Hi Catherine,

Just an update on the deaf dog’s progress. No more prong collars. Pet parents bought nice, wide flat buckle collars. Typical (highly food motivated) English black lab learned to check our faces for eye contact, me touching my nose as recall, palm up for “sit”, thumbs up for clicker/marker. Here we are playing The Name Game with…

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Good morning, Paula,

Nice to commiserate with another pet sitter. One of the reasons I became a pet sitter was a result of observing the sad faces and stressed behavior of dogs in kennels when I was working as a veterinary technician. I think stress can be the underlying cause of numerous health issues in dogs and especially cats and pet birds.…

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Smart idea.

I have been a certified professional pet sitter for over 22 years now. (Also a CVT, CPPS, FFCVP, Pet tech first aid, insured and bonded.) I love the way Catherine set up a noise panic room in the bathroom of Bond and Bean’s home away from home. I have several clients where we have brainstormed over setting up rooms, drapes, padding,…

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Thank you for your reply..The light flash is brilliant..i.will pass that on.

Sincerely,

Dot

I recently suggested playing the name game inside the home with few distractions on a no pull harness or the new blue harness to assist the owner in gaining control of the dog’s pull reflex. My goal is to dissuade them from using the prong collar since usually they have intelligent and trusting animals who enjoy learning and pleasing their…

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Whew. Beautifully managed, despite the frustrations you pushed through. Bet you got a few gray hairs with that experience.

That could be very expensive! I wish humans would stop throwing stuff out their car windows. A baggie that still smells like the sandwich that was eaten for lunch is a non echoic blockage that could cost a dog her life. Is the Out Fox Field Guard like a basket muzzle?

Thank you for your reply. I agree clients should be responsible for their own pets. Pets are like children, scraped knees and scruff ups happen. It is a sign of a happy, active dog/child to get a bruise once in a while. I do state in pet care agreements that Clients are responsible to reimburse me for all pet care costs. But I remain…

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Thank you for this open discussion. I often wonder how an individual trainer moves forward from “old school” training techniques. Since the field of dog training has evolved quantum leaps from aversive techniques such as electric fences, choke and prong collars.

Well said.

Thank you for this topic. Years ago, working with trainers I was advised that talking to dogs just confuses the animals. But a soothing tone of voice seems to get a lot of wags and face licks.

Dear canine friends

Have you ever made a mistake with a dog or the dog owner?

If you have done or said the wrong thing, how did you amend the error?

I have had a dog injure himself while out with me, I paid the vet bill.

But wonder if anyone else has been in sorry shoes? How did you fix it?

When asking my canine friends to perform a skill like “UP’ (load into the car) or recalls, or “go to place” I prefer the gesture with my hands over words. The word does help me to capture their attention to watch the gesture. When my canine friends are aroused by a stranger, a loud noise, something stressful, I think they do appreciate my…

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Thank you for this in-depth conversation on the shake off. I have tried to encourage shake off when the dogs play is getting a little too intense. With some it either caught on, or they were going to calm themselves down anyway with a shake off.

Thank you. Appreciate the insights.

@catherine

Good morning. I am fascinated by the dry shake off. In this video it is two play pals, like monkey see, monkey do imitate each other. I think the dry shake off is a self-calming gesture and I would like to reinforce it thru “capture”? when I see it. Do you have an interpretation of this body language? And how might you reinforce the…

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Everybody won this round of the name game, because they all know who the Princess is!

Greetings ,

That is excciting to hear others pursue games with the pack. My group has been inventing our own group games. Here is the name game, where others must stay seated while only the named pup is called. The winners are the pups who hold their place and the pup who responds to her/his name. I will see if I cvan get a copy of your book,…

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Thank you for taking the time to reply, Virginia. I always learn from feedback presented by experienced dog peeps.

Maybe encourage an acceptable greeting behavior like sit and offer a paw? Or roll over for a tummy rub? Some pups naturally hug my legs like a kitty cat rubbing against me, this seems acceptable to me as I can pat & praise him as well as check him over for ticks and burrs.

Thank you for your kind words. Your kindness brought tears to my eyes. I am so thankful your compassion stretches across the species barrier. Perhaps so many women work with dogs, although fearful pups is usually from lack of socialization and fearful women from traumatic events and abuse, the resulting fearfulness is very similar.

I love so many dogs regardless of breed. Maybe a deeper bond with the few who needed extra coaching. Maybe I resemble the fearful/reactive pups because I need extra coaching too.

Leaning back and away from black and white dog. Ears back, licking other dog’s nose, tail waving high and slowly, loosely. Shake off and hop backwards