Tag: robin macfarlane
I’ve been helping people train their dogs for many years. When someone is new to training there is a lot to learn, which means I’ve heard some questions pretty routinely. One of the common ones is, “What should I say?” This question comes up when people want to stop the dog from displaying an undesirable behavior, but they aren’t certain what to say. If the dog spots a squirrel and tries to chase it. or darts for the edge of […]
Pet dog trainer, field dog trainer, working k9 handler, service dog trainer, competitive bite sports decoy, competition obedience master. The list of areas of expertise is long. Many areas overlap and intersect – but sometimes important nuances don’t.
I recently sold the dog training company I founded in May of 1998. That’s My Dog, Inc was a great run for nearly 24 years. Now, there is a new owner, with new visions for the future. I’m happy to see my baby in good hands and thrilled with the transition. Since the announcement of the sale, many people have reached out to either congratulate me on my retirement or ask what’s up next? Because I believe that for every person that […]
Professional Dog Trainers, is it time to hit the refresh button on your career? Have you been struggling with burn out and you’re ready for some vacation time? Do you feel like your business could be doing better but you’re just not sure how to get there? Then join me for this Education at Sea event! This is the second time I’ll be cruising the Caribbean with the goal of helping you realize your true potential in the training profession. […]
Dog Camp 2016 If you love spending time playing with and training your dog, then this Dog Camp is for you. For some time, I have wanted to create a diversified training event geared solely toward the needs of pet dog owners. The goal was to come up with a curriculum that addressed multiple aspects of dog ownership. That intention gave birth to the Dog Camp concept. This camp does not just focus on training but takes a look at the […]
Your Own Personal Remote Collar Dog Training Guide If you are looking for a remote collar dog training guide to help start the training process with your dog, here are some suggestions: First off, if you can, find a professional trainer in your area that has experience with this tool. An experienced pro can help you through the remote collar conditioning process and get you on your way to enjoying off-leash adventures with your dog. Since 2002, I have been […]
Teaching a Dog to Retrieve: A Rewarding Skill to Practice Teaching a dog to retrieve is one of the most rewarding skills you can work on. I’m not talking about the game of chasing a ball and bringing it back to you. While that is certainly a fun activity and good exercise for your dog, I am speaking to the task of deliberately retrieving specific items and delivering them into your hand. Many dogs will chase and pick up something like […]
5 Ways to Mess Up Your Dog Most of the time, dog trainers invest effort trying to teach dog owners what to do to have a well- mannered, well-adjusted companion. But sometimes it is helpful to look at things from another angle so let me share a few thoughts on how you can wreak havoc with your dog’s mental health and have a negative impact on their behavior. These are some of the top ways that you can mess up […]
Hiking with your dog is an excellent way to improve your relationship and build a powerful connection. Hiking with my dogs is one of my favorite activities. I love the solitude of the woods and sharing that time with my dogs makes the experience even better. Being on the trails does us good, both physically and mentally. I know that the idea of letting a dog off leash makes many people nervous. The thought that a dog might bolt and […]
We lost a friend today. His name was Hero. A Belgian Malinois of 13 years and 5 weeks. It doesn’t seem like he got to stay with us long enough, but it was enough to turn me into a different person and enough to help two kids grow up. He came to us on a flight from California in July of 2001. A young pup who’s future I envisioned would be full of all sorts of ‘greatness’, thus his name. […]