Video lessons on preventing and dealing with animal behavior problems.
You may have been told that dogs are not allowed on beds, that it makes them dominant. It turns out that’s not actually a true statement. If you want your dog on your bed, or your couch, or anywhere else in your home, that’s your right. You get to set the boundaries. Just be consistent. Watch this video for ways to help make that comfortable for all involved.
Continue reading (Video 87) Tips for Sharing Your Bed and Furniture (or Not)
Are your dogs getting along well or do they sometimes freeze and stare at each other or even get into fights? Watch this video for ways to help keep the peace at your home.
Note: this could be a life-and-death situation, depending on how seriously your dogs are going after each other. As always, please consider hiring a dog trainer near you if your animals are in danger.
Continue reading (Video 86) How to Stop or Prevent Dogs Fighting at Home
Walking two or more dogs at once can be a real pain but there are ways to make it easier. Watch this video for some useful tips on walking more than one dogs at a time.
If you have more than one animal to train at a time (like multiple dogs, your dog and your cat, your dog and your son…) it can be very helpful to use something called “stationing” to keep them from mobbing you. This is also useful for dogs who fight in the home…more on that later. Watch this video for several useful tips for training in multi-dog or multi-species households.
Continue reading (Video 84) Me First! How to Train More Than One Animal at a Time
Animals, including dogs, bite for a whole lot of reasons. The severity can be anything from a puppy play bite to a bite to kill. Watch this video to learn some of the reasons animals bite and what you can do to prevent bites.
Continue reading (Video 81) Ouch! Why Animals Bite and How to Prevent It
When Bean was younger, he kept finding little ‘snacks’ in the yard. Sometimes he would even bring little frozen chunks of dog feces inside and try to bury them in the couch! Fortunately I caught all of those before they thawed…eww. I’m happy to say that the training worked and he is no longer a poop eater.
This video gives you some great ways to help dogs kick the habit of eating poop. Continue reading (Video 80) Ick! How to Stop a Poop-Eating Dog (Coprophagia)
Does your dog jump up and steal from the table or counter? How about the trash can or your son’s laundry basket? This video explains how to puppy-proof your house and also how to train your dog that some areas are not for snacking. Continue reading (Video 79) Stop, Thief! How to Prevent and Stop Countersurfing
Aggression is “intent to do harm.” Most of the time in dogs, barking, growling, and even biting are ritualized ways to get another person or dog to go away. This video gives you a starting point on what to do if your dog is showing signs of aggression or ‘reactivity.’
Note: this could be a life-and-death situation, depending on the severity. As always, please consider hiring a dog trainer near you if your dog or anyone else is in danger.
Continue reading (Video 78) Anger Management: What to Do About Dog Aggression
Does your dog bark at you for attention? Maybe he drops the ball and barks at you to throw it, throw it, throw it? This video explains how to look for more polite requests for attention and other ways to teach your dog to quietly let you know what he wants.
Continue reading (Video 77) “I want it!” How to Stop Demand Barking or Vocalizations
Even though many dogs chase cats, that doesn’t have to be the case in your home! The easiest variation of not chasing cats is to teach your dogs that “their” cat is part of the family and not to be chased in the house.
Note: this could be a life-and-death situation for your cat, depending on how seriously your dog is going after the cat. As always, please consider hiring a dog trainer near you if your animal is in danger.
Many dogs freak out when they’re home alone because they were not eased into being on their own; they were never specifically taught how to handle it. Addressing full-blown separation anxiety takes time and patience. Preventing separation anxiety before it starts is a lot easier and that’s what this video is about.
If you have a puppy or rescue dog, I highly recommend that you watch this video right away and start putting the tips into practice, *before* you have a real separation anxiety problem.
Continue reading (Video 75) Home Alone: 5 Ways to Prevent Separation Anxiety
“Wanna go for a ride?” We often think of dogs jumping around excitedly when they hear that phrase, but some dogs are afraid of riding in cars or trucks. This video gives you safe car travel tips and some useful advice on how to help your dog get over her fear and get back on the road.
Continue reading (Video 74) Is Your Dog Afraid of Riding in Cars?
Dogs who have trouble hearing or seeing can still be perfectly happy in a family. Contrary to popular belief, dogs with sensory impairments can still function in society, but we do need to make some changes to the way that we communicate with and train those dogs. With some effort, we can help them to safely navigate their lives.
Continue reading (Video 73) Deaf or Blind Dogs: Training and Care Tips
This video teaches you how to do “Conditioned Relaxation” with your dog – basically training the dog to connect certain sounds, smells, etc. with a feeling of relaxation. It can work for babies, kids, and even adult humans, too. Try it!
Does your dog chase after things without even a backward glance to see if you’re there? Does he pull your arm out of the socket as he dives after a squirrel or other dog?
Continue reading (Video 71) Impulse Control: On/Off Switch Exercise
Do you bring your dog over to other people’s homes, or want to start? Watch this video before you go. It’s chock-full of training and management tips to help your dog be a polite, safe houseguest.
