I went to school full-time until I was 25, so I think we can all assume I am bit of a nerd.  I am also an avid reader of two genres: fiction and dog training books.  Before I started dog training as my profession and I was just a dog owner, I was overwhelmed by [...]

Continue Reading     |     May 21, 2013     |     Read all posts by Alison Spanner

It’s puppy season!  Seems like almost every day I bump into someone at my kids’ school who is proudly holding a brand new puppy.  Of course, being a trainer and puppy lover, I am always one of the first in line to meet the new family member.  Very often people ask me how old their [...]

Continue Reading     |     May 17, 2013     |     Read all posts by Katie Moody

Most pet parents know that a microchip provides safe, permanent identification for your dog or cat. The circuit, which is about as large as a grain of rice, is implanted under the skin of the animal between the shoulder blades through injection. The chip has a unique ID and comes with a registration certificate. Just [...]

Continue Reading     |     May 15, 2013     |     Read all posts by Andrea Miller

My favorite breed of dog is the German Shepherd.  I have never owned one but have always thought they were everything one would want in a dog – beautiful, smart, brave and loyal.  In my head, I even have a picture of the one I would own, and he would be named Stanley. I know [...]

Continue Reading     |     May 13, 2013     |     Read all posts by Paulette Solinski

As a dog trainer, it is my job to help you have the best relationship you can with your dog.  In class, we only have an hour each week to teach you the tools you need to accomplish whatever you wish to achieve.  I can teach you all sorts of things about how to modify [...]

Continue Reading     |     May 10, 2013     |     Read all posts by Andrea Obey

I started out the care-taking process as a dog mom.  I did a couple trial runs early before I was married and had kids in order to make sure that I could keep a living being healthy and alive.  To be honest, my past with plants was not a good omen. There are so many wonderful things [...]

Continue Reading     |     May 8, 2013     |     Read all posts by Nicole Stewart

My dog does not get along with other dogs. It’s just a fact of life. He has spent the last nine years not liking other dogs. It doesn’t matter to me or to him frankly; we just live around it. It honestly doesn’t even dawn on me to think about it. I had a conversation [...]

Continue Reading     |     May 7, 2013     |     Read all posts by Sarah Gaziano

My husband and I live in a small, one-bedroom condo and in order to make room for baby, we have to change our den into a nursery. So my husband and I have been busy the last few weekends boxing up some books and moving things around. This does not thrill our dog, Bailey. Bailey [...]

Continue Reading     |     May 6, 2013     |     Read all posts by Erin Schneider

For almost 16 years, one of my mom’s dearest friends was a black and white cat she called Pepsi. When I was in 6th grade, a classmate of mine was going through some family troubles and she spent about a year with us. She begged to have a kitten, and my mom agreed, thinking it [...]

Continue Reading     |     May 3, 2013     |     Read all posts by Chris Long

This story made headlines a little while ago, but Malamutes are still looking for their forever homes. In October 2011, breeder Mike Chilinski was caught with severely neglected Malamutes at his home in Helena, Montana. He had adults, puppies and many pregnant females. The local Lewis & Clark Humane Society was assisted by The American Humane [...]

Continue Reading     |     May 1, 2013     |     Read all posts by Lindsay Rapp

With a deep love of food, Barkley the pug can certainly be categorized as a very food motivated dog. Having been bred to sit in laps plus a bum leg, Barkley wouldn’t be considered a very athletic canine. Far from it, in fact. But having a perpetually hungry dog who lacks interest in exercise could [...]

Continue Reading     |     April 29, 2013     |     Read all posts by Sam Rosen

A new session of classes is starting this week, and once again, I find myself talking a lot about “how dogs learn.” It is a topic we cover in the first week of almost every class we offer. Like other trainers, I’ve developed my own little standard talk about the three keys to learning: Motivation.  [...]

