Category Archives: Dog Training

Dog training articles

Treats are your dog’s paycheck, not a bribe

Posted on March 30, 2021 by Jeff Stallings, CPDT-KA

The Bay Area’s Michael Pollan is one of my favorite non-fiction authors. His books about the history and culture of food production and consumption are compelling and wide-ranging, and one thought from his 2007 “In Defense of Food” gained notoriety for … Continue reading →

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Dog Training During COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place

Posted on April 15, 2020 by Jeff Stallings, CPDT-KA

As the planet’s humans deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, our dogs can be a big part of helping us get through social distancing, self-quarantine and isolation.  Talk about emotional support!  The CDC does not believe that humans can contract COVID-19 from domestic … Continue reading →

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How socialization works: Dogs (and only dogs) can truly bond to multiple species

Posted on September 22, 2019 by Jeff Stallings, CPDT-KA

By Jeff Stallings My favorite behavior book of the past year or so is John Bradshaw’s “Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet”. I recommend this book to anyone … Continue reading →

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Helping your fearful puppy become a more confident dog

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Jeff Stallings, CPDT-KA

My jumping off point for this post is a commercial for the California Academy of Sciences in which my dog Otis was recently cast, and my assertion is that it takes time (months and years) for any puppy, but especially … Continue reading →

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My article in Bark Magazine about how often to reward your dog during training

Posted on March 14, 2019 by Jeff Stallings, CPDT-KA

I am thrilled to have my third article published in Bark Magazine, an excellent quarterly for all dog owners. My article in the January 2019 issue is titled “Reinforcement Techniques in Dog Training”.  It’s about how using FEWER treats can help … Continue reading →

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Let Sleeping Dogs Lie: Why your dog must feel SAFE

Posted on November 18, 2015 by Jeff Stallings, CPDT-KA

By Jeff Stallings, CPDT-KA I recently fielded a call from the owner of a one-year old male German Shepherd who said that her dog had just shown aggression towards her and that she needed to “fix” his problem, pronto. She … Continue reading →

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Realistic expectations: The semantics of “fixing” your dog

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Jeff Stallings, CPDT-KA

By Jeff Stallings Animal behavior science has advanced a great deal in recent decades. We now understand more about canine cognitive development than ever, thanks to researchers such as Alexandra Horowitz, John Bradshaw and Brian Hare. New discoveries into how … Continue reading →

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Why you should take your urban puppy to socials after just one set of shots

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Jeff Stallings, CPDT-KA

By Jeff Stallings, CPDT-KA (Note from March 31:  Bark Magazine just published this article in the Spring 2015 issues of their awesome magazine.  Click here to view it on their site.) A few months back I attended a “Dangerous Dog … Continue reading →

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Head collars for loose leash walking

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Jeff Stallings, CPDT-KA

By Jeff Stallings, CPDT-KA Loose leash walking is part of most obedience classes, but it’s clear that many handler/dog pairs fail to master the art of the walk. Look around at folks struggling to walk dogs on leashes and you’re … Continue reading →

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How Often Should You Give Food Rewards During Dog Training?

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Jeff Stallings, CPDT-KA

By Jeff Stallings My dog Otis loves to spend time in the backyard, lounging in the sun or engaging in secretive but very important dog rituals, tossing pinecones around and gnawing on sticks.  But if I call to her from … Continue reading →

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