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DogReads

Scatter Feeding: A Simple Way to Enrich Your Dog’s Dining Experience

By nature, dogs are opportunistic scavengers. Scatter feeding capitalizes on their powerful sense of smell to make meal times more engaging and enhance their overall well-being.

Ren Volpe, November 3 2023

More Bark for Your Buck: A Practical Guide to Cheap and Healthy Dog Treats

Store bought dog treats can get expensive. Using fresh food to make your own is both healthier for your dog and more affordable.

Ren Volpe, September 1 2023

Unleashing the Truth: Dog Training Euphemisms Exposed

Every subculture has its own language and vocabulary, and the world of dogs and dog training is no exception. While some words have clear and widely accepted definitions, others are deliberately couched in euphemisms to obscure their true meaning.

Ren Volpe, August 4 2023

Tiptoe Past the Triggers: Rethinking Neighborhood Walks

Walking a reactive or fearful dog can be stressful, both for your pup and for you as their human companion. If your dog is constantly bombarded with things that scare or upset them every time you step out the front door, you're unintentionally creating a predictable but negative pattern.

Ren Volpe, July 7 2023

The Problem with Fetch: Or Why I Chucked the Ball Launcher

There seems to be an unspoken rule among dog people that every dog and human should be absolutely crazy for fetch. While fetch may be a popular and enjoyable activity for many dogs, there are reasons why it might not always be the best choice for some.

Ren Volpe, June 2 2023

Evil Weed: Beware the Foxtail

The sharp, spiky grasses known as foxtails can cause serious harm to dogs if not treated promptly. Here we'll explore what foxtails are, why they are dangerous to dogs, and how to protect your pet.

Ren Volpe, May 5 2023

If It Didn’t Hurt, It Wouldn’t Work: The Truth About Choke, Prong, and Shock Collars

Aversive training tools, such as e-collars, choke, or prong collars, may work at first, but the undesirable behaviors are likely to return, along with your dog’s growing fear and distrust of you.

Ren Volpe, March 6 2023

7 Common Training Mistakes - and How to Avoid Them

Living with a dog can be challenging. Dogs do not innately know how they are supposed to behave in our noisy and hectic human world. Some can happily trot through life, but others need a lot of help to cope.

Ren Volpe, January 6 2023

San Francisco's Proposed Shock Collar Ban: Why We Stopped Arguing and Took Action

Shock collars are inhumane and unnecessary, but online debates will not convince people who use these adversive tools to give them up. We recently decided to stop arguing and take concrete action in the real world.

Ren Volpe, LT Taylor, November 4 2022

The Problem With Leashes (and Why Off-Leash Access is a Dog Welfare Issue)

There's nothing natural about restraining an animal and keeping them captive on the end of a piece of rope. If it were, teaching your dog to walk without pulling would be a cinch.

Ren Volpe, October 7 2022

Free Feeding vs. Scheduled Feeding: Which is Better for Your Dog?

My dog training clients often ask whether it's okay to leave a bowl of dog food out all day or if they should feed their dog on a schedule.

Ren Volpe, September 2 2022

E-Collars vs. Shock Collars: What’s In A Name?

Electronic shock collars are banned in many countries. Yet here in the United States, the sale and use of shock collars on dogs is legal, despite numerous studies showing they are harmful to dogs.

Ren Volpe, August 5 2022

How to Speak Dog: Translating the Full Body Shake

Does your dog ever shake when they’re not wet? Paying attention to when your dog does a shake off can help you know when your dog is uncomfortable or anxious.

Ren Volpe, July 1 2022

How to Greet a New Dog: Not With A Hand in The Face

Canines have their own protocols for polite greetings. Here are some tips for meeting a new dog.

Ren Volpe, June 3 2022

Whose Walk is it Anyway? Why Stopping to Sniff Matters

For dogs, the most exciting parts of any excursion are the smells.

Ren Volpe, May 6 2022

Safety First: How to Break Up a Dog Fight

It can be dangerous to intervene but sometimes we don’t have a choice, except for how to do it as safely as possible.

