LindaTrunell

Service Dog, Therapy Dog or Emotional Support Dog?

There are differences between a Service Dog, Therapy Dog or Emotional Support Dog and what role each one plays.  Service dogs are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and have access to public places which Therapy or Emotional Support Dogs may not have. (Animals other than dogs can fill some of these roles but for this post I will be referring to dogs only.)

Americans with…

Put down the spray bottle and train with your brain! Excellent information here.

Dogs who are reactive on leash is probably the most common behavior issue I see in training. My own dog is sometimes not his usual friendly self when on leash. I read an article recently that stated in many countries dogs do not expect to interact with people and other dogs when on leash and so they are more likely to ignore them. In the US the mindset seems to be that every dog should be saying…

New FurAlert is Amber Alert for Pets

When a pet goes missing time is of the essence. The longer they are missing the greater the chance of injury, death or just never knowing what happened to them. This FREE mobile app, FurAlert is Amber Alert for pets, an emergency response system that can notify nearby people with information and a photo about a reported missing pet. This could greatly increase the chance of getting your pet home…

Myth Busted: Pit Bulls Don’t Bite Differently

Even some “pit bull” advocates are guilty of perpetrating these myths. The truth is: “No dog is biologically equipped with a unique jaw structure, locking mechanism, biting mechanism or “style” that would differentiate them from other breeds of dogs.”

  Muppet and Max AKC Canine Good Citizens

Muppet is the star in Click-a-Trick Class. He is not only a graduate of Advanced Training Class but he’s an AKC Advanced Canine Good Citizen and a therapy dog!

Here’s to being our dog’s best friend,

Linda

“For the animal shall not be measured by man…Henry Beston

I wanted to share this beautiful truth with my blog readers. Animal lives matter. Your dog deserves the best life a dog can have.

Max, Stella and Tito from Linda Trunell on Vimeo.

Ten Things Your Dog Wants to Tell You

1. I want to feel safe with you.

If your dog doesn’t trust you, he won’t feel safe with you. A dog who doesn’t feel safe will be more difficult to work with. Teach your dog without force, fear or intimidation by using positive reinforcement.

2. I depend on you to take care of me.

If you take a dog into your home he will depend on you for food, water, shelter, safety, healthcare, exercise,…

This is actually a post from my Facebook page which so many people liked and commented on that I decided to share it here.  If we help just one dog by sharing good information with people it is well worth it.

Mastiff/Pit Mix photo from Adopt-A-Pet

Last night at work I saw a couple and their teen son trying a prong collar on their mastiff/pit mix. He was sitting and looking very stressed (ears…

Thoughts on How and What You Teach Your Dog

There is always some stress in learning because it involves changing behavior.  (Is Your Dog Stressed?)  Good teachers help the student learn without causing distress. Whether we are teaching a dog ‘obedience’ (I prefer to call it cooperation) or cute tricks the process is the same.  We may use any combination of luring, shaping and capturing behaviors.

Dog Whisperer ►

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Want to be your dog’s best friend? Join the Revolution!

  Are you trying to be the pack leader?  What if I told you there is a better way to get the behaviors you want from your dog while becoming his best friend?  Wouldn't you rather have a relationship built on trust instead of fear? You can by using marker training and positive reinforcement.  No force, fear or intimidation is needed.  When you learn to communicate what you want and then reward…