Continue Reading     |     April 26, 2013     |     Read all posts by Greg Raub

Hi, I’m Lulu, and I’m here to talk to you about the importance of naps.  Also, butt scratches.  Oh, and don’t forget stretching.  You see, I’m a lazy dog.  I don’t like to run, or do obstacle courses, or chase squirrels.  I like to hide under the covers for hours at a time, and if [...]

Continue Reading     |     April 24, 2013     |     Read all posts by Carol Kuhn

I think that most people who have kids will agree with me that, at times, parenting feels like a multi-year nag.  “Use your napkin.”  “Say please.” “Don’t jump on the couch.”  You get the idea.  In my house, several of these long standing reminders have to do with dogs.  “Don’t put your face in the [...]

Continue Reading     |     April 22, 2013     |     Read all posts by Katie Moody

In my blog last month, I discussed attention-seeking behavior.  There are two types of attention seeking behavior: necessary and nuisance.  Here, I will discuss why nuisance attention-seeking behavior persists and what to do to stop it. As I always say in my classes, the consequence of your dog’s behavior is either good or bad – [...]

Continue Reading     |     April 19, 2013     |     Read all posts by Alison Spanner

I came across a show called “Bad Dog” on Animal Planet recently.  The title was intriguing, so I gave the show a try.  It was exactly as represented. One segment featured a dog that liked to chase golf balls. He would find a golf ball and toss it down the steps. He liked to do [...]

Continue Reading     |     April 17, 2013     |     Read all posts by Paulette Solinski

Before I got my puppy Bosworth last year, I dreamed of him sitting in a basket on the front of my bicycle enjoying the fresh air as we rode around town. Those dreams quickly dissolved as my little 6 pound puppy soon reached 10, 12, 15 and finally ended up at 20 pounds. Being a [...]

Continue Reading     |     April 15, 2013     |     Read all posts by Andrea Miller

It’s a beautiful, breezy spring day.  The dogs have a bigger case of cabin fever than you do and so you decide to let them out in the backyard to run around, play, and smell every intriguing scent being carried by the wind while you are inside catching up on work, cooking, laundry, or returning [...]

Continue Reading     |     April 12, 2013     |     Read all posts by Andrea Obey

My mother and I recently had a conversation about self-esteem. My mother believes a woman can do anything in life if she has high self-esteem, and I agreed with her. We talked about how so many women feel they aren’t pretty enough or smart enough and how if they just built their confidence, they might [...]

Continue Reading     |     April 11, 2013     |     Read all posts by Sarah Gaziano

Imagine this:   Open to an empty parking lot. Two cars pull up with a space between them. One car opens and a woman gets out, standing with a look of expectation. The second car door opens.  A man gets out.  He goes to the back door and opens it. A beautiful Pittie Mix comes [...]

Continue Reading     |     April 10, 2013     |     Read all posts by Nicole Stewart

My husband and I recently went to London and spent some time at the wonderful British Museum. We were walking through the Greek and Roman section when I saw a sculpture titled “Molossian Hound”. It immediately caught my attention, because, well, it was a sculpture of a dog. I was particularly interested after reading the [...]

Continue Reading     |     April 8, 2013     |     Read all posts by Erin Schneider

The Spring I session is coming to a close, and my students in K9 Nose Work have been doing an unbelievable job. Every time their dogs do a search, they become more confident and happier. Nose Work is so beneficial for dogs. It is extremely therapeutic for dogs to be allowed to sniff and hunt [...]

Continue Reading     |     April 5, 2013     |     Read all posts by Sally Bushwaller

Here’s the next round of answers for our Ask a Trainer feature on our website. It’s your chance to get dog training advice from the pros at AnimalSense. Stay tuned for more questions & answers, and if you have a burning dog training question, just “Ask a Trainer”! I’m wondering what the “official” views on furminators [...]

Continue Reading     |     April 4, 2013     |     Read all posts by Chris Long

I’ve spent my entire life around dogs, which I’ve mentioned here before. My grandparents own a dog boarding kennel in the suburbs, and when I was younger, I was convinced that growing up with a dog kennel in my backyard gave me some kind of superiority over other “dog” people. Sure, you like dogs, but [...]

