#bruce edwards

[sballesterossota]

TOM WATSON giving a firm warning to his caddie BRUCE EDWARDS during the 1984 MASTERS TOURNAMENT || [x]

[northgeorgiadogtraining]

What Can I Do to Make My Puppy Stop Nipping My Hands?

We all love puppies. They are so cute and cuddly.  They are the closest thing to perpetual love machines that we could possibly imagine.  Because of that, we love to play with them. We pick them up, give them hugs, play with their little paws, give them kisses, and allow them to do just about anything they want.

It is so cute to watch them chase the ball that we have rolled under the chair at the far end of the room.  Seeing them bark at the leaves floating outside the back window never gets old.  Feeding them by hand and letting them lick our fingers is just the best.  Once they finally get their little bark, we find that so cute. They will bark at us, and we will make funny little whining sounds back at them. 

It is always so much fun to play hide and seek with them.  Well, it really isn’t “hide and seek”, it usually is “Where am I?, Where am I?, Where am I?”, and as soon as our puppy looks at us, we jump up and down and run off, hoping that they will chase us.

As long as we are having fun and mutually engaging with our little puppy, these are really fun activities.  The problem arises when we decide we are done and need to work on the computer, answer our phone, read a book, have dinner, or go to bed.  We turned our “off switch”, but nobody told our puppy to turn off their “off switch”.  On top of that, what were all the “things we were teaching our puppy” while we were mutually going nuts?

The answer is “Probably not all good stuff”.  Some of this “not all good stuff” is often nipping. 

How can we interact with our puppy and not have him nip?  It all is based around proper communication and focused behavior. Robin and I have a great dog training article that explains all of this.  Please read our dog training blog titled “What Can I Do to Make My Puppy Stop Nipping My Hands”.

[northgeorgiadogtraining]

How Can I Protect My Dog During Halloween Festivities?

Halloween is a fun and festive time filled with costumes, decorations, and an endless supply of candy. But while we may enjoy the spooky excitement, Halloween can be a confusing and even frightening experience for our dogs.

The sudden changes in their environment, constant ringing of the doorbell, and presence of unfamiliar people in costumes can trigger fear, anxiety, and even defensive behavior. In addition, common Halloween hazards such as candy, costume accessories, and decorative items pose serious health and safety risks to our pets if not properly managed.

As pet owners, it’s our responsibility to ensure that our dogs remain safe, calm, and comfortable during the chaos of Halloween. This requires more than just keeping them indoors. It involves thoughtful preparation, clear boundaries, and an understanding of how dogs perceive their environment.

From managing front-door behavior and choosing the right costume to keeping candy out of reach and creating a secure space for your dog to retreat to, this article will guide you through simple yet effective strategies to protect your furry friend. With a little planning and awareness, you can help your dog safely enjoy—or at least peacefully endure - the Halloween festivities alongside the rest of the family.

Please read our dog training blog titled “How Can I Protect My Dog During Halloween Festivities”.

https://northgeorgiadogtraining.com/protect-my-dog-on-halloween-flowery-branch/

[northgeorgiadogtraining]

What Should I Consider when Choosing and Taking My Dog to a Dog Park?

I am A Baby Boomer, so the comparison that I am about to suggest is something that I did not actively experience.  On the other hand, “Gen X’ers” would “totally get” what I am about to suggest.  Here goes…

In the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, “The Mall” was a unique phenomenon that fulfilled a young generation’s need to group, interact, socialize, and learn about the real world.  Since the dawn of time, children and young adults needed to learn how to deal with “life in the real world”, but there was never a single place where this could occur.  One could argue that High School or the play yard were places where we learned about life, but they were regulated and had predefined lengths of time. 

For one generation of human teens, the mall was a place to learn about life and social interaction.  When it comes to our dogs, I would like to propose that the neighborhood dog park fulfills many of the same needs they require to function as dogs in “the real world”.

In a dog park, our dog can interact with dogs he knows. He will meet new dogs and will have to deal with them. He will learn to work in groups and learn hierarchy. He will also interact with humans he knows or evaluate strangers.  In other words, the dog park acts as a microcosm of the “real world”. Just as in New York, if he can make it there, he can make it anywhere. Your task is to keep him safe as this takes place.

Robin and I have a great dog training blog that explains how to properly and safely introduce your dog to a dog park.  Please read our dog training article titled “What Should I Consider when Choosing and Taking My Dog to a Dog Park”.

https://northgeorgiadogtraining.com/what-should-i-consider-when-taking-my-dog-to-a-dog-park-johns-creek/

[northgeorgiadogtraining]

What Do I Do to Have a Happy Dog When Traveling This Holiday Season?

