Author: Jill Breitner
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What Do Raised Hackles — or a Dog’s Hair Standing Up — Mean?
Do raised hackles, a.k.a. the hair standing up on a dog’s back and neck, always convey aggression? Find out how to figure out what it means when your dog’s hair stands up.
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How to Help a Scared Dog
Do you wonder what causes fear in your dog? Learn what signs to look out for and how to help your dog overcome his fears.
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Simple Solutions for Your Multi-Dog Household Issues
How do you manage feeding, sleeping, greeting, going outside, playing, and toys and treats in a multi-dog household? Trainer Jill Breitner weighs in.
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Why Do Dogs Smell Each Other’s Butts?
Why do dogs smell each other's butts? It may seem like a gross, inappropriate behavior to us humans, but to dogs, it's a natural way of greeting that provides some key insights.
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How to Prevent Dog Bites During the Stressful Holiday Season
Learning how to read your dog's stress signals can help prevent dog bites during the busy holiday season. We illustrate some signals and what to do.
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Getting a Puppy to Pass the Canine Good Citizen Test
The American Canine Good Citizen Program is designed to help people positively train their puppies so they live safe and happy. Here's how to get your puppy to pass the test!
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Will Your Puppy Outgrow These Bad Behaviors?
Playful biting, joyful jumping and incessant chewing may be 'cute' when your dog is a puppy ... but can turn into serious behavior issues by the time he's an adult. Start training now before those naughty puppy behaviors become bad habits forever.
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How to Train a Dog to Walk on a Leash
Think how to train a dog to walk on a leash is as simple as hooking his leash into his harness and walking? Think again. Like other dog-training commands such as sit, stay and come, proper leash walking must be taught — if you want to avoid leash pulling.
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How to Take Care of a Dog — 9 Things You Should Never Do
Wondering how to take care of a dog? Whether this is your first four-legged friend or your 15th, we’ve compiled a few good reminders on what NOT to do when it comes to how to take care of a dog.
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What Are Dogs Scared Of? How to Help Dogs Overcome Their Fears
What are dogs scared of? And how can we help a scared dog overcome his fear? Try these tested tips from a professional dog trainer.
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3 Dog Body Language Signs That Are Easily Misunderstood
Does a wagging tail always mean a happy dog? How about a wide grin? What about a dog looking away? Some dog body language signs are easily misinterpreted.
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5 Keys to Understanding Dog Body Language
Dogs can’t talk exactly, but paying attention to dog body language can help you successfully communicate with your canine. A pro trainer shares tips.
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Whale Eyes in Dogs — What It Means When the Whites of Your Dog’s Eyes Show
Whale eyes in dogs might sound funny, but usually, whale eyes are a sign of fear that shouldn't be ignored. Learn the signs and what to do about whale eyes.
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Help! My Dog is Scared of Everything
Have you ever thought: "My dog is scared of everything?" Here's how to train a fearful dog to feel safe and trust again.
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What Does It Mean When Your Dog Lifts a Paw?
What does it mean when a dog lifts a paw? A dog paw lift can convey everything from anticipation to anxiety. Let's learn how to tell the difference.
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Letting Your Puppy Sleep in Your Bed? Here’s How to Do It Safely
Should your puppy sleep in your bed with you? Going from a warm pile of littermates to a cold lonely crate can be traumatizing, so we think "yes."
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What Does It Mean When My Dog Does the “Shake Off?”
A shake off can be perfectly normal, but it also can signal stress or anxiety. Here's how to tell the difference.
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Why IBM’s Dog-Training and Pet-Sitting Drone Is a Horrible Idea
This is wrong on so many levels, but most concerning are the potential for malfunction and how it would weaken the bond between people and their pets.
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A Mastiff Killed a 10-Week-Old Cocker Spaniel Puppy, and It Was a Totally Preventable Accident
Socializing puppies is crucial to behavioral development, but it must be done safely, as one pet parent learned the hard way.
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Is Your Dog a Bully?
Dogs who bully not only start fights, but they can turn timid dogs into bullies themselves. Let's look at the signs of bullying and how to help your dog stop this behavior.
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What Does It Mean When an Adult Dog Grabs a Puppy by the Muzzle?
It's important to know what the adult dog is trying to teach the puppy so that we can allow the lesson to be learned.
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Why a Dog Body Language Expert Needs to Watch the Full Footage From the “A Dog’s Purpose” Scene
Writer W. Bruce Cameron and producer Gavin Polone have seen the footage and commented, but they are not experts in veterinary behavior or dog body language.
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Save Lives by Learning More About Dog Behavior and by Reporting Roaming Dogs
Two dogs attacked children walking to school this week. One child died, and the other is seriously injured. Here's how we can prevent incidents like this in the future.
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An Obama Family Dog Bites a Visitor and Reminds Us How Uneducated We Are About Dog Body Language
Sunny bit Malia's friend. Let's talk about what happened and how we can prevent bites by learning to read dog.
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How to Raise a Confident Puppy
Confident puppies become well-behaved dogs. Early socialization and training are the keys.
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How I Turned a Puppy Surrendered 10 Times Into a Great Family Dog
Kobe bounced between homes and shelters, becoming more of a reactive mess with every return, until I gave him the stability and positive reinforcement training he needed.
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Why Tiring Your Dog Out With Exercise Before Training Is a Mistake
An exhausted dog will not be more focused during training. In fact, science tells us that a tired dog cannot learn.
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How I Use Ritual to Prepare for and Grieve the Passing of a Beloved Pet
I recently said goodbye to my dog Rascal. In his honor, I am sharing my private rituals with the hope of helping others.
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Why I Don’t Use a Crate When Training Dogs
In my 38 years as a professional trainer, I have never used a crate. Here's why.
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Why You Should NOT Talk to Your Dog Today
Does your dog do the opposite of what you ask or completely tune you out? Try using only body language for a day to begin communicating better.
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