Continue Reading     |     April 1, 2013     |     Read all posts by Chris Long

Running is something that I do not enjoy. I have tried it, but it’s not for me. But my Pittie mix, Kayla, loves it. She has a TON of energy and needs to burn it off. Kayla is dog reactive, so she cannot go to dog parks or doggy daycare. So, I needed to find [...]

Continue Reading     |     March 29, 2013     |     Read all posts by Lindsay Rapp

Last weekend I was sitting in my living room reading.  Ernie, my dog, was laying quietly on the floor a couple of feet away.  My partner Steve walked in the room just as I heard ominous steps on our front porch:  the mailman was approaching.  That is something that sends Ernie into a barking frenzy.  [...]

Continue Reading     |     March 27, 2013     |     Read all posts by Greg Raub

Have you noticed the older dog in your life having difficulty navigating the backyard or getting stuck in a corner of the kitchen?  Perhaps an older dog who hasn’t had an accident in the house since their house training puppy days is now having frequent accidents. Occurrences such as these and many other changes in [...]

Continue Reading     |     March 25, 2013     |     Read all posts by Sam Rosen

Congratulations!  Your hard work has paid off, and your dog just graduated from their obedience class.  You’ve learned to manage their less-than-desirable habits, taught them all sorts of fun and interesting behaviors, and even some tricks.  You’ve built a foundation for a wonderful bond with your dog for many years to come. In fact, you [...]

Continue Reading     |     March 22, 2013     |     Read all posts by Carol Kuhn

OK, it’s time to be honest.  What is the number one thing that we as dog owners want our dogs to do?  I think that if we are really being honest, the answer is nothing.  Yes, we want our dogs to respond to our cues so that when we ask them to sit, they sit.  [...]

Continue Reading     |     March 20, 2013     |     Read all posts by Katie Moody

Ten percent of people in the world are left handed. This got me wondering whether the percentage is similar for dogs. Yes, dogs have actually been shown to have a preference for one paw over the other. Turns out that the preference in dogs runs along gender lines.  According to a study done at the [...]

Continue Reading     |     March 18, 2013     |     Read all posts by Paulette Solinski

Let’s talk Attention-Seeking Behavior.  What is it?  Well, first and foremost, it’s annoying! I think we would be hard pressed to find a dog owner who hasn’t been annoyed by one or all of the following behaviors: Pawing or nuzzling your arm Whining Jumping up on you Barking Staring In reality, some attention-seeking behavior serves [...]

Continue Reading     |     March 16, 2013     |     Read all posts by Alison Spanner

I have done private training for the past 13 years. I have seen people who get exactly the dog they had dreamt of, and then I have also seen people who get a dog with unexpected issues, drives or temperaments. This can happen in the case of the dog being adopted from a rescue or [...]

Continue Reading     |     March 14, 2013     |     Read all posts by Nicole Stewart

The first week of training class is always exciting and a little stressful at the same time.  I love to see who returns to class, and to meet the new dogs and people.  I cannot tell you how much I look forward to teaching, learning, connecting, helping and having a good time in the process. [...]

Continue Reading     |     March 13, 2013     |     Read all posts by Andrea Obey

My husband and I have some very exciting news to share: we are expecting our first child this September! We could not be happier about this news, I just don’t know how Bailey is going to take it. For seven years, Bailey has been an only child, and happily so. Bailey has had all of [...]

Continue Reading     |     March 8, 2013     |     Read all posts by Erin Schneider

Winter is tough on our dogs. Cold, inclement weather can make it unpleasant for both our dogs and us to get outside to exercise. So you have to get creative about how you are going to stimulate them mentally and physically so they don’t go stir crazy. Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you have [...]

