A dog whose ultimate job will be the official family companion, child’s playmate and occasional squirrel chaser, must be social, confident and tolerant. There is no room in the family dynamic for a dog with fearful and/or aggressive tendencies. The puppies should run up to you, tails wagging and excited to see you. There may be one puppy that is more hesitant than the rest, but no puppy should

As humans we expect a lot from our dogs. We expect them to guard us against a burglar but not the mailman. We expect them to realize it is ok to jump up on Saturday afternoon when we are in garden clothes, but not ok Monday morning when we are in a suit. Many parents expect the dog to tolerate being jumped on, hit and/or poked with a toy without ever lifting a lip or growling to say leave me alone.

The study of dog behavior and training is continuously evolving. Dog training, like parenting, looks different today than it did 10 or 15 years ago. As a pet parent, it is important for you to find a professional dog trainer you feel comfortable with, as well as one who has the necessary skills to meet the needs of you and your dog. With no certification or licensing requirements, professional dog

I have never had a dog owner come to me and say “I want an ill mannered dog that pulls on leash and jumps on everyone.” Most owners want a well trained dog and understand dog training is a necessary component of dog ownership. Training your dog ensures he is learning a vocabulary of cues or commands that you will utilize to teach him how to behave in your home. Most dogs learn to perform during