Blog
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…
Vote Ahimsa!
Published on Sep 1, 2010 | Category: What's New?
Please help us win the Best of Western Washington contest for 2010! Click to vote. It takes just a minute to register and vote. We really appreciate it!
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…
Flier for Fear, Aggression, & Play seminar Sept 11-12
Published on Aug 24, 2010 | Category: What's New?
I just created a flier for the upcoming aggression and play seminar in Seattle. If you have a dog in your neighborhood that barks or lunges at you or your dog, put these fliers up near those houses or at nearby coffee shops – maybe your neighbors will attend and learn to help their dog! -> Read the full article…
Tuesday Tip: a Sure-Fire Way to Socialize Your Puppy
Published on Aug 24, 2010 | Category: Aggression, 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
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
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…
Can you please stop hitting that puppy?
Published on Mar 1, 2010 | Category: Puppies
That’s what I asked the woman with her 10-week-old Golden X puppy. I had just left Ahimsa to go get lunch and was about to turn right. Instead, I saw this woman and her young daughter up ahead with a puppy. Cute! I thought, followed immediately by a mortified, “oh my Dog, did she just -> Read the full article…
9 Good Things About 2009. What’s Your List?
Published on Dec 31, 2009 | Category: Tips & Safety
This morning, as I read the posts on Twitter, I came across Edie Jarolim’s post “2009: It wasn’t so bad for me. How was it for you?” I thought it was a lovely idea for a post, so here’s my answer to Edie’s question. Please answer yourself in the comments or in your own blog!
Support the Angel Fund for Emergency Care
Published on Dec 30, 2009 | Category: Tips & Safety
I received this from the staff at Elliott Bay Animal Hospital in Seattle, which is near the training center. I thought it’d be a great cause for all dog and cat lovers in the Puget Sound to know about, and possibly support. I like supporting local causes, and maybe some of my readers do, too! -> Read the full article…
Wii – Could a Video Game Help with Puppy Socialization?
Published on Dec 24, 2009 | Category: Puppies, Tips & Safety
I talked my wife into getting a Wii because it would allow us to play tennis in the winter, without even having to go anywhere. We set it up yesterday and Peanut thought it was fine – just some new kind of DVD player. Once we started playing tennis and boxing in the living room, -> Read the full article…
New Dog Toy: Pogo Plush
Published on Dec 15, 2009 | Category: Tips & Safety
Ok, I love the new toy that Premier pet products featured a new toy at the Association of Pet Dog Trainers conference this year: the Pogo Plush. I brought home two of them, of course – one for each dog. They were an instant hit! The pogo is a plush toy, but there’s no stuffing -> Read the full article…
Are You Sabotaging Your Training?
Published on Dec 15, 2009 | Category: Tips & Safety
In my first training class, with Spoon (that’s her, to the left) I was told to lure my dog into a sit and simultaneously say, “Sit.” Then I was to give her the treat and say, “Good sit!” I doubt the trainer specifically wanted to teach my dog to only work if food was present, -> Read the full article…
Mathematician to Dog Trainer – My NPR interview
Published on Dec 12, 2009 | Category: Tips & Safety
Jeannie Yandel from KUOW in Seattle interviewed me last week. It’s going to play today at 1:06 p.m. on 94.9 FM in Seattle. It’s a personal interview on how and why I transitioned from a mathematician into a dog trainer. You can also listen to it now via the KUOW website.
Dominance Training Position Statement by APDT
Published on Nov 8, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized
Finally! Quoted from the APDT website (my emphasis): Association of Pet Dog Trainers Position Statement There has been a resurgence in citing “dominance” as a factor in dog behavior and dog-human relationships. This concept is based on outdated wolf studies that have long since been disproven. Contrary to popular belief, research studies of wolves in -> Read the full article…
Thundershirts – sound phobias, fears, etc.
Published on Nov 7, 2009 | Category: Tips & Safety
We are now carrying Thundershirts in our online store (and in the little store at the training center). If there was a drug-free way to ease your dog’s fears, would you do it? I would! And the Thundershirt’s a lot less than the Anxiety Wrap (and easier to put on), almost half as expensive. We -> Read the full article…
BAT seminar for dog aggression and fear – January 2010
Published on Nov 3, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized
I just scheduled a seminar for dog trainers and advanced students, to teach a new system for working with behavior problems, called Behavior Adjustment Training, or BAT. The seminar is an hour and a half, Friday January 8th, 2010, from 8-9:30 p.m. We also have an exciting visit from Patricia McConnell planned for September 12, -> Read the full article…
Crate Training, food-free rewards, & more in Whole Dog Journal
Published on Nov 2, 2009 | Category: Tips & Safety
The November 2009 Whole Dog Journal is out. Get yours today! Alternate rewards for when your dog won’t take food Easy Riding – tips for calm, safe car rides Quick Crate Training Tips What to look for in buying treats Dancing with Dogs (hint: you don’t have to dance much, your dog is the star! -> Read the full article…
Pit Bull Blues Video
Published on Oct 27, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized
I love this pit bull video by John Shipe. Great dogs, great music! If they could only have filmed it without those prong collars and choke chains! Don’t they know pit bulls excel with reward-based training? I’ve been singing it a lot since I saw this video, although I have to admit, I keep making -> Read the full article…
New issue of Whole Dog Journal
Published on Oct 19, 2009 | Category: Tips & Safety
We have the latest issue of Whole Dog Journal. If you have a dog that has issues walking by other people, dogs, bikes, etc., you won’t want to miss this issue! October 2009 articles: Good Growling? 5 things to do when your dog growls at you Passing Fancy – How to teach your dog to -> Read the full article…
Edmonds Dog park Halloween Howl is tomorrow!
Published on Oct 16, 2009 | Category: Tips & Safety
I will be giving a dog safety presentation at *noon*, particularly how to read dogs and how to avoid and break up dog fights at the park. Come with or without your dog!
