Tag: Dog Behaviour Problems

Resource Guarding in Dogs – Why It Happens & How to Fix It the Right Way

Resource guarding is one of the most common issues dog owners face: growling, snapping, or biting over food, toys, beds, or even YOU. It’s not your dog being “mean” or “dominant” in a bad way—it’s usually a symptom of insecurity, unclear leadership, or bad advice. Here’s the real breakdown on how it starts and how […]

Using Drugs to Modify Your Dog’s Behavior: Why It Often Fails

A few months ago, I shared a video explaining why drugs are ineffective for treating aggression in dogs. But aggression isn’t the only reason dogs are prescribed medication for behavior issues. Recently, I worked with several dogs medicated for behavioral problems, including over-excitability. One case involved a 2-year-old Great Dane cross named Dudley, a sweet […]

Busting the Myth of Food/ Resource Guarding in Dogs

Dog owners are often given outdated advice about managing food/ resource guarding, like taking food from a dog’s mouth or standing over them while they eat. The intention is to “teach” the dog not to guard their food, but this approach often backfires. Let’s set the record straight: these methods do make resource guarding worse, […]

Adding a Second Dog to Your Household: A Comprehensive Guide

As a seasoned dog trainer, I often encounter pet owners who are contemplating the addition of a second dog to their family. The primary motivation is typically to provide their current dog with a companion – a playmate to stave off boredom and loneliness. While I’m advocate for ensuring dogs are not subjected to a […]

The fastest way to brainwash a person is have it repeated to them over and over

Social media is helping to spread and encourage rewards-based training across Australia, especially in the younger generation, university-educated, and left-leaning. Sadly, social media is full of a lot of conflicting and inaccurate information about dogs (and many other topics too), and I often have clients come to me confused because they don’t know what to believe regarding correct training methods for their dog.

It was once said to me, and it only had to be said once ‘you cannot fix stupid’:

Dogs need a hierarchy to live inside of, and for some dogs the position of alpha is an innate goal that needs to be met. If the owner does not create and provide a hierarchy, the dog has no choice but to take the position for itself.

Separation “anxiety” issues. When your dog can’t seem to be without you.

I had this issue with a dog before I became a trainer because I had no idea to what I was doing. I was so concerned about my puppy upsetting the neighbours with its crying and barking at the backdoor that I inadvertently created a monster