Blog

One of the most distressing things we can see a dog do is the behavior known as “head pressing,” often accompanied by circling and pacing. This is nearly always a sign of serious, even life-threatening, illness and requires an immediate trip to the veterinarian. Here’s how I explained it to a reader who asked for […]

If you’ve adopted a new dog, you may want to change his or her name. Should you? And if so, how? In this latest video in her ongoing training series with our friends at Bissell, my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker, says it’s absolutely okay to change the name of a new dog, and shares some […]

No, using treats to train dogs doesn’t mean that you always have to have a treat to get your dog to listen. In this latest video in her ongoing myth-buster series with our friends at Bissell, my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker, will explain why that is, and how to reinforce your pet’s training without treats. […]

While your first reaction when your cat stops using the litter box reliably should be to see the vet about a possible urinary tract infection, there are other reasons for this problem. In older cats, that can be caused by vision loss or cognitive decline. Here’s my advice to a reader whose senior cat is […]

How many times have you heard that there are no bad dogs, only bad owners? How often do you blame yourself for your dog’s persistent bad habits like jumping, digging, or destructive chewing? My daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker, is here to tell you that you may not be to blame at all. It’s part of […]