As a professional dog trainer, I hear it all the time: "Why does my dog listen to you, but the minute I take the leash, it all falls apart?"

After decades of training service dogs, you'd think I'd have it all figured out by now. But recently, a five-month-old puppy reminded me of something fundamental.

We often assume that newer is automatically better. But when we look at dog training over the past 100-plus years, we see a mix of highs and lows.

The best gift we can give any dog is confidence to live in our human world without fearing unfamiliar people, unfamiliar dogs, scary stimuli, and strange scenarios.

If you share your life with a dog, one of your greatest gifts is right beside you in the relationship you have with them.

I have always been grateful that my job has also been my passion.

Dogs can’t tell us how they’re feeling. And for that reason, many people aren’t aware how often pain and physical discomfort can influence their dog’s behavior. 

Like most dog folks, you probably use food rewards as part of your pup’s training. And of course, you can always simply hand your dog a little treat, but what’s the fun in that?

It’s been over 40 years since I first started teaching off-leash puppy socialization and training classes and introduced the use of food lures and food rewards to the world of dog training.

We all want our dogs to get along with others. But the reality is, not all dogs like all other dogs—and that’s perfectly normal.

Have you ever noticed how much fun it is to anticipate something good?

Search dogs help save lives every day all across our country, but have you ever wondered how these remarkable animals learn to do what they do?

A few special working dogs go above and beyond, providing specific help for some of life’s toughest challenges.

Your alarm goes off, and for a brief second, you question every life choice that led you to this moment. But there’s no time for existential crises - you’ve got a dog sport competition to get to.

The ritual is always the same: crack open the apartment door, listen for movement, and pray for an empty hallway.

Mark your calendars, dog fans! The Canine Science Symposium returns to San Francisco State University later this spring on the weekend of May 17-18.

Love comes in many forms, but there's something uniquely magical about the love we share with our dogs.

There are challenges with having a new pup in your life, and that’s true regardless of the dog’s age, breed, or level of training.

As January 2025 ushers in another goal-setting season, meaningful change in your dog’s behavior starts not with your dog, but with you.

My 2025 resolutions look a lot like those from previous years – helping as many dogs as possible and finding new ways to do it.