10 Principles for Achieving Balance Archives

All About Dogs

How To Be The Pack Leader

A dog’s mother begins training puppies from birth. She makes them wait for food; she controls when they play and how far they travel. Adult dogs need these same rules, boundaries, and limitations from you, their pack leader when dog training. Calm and assertive A pack leader doesn’t project emotional or nervous energy, so neither should you. In the wild, the pack leader uses calm-assertive energy to influence how the dog interacts with his surroundings. She enforces these laws in a quiet way, as is the case when a mother picks up a puppy by the scruff of the

September 25, 2020 No Comments

Be the Pack Leader

How To Respect Your Fellow Pack Leaders

As a dog lover, it’s likely that you enjoy meeting new pups — whether they belong to friends, family members, or neighbors. But sometimes the excitement over getting to know a new dog can cause you to inadvertently overstep the boundaries of a fellow Pack Leader. Here are a few guidelines you should always keep in mind to help respect the rules, boundaries, and limitations set by other dog parents. If the Pack Leader asks you not to let their dog jump up on you or sit in your lap, comply — even if you don’t mind You may enjoy

September 16, 2020 No Comments

Be Aware of Your Energy

A Powerful Paradox

In the years that I’ve been working with dogs, I’ve met some pretty powerful people. Not all of them are necessarily famous, but a lot of them have daily lives where they’re in charge of many others, or they run Fortune 500 companies, or they’ve been elected to office. They’re the kind of people who can make things happen with a word, and their subordinates listen to them — sometimes out of fear, but usually out of respect for their knowledge and authority. No Authority With Pets But there’s a reason that I’ve met these people. They’re very powerful in

September 12, 2020 No Comments

Agression

5 Keys To Handling A Dominant Dog

Like humans, very few dogs are natural born leaders, but you may wind up with a dominant dog that would normally take the lead position in the pack. If you are not the Pack Leader yourself this can cause problems, as a dominant dog will gravitate toward being in charge given the chance. However, if you take the steps to establish yourself as leader of the pack, you can have a wonderful and balanced relationship with a dominant dog. Five Things to Keep in Mind When Dealing with an Alpha Dog You Need to Be Even More Calm-Assertive Dogs will

August 6, 2020 No Comments

All About Dogs

8 Winter Myths Dispelled

Recently, we sat down with veterinarian Dr. Henry Cerny to discuss some of the common myths about dogs and cold winter weather. Here are the misconceptions and the facts you need to know as temperatures drop. Myth 1: Salt doesn’t hurt dog’s paws Lots of fans say their dogs’ paws get burned by the salt used to melt snow on the ground. They suggest putting Vaseline on paws so the cushions don’t get burned by the salt on the road, or the cold of the snow. What do you think? Dr. Cerny: There are a variety of products used to melt

October 21, 2019 No Comments

All About Dogs

Why Are Dogs’ Noses Wet?

If you own a dog, you are most likely familiar with the feeling of a wet, cold nose nuzzling you as your pup greets you each time you walk in the door. You may also be familiar with the feeling of a moist nose from a stranger’s dog as it sniffs your hand. Although the sensation of a wet nose may feel normal to any dog lover, have you ever asked yourself the question, “Why are dogs’ noses wet?” The question of why a dog snout is wet may seem simple, but it has some interesting answers. Dogs’ noses are

September 24, 2019 No Comments

Cesar Millan

Letting It Be

When a dog is misbehaving, what’s the one common element, no matter what the problem is? Think about the misbehaviors: jumping on people, pulling on the walk, barking too much, peeing in the house, chewing things up, being aggressive, being fearful… They all sound like a lot of different issues, don’t they? How Are Different Behaviors Related After all, the same thing can’t possibly make one dog aggressive and the other fearful. A dog won’t bark for the same reason that it pulls on the walk. Right? Yes, and no. The behaviors are very different, but they are all signs

September 8, 2019 No Comments

A newborn baby is introduced to the family dog

10 Principles for Achieving Balance

How To Get Your Dog Ready For The Baby

Congratulations! You’re expecting a new human addition to the family, and it’s likely you’re preparing by setting up the nursery, shopping for diapers and other necessities, and taking a class in newborn care. But don’t overlook one important step: getting your dog ready for this life change. Here’s the good news: it’s likely your dog is already aware something is up. Changes in the mom-to-be’s scent and body have clued him into the impending arrival. And even if you’re becoming parents by adopting or expecting through a surrogate, there are still things going on as you prepare — your excitement

September 1, 2019 No Comments

Be the Pack Leader

Not Quite Sure…

I want you to remember a time when you went into a new situation or a strange place, and then think about how you felt. Maybe it was starting a new school or a new job, or visiting a city you’d never been to before. Maybe it was a first date — or a second date with someone you really liked. Going into New Situations Now think about how you felt going into that situation. Chances are you were anxious, or maybe a little scared. Maybe you even tried to avoid that situation because of the way you felt. But

August 18, 2019 No Comments

10 Principles for Achieving Balance

How To Redirect A Dog

One of the most important skills for preventing your dog’s misbehavior is knowing how to redirect them before they act. Redirection simply means taking their attention away from whatever they’re focused on and bringing it back to you. Don’t confuse redirection with blocking. The former is for use when your dog’s energy level is lower and does not involve touch. The latter is necessary when a dog’s energy level is above a five out of 10, and does require touch. Cesar’s “Tsch!” sound is redirection, while his touch with three fingers in a “claw” is blocking. This article will be

July 16, 2019 No Comments