It sure is hard to believe that March is almost here. Time does fly when we are having fun! Speaking of time, spring is surprisingly right around the corner. Hard to believe, but best to be proactive when it comes to preparing us and our pups for adding adventures back outside. Puppy or Dog on […]

Nature summarizes a study by Anna Taylor, who examined the specific features of a dog’s growl that humans use to estimate the dog’s size. As it turns out, we rely on pitch in a dog’s growl in the same way that we use pitch to estimate size in our fellow humans. A novel area of […]

Paper Review: Why do adult dogs “play”? A recent issue of Behavioural Processes was devoted entirely to studies of canine behavior. Here I summarize one publication within that issue. For complete issue access, visit http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03766357/110. Bradshaw, J.W.S., Pullen, A.J., & Rooney, N.J. (2015). Why do adult dogs “play”? Ah, the playfulness of dogs! It is […]

Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Katherine Houpt shares some training tips on strategies she is using with her own puppy, Yuki. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/decoding-your-pet/201502/practical-solutions-common-puppy-behavior-problems

Research Paper Review: Dogs prefer petting to vocal praise A recent issue of Behavioural Processes was devoted entirely to studies of canine behavior. Here I summarize one publication within that issue. For complete issue access, visit http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03766357/110. Feuerbacher, E. N., & Wynne, C.D.L. (2015). Shut up and pet me! Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) prefer […]

In this post from Psychology Today’s Decoding Your Pet series, Dr. Katherine Houpt shares the story of house training her new puppy, Yuki. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/decoding-your-pet/201502/learning-theory-in-practice-housebreaking-puppy

Review of the Dog Decoder App Carolyn Lincoln, DVM January 30, 2015 People have distinct learning styles so if we want to change the way others think and behave, we have to provide the education in a variety of styles. That’s why I am so excited about the new app, Dog Decoder! As a veterinarian […]

Housetraining a new puppy can be a real struggle for many families. This process involves much careful observation, consistent rewarding (reinforcement) of good behavior, and avoidance of accidents. Here are three important steps to successful housetraining: First, be sure to reward all successful urinations and defecations outside of the house. This reward must be immediate […]

I often hear from pet owners that they are reluctant to walk their dogs due to various weather conditions (excessive heat, cold, snow, or rain). When the weather outside is frightful, what are some indoor options for exercising your dog? One option is tug-of-war, but tug toys (e.g., ropes or stuffed toys) have a bad […]

In this post from Psychology Today’s Decoding your Pet series, Dr. Theresa DePorter summarizes a study that examined the possible benefits of assistance dogs in the psychotherapeutic context. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/decoding-your-pet/201501/what-if-your-therapist-had-dog-in-the-office