I train service dogs for a living. Where do I get my dogs? From the local shelters! 100% of the dogs that we train and place as service dogs come predominantly from the local Humane Societies and rescue groups and have…
Blog Archives
10 steps to getting a great dog from the shelter
Tagged with: abandonment, animal shelters, Dog, human dog bond, Jennifer Cattet, Smart Animal Training Systems
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Misc, Resource, Shelter
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Misc, Resource, Shelter
The Insider’s Secrets to Teaching Words to Dogs
For as long as humans have lived with animals, we’ve fantasized about being able to hold conversations with them. Throughout much of the traditional literature we can find people and animals talking together, from Eve and the serpent in the…
5 loving ways to pet a dog
We’ve all heard of the many health benefits of owning a dog; from reducing our blood pressure and heart rate to increasing our immune system. Being in the presence of a dog or better, touching and petting a dog is…
Tagged with: Dog, dog behavior, dog petting, Dog physical contact, human dog bond, Jennifer Cattet, Pet Tutor, petting, petting a dog, Smart Animal Training Systems, touching a dog
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog/human relationship, emotions, Misc, Psychology
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog/human relationship, emotions, Misc, Psychology
Acts of punishment are stronger than rewards
We sometimes assume that choosing punishment or rewards in training is merely a matter of personal preferences. We use the tools that we deem the most effective, and that we have grown proficient with. If we can teach a dog…
Getting A Dog; A User Guide
As dog lovers, we’re sometimes faced with a decision that can have a big impact on our life: getting a dog. Whether it’s our first dog or we’re replacing a dog that recently passed or we already have a dog…
Tagged with: choosing a dog, Dog, dog breeding, dog purchase, dog rescue, dogs, Jennifer Cattet, Pet Tutor, Smart Animal Training Systems
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog/human relationship, Misc
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog/human relationship, Misc
Does the concept of dominance apply to dogs? Science says it does
Is there a behavioral concept that we can describe as dominance between dogs or between dogs and people? As I had mentioned in a previous blog “Dominance and pack leadership in dogs – Controversial and still misunderstood“, there seems to…
Tagged with: Cesar Millan, Dog, dog aggression, dog behavior, Dog training, dominance, hierarchy, Jennifer Cattet, Smart Animal
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog/human relationship, Educational, Psychology, science, Wolves
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog/human relationship, Educational, Psychology, science, Wolves
Wolf Park: For the Love of Wolves
Wolves have always triggered strong emotional reactions in people. Some fear them, others love them, but rare are those indifferent to this intelligent, powerful and mysterious animal. Wolves have fascinated mankind for millennia, which is one reason why so many…
Tagged with: Animal training, Dog, dog aggression, dog behavior, Ethology, Jennifer Cattet, reward based training, Wolf, Wolf behavior, Wolf Park, Wolves
Posted in Dog/human relationship, Misc, Wolves
Posted in Dog/human relationship, Misc, Wolves
When science and dog training come together – SPARCS 2014
Dog lovers from all walks of life are often convinced that they have a fairly strong understanding of dog behavior. From the dog guardians to the dog professionals, most feel confident about interpreting canine behavior and are quick at dispensing…
Tagged with: #SPARCS2014, Animal training, Behavior, dog cognition, Dog training, Ethology, human dog bond, Jennifer Cattet, Pet Tutor, Smart Animal Training Systems, SPARCS 2014
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Educational, Misc, science
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Educational, Misc, science
Choke collars, prong collars or flat collars are harmful training tools
Since dogs aren’t allowed to walk around the world freely, our canines are required to wear some kind of equipment that we can hook the leash to. For many guardians, taking a walk with their dog is often quite challenging…
Tagged with: choke chain, choke collar, dog collar, dog walking, Jennifer Cattet, Pet Tutor, prong collar, Smart Animal Training Systems, walking on leash
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Misc, Training tools
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Misc, Training tools
Is your body language helping or confusing your animal?
Humans and their pets understand one another on many basic levels. We can even extend this statement and recognize that we are capable of a certain level of interpretation of the intentions of wild species. We can identify most expressions…
Tagged with: abrantes, Animal training, Behaviorism, Dog, dog cognition, Dog training, Ethology, Jennifer Cattet, Smart Animal
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, emotions, Horse, Misc, science
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, emotions, Horse, Misc, science