New to my blog? Or just looking for a specific entry? Either way, you're in luck. This page contains links to some of my favorite and most popular entries.
Reactivity and Stress
What is Reactivity?
Reactivity is a Spectrum
Help! I think my dog is reactive! What do I do?
The Conflicted Nature of Reactivity
Unreasonable Expectations and Reasonable Expectations
Labels and Perceptions
Labels vs. Descriptions: Talking about Behavior
What Ring Nerves Have Taught Me About Reactivity
Thresholds: What They Are and Why They Matter
What to do After a Stressful Event
How Stress Affects the Body: A Personal Story
Protecting Your Dog with Citronella Spray: Should You Use It? and Practice Makes Perfect!
Can I Pet Your Dog? Saying No Without Sounding Like a Jerk
On Growling
Good Dogs Bite, Too: The Bite Threshold Model
Behavior Logs
Videos
You Can't Fix it All... and That's Okay
You Can't Fix it All... but You Do Need to Manage It
Why You Need a Trainer (Even if You Can't Afford One)
The Dentist's Gift: Giving Warnings Before Scary Things Happen
Namaste: Lessons from Yoga on Going at Your Own Pace
Supplements for Reactive Dogs
Introduction
Tryptophan and 5-HTP
Melatonin and L-theanine
Vitamin B Complex
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Dog Appeasing Pheromones
Homeopathy and Flower Essences
Valerian Root and Chinese Medicine
Medication
This three-part series is meant to help people considering meds for their dog.
Should You Consider Meds?
Proceed with Caution
The Prescribing Professional
More on Meds:
Why People are Resistant to Meds, and Why You Shouldn't Be
Maisy began taking paroxetine (Paxil) in October 2010. These posts talk about our experiences with behavioral meds.
What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
Baseline Data
Maisy's First Appointment with the Veterinary Behaviorist
Updates: Week 2, Week 4, Week 6, Week 8 and the logs
Maisy's Second Appointment
Updates: Week 2, Week 4, Week 6, Week 8
5 months
6 months
Recheck Appointment, June 2011: Behavior Logs, Before and After Videos, More Videos, Future Plans
The Search for a Short-Acting Drug: The Trazodone Disaster, Clonidine
One Year on Meds
Trialing a Reactive Dog
Should Reactive Dogs Be Allowed at Trials?
Skills Reactive Dogs Need to Trial
Thoughts on Trial Stress
Ways to Reduce Trial Stress
Trial Results
Nationally Ranked in 2009!
January 2010 UKC Rally Trial Day 1 and Day 2
February 2010 APDT Trial: Level 2 title!
June 2010 APDT Trial
July 2010 APDT Trial
December 2011 CDSP Trial
January 2012 UKC Trial, URO1 title
April 2012 CDSP Trial: 2nd leg and an NQ
Conditioning Your Performance Dog
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Training Theory
Positive Training: More Than Just Ignoring the Bad
Cues Can be Reinforcing!
...But Sometimes They Aren't
The series on reinforcement:
Part 1: Discovering What Your Dog Likes
Part 2: Determining Value
Part 3: When to Use a High Value Reinforcer vs. a Low Value Reinforcer
Part 4: Choosing the Right Reinforcer for the Situation
The series on learning theory:
Part 1: What is Learning Theory?
Part 2: Classical Conditioning
Part 3: Desensitization and Counter-Conditioning
Part 4: Operant Conditioning
Part 5: Extinction
Personal Philosophy
In Praise of the Abnormal Dog
Why I Love My Clicker
We Have Cookies: Being a positive trainer means being as nice to people as we are to our dogs.
Is It Ever Necessary to Use Pain or Fear in Training?
What is Success?
Beep, Beep! Punishment in Dog Training
What it Means to be a Positive Trainer
Do Methods Matter?
Be True: The Use of Self in Dog Training
Watch Your Thoughts
Reviews
Sometimes companies ask me to review their products. So I do.
The Evolution of Charlie Darwin by Beth Duman
Is a Flexi Leash Right for You
Mr. Chewy's: Choosing the Best Treats for Behavior Modification
Health
I'm not a vet, but I have some thoughts on such things.
Choosing a Vet
So You Think Your Dog Has Allergies: Part 1 (Symptoms), Part 2 (Diagnosis), Part 3 (Treatment)
Miscellaneous
The Joy of Food Toys
DIY: Fixing a Broken Tug-a-Jug
My Favorite Things
Compassion Fatigue: Caring for Yourself so You Can Care for Your Dog
Heeling Handling Skills: Part 1 and Part 2
How I Taught my Dog to Heel for a Ball Without Having her Brain Fall Out of her Head
We Can't Save Them All
Seminar notes can be found here.
Didn't find what you were looking for? Check out the labels in the sidebar of every post!
Last updated: July 1, 2012
