For such a cute little word, zoomies is one of the most bizarre aspects of known dog behavior! The word zoomie simply describes a sudden burst of energy that compels a dog (usually a 3- 6 month old puppy) to quickly run from one end of a house or yard to the other. While it’s mildly entertaining, it can cause harm or damage if you're not careful to give a zoomer adequate room and opportunity to burn that excess energy. Here’s how to properly deal with it.  read more »

Dog sniffing canines can glean a lot of information by smelling the crotch of another dog so it’s understandable why they try to smell ours. Whatever information they expect to get by doing so isn’t as important as how embarrassing it is. Here’s how to stop crotch sniffing dogs in their tracks.  read more »

Certain dog breeds are naturally inclined to herd other animals (including people) and although the behavior is based on the instinct to protect, it can be extremely uncomfortable – especially with a large crowd of family and friends. If you’ve never encountered dog herding before, it’s an experience that prompts dogs to nip at feet and legs, and block a person’s path in an effort to redirect them. Here’s how to train a herding dog to let humans roam free.  read more »

Have you ever heard of the Canine Good Citizen Certificate? Also known as the CGC, this credential is given to dogs that have passed a temperament and training test. It’s also an AKC sponsored award that’s given to both purebred and mixed breed dogs. The end result is a proud certificate and tag that bears the CGC logo. But the rewards aren’t just for show. A CGC certified canine can get a career in a therapy dog training program! Here’s what’s required:  read more »

What we often call bad dog behavior is more often than not, a lack of sufficient training. Two of these behaviors, pushing and licking, can be controlled with a little reinforcement. Here’s how.  read more »

Barking is natural. It’s just what dogs do and it’s unreasonable to expect or demand that a dog not bark at all. The problem with barking is that it can become excessive and disrupt what would otherwise be a nice quite day not only for your own family, but for your neighbors as well. Should your neighbors complain and call animal control or the cops about your barking dog, you could face a citation! Here are a few suggestions you can try to stop dog barking problems.  read more »

What some people fail to realize is that socialization of a dog isn’t an option. It’s a requirement. A lot of strange puppy behavior stems from a lack of proper socialization that only generates fear, aggression, or fear-aggression from things that aren’t threatening at all. This article therefore expands on the importance of socialization just so there’s no doubt left about the topic at all.  read more »

If you ask any dog owner for the one thing she wishes she could do with her dog, the answer would probably be to understand what it’s trying to say. Just think about it – If there were a way to finally understand what all the dog barking sounds, growls, and whining truly meant! Consider this article your best bet toward interpreting dog sounds. It might not be perfect, but it’s the closest thing you’ll probably find. Enjoy!  read more »

In a natural, undomesticated setting, dogs live in packs largely comprised of family members. Adult dogs mostly demonstrate parental behavior (patience and tolerance) toward the pack’s younger members, but they also demonstrate cooperation and competition among other adults in the group. The cooperation and competition within the pack is part of its own interesting hierarchy where top dogs get first shot at resources over lower-ranking canines. What’s even more interesting is that this hierarchy changes based on the health, strength, number, addition, death or age of each pack member. This article introduces dog pack behavior so that you might better understand some of your dog’s natural tendencies.  read more »

Dogs jump when they’re excited. They’ll jump all over another dominant dog out of respect and they’ll jump all over you out of glee. But while dog jumping on people is generally a clear message of affection, it isn’t always appropriate. A large jumping dog can overwhelm and scare small children for instance, or it can make bringing in the groceries an even harder chore than what it already is. Here’s how to stop your dog from jumping without hurting its feelings.  read more »