Next time your dog does something you don’t like, think of what you’d like the dog to do and ask for that.  Too commonly, we don’t take the time to give our dogs the skills and the ability to do what we’d like them to do instead of just telling her “no!”

You yawn when you’re tired and probably when you’re bored. You even yawn when you see someone else yawning a lot. And some athletes yawn to focus and stay calm before a competition. Olympic skater Apolo Ohno was well-known for his warm-up yawns.

Your dog also yawns—so what’ up with that?

You have your new puppy or dog for a few weeks and then realize that, as the dog gets more comfortable, that sweet puppy or new arrival gets more active and starts to explore, push boundaries and get downright naughty. The result? You feel as though all you say is “No!”

Many dogs bark to get attention—and it works for them.  They bark and we either tell them to stop or, even worse, pet them or give them a biscuit—all without thinking about it, so long as the barking stops. That bark becomes successful as it gets the dog what he wants—attention. And when a behavior is successful, it become stronger and more frequent until you have a dog that barks at you, your family and your guests all the time. 

Shopping, baking, decorating, cooking, cleaning—the preparations for the Holidays go on and on. And then it’s guests, lots of food, wrapping paper and ribbons, music, laughing and playing. So…where’s the dog?