Ren Volpe, April 1 2022

Environmental Management: Better Behavior Without Training

Environmental management for common behavior problems can be a quick and easy fix and can often be a stand-alone solution.

Ren Volpe, March 4 2022

Loving Your Off-Leash Skills: How to Train an Automatic Check-In

Walking or hiking off-leash looks deceptively easy, but most dogs need extensive training before earning off-leash privileges. Here, learn how to teach your dog to check-in with you when off-leash.

Ren Volpe, February 4 2022

The 4-Step Plan to Quit Worrying and Have a “Perfect Dog”

We all want a well-behaved dog, but there is beauty in imperfection. Being a dog owner means making room for a little chaos.

Ren Volpe, November 5 2021

Stepping Out: How to Run With Your Dog

Nothing is better than running with your furry pal, but you and your dog may need some basic training before you're ready to lace up and leash up. Here's what you need to know to get started.

Ren Volpe, November 3 2021

Accentuate the Positive: Why and How to Interrupt Your Dog

Interrupting an undesirable behavior with an alternate/desirable behavior can be a useful tool.

Ren Volpe, October 1 2021

Canine Quiz: Can You Use An Apple AirTag to Track Your Dog?

Apple AirTags are cheap option for helping find lost items, but are they a suitable alternative to GPS trackers for your dog?

Ren Volpe, August 6 2021

Are Tiny Dogs Harder to Train? Debunking the Myth of Small Dog Syndrome

Small dogs are not harder to train, but there are a few tips and tweaks that can make your training partnership easier.

Ren Volpe, August 3 2021

Fix My Dog NOW, Please - Maybe Your Dog Isn't Broken

Dogs became domesticated about 15,000 years ago, and until fairly recently, the majority of dogs did not spend their lives shut inside houses and backyards.

Ren Volpe, June 4 2021

In Praise of Boring Dog Walks

Socialization isn’t just teaching your dog to be unafraid of new things or making sure they get time playing with other dogs. It is equally important that they be able to walk down the street and ignore strangers and other dogs.

Ren Volpe, March 30 2021

The Perfect Valentine’s Day? Just Ask Your Dog

We interviewed five different dogs to find out their ideas for the perfect Valentine’s Day.

Ren Volpe, February 5 2021

Mind Your Manners: How to Say Hello Doggy-Style

With all these canine companions afoot (many of them new pandemic adoptees), dog etiquette has never been more important.

Ren Volpe, January 1 2021

Forget Perfection: Canine Choices Your Dog Will Thank You For

Giving your dog choices is a powerful way to make their life better.

Ren Volpe, December 1 2020

A gigantic cat toy for training and tiring out your high energy dog? Yes, please!

'Flirt poles' have long been popular with dog trainers, but with many of us stuck at home, this interactive dog toy is a good solution for owners looking to keep their dogs occupied and entertained.

Ren Volpe, August 11 2020

Stop Talking to Your Dog

Chatting with your dog is totally normal. But during training or when out on walks, sometimes shutting your mouth is the best way to speak so they will listen.

Ren Volpe, June 23 2020

Go Virtual and Save Your Dog Training Business

People are adopting and fostering dogs in record numbers for comfort and company during the Coronavirus pandemic. While dog training is not considered an “essential business” during this lockdown, all those newly adopted pets still need training.

Ren Volpe, April 21 2020

10 Things Every Dog Foster Needs to Know

During these crazy coronavirus days, animal lovers across the country have stepped up to foster dogs and ease the burden on shelters and rescues. Rescue dogs often come with unique challenges and needs, so here are some straightforward tips about fostering a dog.

Ren Volpe, March 28 2020

Other Resources

Bay Woof - Community dog news (SF Bay Area)
Global Dog Village - a collaborative online dog training community dedicated to providing best practices
Veterinary Behaviorists: No Role for Aversive Dog Training Practices - American Veterinarian Medical Association 2021
What's Wrong With The Prong - SF SPCA 2022
Should Dogs Be Shocked, Choked, or Pronged? - Psychology Today 2019
Dog Training Aversives: What Are They and Why Should You Avoid Them? - Preventative Vet 2022
Fallout From the Use of Aversives - 9 Scientific Studies