Do you have a dog that jumps on visitors, freaks out when the doorbell rings, and doesn't behave when you leave the house? Join Drayton and Kim as they discuss dog etiquette. The secret is dog etiquette isn't all about the dog, it's about people. Dog owners, dog lovers and anyone who encounters a dog all play a role in how a dog is going to behave, in addition to the environment that interaction takes place in. Drayton goes through simple, quick, and easy ways to manage your dog at home and e...

What is dog play and why is it important? In a followup to his article, "Dog Play & Prediction Error," Drayton Michaels, CTC, talks about shaping dog play and the need for getting your dog into regular, supervised play with doggie friends. It's not just us humans that need friends and benefit from the social interaction, so do dogs. Dog play is often misunderstood, by dog owners and professionals, alike. Drayton discusses combating fearful and stressed out dogs with behavior problems with...

Little dogs have special needs and are more prone to fear, stress and reactivity. Take a deep dive into all things small this week with Drayton Michaels, CTC, as he discusses the needs of little dogs. From the proper ways to approach and pick up a small dog to how to counter condition using a dog carrier like a doggie Bjorn, we talk about setting up environments that promote positive associations for our tiny four legged friends. Drayton talks about how to set up little dogs for success, how ...

Behavior is something all humans do and all humans require from dogs in order for us to live with less stress. Delve into understanding behavior from the dog's perspective, as well as from the human side of the equation with Drayton Michaels, CTC. This episode discusses associative learning and consequence learning with dogs. Drayton explains the application of behavior change and understanding reinforcements, both positive and negative. He and Kim discuss consent for dogs and how to achieve ...

Do you have a stress reduction plan for your dog? In this episode of Good Dog Pro, Drayton and Kim discuss how to make every day less stressful for you and your dog. Learn why your dog should be on a schedule, how to use chewing and food dispensing toys as stress busters, the role of counter conditioning and exercise in reducing stress. Support the show

A Sound Beginning is a fourteen day program designed to make it easy for anyone to prevent mistakes and create a positive start from the first day you bring your new dog home. This unique program reduces and eliminates the stress that is part of transition period for an adopted dog to acclimate to it's new home. Based on the book of the same name, A Sound Beginning Program is used in shelters and rescues around Chicago to help abandoned dogs get positioned for a healthy, happy, long-term adop...

Puppies are cute and cuddly, but they're a lot of work. Puppy expert, Gila Kurtz, talks to Kim about how to get ready for a puppy and what to do in the first week to help your new furry family member acclimate to its new home. From how to pick a puppy to what to have in your house before you bring your puppy home, you'll get critical information that can help you and your puppy get off on the right puppy paw. Gila and Kim discuss "Puppy 101," the new online course launched by Good Dog in a Bo...

Metis Riley, CPDT-KA, discusses her personal growth from a dog walker to a reward based dog trainer in Alaska. She talks about the success of partnering with a local vet and a veterinary behaviorist, when to use these resources, and what it has done for her business. Reactivity is her focus, working not only with clients but also with dogs in shelters, helping them to get adopted. Metis created a unique program that uses canine nose work in shelter dogs to help them de-stress and use their na...

Heather Adams, KPA CTP, CBATI, talks about the sport of agility and how it can help dogs learn to focus, as well as gain self-control and confidence, while providing a fun outlet for dog/owner teams. Whether you use agility for fun or join the competitive side of the sport, it offers huge benefits that go beyond having a good time running around the ring. Heather discusses how she incorporates agility training with clients' dogs that have certain behavior issues, as a means for long term posi...

Dr. Amy Pike, DVM, DACVB, IAABC-CABC, Boarded Veterinary Behaviorist talks about the role a vet behaviorist plays in dealing with aggression and extreme fear in dogs. One of only 84 vet behaviorists in North America, Dr. Pike is a specialist in behavior medicine, who is essentially the "psychiatrist" of the veterinary world. She discusses her field and how she works with dog owners, dog trainers, behavior consultants and other veterinarians. Dr. Pike discusses the importance of reward based d...