The Karelian Bear Dog is an eager hunter and very independent, yet works cooperatively to mark game by barking. Their senses, especially smell, are sharp, thus the breed is suitable for big game hunting. They have a very good sense of direction, are balanced, courageous and persistent. This breed has a highly developed spirit for […]

The Miniature American Shepherd resembles a small Australian Shepherd. True herders in spite of their compact size, Minis are bright, self-motivated workers and endearingly loyal and lively companion dogs who have an affinity for horses.

An immensely strong, heavy-duty worker of spitz type, the Alaskan Malamute is an affectionate, loyal, and playful but dignified dog recognizable by his well-furred plumed tail carried over the back, erect ears, and substantial bone.

The Golden Retriever, an exuberant Scottish gundog of great beauty, stands among America’s most popular dog breeds. They are serious workers at hunting and field work, as guides for the blind, and in search-and-rescue, enjoy obedience and other competitive events, and have an endearing love of life when not at work.  

The Samoyed is a substantial but graceful dog standing anywhere from 19 to a bit over 23 inches at the shoulder. Powerful, tireless, with a thick all-white coat impervious to cold—Sammies are perfectly beautiful but highly functional. Even their most delightful feature, a perpetual smile, has a practical function: The upturned corners of the mouth […]

Photos by Katherine Martucci I adopted Chance from Ani-Care Animal Shelter in Ontario, OR, in December 2012. He was a 10-month-old Flat-Coated Retriever mix named "Zip" and had already been in  five different homes in that short span of life. He was more of a cuddly teddy bear than a zippy boy so I decided […]

Turbo-Nadir UD BN GN RAE3 AX AXJ NF CGCA TKP owned by Kimberly Ann Hoeppner of Welsh, LA Turbo earned his Utility Dog title at the Tallahassee Dog Obedience Club on Jan. 13. It was a proud moment for this little mixed breed rescue dog, who had been adopted and returned to the shelter three […]

This training tip is brought to us by Brian Burton, a co-founder of Instinct Dog Behavior & Training LLC in New York City. He’s currently a master’s candidate in Animal Behavior at Hunter College (CUNY) and is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. Brian’s rescue mixed-breed dog, Sammy, is […]

At this year’s AKC Detection Dog Conference, I was asked to create a scoring rubric for the weekly assessment records. You can find it on the webpage under the Records tab, along with the link for submitting your weekly records. This is adjustable based on the participants needs, but it should serve our purposes.

Trying to simplify Impacts of Anthropomorphism What is a working dog? Theory and practicality (a short review) How training frequency impacts learning Clickers, Verbal Markers, and Treats Citizen Science Understanding operant conditioning without physical control Understanding reinforcement in detection dogs Resilience and Epigenetics Resilience and Core Affect Space Resilience Possession, possession, possession! Development and social […]