The 6th Big Human Thing that contributes to the Big Dog Things
How we cope with all of this and the tactics we've developed to do so will also show up through dog training.
The 5th Big Human Thing that Contributes to the Big Dog Things
Worry, fear, and anxiety: the 3 Stooges; and how and why this impacts our relationship with our dogs.
#4 of the 6 Big Human Things that Contribute to the Big Dog Things.
Blocks, denials, defenses, and resistance.
One or more of these 4 often show up in behavioral training, and there are several reasons why.
#3 Big Human Thing that Contributes to the Big Dog Things
In our ongoing series of moving through the "7 Big Human Things that Contribute to Dog Things", here is Big Thing #3: Insecurities, Shame, Guilt, and Level of Confidence.
Big Human Thing #2: Attachment Style.
Human attachment style and how it impacts the relationship with our dogs.
The 7 Big Human Things that Contribute to the Big Dog Things
What started out as “6” became the 7 Big Human Things that Contribute to the Big Dog Things. Who we are, what we do, what we don’t do, how we feel… it all matters.
One of *the* most important behavioral influencers.
Of all of the behavioral influencers we have as social animals, the feeling of *safety* is the most important.
Understanding the Excitement Spectrum
Much like a wagging tail doesn't always mean a "friendly" dog, an overly aroused, overly excited, super juiced and jacked up dog doesn't always mean a "happy" dog.
Today marks 12 weeks since Chip passed…
Today marks 12 weeks since our deeply beloved Chip moved on ahead of us…
The Power of Opposites
Whenever we have excess or lack, it creates an imbalance.
Understanding the concept of “countering” in dog training is important, and here’s why.
Cross-Country Road Trip Reflections
Being back from this cross-country road trip has been bittersweet. There's a part of me that really misses the open road. The not knowing where we'd end up each day, what we would see, and who we would meet. I also deeply miss the people we met along the way. Kind, warm, true-to-nature, genuine, salt of the earth folks. Meeting people like this was something I'd long been craving. True, authentic connections. Who (and what) we (choose to) surround ourselves with impacts and greatly influences us in many ways. These types of connections are food for the soul.
Intuition and Instinct in Dog Training
Intuition: a deep knowing or feeling not based on "logic" or "proof", and transcends "conscious reasoning".
Instinct: an innate, natural genius or inherent ability to respond in a specific way without logic or complex reasoning.
The difference between the two is feeling and response. Feeling and knowing, and acting based on that feeling and knowing without question.
A wagging tail doesn’t always mean a friendly dog…
Dogs are always sharing information. Every body part is communicating what their emotional state is (how they feel about any given moment, set of circumstances, who's around them, etc.), as well as their state of mind (level of arousal, excitement, and - most of all - *intensity*).
Let them Sniff…
A question we often field in regards to sniffing on structured walks is whether or not this is "allowed" and, if so, "when"?
Grief and grieving.
“Grief, I've learned, is really just love. It's all the love you want to give, but cannot. All that unspent love gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in that hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go.”
― Jamie Anderson
Grieving is really a process; and - I don't know about you all - but, for me, has been a very (very) different experience than grieving for a human.