I’ve always been fascinated by dogs. The way they will gaze at you so lovingly, the happiness displayed with a wiggling body, and their ability to understand us. I mean, watch anyone doing “heel work to music” - it looks so easy to have your dog dancing right there alongside you. Looking back I should have pursued a career with dogs earlier in life, but I didn’t. It was only after a serious fracture that left me off my feet for months that I actually got to thinking I could become a dog trainer. Almost 8 years later and I’m about to open the doors to my own training facility.
Businesses are reopening and everyday it seems we are beginning to edge back towards a pre-Covid “normal”. Netflix and athleisure clothing aren’t the only things that will miss us when we start working away from home again. That puppy you brought home last summer who has had constant company and endless walks is going to be facing a disappointing turn of events fairly soon. Now is the time to start considering what becomes of Fido when camps and then schools return to in-person and you’re no longer working from home.
It can come as a surprise that the sweet little bundle of fluff you recently brought home from the breeder or rescue organization has a voice - and a loud one at that. But here’s the thing: dogs bark. It is part of the way they communicate with the world. Sure, some dogs will bark more than others, but even the “barkless” Basenji has the ability to vocalize. Why dogs bark and how to change the behavior is more complicated and requires considering how the vocalization sounds and the context in which it occurs.
Do you have, or know, a pup who likes to jump? I’d be surprised if you said “no”!
Jumping is an absolutely normal way for excited puppies to want to greet their friends and families. While it may be acceptable in the doggie world to greet all your friends with a big sloppy lick in the face, it’s not what everyone in the human world wants. Especially if you happen to be wearing anything white. So what to do about it?