All four of our dogs like cats and are especially smitten with our current cat, Pete. They play with Pete, go for walks with him and sleep with him. Lucky for us, (and for Pete), our dogs would definitely fall within the category of ailurophile (cat lover). But, of course, this is not true of all … Continue reading Ailurophile? (Or not)
dogs
Why We Click
There is no longer any doubt. Clicker training is here to stay. More and more animal trainers are using it. Although I work with dogs, not dinosaurs, I too am a dedicated clicker trainer, as are most of the instructors who teach for me at AutumnGold. However, while the theoretical underpinnings of clicker training are … Continue reading Why We Click
The Many Faces of Resource Guarding
One of my AutumnGold instructors recently completed a set of in-home lessons with a couple and their young Vizsla. The dog, Sadie, had completed our puppy class last summer and her owners were interested in working on in-home manners. One of the behaviors that Amanda, the instructor, included was target training "go to your mat and down/stay". We use … Continue reading The Many Faces of Resource Guarding
(Field) Dogs on the Beach
Mike and I and our dogs just returned from a week in Florida at a beach community that prides itself on its dog-friendliness. We met our friends Bob and Karen from Virginia, who brought their two Labs, Gus and Sally. It was an amazing week. We spent hours with the dogs walking the beach, watching shorebirds and dolphins, hiking local trails, … Continue reading (Field) Dogs on the Beach
Digestibility Matters
In "Dog Food Logic" and "Only Have Eyes for You", I have emphasized (okay, some might say "harped upon") the need for pet food companies to provide digestibility information to consumers. It is not a difficult value to determine and most pet food companies already conduct feeding trials that measure this (yet keep the results to themselves). As … Continue reading Digestibility Matters
Consider the (Caregiver) Placebo Effect
Most people are familiar with the concept of a “placebo effect”, the perception of improved health while unknowingly receiving a sham (placebo) treatment that in reality should have no benefit at all. Growing up, my mother referred to this as “giving someone a sugar pill”. The assumption is that because we believe that we are … Continue reading Consider the (Caregiver) Placebo Effect
When Sit Doesn’t Mean S*it.
Science killed another myth today. This one has been around for a while and is almost universally accepted by shelter staff, rescue folks and dog trainers alike (including me). This is the belief that I am talking about: "Shelter dogs who have been trained to sit on command are viewed more positively by potential adopters and are more likely to be … Continue reading When Sit Doesn’t Mean S*it.
“Only Have Eyes for You: Exploring Canine Research with The Science Dog” – Kindle Edition Now Available!
The Kindle edition of "Only Have Eyes for You: Exploring Canine Research with The Science Dog" is now available! Click on the image below for more information and to order. Book description: In her second Science Dog book, Linda Case tackles commonly held beliefs about canine nutrition, pet foods, behavior, social cognition and training. Each of the book’s 32 … Continue reading “Only Have Eyes for You: Exploring Canine Research with The Science Dog” – Kindle Edition Now Available!
Pretty in Pink
Our youngest dog, Ally, has a 'bestie". Her name is Colbie and she belongs to our friend Amanda, a trainer who also works as an instructor at AutumnGold. Ally is a Golden Retriever. Colbie is a Pit Bull Terrier, adopted from our local shelter while Amanda was on staff there. Being young girls, both Ally and … Continue reading Pretty in Pink
I Feel Your Pain
Many people who live with multiple dogs have had the pleasure of experiencing two dogs who become great friends. Call the relationship what you will - bonded pair, social partners, housemates, doggy pals - I personally prefer friends, but hey, tomato/tomato, agreed? Regardless of what you label it, it is without question that dogs are highly social, that they … Continue reading I Feel Your Pain
Just Show Me A Sign
Like many dog trainers, I use both verbal and gestural (hand) signals as cues with my dogs. With our students, we introduce both verbal and physical cues at the same time, but generally emphasize verbal signals because this is what most pet owners prefer to use with their dogs. All of our classes include instructions for … Continue reading Just Show Me A Sign
I Bow for Your Play
At AutumnGold we have an informal group of trainers and dog friends who get together regularly to do a bit of dog training, go for group walks, and give our dogs free time to play. During play time, we take care that the dogs who are loose together know one another well, are comfortable together and demonstrate … Continue reading I Bow for Your Play
The Meaning of Click
Hi. My name is Linda and I am a clicker trainer. In the spirit of full disclosure, I admit that I have been using a clicker for many years. My use began with the common gateway secondary reinforcer, the verbal cue ("Yes!"). While that worked well for a while, I eventually found that I needed more. I wanted a marker that … Continue reading The Meaning of Click
What’s in Your (Vegetarian) Food?
Here we go again. It appears that there may be more than what dog owners expect to find in vegetarian dog food. Hold the Spam, Please: Before all of the "Dogs are Carnivores (and a pox on your mother if you think differently)" devotees begin posting comments (in all caps ) that dogs should NOT be fed a vegetarian diet in the first … Continue reading What’s in Your (Vegetarian) Food?
A Walk in the Park (or not)
In my view, one of the many benefits of living with dogs are the walks. All four of my dogs love to hike and run and we spend time together almost every morning at our local forest preserve. The dogs enjoy the exercise and have opportunities to explore, sniff and play, while Mike and I exercise, … Continue reading A Walk in the Park (or not)
The Science Dog 