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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Consistency
Airedale Mia wakes up each day a bit muddled. Her owner, you see, had a bad hair day on Wednesday. And last week, the car needed a $600...
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Confidence
In this post, and the next two, I will address the three C’s of being a good dog owner: Calm, Confidence, and Consistency. What does it...
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
This dog is driving me crazy
Dogs can test our patience. I’m thinking of the Lab mix that settles onto the floor, positions his paws as if preparing for a salon...
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
90 percent
I learned something shockingly obvious at a dog trainers’ conference I went to recently. This was the annu Association of Pet Dog...
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
So what…big deal…who cares?
Syracuse alumni will recognize the title phrases; some dog owners get the same vibe from their dogs when they return home after a trip...
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
The dove, the divot and the turtle
Boston Terrier Tazo’s owner claims that her dog has moments when he blanks out completely, is unaware of his surroundings, and has to be...
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Throw me a lifeline
Some dog owners, especially newbies, puppy parents, and people who have adopted Jack Russell Terriers, grasp for training advice anywhere...
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Dictionary for dogs
According to Science Daily, a Border Collie named Chaser h as learned the meaning of 1,022 words. The average (trained) dog knows 160...
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
The rut doesn’t move
The trouble with being in a RUT is their nature. Ruts don’t move. Dogs get into ruts, too. I’m thinking of Swifty, a mildly overweight...
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Rachel R. Baum
1 min read
Don’t drink the water
As a dog trainer – and a (dieting) human being – I’m becoming more aware every day of a little thing called “impulse control.” The recent...
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Be my guest
Shih Tzu Loretta loves visitors. The trouble is, she doesn’t want them to leave. When guests arrives, Loretta is thrilled to have...
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Dog and a half
Golden Retriever Trish was too much dog for her owners. Trish greeted each day with such delighted enthusiasm that her 55 pound body...
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Rachel R. Baum
1 min read
Canine conversation
Watching a young mother at Price Chopper recently, I was reminded of something called “learned behavior.” Yes, a tragedy was averted, the...
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Mean Girl
Brooks is a flashy, feisty little Long-Haired Chihuahua. Her big “brother” Dunn is a sweet-natured Lab mix. The dogs sleep together in a...
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
No Such Thing
One of my clients cannot speak. She recently adopted a two year old Shepherd mix named Glinda. Glinda has a tendency to see an open door...
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Strangers Among Us
In a perfect world, Maisie’s owners would have no social life. Maisie, a six year old Boxer mix, is content to hang out in her newly...
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Rachel R. Baum
1 min read
“Training” the Untrained Dog
Some dog owners think that training their dog is a formal enterprise that involves attending classes, walking in an ordered circle apace...
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Rachel R. Baum
1 min read
Listen Up!
Forgive me if I talk about barking yet again. This time, the topic is owner-directed barking. Also known as back talk, sass, and lip....
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Problem Child
Aussie Labradoodle Martina can do no right. Her two “brothers” – Lab mixes, ages 8 and 10 – nap most of the day, rising only to follow...
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Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Country Dog/City Dog
After their youngest child went off to college, Kenny’s owners decided to downsize. They sold their big farmhouse with its 25 acres,...
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