Family car trips are very different now than when I was a little tyke.  When I was young, we were lucky if the AM radio would get a signal when we left one city driving to the next.  Our form of entertainment was playing board games with pictures of things like buildings, trees, and animals.  Each box was covered with a “see thru” door that we would open when we would see whatever was behind it.  Whoever opened all their doors first would win the game.  Sometimes simply going to sleep was our best form of entertainment.

Nowadays the back seats of cars have every entertainment option available.  Kids today have their cell phones to keep them entertained.  There might be video screens on the back of the seats so that they can watch their favorite movies or play their favorite games on larger screens.  There are often built-in coolers offering all sorts of goodies. 

In both cases, then and now, the kids are in places that they enjoy and feel completely safe.  This is because they have been acclimated to the specific environment and associate it with “I feel fine”.  When the kids feel safe and happy, it often minimizes their habit of constantly inquiring “Are we there yet”.  This is a good thing.

Now, let’s turn to our dog.  Believe it or not, we need to make them feel the same way as our kids. If they feel safe and secure, they will most likely be great “travel companions”. 

Robin and I have a great dog training article that will help you prepare for a family road trip with your dog.  Please take a moment to read our dog training blog titled “What Do I Do to Have a Happy Dog When Traveling This Holiday Season”.

https://northgeorgiadogtraining.com/have-a-happy-dog-when-traveling-this-holiday-season-dacula/

[sow-hat1960]

Brenda Joyce, Bruce Edwards and George Barbier in Marry the Boss’s Daughter

(actress of the day)

[northgeorgiadogtraining]

What Can I Do When My Dog is Afraid and Aggressive towards Other Dogs?

I always find it rather odd that all the common sense that we often place on our “human day-to-day” experiences and interactions go completely out the window when it comes to our dogs.  For example, when we were small, our mother would never take us to a strange place and let us wander around all by ourselves.  We would have no idea what was going on and would probably feel scared.

If she continued to do this to us, our insecurity could possibly grow into a general sense of fear regarding specific situations and environments.  Even though this sense of fear and insecurity may be completely unwarranted, based on actual surroundings, our life experience would have taught us something totally different.

Well, we know that this never happened to us.  We also know that we would never do this to our kids. We simply don’t want them to be fearful of “the real world in which they live and interact”.  If, on the other hand, we feel fearful over a specific situation, we can normally understand why and try to mitigate our fears.

Now, let’s think about our fearful dog. If we got him when he was an adult and we have don’t have any information regarding is past, it is impossible to try to mitigate any fear based on past knowledge. All we can to is to focus on current inappropriate actions and use “the here and now” to create a positive, teaching experience.  

Robin and I have a great dog training lesson detailed in our most recent blog that provides you with step-by-step instructions to help resolve your dog’s current fear towards other dogs. Please read our dog training blog titled “What Can I Do When My Dog is Afraid and Aggressive towards Other Dogs”.

[northgeorgiadogtraining]

How Do I Stop My Dog from Being Stolen?

Even though many of us don’t want to admit it, we often love our dogs just as much or more than our “human family members”.  They give us companionship and seem to understand all of our problems. They never get mad at us and always forgive us for anything we may do.  

Our dogs are just the best. That is the exact reason why we would never want to do anything that would put them in harm’s way or risk our losing them.  Although we may often muse about living in a wonderful, just, and loving world; that just isn’t reality.  There are bad people out there who are constantly thinking about doing bad things to us.

Some of those bad people, if given the chance, will do a really bad thing like stealing our dog for their own, nefarious purposes. They may want a dog of their own and believe they have the right to take ours. They may want to take our dog and sell it. There could be even more horrible things they may be contemplating. In any event, these are all really bad.

We can’t live our lives in constant fear of these bad people.  We can stay safe and happy and still live in a world with “bad people”. We simply need to understand some basic facts.  First, we must be aware of some proactive measures to deter the “bad people”. Next, we must act in a way that provides safety for our dog and the environment around him. Finally, we must understand what to do if the unthinkable happens.

Robin and I have been focused on this issue for as long as we have been dog owners.  Although not an exhaustive list, we have created a list of things to do to keep your dog safe and secure from the “bad people”.  We want to make sure that all dogs stay where they belong. Please take a moment and read our dog training article titled “How Do I Stop My Dog from Being Stolen”.