Canine Nation

In December of 2010 I wrote a piece called A Million Ways To Love A Dog.  In that piece I talked about how dogs are integrated into all kinds of lifestyles for all kinds of reasons.  Dogs live on farms, in high rise apartments, suburban homes, and even on the road with their humans.  We love […]

Audio edition of the article Loving A Dog To Death from the Life As A Human online magazine website. You can visit Life as a Human to find this and other articles. In December of 2010 I wrote a piece called A Million Ways To Love A Dog.  In that piece I talked about how dogs are integrated into all kinds of lifestyles for all kinds of reasons.  Dogs live on farms, in high rise apartments, suburban homes, and even on the road with their humans.  We love our dogs in all of their various shapes and sizes. But can we love them wrong?  Can we love them too much?  It’s an interesting question.  There are currentlly over 78 million dogs living with people in the US alone.  Genetically, their lives are much shorter than ours.  Most dogs live very happy, comfortable lives.  But I am dismayed at how many die in loving homes because of improper care and management.  These dogs are literally “loved to death.” Thanks for listening to Canine Nation podcasts. I hope you can spread the word and let your dog-friends know about what you're hearing here. As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome!

Audio edition of the article Dogs, Science, This, and That from the Life As A Human online magazine website. You can visit Life as a Human to find this and other articles. Most weeks, I like to put together something on a single topic regarding dogs or dog training.  It’s fun to explore things in depth and see where they come from, where they go, and even if we can be better or smarter about them.  I tend to be scientific in my approach to most things.  I like to break them down, see how they work, and be able to put them back together again.  But I recognize that not everyone shares my systematic approach to dogs and dog training. But something I’m seeing more and more on the Internet is a negative reaction to science and behaviour analysis by dog training professionals.  Many of these trainers actually distinguish themselves as being “non-science” based.  Their methods are pointedly described in imprecise, emotional terms like “relationship”, “energy”, or “natural.”  I can only assume that this is a way to portray these trainers and their methods as more human and “feelings” based trainers.  So when did science become a bad thing?! Thanks for listening to Canine Nation podcasts. I hope you can spread the word and let your dog-friends know about what you're hearing here. As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome!

Most weeks, I like to put together something on a single topic regarding dogs or dog training.  It’s fun to explore things in depth and see where they come from, where they go, and even if we can be better or smarter about them.  I tend to be scientific in my approach to most things. […]

Audio edition of the article Doggone it! When Is Your Dog Wrong? from the Life As A Human online magazine website. You can visit Life as a Human to find this and other articles. There is a very in-depth article about Errorless Learning and No Reward Markers making it’s way around Facebook recently.  The article is by internationally renowned dog trainer Emily Larlham.  There’s a lot of information in Ms. Larlham’s article but, for me, it boils down to a deceptively simple question: How do we know when our dog is “doing it wrong”? This podcast takes a look at how we determine whether our dog has "done it right" or "done it wrong" when we ask for behaviours.  We also take a look at Dr. Herbert Terrace's "Errorless Learning" protocol and discuss the role of "No Reward Markers" in training.  Is our dog "wrong" when they don't perform as we expect or are they wrong only when we give them some indication that they have messed up?  It's a good question. Thanks for listening to Canine Nation podcasts. I hope you can spread the word and let your dog-friends know about what you're hearing here. As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome!

There is a very in-depth article about Errorless Learning and No Reward Markers making it’s way around Facebook recently.  The article is by internationally renowned dog trainer Emily Larlham.  There’s a lot of information in Ms. Larlham’s article but, for me, it boils down to a deceptively simple question: How do we know when our dog is “doing […]

This three part series described the 5 long month breakdown of my dog Tiramisu, her diagnosis as a dog with a hypothyroid condition, and our quest to make her healthy way again. Tira has always loved playing on agility courses and equipment from the time she was 6 months old. When she was 7 years old, she started becoming fearful and unwilling to play agility. We knew something was very wrong.

This three part series described the 5 long month breakdown of my dog Tiramisu, her diagnosis as a dog with a hypothyroid condition, and our quest to make her healthy way again. Tira has always loved playing on agility courses and equipment from the time she was 6 months old. When she was 7 years old, she started becoming fearful and unwilling to play agility. We knew something was very wrong.

