Resources

“Training often fails because people expect way too much of the animal and way too little of themselves”
-Bob Bailey

Welcome to our resources page! There is A LOT of information you can find just by googling “dog training” but knowing what is good or not so good is not that easy. This is a place you can come to find quality resources both from myself and other people on relevant topics such as “how to get my puppy to stop biting me”, “how to get my dog to sit” and tips and tricks that will help you in your day to day life as a pet owner.

Dog’s Sense of Smell

Take 4 minutes and 12 seconds out of your day to watch this amazing video from TEDEd and Alexandra Horowitz on just how amazing your dogs’ nose is. I think it is a must watch for any dog owner and will change the way you walk your dog.

iSpeakDog.org

Do you speak dog? Head over to this website to learn how to communicate better with your canine counterpart by asking three simple questions…

What is the dog doing?
What is the dog’s body language?
What is going on?

Why Happiness Matters in Dogs

From fellow Academy for Dog Trainers graduate and Ph.D, this article by Zazie Todd goes into a comprehensive discussion about why it is more important to ask yourself if your dog is happy versus how you can get them to obey you. Ms. Todd talks about how “some behaviour issues stem directly from a failure to meet dogs’ needs. If we think about these issues in terms of obedience, we’re missing the point. When dogs don’t get enough exercise and enrichment, they are going to find other ways to burn off some energy. When dogs don’t have chew toys, they are going to chew on some of our stuff because chewing is a natural behaviour for dogs. When dog’s are fearful, they need us to help them find ways to cope, to remove the thing they’re afraid of if possible, or to gradually teach them that it’s not scary after all”.

Have a read of this article (estimated reading time: 4 minutes) to help you start switching your prospective from what can my dog do for me, to what can I do for my dog?

The Muzzle Up! Project

The Muzzle Up! Project, founded by another Academy for Dog Trainers grad named Maureen Backman, aims to change the negative stigma around dogs wearing muzzles. On the site they offer helpful and valuable information about the proper fitting and style of muzzle to use if your dog poses a risk to other people or animals. There is nothing wrong with putting a muzzle on your dog if it will keep them, and the people and things around them safe. We have the tools to teach your dog that wearing a muzzle is OK so why take the risk?

Free Dog Body Language Course

Want to learn more about what your dog’s body language means? Head over to Bravo Dog Knowledge to take a free course. Another fellow Academy Graduate created this site to make good information accessible to everyone. Check out the other courses she has listed if you want to delve a little deeper.