Getting help for your pet We offer several free options to help regardless of your pet’s behavior! Frequently Asked Questions
Separation Anxiety Dogs with separation anxiety exhibit behavior problems when they’re left alone. Typically, they’ll have a dramatic anxiety response within a short time (20-45 minutes) after their owners leave them. The most common of these behaviors are: Why Do Dogs Suffer From Separation Anxiety? We don’t fully understand exactly why some…
Resource Aggression Your new dog has a history of guarding food or other resources in the home. This means he (or she) may have frozen up, growled or even bitten! There is no guarantee that your dog will never guard again, but there are ways you can reduce the chances of it…
Remember the Release Point As a trainer, I often get the question, “How do I get my horse to do this?” or the statement, “My horse won’t do that.” Many times, as I’m offering advice about what I would do in a given situation, people tell me, “I tried that, and it didn’t work.”…
Reducing Problem Behaviors Through Management It’s often important to manage situations while you’re working towards a final solution. In dog ownership, this means setting up your home and life in a way that prevents or discourages your dog from doing unwanted things. Management does not teach your dog what not to do. It simply prevents…
Dealing with normal puppy behavior: nipping and rough play When puppies play with each other, they use their mouths. Therefore, puppies usually want to bite or “mouth” hands during play or when being petted. This behavior is rarely aggressive and, therefore, not intended to cause harm. Because puppies are highly motivated to exhibit this type of behavior, attempts to…
Preparing Your Pet for Baby’s Arrival The arrival of your new family member will bring changes for everyone. Handling your pet’s curiosity, anxiety, and increased insistence for attention may seem like an overwhelming task. In addition to preparing yourself and your household for the baby’s arrival, but you can help your pet adjust to the big…
Positive Reinforcement Positive reinforcement is the presentation of something pleasant or rewarding immediately following a behavior. It makes that behavior more likely to occur in the future, and it is a powerful tool for shaping or changing your cat’s behavior. Correct timing is essential when using positive reinforcement. The reward must…
Polishing off the winter rust by Brent Winston, equine trainer Wow, what a start to the year! With the unseasonably warm weather and longer days, many of us are getting the urge to take our horses out and ride through the beautiful Colorado landscape. However, many of our horses have been not doing much all…
Play With Your Cat While pet owners would never consider withholding food or water from their cats, many forget to provide adequate exercise and stimulation. Yes, cats do sleep a lot, but play is an important component of any pet’s health and well-being. The release of energy triggered by regular daily interactive play sessions…
Plan Your Ride, Ride Your Plan by Brent Winston, head trainer People often ask me about a training issue they’re having with their horse or wonder how to get their horse to perform a certain task. Without being able to see the horse or coach the rider through the task, it can be difficult to answer.
Overstimulated Cats Cat owners sometimes have difficulty understanding why their cats, who seem to be friendly and content one minute, may suddenly bite and scratch them the next. While overstimulation isn’t aggression, the response may appear aggressive. Cat owners however can find some relief, knowing that this behavior is normal and is…
Neck reining the right way by Brent Winston, equine trainer With summer officially behind us, I hope everyone enjoyed the nice weather and long days with their horses as much as I did. Just because we have entered a different time of year doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy our horses. We might just need…
Marking Behavior in Dogs Urine-marking occurs when there is either instability in a dog’s relationships or when a dog is feeling anxious. It is not a house soiling problem. To resolve the problem, you need to address the underlying reason for your dog’s need to mark. House Soiling or Urine Marking? How to Tell…
Marking Behavior in Cats Cats are territorial animals, selecting areas of territory for survival. They let other people and animals know about their territory by marking it with a variety of methods and at many levels of intensity. For example, a cat may mark a valued object by rubbing it with her face. However…
Managing Your Young Cat’s Rough Play Play-motivated aggressive behaviors are common in young, active cats less than two years of age, and in cats that live in one-cat households who don’t have enough mental and physical stimulation. When cats play, they incorporate a variety of behaviors into their play, such as exploratory, investigative, and predatory behaviors.
Make Time for Spring Training The signs of spring are everywhere, which means it’s high time to start working with your horse before you begin riding. Any work is better than no work, and it will help your horse get in shape physically and mentally. The winter season in Colorado–with its slick, frozen ground, snow…