Continue reading (Video 70) Polite Guests: Visiting with Your Dog
Fireworks can be terrifying for dogs. This video explores some tips to help you get your dog comfortable with fireworks. It’s best to watch this video a month or two before fireworks start, so you have time to train, but it also gives you some ideas of what to do to help your dog on the day fireworks happen.
Continue reading (Video 69) The Sky is Falling! How to Survive Fireworks with Your Dog
Have you ever come across off leash dogs on your walk? It’s fun to walk with your dog running free, but your dog being off leash may actually endanger other dogs or animals. Shouting “he’s friendly” is not enough when the other dog is on leash.
This video gives useful tips to help you keep your dog and others safe. It’s the neighborly thing to do whenever you choose to walk your dog off leash.
Continue reading (Video 68) Walking Your Dog Off Leash: Safety and Training
The recall cue is one of the most important skills for dogs. This video goes over some useful ways to teach your dog to reliably come when called.
Continue reading (Video 67) Come Back! Train Your Dog for a Reliable Recall
Does your dog pull on leash? Do you? This video goes through some very useful ways to help you and your dog walk together on a loose leash.
Continue reading (Video 66) Stop Pulling: How to Train Loose Leash Walking
There are a ton of different dog training contraptions… clickers, choke chains, harnesses, long lines, e-collars, ex-pens, crates, and more. Which ones are right for you and your dog? Which ones can cause problems or harm? This video gives my recommendations on how to choose dog training and management gear.
Continue reading (Video 65) Make Your Life Easier with the Right Dog Gear
It’s very common for a dog to protect his prize resources. The good news is that “resource guarding” – growling, snapping, biting over food, toys, socks etc. is the easiest kind of aggression problem to solve in dogs, unless you use punishment. Watch this video for some useful advice.
Hint: It’s not a contest. Using force can backfire and lead to people getting bitten, especially kids. The trick is to teach your dog that sharing is awesome.
Continue reading (Video 62) Possession Aggression: How to Encourage Your Dog to Share with People
Does your dog fight you when you try to trim his nails? Are you not even sure how to do it right? Or does it seem like a stupid thing to do, anyway? Check out this video for why and how to trim your pet’s nails.
See also: (Video 59) Cooperative Grooming: 3 Tricks with a Purpose
Continue reading (Video 60) Mani-Pedi: How and Why to Trim Your Dog’s Nails
Does your dog freak out when you try to trim her nails or brush her? It doesn’t have to be that way, and there are much better options than just holding her down until it’s all over. This video goes through ways you can specifically train your dog to be a cooperative and enthusiastic partner for grooming. This helps prevent bites but also helps your dog stay comfortable and calm.
See also:
Continue reading (Video 59) Cooperative Grooming: 3 Tricks with a Purpose
Do you have trouble getting your dog to move? I notice this “donkey dog” problem most with bulldogs and other short-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds, but it can happen with any dog, especially puppies. This video will explore this problem from the dog’s perspective and also give you tips to be able to walk *together* with your dog or puppy.
See also:
Continue reading (Video 56) Let’s Go! 5 Tips to Keep Your Dog Walking
Do you live in an apartment or condo with your dog? This video has some useful tips to keep your dog quiet and your neighbors happy. It also has great tips for getting past distractions and safely in and out of your building. This is especially useful if you have a dog with reactivity issues.
See also:
A dog door (or cat door) can be a really convenient way to fix your housetraining problems, but there are some things you should know before cutting a hole in your door or wall. This video goes through the do’s and do not’s around pet doors and also explains how to train your dog to use the dog door.
See also:
Continue reading (Video 52) Dog Doors: When to Use and How to Train
Potty problems? Your dog can ring a bell to let you know when it’s time go outside. This video explains the perks of teaching your dog this trick and goes through some easy steps to train your dog to ring a bell.
See also: (Video 18) Tired of Cleaning Messes? Housetraining 101
Continue reading (Video 51) How and Why to Teach Your Dog to Ring a Bell
Stop right there! Does your dog dash out of the house or pop out of the car as soon as you open the door?
Wait tells your dog that he should not get out of the car, leave the house, etc. It is different from Stay, which is about holding an exact position. This video explains some reasons to train your dog to Wait and teaches you how to get your dog to be an expert in patience.
Continue reading (Video 50) Wait: How and Why to Train a Solid Wait
Does your puppy steal socks? Does your dog run after the ball to fetch, but run around and not give it back?
If your dog has something in her mouth, you can do some training so you don’t have to end up playing tug of war with your favorite shoes. Drop is not something dogs are born doing on cue, but it’s easy enough to teach a reliable Drop. This video goes over 3 ways to train your dog to quickly drop whatever is in her mouth!
Continue reading (Video 49) Drop It: 3 Ways to Train a Fast, Reliable Drop
Touch is one of my very favorite dog training tools. Instead of physically grabbing your dog to get his body into a certain position, you can train him to touch his nose, hip, foot, etc. to a target. This is great for a range of things, from coming when called, to putting the harness on, to grooming and vet care. Touch is essential for all dogs.
