THE DOGKIND BLOG

Dog care, self care. Love life with your dog.

Walking Dogs Together When One is Reactive Part 1: Dog Skills fearful dogs reactive dogs May 11, 2021

The students in our online reactive dog program, the Reactive Dog Survival Guide, often have more than one dog at home. Once their reactive dog has improved on walks, a common...

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Treats aren’t working! Part 2: Rewarding “Bad” Behavior fearful dogs reactive dogs May 04, 2021

Last week we talked about one reason your training with treats might not be working.  Your dog can be motivated to work for treats,  and to bark and growl to make something...

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Treats aren’t working! Part 1: Competing motivations fearful dogs reactive dogs Apr 27, 2021

Recently we talked about what to do if your dog won’t eat treats in training sessions.  But what if your dog WILL eat, but treats aren’t working to change their...

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Hiking With Your Fearful or Reactive Dog fearful dogs reactive dogs Apr 20, 2021

Do you dream of relaxing hikes with your reactive dog, but you’re not sure if it’s in the cards?  In this week’s video we talked about how to tell if your...

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Getting People to Follow Instructions Around Your Fearful Dog fearful dogs reactive dogs Apr 13, 2021

Do you have trouble getting your family or friends to follow instructions around your fearful dog?  

Last week we talked about human behaviors that are scary to fearful...

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My Dog Isn’t Food Motivated Part 2: Human Behavior fearful dogs reactive dogs Apr 06, 2021

Do you have a fearful dog who isn’t food motivated?  If your dog won’t eat treats around new people, there are changes to your training setup, including to the behavior of...

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My Dog Isn’t Food Motivated! fearful dogs reactive dogs Mar 30, 2021

You want to use positive reinforcement to train your fearful or reactive dog to behave better around unfamiliar people.  But, your dog isn’t food motivated!  They...

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Should you ask your vet about behavior medication for your dog? fearful dogs reactive dogs Mar 23, 2021

Have you asked your vet about behavior medication for your fearful, aggressive, or reactive dog? If not, why not? 

Or have you tried one, two, or more medications and given up,...

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Getting your Dog to Take Pills fearful dogs reactive dogs Mar 16, 2021

Lots of dogs take pills daily, especially anxious or fearful dogs. (If you haven’t already talked with your vet or a veterinary behaviorist about whether anti-anxiety medication...

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Indoor “Potty” Options for Fearful Dogs fearful dogs reactive dogs Mar 09, 2021

We tend to think of going out to the back yard, or on a walk, as “normal” dog activities. However,  for a very fearful dog, these are not normal behaviors.  In fact,...

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Bringing home a fearful dog fearful dogs reactive dogs Mar 02, 2021

In our Fearful and Reactive Dog Support Community, many dog parents struggle with fearful dogs who don’t like to be touched, or even looked at.  These dogs need a...

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Front Door Training Games for Dogs Who Bolt or Balk fearful dogs reactive dogs Jan 05, 2021

One of the most common training frustrations you’ve told us about is the contrast in your dog’s behavior between indoors and outdoors. Your dog can do all of their tricks at home,...

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