As partners, you can choose together with your dog what is good for him. Giving him choice and the element of control of his own life is not going to threaten you but is going to enrich his life and make it even more enjoyable. Wouldn't you like to give that to your best friend?

When your dog or cat is entertained, you will have far less behavioural problems with them! Read more to get some ideas on how to make your pet's life more interesting.

How often do we stop and think about the way we interact with others (including animals)? We raise our voices when we talk with people who we think don’t listen to us. We pull the leash on our dogs’ collars to make them come the other way. We laugh at people, we grin, we give nasty comments without ever thinking what effect it has on them. Even if something works, it doesn’t mean it can’t be improved.

Why is my dog doing this? A question most dog guardians/caregivers/owners ask. What’s the most common answer dog trainers give? It depends.

Working with fearful dogs is based on consistency and predictability. Environment plays a huge role and can easily exacerbate fear. The animal shelter environment is very difficult as everything there is different for the dog. That’s why it’s even more fulfilling to watch a transformation dogs can go through in there.

It's not easy to change someone’s opinion as it's not easy to change ours. Trying to win an argument is not the best way to keep the dialogue going. Start from listening and find a mutual purpose, something you can agree on. It's the best way to create trust and find solutions that can work for both.

Walking your dog can be a frustrating experience. It comes from misunderstanding each other. The dog doesn’t get to read all of the news (or check his Facebook) through sniffing and you feel like he doesn’t listen to you or is disobedient. Changing the way you see the walks and lowering your expectations can be an easier and faster way to enjoy your walks again.

Punishment is unavoidable. It’s a naturally occurring phenomenon but it’s not the most effective way of changing behaviour. Rather than leave it to chance of what our learner will do, let’s take responsibility for teaching the behaviours that will work functionally for us both.

When your dog is coming to you because he gets a treat for it, you can quickly start to see him not only having relaxed body posture but he can also start running towards you. He starts to give you more and not just enough to get by. In my opinion, in the long run, it’s a more effective way of training.

To understand our dogs better, it’s important to start recognising their body language. It’s a skill that can be developed through observation.

Wouldn’t it be great to train your cat to come when called?

I want to cultivate compassion to all living creatures. I want to inspire others to do the same. It’s not easy to share my opinion but I’m done with going into silence. What I’m sharing here is just my opinion and everyone can have their own. I would like to encourage other people to share their opinions and create a healthy discussion.