We Like: Proper Play In Dogs Video

Check out this fascinating video analyzing what makes up a good play exchange between two dogs.  One of the things my parents are encountering with their new pups, Bart & Sadie, is knowing what is healthy play and what isn’t.  It’s not always easy to tell, but in this video, Cristine Dahl, shows us what is going on in this play exchange between Truman (9 mos old) & Puff (7 yrs old).

Cristine is an incredible dog trainer, educator, and dog behavior expert.  She was a great help with transforming Saffron into a well adjusted dog.  Cristine wrote a wonderful book Good Dog 101 that is really well written, accessible, and useful—a lot of dog trainers are not good writers, but Cristine is great!  She graduated from the Academy for Dog Trainers at San Francisco SPCA where Jean Donaldson, author of Culture Clash, taught and opened her own dog training studio, Seattle Dogworks.  Cristine then went on to found her own school for dog trainers, Seattle School of Canine Studies.  And yes, this is a total plug for her, because she really is outstanding, and I don’t recommend anything or anyone lightly!

http://youtu.be/34_bRa3zMNc

Top 10 Training Tips From Jean Donaldson

Do you have a dog or even know a dog?  Check out these 10 excellent tips on training from Jean Donaldson, the Director for the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers.  Donaldson has also written numerous books on dogs, including the revolutionary Culture CLash. She knows what she’s talking about.

Some fo my favaorite tips are:

  • Expect your dog to act like a dog.
  • Don’t wait for your dog to develop bad habits.
  • Don’t lay guilt trips on your dog—they aren’t moral or immoral.