(based on an article published in the Bark in 2008) Seizures in Dog Few events are as terrifying as witnessing your pet in the throes of a full seizure. One second, he looks perfectly normal, and the next, he’s on his side, eyes glazed, muscles twitching frenetically. He may even lose control of his bladder or bowels. A result of abnormal electrical activity in the brain, this event may last only seconds, but when it happens, time seems to move in slow motion. For some dogs, this is a one-time experience, but in most cases, seizures recur. If so, and

In Jack London’s classic, White Fang, the main mutt of the same name (W.F. for short) developed one strong bond with his man. So tight was this bond that when master departed temporarily, the mutt refused to eat and chose to pine away in agony. As a kid, I was enamored by this romanticized display of loyalty between dog and owner. But now that I know better, when I recall the story I just wanna shout, “Hey! That dog has separation anxiety. He needs help.” London’s main character is not the only dog who has ever had separation anxiety. He’s

Have you ever had a client walk in with their little land-shark of a Chihuahua or Toy Poodle in their arms and you needed to examine it or carry it and you know you won’t be able to get near it once the owner puts it on the table or floor? Or you have a little, bitey dog in a shelter,  kennel, or hospital setting you are carrying—because somehow you’ve already made friends with him—and the safest way for you to get him to be handled or transported by someone else is by handing him off to them? In that

As I watched the video my friend sent me, I saw a reactive dog, named Frankie, lying down in front of his human. The owner was trying to reward quiet, calm behavior while other dogs were far away. Frankie fidgets and keeps moving, gets up and then lies back down, but he’s focused on his owner much of the time. The problem?  The owner’s timing of rewards is way too slow to effectively reward a calm down-stay. It’s like the owner is moving at the speed of The Lawrence Welk Show when the speed the dog wants is along the

Have you ever been watching professional tennis or golf on TV with a friend and then suddenly heard him blurt, “I swing just like that but that’s not where the ball goes. Those players must have special equipment that makes it work.” I’m guessing, probably not, unless your friends have mashed potatoes for brains. Most people understand that the reason professionals are able to make consistent and stellar shots is that they have skills that they build up through many hours of practice, coaching, and drills. However, when it comes to dog training or behavior modification, it’s the complete opposite. Owners

Every once in a while, when I’m doing a seminar for dog trainers, someone will ask, “Are head collars such as Gentle Leaders, Haltis and Snootloops safe for dogs to wear? Can’t a dog hurt its neck?” It’s a pretty simple question, but what some trainers really mean is, “Head collars are bad because I’ve heard they cause injury. How could you possibly use them? Dogs will run to the end and break their necks.” Or “I used one but my dog just pawed at it and didn’t like it.” Or, “I have no control with a head collar when