If your dog pulls, you’re in good company. With few exceptions, just about every dog pulls on the leash before they learn not to. A harmful cycle is created: they pull, it makes you walk them less because it’s not enjoyable, they get less exercise and exposure, then when they do get to walk, they are even more unmanageable.

It can feel like a tough cycle to break, but with the right strategy every dog can learn and it turns the downward spiral of frustration into an upward spiral of joy, exercise, and bonding.

Halloween can be full of fun for people. But for a lot of dogs, this night of excitement feels more like a horror movie. First of all, it comes completely out of nowhere from their perspective. Dogs that are already on alert when someone knocks or rings the doorbell feel suddenly under a barrage of attacks. Not only is the doorbell ringing during the night, but when the door opens it’s to the grim reaper and a walking inflatable 6-foot giraffe.

We’ve all seen or had some version of this dog. They act like they’re going to shred another dog to pieces but only when they’re on-leash. If this is your dog, you might even know that if you approached the other dog everything would be fine, but there’s no way you could politely let your dog approach someone while they’re acting that way. Why does this happen only on leash for so many dogs?

When people think about dog training, board-and-train programs often sound like the dream solution: drop your dog off, let the professionals work their magic, and pick up a “new dog” a couple of weeks later. And it can work! Your dog really can learn quite a bit during that time.

But here’s the truth most trainers will tell you quietly, if you don’t learn how to work with your dog once they come home, the results probably won’t stick.

There is no straight answer to this question as it depends on the situation and the individual. There are certain factors that are more likely to affect rescue dogs, but being a rescue dog doesn’t make them a victim of all or any of these factors by default, nor susceptible to the issue as an individual. The good news is, sans medical issues, every kind of dog can be potty trained.

Even though some of us live near enough to SeaWorld for their dogs to get used to the sound of fireworks, sometimes even these dogs can be startled and frightened by the sudden burst of explosions related to July 4^th weekend. If you know your dog is going to have a hard time with it, start this exercise now to help avoid unnecessary stress for everyone!

We all love our dogs, but many of us have dogs that just seem to love to mess with us. You’re trying to grab their collar so you can leave the dog park and they wait until your hand is an inch away before they dance away with a smile. Or you’re just trying to take them for a nice walk but they’ve got to grab the leash and thrash it. Maybe they wait for you to be gone or not looking before they do their very worst. There’s no WAY they’re not deliberately teasing you or going behind your back, right? Actually that’s wrong!

Your instinct is to say yes, of course! I would never hurt them and they know that. But whether or not you would hurt your dog isn't really the question. Does your dog trust you to handle any situation? If your dog barks at other dogs on-leash, guards things, or gets nervous when someone approaches them, they don't view you as in control.