for the pain? does the harness contribute to the pain because of where it sits in relation to where the pain is? anytime there is a medical issue such as pain, that MUST be addressed before training can be effective. ...

Jack's dad thanks. We are using play to try and use her brain and tire her out. Then progressing to toy play and increasing her confidence. Letting her win tug of War and find the toy. I'm amazed how much she is enjoying this. Probably just wasn't clear what you were doing and in what context. Had ...

poor pup. Some or all of her "hyper" behavior and lack of attention is very possibly a side affect of anxiety. not all fearful dogs cower and shake. Some become aggressive, some "hyper" and lack attention. Unless you have a plan that leverages play, I am going to suggest playing ...

you have gotten some good advice, but I would like to make sure you also have some advice for how to use food in training a dog like Hobbes. You did mention you were working with a trainer, hopefully they have the education that is needed to help Hobbes. A trainer who specializes in fear and aggress...

I completely disagree that feeding dogs separate causes resource guarding. Behavior 101...to change a behavior, you have to adjust the environment as much as is possible to prevent the unwanted behavior. with some guarding issues, that is all you need to do. other times it is just the start. On the ...

.... If other dogs come up, keep your hand away from the treat bag, keep the treat bag at your back, keep the toy in your pocket and walk away. Don't let other people's incompetence at training sully your relationship with your dog. Exactly what I was going to suggest based on your answers. I'm a v...