Positively | Victoria Stilwell | Forum

stress increase? health issues?

around where I live, while the rabies vaccine is required, unless the vet says otherwise I advise getting that pup out into the world. Socialization isn't about just going up to another dog and saying hi, it is about seeing other dogs, seeing other dogs play, seeing/hearing the public transpiration ...

Hi, We have a 14 week old standard poodle who is very good at not peeing or pooping in his crate or pen. Also when we take him out every hour to his eliminating spot outside he goes 9/10 and i think recognizes the command. However when he's playing or having some supervised time out of pen or crate...

it is possible this is in part some "resource guarding", but with aggression I always start with health. is there pain, illness, injury...deteriorating eye sight... do not under estimate the effect of dogs loosing their eye sight being a factor in aggression. combined with him being new to...

I was prepared to give him more treats but he didn't seem to want them. all you can do is offer. sometimes not taking the treat is a sign you are still too close. sometimes it is a sign that you are just right. see trigger, get rewards for doing something else...treat maybe for looking at you, snif...

or increase your distance. worked with a fearful lab mix this weekend that needed close to 50 yards when the other regular size dog (lab, pit, Shepard etc) was running and playing with it's owner. small does walking by could be in the 20 foot range. non fearful, over excitable dogs have the challeng...

the damp brings out the smells. we have had our first frosts and the dogs noses are on over drive when out on walks.

I don't have much chance to practice at distances where he'll only take notice with strange dogs... this is where the art and creativity of dog training comes in. there is a way to do this, you just have to find it. you know your environment best so think about the principles needing to be applied ...

make sure you keep a distance from the other dogs that won't trigger barking. Just like fearful dogs there will be a distance that your dog won't bark, but will show awareness of the other dog. perking up of the ears, tail going up etc. you need to stay at that distance. cue the "watch me/look ...

Not every, in fact not many, owners are aware of how their dogs feel either. If the owner says OH YES it'll be fine and the dog says OH NO it won't - believe the dog. thank you for adding that. I often (often because the owner may not get a choice and force the meet and greet) ignore the owner and ...

I am currently working with a client who's young dog has developed some frustration at not getting to go up to other dogs. - Don't let them ever meet dogs when they are carrying on otherwise they think barking works. As a blanket rule I am going to disagree strongly. IF (big if) the dog is truly soc...

Sometimes I don’t even know what he heard. A lot of the time I’ll look out the window and I don’t see anything. Most of the times he reacts the worst though is when he sees or hears a dog. keep in mind that dogs have significantly more sensitive hearing than we do, so it is possible your dog could ...

I would encourage covering the windows. there are many ways that this can be done so that you don't feel like you are living in the dark. one way is to get window film (see here for examples https://www.homedepot.com/b/Window-Treatments-Window-Film/N-5yc1vZarc3) that allows light in, but makes it ne...

I do feel a bit on the fence about whether or not this is strictly positive training? But its worked in the past and i have to do SOMETHING. are you adding in something to cause pain, fear, force to affect behavior change? if you can answer no, then I would not worry about about. There can be conse...

Shalista, I am sorry you have hit this point with Bax. It happens. you are not a horrible person for feeling at your wits end. It is OK be frustrated and to express that frustration. It is actually good to. I feel bad that having been away from the board as much as I have that I have lost track of a...