I think everyone with a big dog can agree that door dashing is a problem. If your dog is rushing out the front door before you, it can be scary. Some homes don’t have a porch area and it can be a little nerve wracking to be pulled right down the steps. Not to mention,…
Isn’t it just the worst when you are walking down the street or at a friend’s house and a large dog jumps up at you out of nowhere? Maybe he’s being friendly. Still, it can be quite alarming and even unsafe. Small dogs might get away with jumping on strangers, but all dogs should learn…
Heel is an intermediate skill that is necessary to teach in order to walk nicely on a leash. It is one of the seven skills that dogs should know. I was pretty nervous about teaching Heel to Ezra. It seemed pretty hard, but it’s actually not so bad. I recommend teaching your dog how to…
Ezra and I have a daily walk routine. But now that winter is here, I’ve been cautious about walking on the roads because of salt. I try to avoid the salt on the roads where I can, but when I can’t I will wipe down his paws. Luckily, Ezra and I only walk once a…
One of the best ways to learn about a specific dog breed is from dog owners of that breed. But if you don’t know many dog owners, how do you get that information? Many people research online and read articles that compare one dog to another in terms of friendliness, energy, lifespan, etc. But not…
Before signing up for puppy class, I was using Google and YouTube as dog training resources. I remember googling “how to teach a dog to sit” and getting results that seemed impossible to do. One of the suggestions was to say the word “sit!” right before your dog’s butt touches the ground. This would make…
Many people are interested in teaching their dogs basic tricks. Shake is one of the top tricks to teach your dog. The steps are pretty basic and anyone can teach their puppy or dog this trick. I taught this to Ezra after he turned a year old and it’s a really fun trick for adults…
There are seven basic commands to teach your dog that are necessary to having a well-behaved dog beyond responding to his name. These commands are sit, down, stay, heel, come, no, and off. All are important, and you need to teach your dog each one so that they will behave in everyday life. And while…
Any big dog needs to be taught to walk nicely on a leash. Some dog owners swear by a normal leash and collar to train by giving a treat every few steps until the dog learns to simply walk by your side. That has never worked for me, nor has it given me peace of…
Dog training is hard. It’s hard to fit into your daily routine, especially if you are a single dog owner. It’s hard to know if you are doing the right thing. It’s hard to know if you are ever making any improvements. And it’s really easy to give up. I know with Ezra I felt…