Search Results for: blog training body language matters

Dogs and Cats Living Together: Body Language

Dogs and cats may not always get along, but it seems they CAN learn to understand each other. Researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel took a good long look at canines and felines who share a household. Taken individually, canine and feline body language often has opposite meanings. For example, a dog with his ears back or stretching out on his back is relaxed and even submissive. In cat speak, those behaviors are actually signs of aggression. But when the two species take up residence together, researchers have seen cats and dogs adapting their language. Dogs often greet other … Continue reading →

Training Your Dog With the Gentle Leader

Wearing a Gentle Leader is going to be an unusual experience for your dog — especially if he’s only used to wearing a traditional collar. The nose loop may feel very weird, kind of like a person wearing glasses for the very first time. His nose may itch or tickle. What might your dog do to resist the Gentle Leader? Paw at his face. Roll on the ground. Rub his face on furniture, people’s legs, or the carpet. Bark or whine. Petting your dog and telling him “it’s okay” will reinforce this behavior. Save the praise for when he is … Continue reading →

The Pets Blog Week in Review for Feb 5-11

What were the top tips and scorching scoops last week? You’ve come to the right place to get the Pets Blog breakdown of the stories Aimee and I covered. Monday, February 5 The Colts might have won Super Bowl XLI, but Puppy Bowl III was the hot topic around our water cooler Monday morning. In fact, puppies dominated the day because Aimee had a big experience last weekend: her first volunteer animal transport! Read about it in The Open Road and a Carload of Puppies. Tuesday, February 6 We met RITA Award-Winning Author Linnea Sinclair and Her Cover Model Cat … Continue reading →

Training: Body Language Matters

My dog Moose was surrendered to a shelter because he was “too stubborn”. This says to me that maybe his family didn’t take enough time in training him, but then stubbornness is a stupid reason to dump a dog into a shelter, if you ask me. I’ll admit, Moose is not the brightest dog in the bunch. It’s taken me a while (we just had our three year anniversary together last month) to learn what works and what doesn’t if I want Mr. Moose to listen. Obedience training needs three things from you to line up: your tone of voice, … Continue reading →

Why Does My Cat’s Tail Quiver?

It can be something of a mystery — trying to translate a pet’s body language. I’ve always been more of a dog person than a cat person, so sometimes behaviors I see at the cats-only boarding facility throw me for a loop. Most cats don’t wag — at least, not like dogs do, to signal happiness. I’ve never seen one do it, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t feline waggers out there, right? (If you have a kitty who wags his or her tail like a dog, let me know! Send me a video!) Lately, I’ve seen a few different … Continue reading →

Dogs Are as Smart as Toddlers (When it Comes to Hand Signals)

Two different studies recently took a look at how well dogs learn and understand hand signals. The first study (from Eotvos University) tested dogs against two-year-old children and three year old children. Testers used a variety of gestures like finger pointing, elbow pointing, and leg pointing to help the kids find a favorite toy… and help the dogs find tasty treats. Both the dogs and the two-year-olds had no problem with the majority of the gestures. Pointing with a knee gave both groups a little trouble, as did an arm pointing one way with a finger pointing a different way … Continue reading →

How Do You Train a Deaf Dog?

Yesterday I wrote about my friend who found out her dog is deaf. She had asked me if I knew anything about training a deaf dog, so I looked into it. I searched online for resources on the topic, and I also posted a request for help in the forums. The result? A wealth of information! Training Techniques TOUCH Both the replies in the forum and the Deaf Dog Education Action Fund emphasized how important physical contact, like pats and petting, is to training deaf dogs. Which makes sense. When one sense is out of commission the others have to … Continue reading →

Teach Your Dog How To Sit

Sit is an easy command — and a useful one for your dog to know. There’s more than one way to teach your dog how to sit. Method One: Face your dog with a treat or toy in your hand. Show him the treat. Chances are, he’ll come to get it. As he approaches, raise the treat up and over his head. Chances are, he’ll sit down in order to keep his eyes on the food. Say SIT as soon as he starts to sit. Reward him with the treat! Method Two: Face your dog with a treat or toy … Continue reading →

Test Your Dog’s Intelligence

A researcher from the University of British Columbia has developed a basic canine intelligence test. Want to know how smart your pup really is? Try this quick and easy test. With your dog watching, take a treat and place it under a can. Keep track of how long it takes your pet to retrieve the treat! Less than fifteen seconds is considered a very good time! You may have a four-legged smarty on your hands. With your dog watching, set up three cans and place a treat underneath one. Take your dog out of the room for a few minutes, … Continue reading →

Dog Breed: Bullmastiff

The bullmastiff was — as you might guess — bred from the Old English Mastiff as a watchdog. The breed is 60% Mastiff and 40% bulldog. The breed was developed in the late 1800s specifically by gamekeepers to protect game on reserves and large estates from poachers. The Mastiff wasn’t aggressive enough or fast enough; the bulldog was a little too small and ferocious — gamekeepers needed a fearless dog that would attack on command. The cross was perfect for catching and holding poachers without mauling them. The bullmastiff — nicknamed the Gamekeeper’s Night Dog — is known to this … Continue reading →