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Bark! Confessions of a Dog Trainer blog
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Say my name
I confess I don’t always call my dogs, or my client’s dogs, by their given names. Buster, Bud, Buddy, Kins, Toddalicious, Mister, Mister...
Rachel R. Baum
1 min read
Baby you can(‘t) drive my car
You’ve seen it. A car traveling down the road with a dog’s head catching a breeze through an open window. The DRIVER’S open window. If...
Rachel R. Baum
1 min read
The temporary friend
In consideration of International Homeless Animals Day on August 18, 2012 , I am going to use the F word. Foster. Wait! Don’t stop...
Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Lie down with heartburn
Admit it. Your dog has dibs on at least one piece of furniture in your house. “That’s Bailey’s chair.” “Oh, Sadie likes to sit on the top...
Rachel R. Baum
1 min read
7 (other) uses for a leash
No, not to hang yourself. If you’re that frustrated with your dog, call a trainer! The leash – and I’m referring to a 6 foot long walking...
Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
I like a fence I can see
I am frequently asked my opinion about underground fences. I don’t like them. Here is my thinking… PRO 1. Cost – Invisible fencing is...
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...
Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Puppy reality test
Let’s say you are thinking about getting a puppy. If you were thinking it was time to drive a car, you would have to take a test to prove...
Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Zen and the art of sitting
We humans take Sitting for granted. After all, most of us Sit all day. At school, in our cars, at the office, in the movies, at...
Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Pet Appreciation Week
June 10 – 17, 2012 is Pet Appreciation Week I KNOW that you appreciate your dog every single day. So do I. In honor of this celebration,...
Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Wanted: dog lovers
If it feels like June in May (my car registered 99° today!) that’s because June is right around the corner. Most Saturdays in June, you...
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...
Rachel R. Baum
1 min read
Any dog can bite
Readers know that I’m not one to preach, pontificate, or otherwise bore you to pieces. So I will try to make this post brief and to the...
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...
Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
The perfect guest
Thinking about springing a visit on friends or family this summer, with your dog in tow? Here’s a quiz for you to take on your dog’s...
Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
Circus dog
Most dogs have a trick or two their owners find so delightfully entertaining that the dog is encouraged to repeat it for its sheer...
Rachel R. Baum
1 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...
Rachel R. Baum
2 min read
No cat left behind
I confess that the cats in my life have had more attitude and conviction than most adult humans can muster. Despite being smaller,...
Rachel R. Baum
2 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...
Rachel R. Baum
1 min read
Memory fails me
I confess that, being of increasingly advanced age, I forget stuff. Ok, stuff is a euphemism for everything. I won’t embarrass myself...
Rachel R. Baum
1 min read
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