Ngan Dinh of Frisco, Texas, asks: My 3-1/2-month-old Toy Poodle likes to bite me, especially when he gets excited with a preferred toy or when he thinks I'm taking his toy away. (He also tries to bite and jump on people when he meets them because he gets overly excited.) Every time he bites me, […]

Ta P. writes, "We live in a suburb with a fenced yard and neighbors that are fairly close. Our dog barks at the neighbors any time they are outside doing normal, outdoor activities. How do I train my dog not to bark at them?"  There are a few reasons why a dog barks when he's […]

Certified professional dog trainer Nicole Ellis grew up acting and modeling, so when she adopted her dog Maggie 10 years ago, she decided to train the pup to do the same. "She hits a [designated] mark, can do every behavior on a hand command or verbal, and with the same enthusiasm the 15th time as […]

AKC GoodDog! Helpline Trainer Hilarie Erb has added several adult dogs to her home, in addition to puppies. She is pictured with her Greyhound, Fire, who is a retired racer that she adopted as an adult, and her Wire-haired Pointing Griffon, Mike, who joined her family as a puppy. Hilarie tell us the benefits of choosing an […]

Butters the Beagle is all about fun and friends, and he’s quite the showman, too. No matter the venue — dog show, TV shoot, or film set — the unflappable Grand Champion is right at home. Last February, Butters and his owner, Robert Day, took a whirlwind, two-day, cross-country car trip from their home in […]

Teaching tricks is a great way for dog owners to have fun with their dogs. Tricks are best taught using positive reinforcement and the behavioral procedure called “shaping” where successive approximations to a desired behavior are reinforced. Here is a trick that lends itself to being taught at home because it will most likely involve […]

After CGC: What's Next? A well-trained dog is a joy to live with, and the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Program is a great first step in providing your dog with a solid foundation of basic training skills and intellectual stimulation. When you complete CGC training, you will have a canine companion who responds to core […]

Wiki is an American Kennel Club Grand Champion, but it’s not just his titles that impress everyone. This smart, spirited, and distinctive Australian Shepherd, owned by Elissa and Tim Phillips of San Diego, willingly meets each new challenge with enthusiasm. For instance, he dances, opens doors, turns on lights, poses for selfies, bows, and says his […]

Don't believe what they say. You can teach old (and young) dogs new tricks, and what better time than the beginning of a new year to get started? Here are three easy ones to tackle in 2016. 1. Sit Up or Sit Pretty" How It's Done: This trick requires the dog to balance in a […]

A bill to regulate pet breeders is scheduled to be voted on by the House Business and Labor Committee on March 24. House Bill 608 seeks to establish licensing, inspections, regulations, fees, and penalties for dog and cat breeders.  It would define a “commercial breeder” as: A person or entity who owns, keeps, or harbors […]