Continue Reading     |     March 6, 2013     |     Read all posts by Sally Bushwaller

My dog has 5 recall words or commands. I know this sounds excessive, but I love recall. In fact, my dog knows pretty much nothing else except this important command. “Come” is the obvious word. He’s pretty good with this one, but I felt like I used it too often. For example, when he was [...]

Continue Reading     |     March 5, 2013     |     Read all posts by Sarah Gaziano

It is estimated that around 1.2 million dogs are hit and killed by a car in the U.S. each year. Many times they are chasing something, whether it be a ball, a squirrel, a cat or a child. The majority of these dogs were loose and off leash. In Chicago and many towns in Illinois, [...]

Continue Reading     |     March 1, 2013     |     Read all posts by Lindsay Rapp

Recently in class, a student asked whether it is okay to let her dog chase a laser dot.  The other trainer in class said that she had heard that doing so can cause obsessive compulsive behavior or frustration because there is no reward.  Well, just add this to the list of things that I possibly [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 28, 2013     |     Read all posts by Catherine Gonzalez

I love being a dog trainer. As someone who’s been around animals my whole life, it truly is a perfect fit, and a natural progression for me. I’ve been involved in the boarding and daycare, grooming, handling, and training aspects of the doggy world, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I work with dogs, [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 27, 2013     |     Read all posts by Chris Long

Before I was a dog trainer, I worked in corporate communications. It was my job to take the ideas and words of management and put them into employee newsletters and emails. This blog is a little like that. The ideas and thoughts that follow are not just mine. They come from a recent Facebook discussion [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 25, 2013     |     Read all posts by Greg Raub

Following my dog’s recent hip surgery, the vets gave us a daunting set of instructions to follow to make sure the hip replacement healed properly. The most important rule was that there was to be absolutely no walking for one month. She could go outside to eliminate, but that was it. The first week or [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 22, 2013     |     Read all posts by Paulette Solinski

I have a dog that loves to destroy toys. Bosworth can get to a squeaker in a plush toy in a matter of seconds, proudly displaying the stuffing all over the living room like his prize trophy. You’ll notice just a sampling of the graveyard of toys he has gutted in the picture on the [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 20, 2013     |     Read all posts by Andrea Miller

One of my favorite things to do with my dogs is to sit back and watch them run.  Living in an apartment in Chicago without a backyard means this is not something we are able to do everyday. Most days my pups settle for fetch in the house and a “slow” walk at their human’s [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 19, 2013     |     Read all posts by Alison Spanner

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show took place recently, and just like every year, my fellow dog lovers are in a tizzy about all of the different breeds of dogs on display.  In fact, a friend of mine admitted to tracking the competition so closely, I compared it to how a sports fan might care [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 18, 2013     |     Read all posts by Carol Kuhn

One piece of advice that us trainers are always giving to our clients is “give your dog something to do.”  Whether it’s getting them accustomed to a crate, settling on a tether or not bothering your family while you are eating, there are many occasions when giving your dog something to keep him busy is [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 15, 2013     |     Read all posts by Katie Moody

A couple of weeks ago, someone asked me a question along the lines of which breeds (or kinds of dogs) were “smart” and which ones were “not very smart”.  Not even a few weeks before that someone else proposed the same type of question as we were discussing her dog’s ability to work out a [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 14, 2013     |     Read all posts by Andrea Obey

As a mom, winter is enough to make me crazy with all the accoutrement that goes with walking out the door.  Not a day goes by that I’m not counting mittens and coming up with an odd number.  This then sends me on a search to find where the missing one dropped.  Like my dog [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 13, 2013     |     Read all posts by Nicole Stewart

This week, Barney, the former first dog, passed away. No matter what your political affiliation, you have to admit, he was a pretty cute dog. I always enjoyed seeing him on TV frolicking around the White House yard. His death got me thinking about celebrity dogs and the impact they can have on us. There [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 11, 2013     |     Read all posts by Erin Schneider

