c/pet-training-tips

Can we talk about clicker training not working for some dogs?

I tried it with my border collie, and he just got scared of the sound. All the training videos say it's the best way to teach tricks, but it made him hide under the table. We had more success when I just used a happy voice to mark good actions. Maybe some dogs are too sensitive for loud noises like clicks. It's okay to use what works for your pet, even if it's not popular.

My dog heels off-leash in busy parks, and I think strict leash rules backfire

I'm really pumped that my dog, Buddy, now stays by my side without a leash in crowded spots. Most trainers say this is irresponsible, but I believe constant leash use makes dogs pull harder. We practiced recall and focus in empty fields for weeks before trying busier areas. Now he checks in with me naturally, and it's like we're a team. This approach turned our walks into a fun game instead of a struggle.

Stop telling me to yank the leash when my dog pulls

That just made him pull harder and get scared. I fixed it by stopping every time he pulled and waiting for him to calm down.

So, I started waiting for my dog to calm down before leashing up... walks are way less chaotic now.

During our kitchen cabinet organization, I figured out a simple trick to keep my curious cat from jumping on counters.