Blog
Is My Dog Resource Guarding?
Published on May 8, 2026 | Category: Aggression and Reactivity, Behavior Foundations, Science Highlights, Training Protocols
Resource guarding is a common behavioral response to a perceived threat. This instinctual response becomes problematic when aggressive guarding behaviors are directed at humans or other animals. Aggressive resource guarding is a jarring experience but we have tools to prevent and stop resource guarding. Positive reinforcement training can effectively resolve resource guarding by addressing the -> Read the full article…
Help Your Dog Ride in the Car
Published on Jan 29, 2026 | Category: Tips & Safety, Training Protocols
Everyone is happy when our doggie co-pilots are comfortable. Is your pup anxious in the car? Is it becoming increasingly more difficult to get them into the car and when you do, they can’t settle or relax, continue to pant and/or salivate, tremble and shake and whine or bark? This is common for dogs of -> Read the full article…
Sharing About Resource Guarding
Published on Apr 6, 2017 | Category: Aggression and Reactivity, Blog Posts, Resource Sharing
Resource guarding is an instinctual response to a perceived threat to a valuable item. Resource guarding refers to a behavioral response or pattern of behaviors. While some of these behaviors can be unnoticed, other aggressive behaviors are problematic when directed at humans or other animals in the home. While experiencing aggressive resource guarding is a -> Read the full article…
Stop Barking
Published on Oct 10, 2016 | Category: Aggression and Reactivity
It can be hard to be the person with the barky dog in training class. With most problem behaviors, a good tactic is to manage the situation so that the behavior doesn’t pop up and then train the dog something else to do instead. So rather than barking at others, he could be staring adoringly -> Read the full article…
How to Teach Your Dog Loose Leash Walking
Published on Sep 27, 2016 | Category: Tips & Safety
If your dog pulls on the leash, then the walk is neither healthy for the dog nor relaxing for you. It’s also a sign that you and your dog are not paying attention to each other — it takes two to pull. Pulling on leash is very rewarding to a dog. What do we mean -> Read the full article…
Dog Relaxation: Training a Puppy or High-Energy Dog
Published on Feb 28, 2016 | Category: Tips & Safety
With our young or high energy dogs we are often faced with the challenges of hyperactive behaviors such as excessive biting, chewing, jumping, destruction, and vocalization. Most of these behaviors can be attributed to lack of physical and mental exercise, unintentionally reinforcing undesirable behaviors, and missed opportunities to reinforce calm behaviors. Training calm behaviors is -> Read the full article…
Babette: Puppy Camp Success Story
Published on May 1, 2013 | Category: Puppies
We received this letter from a Puppy Camp student and I was thrilled to hear about puppy camp achieving exactly what I had hoped when we began it last year. We get thank you notes all the time from students (yay!) but this was so detailed and clear that I asked Dana for permission to -> Read the full article…
Puppy and New Dog Tip for Spring!
Published on Apr 7, 2012 | Category: Puppies, Puppy Socialization
Will this be your dog’s first summer in your home? Have your puppy spend some time in your back yard today to get used to the sights and sounds of spring. The reason to do this is to teach your puppy not to bark at people, dogs, and other distractions in your neighborhood.
“I Rescued a Human Today” – anonymous
Published on Jun 17, 2011 | Category: Tips & Safety
This little story from a dog’s perpective is so touching that i just have to share. My shelter dogs certainly make my life so much better. See the bottom for some links with info on how to (or not to) pick a shelter dog. I RESCUED A HUMAN TODAY Her eyes met mine as she -> Read the full article…
Teaching Your Dog to “Drop It”
Published on May 2, 2011 | Category: Tips & Safety
If you’ve ever had a hoovering puppy or a dog that likes to explore the world with her mouth, you know that getting your dog to let go of something quickly is important. It’s also great for exercising your dog, because dropping the toy is an important part of fetch.
April Charity of the Month: Old Dog Haven
Published on Mar 24, 2011 | Category: What's New?
Our local Charity of the Month is Old Dog Haven, which is based in Lake Stevens. I love them and hope you will be generous to them. They foster, rehome (if possible), and provide lifelong care for older dogs. They really deserve our help. Please donate to the little pug container at the training center -> Read the full article…
February Charity of the Month: Summit Assistance Dogs
Published on Feb 5, 2011 | Category: Uncategorized
The Ahimsa Dog Training staff members are excited to launch our Charity of the Month Program! For February we have chosen Summit Assistance Dogs, a 501(c)3 Non-Profit organization based in Anacortes, Washington, that provides mobility, hearing and therapy dogs for people living with disabilities. There are more than 55 million Americans living with various disabilities, -> Read the full article…
Charity of the Month
Published on Jan 18, 2011 | Category: Uncategorized
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was yesterday. It motivated me to make some changes and one of them is that Ahimsa Dog Training is going to start having a Dog Charity of the Month. We will give local (Seattle / Puget Sound area) rescue organizations and charities a chance to be featured in our blog. -> Read the full article…
Should My Dog Sniff on a Walk?
Published on Jan 7, 2011 | Category: Tips & Safety
The short answer is, “of course!” Smelling (the nose, tongue, and the vomeronasal organ) is a dog’s primary way to take in information about the world. Dogs are olfactory creatures, we are visual. Their sense of smell is part of what makes our dogs so amazing! Asking a dog not to put her nose to -> Read the full article…
Is Your Dog at Risk? 8 Important Safety Tips
Published on Nov 22, 2010 | Category: Safety Warnings
I’ve gotten a lot of bad news lately. Just in the last few weeks, I’ve had two clients tell me that their dogs were hit by cars, one whose dog died from a routine surgery, a few who were attacked by loose dogs, and several others who tore ligaments in their knees. My wife and -> Read the full article…
Don’t Miss FidoFEST 2010 this Sunday!
