Mar 14, 2016 · 9 min read
Dog Training and the Toxic Triple Whammy, Part 2
Imagine that you have a condition that is jeopardizing your health, your relationships with those you love, possibly your very life.
The Clicker Coach Blog
Thoughts on dogs, behavior & training
Essays on how dogs learn, why “respect” is the wrong lens, reactivity, leadership myths and life in Mt. Shasta — from a self-described behavior geek.
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A collection of Emily’s articles on dog behavior and positive training. Every post is kept here in full — click any title to read it.
Mar 14, 2016 · 6 min read
Dog Training and the Toxic Triple Whammy, Part 1
My heart is broken — another crushing blow to my geek tendencies. The recent hoo-has involving a celebrity TV dog trainer…
Nov 23, 2015 · 4 min read
I Can't vs. I Don't Know How
It's a beautiful, cold clear day in Mt. Shasta, and I've been thinking. (I do that sometimes.) Here's my thought for the day…
Jul 31, 2015 · 10 min read
Help! My Dog Doesn't Respect Me… (Part 3)
My favorite analogy: we decide we're going to take up ballet dancing and go to the studio for our first lesson…
Jul 26, 2015 · 8 min read
Help! My Dog Doesn't Respect Me… (Part 2)
We ended Part 1 wondering where oh where do pet owners come up with a notion of 'respect'…
Jul 25, 2015 · 5 min read
Help! My Dog Doesn't Respect Me… (Part 1)
There really isn't any nice way to say it: the chances are extremely good that your dog has no respect for you…
Feb 1, 2015 · 14 min read
Saying Hello and the Need for Empathy
Imagine you are walking down the street, minding your own business and enjoying a leisurely stroll in peace and quiet…
Jan 19, 2015 · 9 min read
Making Your Voice and Your Money Count: Tips from an Animal Welfare Professional
If you're like a lot of people — and you're reading this blog — you love animals…
Nov 22, 2014 · 21 min read
Two Things We Need to Know About Our Dog's Performance (and Ours), Part II
I talked about how stress can impact both our performance and that of our dogs — now the rest of the story…
Nov 2, 2014 · 12 min read
Two Things We Need to Know About Our Dog's Performance (and Ours), Part I
I admit it: I am a Behavior Geek. My idea of a wildly exciting night is curling up with my cats, my dog and a DVD…
Oct 24, 2014 · 15 min read
TINKER DAY! A Celebration
It's dark in the back yard, nearing 10 o'clock, and all hell has broken loose…
Aug 17, 2014 · 11 min read
On Leaders, Babies and Bathwater, Part Five
I talked about the two flavors of Strategic Following: following for greater expertise, and…
Aug 7, 2014 · 12 min read
On Leaders, Babies and Bathwater, Part Four
Strategic Following is in many ways the most complex and nuanced kind of following…
Jul 28, 2014 · 9 min read
On Leaders, Babies and Bathwater, Part Three
If we really want to understand how Leading works, we might do better to look at it differently…
Jul 24, 2014 · 10 min read
On Leaders, Babies and Bathwater, Part Two
Here I explore the other kind of leading — the kind we really do want to use with our dogs…
Jul 6, 2014 · 6 min read
On Leaders, Babies and Bathwater, Part One
Living in the Social Media / Information Age has its benefits, but there are also some downsides…
Jun 9, 2014 · 8 min read
The Absolute Real Truth About Dogs and Dog Behavior, Part 2 of 2
I talked a little about animal trainers vs. strictly dog trainers — now I'll turn to the rest…
Jun 7, 2014 · 6 min read
The Absolute Real Truth About Dogs and Dog Behavior, Part 1 of 2
Those of you who know me know I'm kind of a geek — I like to get to the bottom of things…
Mar 31, 2014 · 4 min read
On the Joy of Training Your Dog
As Behavior Program Coordinator at the Siskiyou Humane Society, it's been my privilege to meet many fine young dogs…
Mar 23, 2014 · 5 min read
On Spring, Love, Dogs and Volcanos
It's so good to be back! Last summer a detached retina put me on somewhat limited training duty…
Feb 19, 2013 · 1 min read
Foundations in Behavior and Training Starts March 21
It's official — Foundations in Behavior & Training begins Thursday, March 21, from 6–9 pm in Mt. Shasta…
Feb 10, 2013 · 4 min read
Behavior "Chopped"
In addition to the Siskiyou Humane Society and my own private practice, I've had the chance to…