Ask the Trainer

When someone adopts a dog there are generally questions about the dog’s history.  Where did they come from? What life experiences have they had? How did they end up here? Rescue groups will do the...

On a scale of 1-10, how excited does your dog get when it comes to feeding time? 11? That sounds about right. You pull the lid off of the food container to the wafting smell of Salmon and brown...

Choosing a method of dog training is extremely important.  If you chose a method compatible with your worldview you are more likely to follow through and put in a lot of enjoyable hours training your...

There are many different training options available to you as a dog owner. The three most popular are Group Classes, Private In-Home training and the last is boarding your dog and having them...

For many people finding the right vet involves pulling up Google Maps and choosing the vet’s office that is the closest to their home. While 20 years ago proximity might have been the most important factor,...

You’ve just gotten your new pup and are excited to start your lives together! Now for the first and maybe most important task; naming them. This should be a fun activity shared by the family, but...

I will save you the suspense.  We are 100% in favor of kenneling all puppies when they are unattended.  A puppy generally does not have enough impulse control to resist chewing things they shouldn’t...

If you have been reading these training articles, you have assuredly seen a theme of exercising with your pup. After all, nothing says ‘responsible dog owner’ as much as going for the obligatory...

Do you love your job?  I hope you do!  Unfortunately, studies have shown that a majority of people do not find their job to be rewarding.  This is a troubling fact when you think about the amount of time...

For any true dog lover, spending a day surrounded by dogs can leave them with a feeling of immense fulfillment. As a company, Suburban K9 has dedicated a large amount of time to working with dogs...

Today is the day! It’s the day you and your family have been waiting for! You finally get to bring your new puppy home!  Puppies are oh so cute, and oh so little! They trip and fall over their feet...

Hide and seek is a great game to play with your dog.  Not only is it fun for both of you, but it is great exercise and gives your pup a lot of mental stimulation!  Hide and seek requires your dog to...

Bringing home a puppy is an incredible and exciting event!  My goal is to help you choose the right dog for you. Believe it or not, there are a lot of potential pitfalls when choosing a dog.  As a...

Thank you for clicking the link in People.com to learn more about this and other dog and pet behavioral topics!  We want to note that we do not know all the facts of the unfortunate situation relayed by...

When looking to buy or adopt a dog it is very important to research the breed and evaluate the specific dog that you are looking at. Many times people become focused on a breed because they like the...

Anyone out there that has baked bread has heard of proofing your dough. It is the final step of allowing the shaped dough to rise before baking. Proofing is also a term that is used in dog training...

As the proud owner of a new puppy you are probably dealing with two very common “issues” that are typical of young dogs. The first issue that I hear questions on the most would be potty training,...

Socializing a puppy is one of the most important things you can do for them starting at an early age. You might be asking yourself, what is socialization and why is it so important? Socializing is...

Socializing a dog should be a fun and positive experience for both of you. Although the term gets used frequently, many people don’t fully understand what it means. Socializing a dog is just...

When you bring a puppy home the first thought on your mind is probably having fun!  Afterall, the reason we get dogs is that we love them so much and they bring untold joy to our lives.  Our goal as...

When I was an up and coming dog trainer, the psychology of training animals absolutely fascinated me. We are two different species yet we need to communicate on a daily basis! How do we get there if we...

As a dog trainer that specializes in behavioral issues I hear a variant of this phrase from someone new every day. “I don’t understand why my dog does this, I’ve done obedience training with him,...

Our opinion is that tug of war can be good or bad depending on how you play.  If you play in the wrong manner it can create behavioral issues in your dog, but played in the right way it can help you...

You love your dog and would probably do anything to keep him safe!  In order to give your dog the best life possible, it is crucial to find a way to keep him contained in your yard and out of...