Dogs Are Crazy Super Fans

I like to use analogies when I learn. When I teach martial arts, I go to the analogy “well” quite a bit! I think they help everyone learn, not just me. So, one I came up with for understanding how some problems develop in dogs, is……. “The Super Fan!” None of the dog trainers that I’ve told it to, like …

Happy Holidays

Whatever you celebrate…… Enjoy it! A lot of people are either having guests over. Or are leaving their pets at home for longer than usual while they go somewhere. If you have a “difficult” dog, this can be daunting. I’m very familiar with the urge to cancel holiday plans because it just doesn’t seem worth the “dog” issues. But, over …

Can’t Make An Omelet Without…….

I’ve dedicated a ton of energy over the past 2 decades to change the public perception of the vastly misunderstood American Pit Bull Terrier. I’ve been responsible for changing the mind of countless people. I’ve personally been credited with a dozen or so adoptions that would NOT have gone with a Bully breed, had they not met my dogs. And …

Is Language Ruining Our Ability To Communicate?

We talk too damn much. Really……. That’s the point of this article. I have two main interests. Dogs, and Martial Arts/Self-Defense. These seem ridiculously unrelated on the surface…. But, in reality, they aren’t. I’ll explain: This is how I think animal communication goes. And yes…. Humans are animals. 1. Calming/Avoidance Signals 2.  Stillness 3. Pressure 4. Sound 5. Touch 6. …

Canine Good Citizens

We took Milo and Mabel to the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen test at Finish Forward Dogs, and they passed with FLYING COLORS!!!! For Milo, it was no biggie. He’s kind of one of those easy dogs, that just does things well. He’s a bit of an overexcited greeter, but no fears. No aggression. But…… Mabel, is a different story. Outright …

Economics….. And Dogs?

First…. Just in case you don’t know…. Economics isn’t just the study of money, and it’s effect. A great book called Freakonomics convinced me to stop being nauseous at the though of economics. Anyway… What the hell does this have to do with dogs? Well, there’s a rule in Econ called the Rule Of Unintended Consequences. Yes, it’s pretty self …

New Toy For A Maine Winter!

Oh yeah! I got me some sliding snowshoes!!!!! These bad boys are a cross between Backcountry skis, and Snowshoes. In my zeal for bad ass dog activities under ANY circumstances, I’ve run into some snags with the tapering period before and after the snow season. My kicksled, is awesome for when it’s been snowing regular. But, if you hit patches …

What The Hell Is A Flirt Pole!

Flirt Poles are awesome! They are a fantastic way to exercise your dog! And not just in that “screw it, just get em tired” kind of way. But, in a way that can help establish rules, boundaries, and bonding. It’s just like tug. Literally. It’s just an extension of your arm. You can make them cover more ground, and have …

“Reverse” BAT?

Mabel- She may look cute. But make no mistake…… If you aren’t part of her pack, and don’t come correct with doggy language……. She’ll eat you. She’s not aggressive, per se. She just believes in rules. And, that’s fine. The problem is, no one else knows them, and she is the swift and harsh dictator of all she surveys. Well, …

Behavior Adjustment Training

So, most of the people that are reading this blog, and fur sure almost all of the people interested in our services, have dogs that are aggressive/reactive. There is an interesting method called: Behavior Adjustment Training. I’ve seen a number of different methods for dealing with this. But this method is interesting because, it deals with this problem in a …