Published on Sep 20, 2010 | Category: What's New?
FidoFEST is this Sunday, September 26th, at University Village in Seattle. I’ll be giving a demonstration at 11:45 with my dog, Peanut. I’m excited for his big debut and hope he does well with the crowds! Peanut will be doing some work with his nose (finding keys, etc.), with some of the kind of training -> Read the full article…
Watch us live on King 5 TV!
Published on Sep 1, 2010 | Category: Puppies
Ahimsa Dog Training is on King 5’s New Day Northwest tomorrow along with some of our great PUPPIES! You are invited to be in the studio audience for the show. I’ll be talking about puppy socialization and dog aggression – the dogs are there to be cute and get socialized!! They say the whole show -> Read the full article…
Tuesday Tip: Instant Puppy Socialization
Published on Sep 1, 2010 | Category: Puppies
Just add an easy food puzzle, and mix! Stuff a Kong, Squirrel Dude, Twist-n-Treat, or other food puzzle with wet dog food. Freeze it (have several so there’s always a frozen food puzzle for your puppy or dog). Make sure your puppy understands the good-puzzle concept by having your dog work through a few inside -> Read the full article…
Tuesday Tip: a Sure-Fire Way to Socialize Your Puppy
Published on Aug 24, 2010 | Category: Aggression and Reactivity, Puppies
When socializing your puppy, take it at the puppy’s speed. If he wants to walk away from a person, go with him! He may just need a moment to regroup and build his confidence. It’s critical that puppies have good experiences as their own pace, not forced interactions. Watch for body language while he’s being -> Read the full article…
Great dog body language video
Published on Aug 11, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized
Watch this fascinating dog conversation. Any of the behaviors that you hear mentioned are great behaviors to reward in BAT, since they’re all excellent alternatives to aggression or panic in a dog: Video is from the YouTube user 99Taro99Taro
Muzzle Training 101
Published on Jul 5, 2010 | Category: Aggression and Reactivity
Here’s a great YouTube video on how to get your dog used to wearing a muzzle. Dogs hate muzzles when they first go on, so it’s essential to train them to wear them comfortably if you need one. Muzzles do not keep a dog from wanting to bite, they just keep them from being able -> Read the full article…
Do You Know Why Dogs Bark?
Published on Jun 29, 2010 | Category: Aggression and Reactivity
I was asked this question by Marty Unger on Questionland today: “My golden-doodle is incredibly sweet and wouldn’t hurt a fly but when she sees someone outside, whether she knows them or not, she barks like she wants to rip their head off. If she could speak english, what would she be saying?”
Seattle TV audition: Tales of the Pet Lover’s Heart
Published on Jun 29, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized
Here’s a message to a Meetup group, with permission to repost: ***** I was looking at your meetup group and I thought you all might be interested in something that is going on next Wednesday, June 30th, in Seattle. At Hotel Monaco in Seattle, we are holding auditions for a TV show called “Tales for -> Read the full article…
Deaf Dog Project
Published on Apr 26, 2010 | Category: What's New?
I’ve been having a hard time choosing which of the many great causes to support with our Grand Expansion party on Friday. I’ve decided to give 5% of all profits from the new training store, including class registrations, to the Deaf Dog Photo Project.
April News, party, seminars, and more
Published on Apr 23, 2010 | Category: What's New?
Hi everybody, * Party! Don’t forget that you are invited to our Grand Expansion Party next Friday. 🙂 Our party is next Friday, April 30th, 5-8 pm. All of our staff will be there to have fun! Come by any time throughout the party, with or without your dog – remember, not all dogs want -> Read the full article…
Expansion Party April 30
Published on Mar 29, 2010 | Category: What's New?
Ballard dogs have been enjoying our training services since 2003. Our classes have become so popular, that we’re expanding to a second training room and a dog training store for gear and the essentials for creating a calm, happy dog. We’re so excited!
We just sponsored the Furry 5K
Published on Mar 18, 2010 | Category: What's New?
Ahimsa is going to be a Silver Sponsor of the Furry 5K this year. The Furry 5K is a benefit for the Seattle Animal Shelter. More news later, but I wanted to let you know about the event so that you could mark your calendars! Here’s their info, from http://www.furry5k.com: The Seattle Animal Shelter is -> Read the full article…
Watch for Ahimsa puppies on King 5’s new morning show!
Published on Mar 18, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized
On Monday, March 29th, I’ll be interviewed live with Margaret Larson on a brand new morning show called New Day Northwest, which runs 10-11 on weekdays. At least 3 trainers will be at their studio in Seattle and we’ll have several Ahimsa Dog Training client puppies with us. We look forward to helping greater Seattle -> Read the full article…
Amazing info at advanced seminars in Seattle
Published on Mar 18, 2010 | Category: What's New?
We’ve got some fabulous talks coming up for dog trainers and people who simply have gotten addicted to dog training. It’s even better than a basket-full of chocolate kisses. Seriously. Kathy Sdao is a behaviorist and a scientist with decades of experience, but you wouldn’t know it by the energy she puts into all of -> Read the full article…
More convenient class times – 2nd training room!
Published on Mar 18, 2010 | Category: What's New?
Happy spring! The construction on our second training room is almost complete. It looks like we will be good to go on April 1st. It’s adjacent to our main training room in Seattle (Ballard) and I’m hoping we’ll occasionally be able to open it up and use both rooms for bigger classes. I’ve been busy -> Read the full article…
