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These are the same tips that we give all my clients when they hire Top Gun Dog Training for the Puppy Training Program . Use a slip lead  (one-piece leash) in the house at all times to prevent potty accidents, jumping on people, jumping on furniture, and counter surfing. Keep your eyes on the puppy at all times.  You would not leave a baby unsupervised out of the crib, so don’t do that with your puppy Your puppy should NOT be free to roam around the house.  They will get into

Goals aren't just for people. Your dog's health and happiness matter too. Luckily, now is the best time to set fresh goals that help both of you. Instead of making vague promises like "be a better pet owner," try these five clear goals. They improve your dog's life. Also, they are practical and easy to follow. Best of all, they make your bond stronger. Goal 1: Commit to Daily Exercise Most dogs do not get enough exercise. As a result, they gain weight and may act out. Dogs wi

Most owners assume their dog just picked up bad habits, but in reality, the owner usually taught the behavior without realizing it. The owners are reinforcing unwanted behaviors and not reinforcing the good behaviors. Dogs learn from consequences, not intentions. Owners think they are correcting, comforting, or managing their dog, but the dog is simply learning what works.  Examples of Reinforcing Bad Behaviors The dog jumps up on you, and you give it attention by pushing it

Many people mistake their dogs' exhaustion for calmness. They're not the same. Most dog owners think they know what a calm dog looks like, but they usually picture a tired or inactive dog. Just because your dog is doing nothing doesn't mean they're calm. Real calmness is different, and when owners learn to recognize it, behavior problems often improve more quickly.  I have a very calm dog. She's been calm since I first got her. She's a therapy dog. She's a 6-year-old mini Aus

This is a very important topic, and I get a lot of calls about this. Most owners think their dog is stubborn, ignoring them, or choosing not to listen, but in many cases, the dog is not being disobedient; it is confused. After years of dog training , I have learned that many behavior problems are really communication problems.  Keep in mind also that dogs don't use their ears as well as they use their eyes, and they don't use their eyes as well as they use their nose. If I wa

Dog training is not just about teaching commands; it's about helping owners understand their dogs and giving families tools that actually work in everyday life. I wanna start with that because it sums up about 90% of what I see in real life as a dog trainer. Most people don't come to dog trainers because their dog can't sit. They call us in desperation because life with their dog feels hard. People are desperate to get this fixed. Walks are stressful. Guests coming into the h

My dog Dixie has been diagnosed with heart disease after a routine checkup before teeth cleaning. They found a heart murmur, then, from an X-ray, found an enlarged heart and congestion in her lungs. I have created a GoFundMe  account to help with her expenses. Start-Up Fees: Including adoption or breeder fees, initial vet visit, microchip, supplies, and training .  $2000-$8000 Monthly Expenses: Food  Medication (heartworm, flea, and tick prevention) Daycare Dog Walker Groomin

Being an effective leader and building trust in your dog requires a skillset grounded in effective communication, temperament, and focus. This is exactly what I'll discuss in this article.  What to do? Make sure your communication with your dog is crystal clear.  In other words, I see a lot of new dog owners who will say a lot to their dog, and it means nothing. It's like a line in that Talking Heads song from the seventies, “You’re talking a lot, but you're not saying anythi

Recently, in Northern Alabama, there were multiple kids bitten by dogs in various cities. I was on the news again last week, talking on WHNT News Channel 19 and giving tips on dog safety and working with reactive dogs. It's become such a problem. The story that I did was in reference to a girl who got bitten at her apartment complex when another dog, that's a neighbor's dog, was on a leash and approaching her. It got off-leash and got excited, ran to her, bit her in multiple

All new at 10 tonight. A 9-year-old is recovering after a vicious dog attack in Hansville. Left her with severe injuries on her face. Delilah McKay was sitting outside on her apartment steps when a dog that was being walked by another child all of a sudden attacked her. The family shared photos that show her injuries, and we want to warn you, some of those photos may be graphic. Delilah's mother tells us a nearby teenager managed to get the dog away from her daughter. Delilah

Training a dog can come with a huge set of challenges. If you have a high-energy dog that engages in destructive behaviors, gets bored easily, and makes life harder, you know what it's like. What makes it harder is trying to train a dog that you also have a hard time keeping up with. A high-energy dog may be a unique challenge, but fortunately, this challenge is far from impossible. Breeds are a good determiner Dog behavior is often genetic, and you'll find that many dogs of

A lot of people get these two confused. They don't even know there's a difference at all, and they don't know that there's many different...

Puppy behavior modification entails modifying the puppy’s behavior to decrease unwanted behaviors. Unlike obedience training, which...

Housebreaking is one of those things that new puppy owners dread the most. However, not everyone acquires a dog when they are just a...

Dog owners typically accept that their canines will have more needs and require more daily interaction than more independent, hands-off...

I've trained a lot of puppies recently who have had fear, anxiety, and stress at eight or 10 or 12 weeks old, and I've also worked with a...

A study from the National Library of Medicine shows that overweight dogs are more likely to engage in unwanted behaviors.  The survey...

Dogs and cats are not naturally inclined to fight one another; that idea is only a myth. Both animals can tolerate each other, and even...

Excessive noise can pose a problem. Knowing this, most dog owners are sensitive to how long their dogs have been barking. After all,...

In this episode of Puppy Talk, host Dale Buchanan delves into the intricacies of managing and reducing inappropriate barking in puppies...