In class, the most common complaint I hear is “My dog has ADHD”, or “My dog won’t pay attention to me”, or “My dog does this fine at home”. Right after I hear that, I frequently see the handler pulling on the leash to get the dog to pay attention. Trying to make your dog [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 8, 2013     |     Read all posts by Sally Bushwaller

The dating scene can be pretty scary sometimes, especially those dates where you find out that the person sitting across from you doesn’t like dogs. Yikes! Then again, sometimes you find that fellow dog-lover, and you think “Great!” Even better when that potential love interest has a pup of their own. You start to daydream [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 7, 2013     |     Read all posts by Nicolette Meyer

I graduated with my Master’s degree in Business Administration two years ago. I remember walking out of my very last class and thinking: I will never have to go to school again in my life. It was one of the greatest feelings in the world. Little did I know, I was totally wrong. The one [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 6, 2013     |     Read all posts by Sarah Gaziano

The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) recently released their rankings for 2012′s best state for animal protection. Illinois continues its reign as best state, a spot we’ve held for the past five years. That is amazing news for animals here! This ranking is based on fifteen different categories and this group runs extensive reports. This [...]

Continue Reading     |     February 1, 2013     |     Read all posts by Lindsay Rapp

Most people who invest the time to train their dogs are not just looking for good behavior from their dogs – they understand that spending that time working together grows a relationship.  A fundamental part of any human relationship is listening to what the other person is saying and respecting their feelings, even if you [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 30, 2013     |     Read all posts by Catherine Gonzalez

I realize that it’s the end of January already, so maybe the term “New Year Resolution” isn’t really applicable anymore, but no matter if it’s the beginning, middle or end of the year, setting goals is always good. I’m not usually one to join in the whole resolution thing because let’s face it, most of [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 29, 2013     |     Read all posts by Andrea Miller

As many of you know, AnimalSense was featured on WGN News’ Around Town a few weeks ago. One of those segments involved four adorable 9-week-old coonhound mix puppies. I had borrowed the puppies from a friend who fosters dogs for Almost Home Foundation. I naively thought I could bring the pups home with me the [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 28, 2013     |     Read all posts by Chris Long

Dogs are sometimes full of mystery. We watch them do seemingly meaningless things and wonder why. We think about how they evolved into so many sizes, shapes and colors and wonder how. I recently was watching my dog slip and slide on the ice and found myself wondering aren’t his feet really cold? I couldn’t [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 25, 2013     |     Read all posts by Greg Raub

This week, my husband, Sophie the Newfoundland and I are going to Columbus, Ohio so my dog can have a hip replacement surgery.  This is a trip that will last from Tuesday through Friday, so my friend has taken to calling it a “surgication”  - Sophie has surgery while we try to have a vacation. [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 23, 2013     |     Read all posts by Paulette Solinski

Adolescence. It is a word that sends shivers up the spines of parents the world over. This includes not just parents to human children, but also parents of the canine variety of teenagers. While the time period and symptoms are pretty easily identified in developing humans, they are not as widely known for dogs. For [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 21, 2013     |     Read all posts by Katie Moody

One of the most common questions we get from our clients is “Am I going to have to carry a pocket full of treats around for the rest of my life?” Wait – you don’t want to spend the next 10 years smelling like hot dogs or liver sausage?  It’s a great question, and one [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 18, 2013     |     Read all posts by Carol Kuhn

Be a part of a new dog – human play study. All you have to do is submit a video of you playing with your dog and answer a short survey. Easy peasy and FUN! The Horowitz Dog Cognition Lab is run by Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, author of Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 17, 2013     |     Read all posts by Alison Spanner

The horrific shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT last month sent shock waves through most of our souls.  The thought of the emotional pain the adults and especially children there went through made me weep openly.  But something happened that made me feel better for all of those who survived such a [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 14, 2013     |     Read all posts by Andrea Obey

In my Bowser and the Baby seminars, I cover how to introduce baby to Bowser on that first day home.  At the end of that part of the presentation, I always say, “Don’t insist that your dog and your baby become best friends today.  Let the relationship develop over time.”  Well, this still holds true, [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 11, 2013     |     Read all posts by Nicole Stewart

Here’s the next round of answers for our Ask a Trainer feature on our website. It’s your chance to get dog training advice from the pros at AnimalSense. Stay tuned for more questions & answers, and if you have a burning dog training question, just “Ask a Trainer”! We live in Florida, but I am asking [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 10, 2013     |     Read all posts by Nicole Stewart

Now that the temperature has finally dropped, it’s time to think about winter. As we bundle up to go outside, we really need to make sure that our dogs are dressed appropriately. Now you might say, “why do I need to put a coat on my dog, he is already wearing a coat.” True, but [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 9, 2013     |     Read all posts by Erin Schneider

All dogs need digestive enzymes in order to break down their food. They produce these enzymes naturally in their pancreas. Dogs don’t need us to supplement them with enzymes normally, unless the dog has a disease which decreases or eliminates their ability to produce enzymes on their own. Some older dogs or dogs with digestive [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 8, 2013     |     Read all posts by Sally Bushwaller

In my family, my dog’s nickname is “Psycho Dog”. That’s because Eddy is not good with other dogs. In fact, if given the opportunity he could seriously harm any dog that crossed his path. In order to manage this, I don’t take Eddy on walks very often. We have a huge yard, so he gets [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 7, 2013     |     Read all posts by Sarah Gaziano

Just as children get caught in the crossfire of divorcing parents, so too can dogs when their owners split up. It’s just one of the delicate matters that need dividing when two people choose to go their separate ways. In the last few months, I’ve known several couples that have called it quits, and although [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 4, 2013     |     Read all posts by Nicolette Meyer

Breed Specific Legislation, or BSL, is something that has been happening in the United States since the 1980s. It involves laws that ban or restrict certain types of dogs based on appearance and usually because a breed is perceived as “dangerous”. The ban usually requires that all dogs of a certain description be removed from [...]

Continue Reading     |     January 2, 2013     |     Read all posts by Lindsay Rapp

I bet if I took a poll among my friends and co-workers, I would be the one who takes the longest to get ready for work.  I get up sometime around 5:30am and leave for work around 8:45am.  First on the agenda is taking Oz for a walk.  He is my 8 year-old Rottweiler.  Before [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 31, 2012     |     Read all posts by Catherine Gonzalez

For many people, the holiday season is a time to reflect as well as to celebrate. When Christmas time comes, I can’t help but think of one of my dearest friends who passed away and crossed the Rainbow Bridge two days after Christmas, 4 years ago. Her name was Buttons, and she was a border [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 28, 2012     |     Read all posts by Chris Long

..and the shopping is done, including a new squeak toy for dog number one. Seems like the last few blogs here have been about Christmas and dogs.  I have never been one to buy gifts for my dog.  But this year I did.  What moved me to do that this year is that I have [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 26, 2012     |     Read all posts by Greg Raub

I have a confession to make: I am the Scrooge of doggie Christmas! Katie Moody’s recent blog about including dogs in family Christmas celebrations was lovely and what one would expect from a member of the AnimalSense family. Like Katie, I also hang stockings for the dogs; the difference is that we don’t actually fill [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 24, 2012     |     Read all posts by Paulette Solinski

It’s the time of year when we fire up our computers, scour the web for deals and make our way through our holiday gift list, using the Internet as Santa’s helper. Personally, if I can avoid crowded shopping malls and have all of my presents delivered right to my front door with a few clicks [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 21, 2012     |     Read all posts by Andrea Miller

I’m lucky enough to spend a LOT of time talking to our clients, both in the office during the day, and in teaching my classes.  One of my favorite questions to hear from people is “Does my dog have to do _______?”  It’s one of my favorite questions, because it’s one that I can always [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 19, 2012     |     Read all posts by Carol Kuhn

Pull out a dog treat and look at it.  Maybe it is about quarter sized and hopefully fairly smelly and soft.  Imagine giving your dog this treat whole. He gulps it down and is on his merry way.  Sure he enjoys it, the treat satisfies his immediate desires and is enjoyable to eat. Now, imagine [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 18, 2012     |     Read all posts by Alison Spanner

Every year as I make my Christmas shopping list, I find myself checking and rechecking to make sure that I have everyone covered.  Did I send something to my husband’s great aunt?  Do we exchange presents with those neighbors?  Oh my god, I forgot to get something for the babysitter! One thing is sure, though, [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 17, 2012     |     Read all posts by Katie Moody

Some dogs adjust well to the harsh winter months and really enjoy getting out in the snow and colder weather.  Dogs like Newfoundlands, Siberian Huskies and Swiss Mountain Dogs were even bred to excel in it. But other dogs aren’t really meant to deal with the snow and chilly weather.  Your Boxer, Chihuahua or Pit [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 14, 2012     |     Read all posts by Andrea Obey

Here’s the next round of answers for our Ask a Trainer feature on our website. It’s your chance to get dog training advice from the pros at AnimalSense. Stay tuned for more questions & answers, and if you have a burning dog training question, just “Ask a Trainer”! I have always had female dogs, but I [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 13, 2012     |     Read all posts by Andrea Miller

I was recently at a party that a colleague was hosting, and she was nice enough to host my children as well.  She even brought out some toys that were geared towards my kids despite the fact that her own kiddos are well on their way to all grown up status.  This seemed beyond the [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 12, 2012     |     Read all posts by Nicole Stewart

Whenever I travel, I tend to observe not only people, but also dogs. My husband and I were in London and Paris in November for vacation. I love Europe! I also love European dogs. Not that American dogs aren’t great, but Europeans just have a different attitude about dogs. I observed a lot of dogs [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 11, 2012     |     Read all posts by Erin Schneider

According to a study done at Hiroshima University in Japan, looking at pictures and watching videos of cute baby animals appears to boost people’s productivity and makes us concentrate better. Study subjects performed 44%(!) better on three different experiments when they viewed pictures of cute baby animals first. Think of the applications for your life! [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 7, 2012     |     Read all posts by Sally Bushwaller

When I was little, we had an Old English Sheepdog. Whenever I was sick, my mother would tell me that Lindsay (our dog) would take care of me. As a kid, this was a great comfort to me, and she would lay by my side the whole time I was sick. Now that I’m an [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 5, 2012     |     Read all posts by Sarah Gaziano

The holidays are upon us and among the myriad of things on your To Do list, sending out cards to friends and family might be a high priority. I always like to take a festive picture of my dog to use as the front cover because: A) I’m a borderline crazy dog lady and B) [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 4, 2012     |     Read all posts by Nicolette Meyer

Dog parks are everywhere these days. People feel that their dogs need to interact off leash with other dogs. However, I don’t think a dog park is a good place for many dogs because often, you’ll see dogs bullying other dogs and learning bad behaviors. At the same time, I know that people and some [...]

Continue Reading     |     December 3, 2012     |     Read all posts by Lindsay Rapp

Our dog Oz has always had difficulty walking on our kitchen floor and down our inside front stairs.  The kitchen floor is tile and the front stairs are hardwood.  To turn a particular corner in the kitchen, he crouches and then launches himself like a rocket.  He will walk up the front stairs but not [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 30, 2012     |     Read all posts by Catherine Gonzalez

As I thought about making everyone aware of things that might be dangerous for your dog during the holiday season, I started to feel like Debbie Downer.  I mean, here is a list of things that are toxic and/or can be life threatening to your dog: Food Chocolate, as you may already know, is toxic [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 29, 2012     |     Read all posts by Nicole Stewart

I love and need vacations. Vacation makes me feel refreshed and re-energized. Recently my husband and I went to Europe for a vacation and while we were gone, my parents watched our dog, Bailey. After I got back and heard about all the things that she did while we were gone, it got me thinking: [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 28, 2012     |     Read all posts by Erin Schneider

In addition to dog training, I also work as an animal handler for commercial photographers. This means that I provide animals for different photography projects and work with the animals to get the desired shot. I work with all types of animals, from dogs and cats to farm animals to exotics. I love this type [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 26, 2012     |     Read all posts by Chris Long

A few weeks ago several of the AnimalSense trainers went together on a “field trip” to Wolf Park in Battleground, Indiana. Wolf Park is an education and research facility that is home to some 16 gray wolves.  One of the things we got to do was to go in with the wolves – inside the [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 23, 2012     |     Read all posts by Greg Raub

Most people do not consider me to be an especially good cook. In fact, the list is probably limited to my son-in-law and my sisters.  Actually it’s probably not even that my son-in-law and sisters really like what I make – they just appreciate the fact that having someone make you food is nice. You [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 22, 2012     |     Read all posts by Paulette Solinski

I recently attended a pet industry trade show and was astounded by the variety of sizes, materials and styles of dog bowls that were on offer.  There is a mindboggling array of choices, most of which are a far cry from the typical stainless steel, no-frills bowls that we are all familiar with. There are [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 21, 2012     |     Read all posts by Katie Moody

If you follow any dog-related companies or shelter/rescue groups on social media (you are following AnimalSense, right?), you’ve probably heard the recent chatter about what’s being called “The Yellow Dog Project”. According to their website, The Yellow Dog Project is a global movement for parents of dogs that need space (a.k.a DINOS or Dogs In [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 20, 2012     |     Read all posts by Andrea Miller

I have a bad habit.  A sometimes cute, most of the time annoying, but BAD habit for a dog trainer. I talk for my dog.  Using a funny voice.  I do this a LOT. Not only do I do it for my dog, but I do it for my parent’s dog, my friends’ dogs, even [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 19, 2012     |     Read all posts by Carol Kuhn

There is little doubt dog training with an aversive (punishment) works. When an aversive is applied immediately following a behavior, the likelihood of the behavior occurring in the future is reduced.  Easy peasy and if done well, rather effective. However, I choose not to train using punishment. I don’t use shock collars, prong collars, choke [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 16, 2012     |     Read all posts by Alison Spanner

I heard a rather funny story the other day from one of my coworkers at the animal hospital.  She has a friend who wanted some tips on keeping her dog busy during the day by means of enrichment.  Together, they came up with some ideas, which included hiding food throughout the house for the dog [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 14, 2012     |     Read all posts by Andrea Obey

There are about a hundred things that we don’t want a dog to touch or pay attention to… in a day.  Poor furry creatures.  They are scavengers by nature, and it’s this very trait that make them so good at finding just what, we humans, don’t want them to. Just to name a few: The [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 13, 2012     |     Read all posts by Nicole Stewart

My husband and I are going to Europe for a week and a half for our anniversary. As excited as we are about our travels, we hated the thought of leaving our dog, Bailey, for such a long time. Usually we have a friend watch Bailey while we are gone (and she does a wonderful [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 9, 2012     |     Read all posts by Erin Schneider

We are approaching that time of the year when pancreatitis becomes a problem… Thanksgiving. There is always an increase in pancreatitis around the holidays. Owners feed their dogs too many fatty foods, often times turkey skin, or for my breed–Weimaraners–they steal fatty foods, which leads to sickness. Pancreatitis is anecdotally more common Weimaraners, as is [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 8, 2012     |     Read all posts by Sally Bushwaller

About a month ago, I was sitting for my parents’ one-year-old puppy, Sophie. She doesn’t really like to walk outside. The main issue is her love of the house. They live across the street from a park and often walk all the way around it. When you make it about half way around the park, [...]

Continue Reading     |     November 7, 2012     |     Read all posts by Sarah Gaziano