by Gordon Fontaine | Apr 24, 2020
The nature of how dogs learn must be considered when training Dogs learn by trial and error. In the wild or in people’s homes, they are motivated by figuring out what works and what doesn’t work. Contrary to what some people say, they don’t feel guilt the way humans...
by Julie Mendelsohn | Mar 9, 2020
Torture your Puppy?! When it comes to raising a Zen Dog, there are 7 Essential Puppy Lessons every new owner must master. However, the lesson that is most important to veterinarians, groomers, parents and owners who want their dog to grow into a canine good citizen...
by Gordon Fontaine | Jan 31, 2020
If you are a well-read new puppy owner you know the Socialization Period for puppies is between the ages of 3-14 weeks. This is the time in their lives when they are the most open and accepting to new experiences, people, places, and things. During this critical...
by Gordon Fontaine | Nov 13, 2019
The methods you choose for training your dog matter. Dog training in general has boiled down into two camps, with the all-positive-all-the-time (think: treats and clickers) at one extreme and on the other side, alpha-dog methods that encourage “dominance or...
by Emily Fleming | Oct 29, 2019
Bringing a new puppy into your life is exciting! With new puppy owners, the question we hear the most is: how do you integrate a puppy into the home and quickly teach them the rules? In some ways, preparing for a new puppy is similar to preparing for a new baby; there...
by Gordon Fontaine | Mar 8, 2019
Controlling outcomes by Rewarding, Interrupting, Preventing, Ignoring, and Creating Teaching Moments. A Zen Human Makes a Zen Dog Zen Dog Training is focused on how we interact with our dogs—which is the key to successful training. Our Games and Solutions are...
by Samantha Butler | Oct 31, 2017
To Look, or Not to Look? You have probably heard many people say that “A dog is a man’s best friend,” or “I like dogs more because of the unconditional love they give.” If you have had a dog before, you know that both of those statements are pretty close to true. We...
by Samantha Butler | Oct 9, 2017
How To Teach an Older Dog to Stop Sleeping in the Bed Meet Daisy, an adorable and loving seven-year old Shih Tzu who was raised and cared for by her mom, Marina, since she was a puppy. Daisy is quite the lucky and well-loved pup; she rarely leaves Marina’s side. She...
by Neil Simmons | Sep 14, 2017
Break the Ice with Treats Using treats can help break the ice between a fearful dog and scary experiences like meeting new people and or guests to the home. Meet Nash! Nash is a sweet Catahoula leopard dog mix, who is playful with people he knows but shy and fearful...
by Gordon Fontaine | Apr 18, 2017
Want to Know the Secret to Successful Dog Training? The secret is: only train when you can control the outcome. In other words, choosing the right time to train is important. When you are in the middle of something and your dog misbehaves, you may not have time to...