Audio edition of the article Mysticism and Pragmatism in Dog Training from the Life As A Human online magazine website. You can visit Life as a Human to find this and other articles. Like politics or religion, a discussion about how to train or raise a dog can invoke strong emotions and strong opinions across a pretty wide spectrum.  Everyone seems to have their preferred authorities and philosophies.  You can express your own point of view but there is very real resistance to passing judgement on whose methods are more “right” or more “wrong” in polite society. Alternative training techniques and trendy appproaches to working with our dogs may sound attractive, especially if they promise quick and lasting results.  There is a lot of money being made everyday by dog trainers making one promise or another.  But when it comes to the health, safety, and well being of the dog you have taken into your home, it is up to you to decide what is best for them.   Thanks for listening to Canine Nation podcasts. I hope you can spread the word and let your dog-friends know about what you're hearing here. As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome!

Like politics or religion, a discussion about how to train or raise a dog can invoke strong emotions and strong opinions across a pretty wide spectrum.  Everyone seems to have their preferred authorities and philosophies.  You can express your own point of view but there is very real resistance to passing judgement on whose methods […]

Audio edition of the article Dog Tails and Random Trails from the Life As A Human online magazine website. You can visit Life as a Human to find this and other articles. I’ve had a few random thoughts knocking around the inside of my head lately and this week seemed as good a time as any to toss them out to my readers and see what you may think about them.  I offer them in no particular order and they are just things that made me go “hmmm” this week. There is just something I find very satifying being in the company of my dogs.  They are usually dozing near me when I write or record this podcast.  I get the occasional glance or sigh from them.  It’s a wonderful reminder that, all things considered, life is good up here on the hill for me and my dogs.  I’m glad to have Tira and Rizzo here to remind me of that.   Thanks for listening to Canine Nation podcasts. I hope you can spread the word and let your dog-friends know about what you're hearing here. As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome!

I’ve had a few random thoughts knocking around the inside of my head lately and this week seemed as good a time as any to toss them out to my readers and see what you may think about them.  I offer them in no particular order and they are just things that made me go […]

Audio edition of the article Practical Everyday Dog Training from the Life As A Human online magazine website. You can visit Life as a Human to find this and other articles. The technical stuff is interesting and teaching the cool tricks is lots of fun. But sometimes you just have to do the practical everyday training to make things work with your dogs.  This podcast covers some of the things we train to make things run smoothly with our own dogs! It could be moving our dogs from one room to another or making walks a little more pleasant.  Simple behaviours can be trained with any dog to make communication better.  And it helps that it can make life easier and more fun too!   Thanks for listening to Canine Nation podcasts. I hope you can spread the word and let your dog-friends know about what you're hearing here. As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome!

The technical stuff is interesting and teaching the cool tricks is lots of fun. But sometimes you just have to do the practical everyday training to make things work with your dogs.  This podcast covers some of the things we train to make things run smoothly with our own dogs! It could be moving our […]

Audio edition of the article Bad Dog – Handling Problem Behaviours from the Life As A Human online magazine website. You can visit Life as a Human to find this and other articles. Correcting bad behaviour in our dogs can be like putting out a fire. We have to act swiftly and decisively. But if we don't know a little bit about behavioural science, we could end up making things worse instead of better. Inspired by Dr. Susan Friedman, this article looks at what our options are when we need to deal with unwanted behaviour. Punishing our dog for bad behaviour might be the first thing that comes to mind but, according to Dr. Susan Friedman, it is likely that it will be the least effective for correcting behaviour long-term.  There are lots of options to try before we resort to trying to stop behaviour.  Being proactive and teaching the behaviours we want to see is a great start!   The diagram at the left is Dr. Susan Friedman's hierarchy of behaviour modification.  Options should be used in the order from top to bottom in trying to remedy problem behaviours.  As each technique is eliminated as being ineffective, the next should be tried until all options are exhausted.  Not that "Positive Punishment" is Friedman's choice of LAST RESORT.   Thanks for listening to Canine Nation podcasts. I hope you can spread the word and let your dog-friends know about what you're hearing here. As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome!