These are words we live by here at Noble Woof. The first step to ethical behavior change is recognizing that animal behavior is honest, and true and that we too are animals who also deserve empathic and patient teaching practices. We must be advocates and allies for our dogs, for our clients and for each other.
Read MoreThis database of information was collected to give folks easy access to studies that are commonly cited as arguments against the use of aversive tools such as prong collars and shock collars (ecollars). We have compiled this information so that you can make your own informed decisions.
Read MoreQuestions to ask and things to consider when selecting the best trainer for you. Unfortunately, there is little to no industry regulation on what qualifies a person to call themselves a “dog trainer”, so it is easy to make mistakes when selecting a trainer. Dog training is a well studied science at this time in history, but there are a lot of “dog trainers” using very old and unfounded training methods that can cause more harm than good.
Read MoreDuring this sensitive period it is essential that puppies experience the world in a safe, positive way as their brains are just starting to solidify what is safe or unsafe in their world. Anything they have not experienced after this period will likely be perceived as dangerous. Anything that a puppy has had negative experiences with, or has had no experience with by the time they are
Read MoreSo your dog has been referred to a Veterinary Behaviorist and you are feeling down and depleted. You think to yourself, “Is it really worth it? Maybe I will just try training with a trainer and see what comes of that first.”
Read MoreIn the canine world respect is not earned through force, fear, or intimidation, and everything we thought we knew about wolves having a hierarchical pack structure where a dominant “alpha” is “top dog” is also completely false.
A lot has changed in the industry of dog training over the last 30 years, but general knowledge can be slow to catch up and the media is often no help.
Read MoreHaving a dog is a lifestyle choice and having a trained/well adapted dog requires that we build sustainable ways of moving through the world together, for life.
At Noble Woof we say that training is a lot like working out. If you only adopt an exercise regimen for a period of time but then return to your old ways, you can expect your health to return to the state it was before. The same is true for your dog’s behavior.
Read MoreOne of the best things you can do for your dog is work hard at meeting their instinctive canine core needs. One of those needs is licking and chewing, and the act of doing so is incredibly self soothing for our dogs. Giving your dog plenty of opportunities to exercise this need can help them learn how to self soothe when excited, and to self entertain independent of interaction from you. We highly recommend feeding your dog all of their meals through some kind of food dispensing system such as a frozen toppl by west paws.
Read MoreSelf proclaimed “dog trainers” who have zero credentials, and promote the harmful use of dated training mythologies, regularly use science based training verbiage to appear more current than they actually are! In my mind, doing this is the equivalent of running a con, but in an unregulated industry there isn’t much anyone can do about this. For example, TV personality Cesar Millan, who has zero training credentials and no true education on animal behavior & welfare, claims that his newest product the Halo Collar uses “positive reinforcement”. We will help you spot red flags to look for & provide two crucial screening questions you should ask every trainer.
Read MoreIs your dog ignoring you? Have you ever given your dog a known cue just to have them opt out and disengage even if they had seemed excited to participate in the training up until that moment? Perhaps you gave the cue, your dog looked at you, but then turned their head away, or sat down to scratch and then started sniffing. You gave the cue again and your dog turned their back to you and walked away. You may think they are being “stubborn” but these are tell tale signs of a poisoned cue!
4 steps to curb puppy biting. Much like babies, young puppies learn a lot through exploring the world with their mouths. It is no biological accident that their teeth are razor sharp! Puppies need to learn “bite inhibition” or how to control the force of their bite, and since their jaws are underdeveloped, it is important that their teeth are sharp enough to inflict pain. Yes, the biting is supposed to hurt. This is to ensure that they get immediate feedback from their playmate on what pressure is too much pressure, so that when their jaws fully develop they know how to control their power and prevent harm.
What causes leash reactivity? Leash reactivity is an involuntary emotional state that overwhelms the dog’s senses, and is triggered by the fight or flight center of the brain. These pro-tips will help you understand your dogs leash reactivity
Read MoreOne of the hardest behavior issues to live with is a dog who was never potty trained. Luckily, potty training should be really swift and easy if good management and a clear plan is in place. A huge aspect of potty training is preventing the dog from having accidents inside the house through active supervision, a consistent potty/feeding schedule, and good management tools. It is also important to recognize that dogs never eliminate inappropriately due to malicious intent. If your dog or puppy has eliminated inappropriately it is due to poor management, not enough access to where they should go, a lack of schedule, extreme fear or phobia, or a medical issue.
