Dog Decoder

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How Best Friends Undermines Its Own Mission by Defending Shock Collars

Recently, a video surfaced on social media of a Best Friends Animal Society (BFAS) meeting in which the organization’s leaders delivered a defense of shock collars (e.g. e-colors, static correction etc.), which included  the possibility of sending dogs to trainers or shelters who use shock. (5 minute video with notable excerpts) Donors and network partners of…
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Dog Bite Prevention Tips For the Holiday Season. 

Dog bite prevention starts with being proactive. Here’s how. 1- For greetings, keep your dog on leash, behind a puppy gate or under verbal control to help mitigate jumping on people or running out the door. 2- Know the signs of stress: Images for the Dog Decoder App are very helpful to know if your…
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Dogs and Puppies and Clients… Oh My!

Dog trainers, vet techs, groomers, day care and shelter staff and all dog professionals…read on! If you work with dogs/puppies and sometimes feel that you just need a boost of confidence or help with a challenging client or doggie problem or just need to get a better perspective, I’m here to help. I have been…
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Training Your Dog — What Option is Best For You?

Which type of training is best for you and your dog? Dog training has come a long way since I began working with people and their dogs in the late 1970s. Back then, there was no such thing as a private trainer, only group classes. Dogs were widely viewed as property and trainers used harsh…
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Have You Tried Whispering To Your Dog?

Dog whisperering… not what you think! Depending on which side of the fence you’re on, you may either have your hackles up, right now, after reading the title or you’re thrilled to think I’m going to write about Cesar Millan. Read on, because this is not about Millan…phew, but is about literally, whispering to your…
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How To Prevent Heat Exhaustion In Senior Dogs

Senior dogs are more sensitive to heat, than they were when they were younger. A dog can be considered a senior dog at the age of 7, for small and medium size dogs, larger breeds at the age of 6 and for giant breeds like Great Danes, Newfoundlands, etc., they are considered senior at the…
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What Does Flooding Have To Do With Aggression In Dogs?

It’s not surprising that many people, including trainers don’t really understand the ramifications of flooding dogs. What flooding is: Flooding is a technique used to force dogs to be in the proximity of something that they are afraid of. Many people and trainers use it without having a clear understanding of how negatively it effects…
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My Horse Was Mistreated And He Told Me What Happened

Bodhi, my 13 year old gelding, who I’ve had the honor of caring for, since he was 3.5 months old, told me that he was mistreated while I was out of town, for only one day. It’s so important to know our animals, be they dogs, horses, cats, etc. because when we are so in…
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Is Doggie Day Care Right For Your Dog?

I’ve been mentoring a dear friend who had just gotten a job at a doggie day care facility and she was very excited to put into practice all that she had learned. After only a few days, I got a call from her that was very unsettling. What she thought was going to be so…
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