Henry the Springer/Setter went hunting the other day with Andy.  Jane reports that Henry hunted like a pro.  He was able to flush a bird and retrieve it without leaving a toothmark.  Andy said that Henry hunted like a very experienced bird dog.

Henry is fortunate.  He was adopted by a family who is able to let Henry use his skills.  Henry learns very quickly and enjoys being outdoors.  He's able to hunt, fish, swim and run on a regular basis, so he is able to channel and burn his energy appropriately.  When he gets home, he settles in for a nap or returns to his goofy self.

I had to laugh just now as I heard that familiar tinkle of dog tags approaching.  As they reached my front yard, I heard a woman say, "No!"  I was reminded of the cartoon where one dog says to another, "My name is Ginger! Bad Dog!  What's yours?"

I recently attended a two-day seminar with Dr. Nicholas Dodman, the director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Tufts University.  The seminar was filled with information, and several things really stood out as good reminders.  One is that dogs do not have a language center in their brains.  Dogs are never, ever going to understand verbal language the way we do.

Often we hear that dogs love routine.  We are told to feed them at the same time, walk them at a set time, and not vary their routine.  Dogs are really good at learning routines; sometimes they are too good.  How do you find the balance between giving dogs stability and keeping them adaptable?

If you have researched training options for your dog, you have likely come across trainers who say, "We don't just use one training method.  We choose what is best for the dog."  While this may sound good, it's important to understand what lies beneath that statement.

There can be no argument regarding what is best for the dog.  What is best for the dog means training methods that keep the dog safe, do not introduce fear, and do not increase the potential for adverse fallout behaviors that may result in injury or death to the dog or nearby animals or humans.  What lies beneath the training jargon of "what is best for the dog" is often the subtext of "we will do whatever is necessary to achieve compliance."  This can be a slippery slope with potential for a dangerous outcome.

On our morning walk today, I saw a woman and a dog coming our direction.  The dog saw us and started lunging.  Both the dog and her guardian were obviously stressed.  We moved off the sidewalk to give the dog a comfort zone.  Yukon seemed to sense the stress and became stressed as well.  As the woman walked by, she thanked us for moving away.  I could sense her feelings of anguish, and I took the opportunity to speak with her about options for her dog.