I was bitten by a dog today. Luckily, it wasn’t severe. When a dog bites a human, it is my job to understand the motivation behind it. Is the dog being overly playful or aroused, and lacking in self-control? Is he scared? Is she trying to cause harm/vicious? These are some of the factors I...

This is the first in our series about conditioning. Counter-conditioning is an essential part of working with dogs with fear, anxiety and reactivity issues. Rather than suppressing a behavior such as fear biting through aversive methods, I work to remedy the fear itself. Let’s say you have an intense fear of snakes—so much so...

During a recent Saturday night downtown with friends, I noticed a couple walking their Bernese Mountain Dog. I watched as this couple was stopped over and over again so people could pet their dog. While I continually preach the importance of socialization, I could see this dog was clearly overwhelmed. As I watched, the...