Veterinarians, shelter workers, and other professionals who work with dogs on a daily basis are always asking me, “If I’m dealing with a dog who can’t have treats because he’s having a procedure later in the day or because he’s not hungry, what can I do to get him to be more cooperative or to behave better?” Creating a Relaxing Environment Well, because the main reason dogs are anxious and uncooperative in the veterinary hospital and shelter situation is fear, my answer is, “It really would be helpful if you avoid scaring the poop out of the dog first.” By that, I

This is the overall approach to the fearful or reactive dog in a nutshell. It’s all about addressing the dog’s overall ability to look to you for guidance, and your ability to be aware of his emotional state and to reward desired behaviors and remove rewards for unwanted behaviors.

Question: Our 5-year-old Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier presents as a furry, lovable and inviting dog while he sits waiting outside the cafe for me to finish my morning latte. Trouble is, he’s taken to growling and barking at some well-meaning types, especially those who come on too enthusiastically. It’s like they invade his space. This behavior is slowly starting to accelerate. What would be the best approach short of hanging a sign on him saying “Beware, looks can be deceiving”? — San Francisco Answer: You nailed the problem on the head. While Fido might be carefree and confident with you alongside,

Being a pet columnist or a blogger is sort of like teaching 5th grade. Just when you think you’ve seen and heard it all, someone asks a question like this: “Dear Dr. Yin: Do you think it is possible that a great deal of behavioral problems in dogs may be due to constipation?” My academically honed intuition—as well as the fact that a friend had suggested I check my e-mail—told me to examine the sender’s name carefully. Just as I suspected. It was a message from my running-club friend thinly disguised under his dog’s name. Knowing that this friend was

Traditionally, dog classes focus on basic exercises like training dogs to sit, lie down, stand, come, and heel on command. While these may be important tasks for dogs to learn, dog training can and should include a more global approach. For instance, the dog may know how to sit or to walk next to their owner in class, but if they haven’t learned to actually focus on their owner, they won’t be able to perform these behaviors in the presence of every-day distractions. Furthermore, positive reinforcement classes often give adequate rewards for desired behavior, but without also training the dog

If you’re like the general population, your dog has a decent or so-so come when called in the house, but outside in the yard or at the park, you might experiences something like this: “My dog doesn’t really like to run to me when I call her,” says one reader of this blog. “She prefers to search for food and find things than run around at the park. I’m too nervous to let her off leash because her recall is not good yet.” This reader has the right idea. She’s keeping her dog on a long leash at the park