24. April 2018

Holistic dog training, using a balanced approach, is training based on a positive outcome system which takes the whole dog and her environment into consideration. This type of dog training consists of + + - so the language taught to your dog is easy to understand and you can reach any level of achievement. The final result is still a positive attitude from the dog. It is necessary to teach the dog right from wrong with fair, but clear communication. When the relationship is double sided with...

23. April 2018

Living in close proximity of the wilderness and nature, I have had the opportunity to meet wild animals in their natural environments. I have often encountered deer upon the trail and have looked deep into their eyes while speaking to them as they quietly stood before me, twitching their ears toward the sound of my voice, before calmly turning away and continuing along their journey. Looking into the eyes of a wild animal one can see the calm spirit of the wilderness within them and this is...

19. March 2018

I met a skunk today on the walking trail! We were exploring a new trail when suddenly - it must have been my sixth sense - my eyes were drawn to the long grasses growing on the edges of the groomed trail. A very large, slow moving Striped Skunk was sniffing its way toward us! That is all I would have needed. Luckily, I had caught sight of him before my dog had and we casually, and quickly, made our way back to the car and drove to an old haunt to finish our trek. Even with the best intentions...

12. March 2018

You have a new puppy and within a month you are suddenly overwhelmed by puppyhood — your puppy is nipping, eating everything in the house and garden, and at times she starts to run around the house like she is possessed, bouncing off walls and the couch and using you as a push off board. And, most annoyingly, she is jumping up on you and everyone who comes near her. Help! I would like you to first know that everything you are going through is normal for a puppy of her age. Also, depending on...

12. March 2018

Taking an example from the horse world While working as a dog trainer, I have found that stress is a major factor in our dogs’ lives. Many people contribute to the behavioural problems they complain about by stressing their dog out to the hilt. One such finding is that many people tend to overwork their dogs without giving them time to get into an exercise with warm up time or take the time to cool off afterward. The belief being that a “tired” dog is a “good” dog, however, a tired...

11. March 2018

As a young child, I was taught how to massage dogs and animals from my grandfather and other members of the family. My father had used these gentle touch movements to teach me how to behave around animals and to treat them kindly. In Ostpreußen, my family had been farmers with various farm animals and had used massage techniques on their dogs, horses, cows and even pigs to maintain their well-being and to work on training them. My maternal grandfather had worked in the Cavalry, and having...