Many of the serious behavior problems seen in adult dogs are rooted in incomplete or improper socialization. Yet adopters of young puppies often don’t learn what socialization really is, or why it’s so important, until it’s too late. Socialization in canine developmental terms isn’t just hanging out with other dogs. It’s a time-sensitive process that needs to be well under way before your puppy is 12 weeks old.

Rover-Time pet parents more often hire professionals that work with ethical responsibility than ones that do not. They select trainers that “get” that all living things repeat behaviors that are rewarding and know the significant reasons for not using physical punishment or force with dogs. But if you ever wondered, “How should I get ready for them? How do I explain what’s going on with my dog?” this article will provide 3 simple, money-saving tips for that first meeting.

We invited Kiki Yablon, KPA CTP, back for another post on behavior and training. This month’s topic: the practice commonly known as “counter surfing,” or taking objects off tables and countertops.

In her last post, Kiki wrote about how dogs communicate with us. This month, she delves into how we communicate with our dogs.

Given she's made a career out of training dogs, she dedicates a little time each day formally training her own pup, Pigeon. In this post she shares three key ways to communicate clearly with your dog when working on new behaviors or improving existing ones.