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Have you ever heard a puppy owner say something like, "She just doesn't get it! I take her outside and she still pees in the house"? Some puppies are harder to potty train than others, but a big factor is actually how consistent the owner is with the training. It's about rewarding the good behavior, but it's also about preventing the unwanted behavior. Even with all the information out there about puppy potty training, new dog owners still seem to have problems. I asked three dog trainers to sh …

  When the doorbell rings and your cheerful pooch hears the voices of new arrivals, it can be a recipe for absolute chaos. Between excited barking, zoomies across the living room, and the occasional attempt to greet guests with a full-body leap, the scene can quickly spiral out of hand. If you’ve ever said, “My dog gets overly excited when guests come over,” rest assured that you’re not alone. Many of us have experienced this, whether we’re juggling a 2 year ol …

Leaving your dog loose in the house can be a significant milestone for pet owners. It signifies trust in your dog’s behavior and ability to adapt to independence. However, this decision shouldn’t be taken lightly, as it depends heavily on your dog’s personality, age, and level of training. Understanding your dog’s behavior is crucial to determining when—or if—they can be safely left unsupervised at home without needing a crate or other forms of confinement.Crate training often serves as a posi …

Are you thinking about adopting a dog? Congratulations! While adopting a new dog should be fun, it's still a little overwhelming to bring in a new family member - especially if you're the one doing all the work. It can also be stressful for your existing pets. While some stress is unavoidable, here are a few suggestions to...Help dog adoption go as smoothly as possible.Don't expect the new dog to be perfectly housebroken. Your new dog may or may not be potty trained. Even if someone from th …

Teaching a dog not to bark is difficult because we humans are not very consistent with our feedback. Sometimes we reward our dogs for barking. Sometimes we ignore their barking. And sometimes we get really mad about the barking! How are our dogs going to know what we want? Here are six must-know tactics toHow to Change your dog’s barking behavior:Offer the dog an appropriate alternative.You probably know you don’t want your dog to bark at the door. But what do you want him to do instead? Lie qui …

Some of us take it for granted that our dogs are calm and content riding in the car. It is a stressful or scary experience for a lot of dogs, causing them to whine or bark the entire time or to become car sick. The following are some tips to help your dog get used to the car or to make sure riding in the car remains a positive experience for your newly adopted dog or puppy. Tips to help a dog get used to the car1. Take your puppy on car rides right away Don’t worry, it’s not too late …

Dogs chew for all kinds of reasons. Their jaws are built for some serious gnawing, but they also seem to chew because it's fun and probably relaxing. While it may be unfair to expect your dog to stop chewing completely, you should be able to teach herWhich items are appropriate for chewing. Here are some ideas to prevent your dog or puppy from chewing inappropriate items:1. Prevention goes a long way! Some dog owners underestimate the power of prevention. You can prevent your dog from che …

My dog typically stares at me and drools while I’m eating until I eventually smile or give him some of my food. My behavior of course encourages Ace to beg, even if I only acknowledge him 50 percent of the time.Since so many other dogs beg while their humans are eating, I asked a professional dog trainer for some tips on how to manage this behavior. Please leave your own suggestions or questions in the comments.How to stop a dog from beggingIgnore the dog’s begging behavior.“Dogs are constantly …

                                        We’ve all been there, right? Maybe you’re ready to leave the dog park, so you call your dog to go home ... only he doesn’t come when you call him. So frustrating! It seems your dog won't listen to you when you want him to. Or maybe you ask him to sit during a walk when another dog is passing, and he absolutely refuses to sit. Your dog proba …

If you have a reactive dog, or even just an overly excited dog, then you know how frustrating it can be when your dog lunges and barks at other dogs on walks. It's embarrassing, to say the least. I reached out to three professional dog trainers to get some realistic tips that dog owners can try if they’re dealing with this type of problem. If you have a dog that tends to bark at other dogs, please feel free to share your own tips in the comments. How to get your dog to stop barking at …