Countdown Giants

Yesterday, I received a threatening letter supposedly from Facebook saying they were shutting down this site for some infraction.

Echo, Group 4 win at Lakes District Kennel Club show, July, 2023 in Prince George, BC. Elaine Carriere handling 💕

Lets Talk False Alerts In this Video, Natalie will discuss just a few topics on the issue of False Alerts (aka. non productive response, false positive).For more information about ...

Short and thoughtful article

The Truth About Positive Reinforcement Dr. Haug explores a few of the myths and the facts about dog training methods.

1. Every interaction you have with your dog is a training session.
So, it’s important to be aware of what you may be doing to inadvertently to reward inappropriate behaviors throughout the day, especially when you are not having planned training sessions.
2. Animals care about your body language and actions more than your words. Consequently, you should focus on the messages your body is giving, pay attention to your dog’s response, and cut down on the words you use.
3. Dog’s perform behaviors that have been reinforced. In order to change behavior, it’s important to reinforce desired behaviors, but we also need to remove reinforcers or motivators for unwanted behaviors.
4. Training is a skill, like playing tennis, dancing or playing the piano. Little variations in how you move and on the timing of the movements make a big difference in whether you can communicate your intentions to your beloved canine.
If you’re not getting good results, find someone who can better instruct you on the intricacies of making the change.
5. Positive reinforcement is not just about giving treats for good behavior, it’s about moving and performing the exercises in a manner and speed that make it fun. It’s also about using everything your dog likes or wants, to your advantage—toys, petting, attention, access to go outside or come in, fetch….. and more.
6. The goal of training is to make it fun for your dog.
Dogs are more likely to perform well when you make learning fun.
7. The walk is not a time for your dog to blow you off and do his own thing, rather it’s a time for you to bond with your dog and have fun. Practice exercises during your walk where your dog focuses on you as if you’re playing games. The goal is that the walk becomes like an enjoyable interaction.
8. Dogs need exercise every day.
For dogs, walks provide not only exercise but they are crucial for continued socialization to people, new environments, new experiences, and other pets.
9. Allow your dog to look for his food. Animals in the wild spend hours searching for food. They are hardwired to enjoy this behavior and studies show that given a choice, all species studied prefer to work for their food once they know how to rather than getting it for free. The best way to use food as entertainment and enrichment for your dog is to use it in training and games when you’re home as this provides both food and mental stimulation for your dog.
You can also place food in toys and puzzles made specifically for such purposes of entertaining your dog.
10. Make sure your dog is healthy and on a balanced diet. Dogs should also have annual veterinary check-ups and dental cleanings along with regular grooming and nail trims.

Do we need a paradigm shift in canine neutering? Canine neutering has become the prevailing standard practice in the US, but questions remain about whether this universal approach is appropriate in all cases.

The Alaskan Sled Dog - A Genetic Breed Apart Now the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) graduate student and University of Alaska Fairbanks Ph.D. candidate has found another place for sled dogs: in her genetics research.

Puppy Fitness Tips Check out the video & article! Puppy Fitness Tips for the Working Dog Handler