See also: (Video 24) 6 Cue Words that Every Pet Should Know
Continue reading (Video 48) On Target: How and Why to Train Touch
Dogs have played with each other as probably as long as the species existed, but dog parks are a relatively new phenomenon. Dog parks are usually fenced in and can be great socialization locations but they also have a fair number of risks. Please watch this video before taking any dog to a dog park, particularly those who are most at risk – puppies, dogs with fear issues, and rescue dogs.
Also check out
Video 45: Why Dogs Should Play with Other Dogs
Continue reading (Video 47) Dog Parks: How to Stay Safe and Have Fun!
Dogs should socialize with all kinds of other dogs, but how do you get them together? And what if you just want to have friends over and they’re bringing their dog? Coordinating play dates can be a great way to set the dogs up for success and fun. This video shares some of the most useful tips to keep in mind for dog play dates.
Also check out Video 45: Why Dogs Should Play with Other Dogs
Continue reading (Video 46) Dog Playdate Safety
Play with other dogs is excellent physical and mental exercise, and that can solve a lot of behavior problems. Dogs also learn a lot from play and so can you! But how can you tell they are playing and be sure it’s a good experience for all involved? Check out this video for a look at how to supervise safe play between dogs.
Also check out Video 46: Dog Playdate Safety
Continue reading (Video 45) How and Why to Let Dogs Play Together
Does your dog bark nonstop when you have company, or jump up like their feet were made of springs? The safety and training tips in this video will help you have visitors to your home without feeling like you’re living in a war zone or a circus!
Continue reading (Video 44) Have a Happy & Well-Behaved Dog with Guests
If your dog is destroying your house or looks ‘depressed’ it may be that you just don’t have enough mental stimulation. Brain games are excellent for preventing separation anxiety, teaching dogs not to chew your furniture or other items, and just generally making your dog smarter and happier. Dogs and puppies are not natural freeloaders – they would rather work for their food than lie around all day doing nothing. This video has several practical ideas to solve behavior problems and help your dog have more fun!
Also watch: Rainy Day Dogs: How to Exercise Your Dog Indoors
Continue reading (Video 41) Fun Dog Brain Games for Happiness and Mental Health
Does your dog ignore you? Does he turn away when you’re talking or otherwise appear to be ‘stubborn’ or ‘dominant?’ Why won’t your dog listen? This video will go over ways that you can turn those questions around and think about how to motivate your dog to want to respond to you. As usual, the answers apply to other animal species as well.
Continue reading (Video 27) He’s Not Listening! Problem Solving for Motivation & Training
In old-fashioned training, problems are blamed on the animal being too dominant. Ironically, the problem is not that they have too much control over us, but rather, they do not have enough control over their own safety and wellbeing. In this video, Grisha explains what empowerment means, and why empowered animal training is so helpful for problem solving.
Continue reading (Video 02) Empowerment: How to Build Cooperation and Trust
Puppies are little chewing machines. We recommend puppy-proofing for any dog under 1 year old or dogs who have not yet lived indoors. In this video, Grisha gives tips on what to do to keep your puppy and your house safe. This advice also applies to kitten-proofing and preparing your home for any new pet that will able to move around your home.
Continue reading (Video 09) How to Puppy-Proof Your Home
Sometimes you need your dog to just stop jumping up, stealing the trash, or running out the door. If your first instinct when there’s a problem is to yell at your bird or or punish the cat, definitely watch this video! These quick fixes (environmental ‘management’) give you time change pet’s behavior long term using force-free training.
Continue reading (Video 08) Stop It Now! Quick Fixes for Pet Behavior Problems
Boundaries define personal dignity and integrity. They are rules about what we can and cannot accept. Boundaries define ways that we feel comfortable interacting, how we want to be spoken to or touched. This video explores ways to set boundaries with and for your pets.
Continue reading (Video 23) How to Set Boundaries for Animal Care
Vet visits are the single most common terrifying experience for dogs and cats. This video gives several tips that you can use in your next visit and some that you’ll need to train and practice first. Definitely watch this right away if you have a puppy, kitten, or other young animal.
Continue reading (Video 16) Vet Visit Stress Tips for Dogs
Most pet behavior problems can be solved with this simple 3-step process. In this video, Grisha shares a system to help with jumping up, getting in the trash, and lots of other dog issues that drive you nuts. Oh, and you can probably use it with your children, too!
Continue reading (Video 06) Problem Solving 101
Without exercise, dogs can become destructive, bored, reactive, and physically unhealthy. Watch this video for solutions if you can’t walk your dog because of injury, weather, aggression, vaccination status, etc. Continue reading (Video 42) Rainy Day Dogs: How to Exercise Your Dog Indoors
Tired of a barking dog? Socializing a puppy? If you want your dog to be calm around other dogs, you can help your dog practice being calm. In this 11-minute video, I explain Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT), which I developed to reduce aggression, frustration and fear in dogs and other animals.
Continue reading (Video 31) Quick Intro to BAT 2.0