Recent Articles from Steven Applebaum
Offer Advice for Dog Chewing Problems
We live in a time when pets have become beloved members of the family in a fashion that would have been considered outlandish a century ago. This isn’t to suggest that Americans haven’t had a long-standing love affair with their pets, but the sheer volume of toys, food and every other imaginable product and service […]
Nutrition and Training in Dog’s Well-Being
Dog trainers and pet retailers have several things in common. Both work with many of the same people and are trusted to offer educated advice about products, services and behavior. Nutrition can be a difficult topic for pet owners. There is a tremendous and often bewildering amount of data about dog food. This causes dog […]
Help Customers Better Understand Aging Pet Limitations with Training Tips
We’ve all heard the old adage: “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Seldom has something recited so often been so untrue. The truth is that you can train older dogs and cats to learn new things. In fact, some people find training older pets to be easier than training younger ones—older pets are […]
Go Mobile to Stay Connected with Customers
We have all heard the term with an increasing frequency: Millennials. Are they spoiled, coddled whiners or tech savvy saviors that herald the changing of our society? Actually, this article won’t tackle those larger societal questions. I will say this: every generation in positions of leadership and power feels unease when a changing of the […]
Carriers and Crates: Essential Pet Training Tools
Beyond a basic understanding of fundamental usage, many retailers are not as clear on how dog and cat trainers use crates and carriers. Armed with a bit more understanding, retailers can assist more customers in making the correct purchasing choices as well as help them use these products in a more effective fashion. One of […]
Dog Days of Summer: A Busy Time of Year
Summer and early fall are among the busiest times of year for professional dog trainers. Dog owners frequently visualize what they’d like to do with their dogs during this season: wonderful hikes in nature, strolls on the beach, safely traveling with the family in their car, being safe around the swimming pool, etc. Then the […]
Make Owners’ Lives Easier by Offering DIY Grooming Tips
Most dog owners should be able to perform basic grooming maintenance with their dogs at home. This typically includes brushing and teaching dogs to accept being touched. The more comfortable dogs are with these actions, the easier it will be for their owners to perform them. Basic brushing: All dogs can benefit from brushing two […]
Treat Cause, Rather Than Symptoms, of Anxiety
Anxiety is one of the most common root causes of behavioral challenges in dogs. When handling any anxiety-related behaviors, it is essential that owners know that anxiety is the underlying problem; the behaviors are its symptoms. If owners try to correct the behaviors while ignoring the anxiety, all they are doing is reacting to the […]
Training Cats: What You Need to Know
Can cats be trained? Anyone who has owned or been around cats knows they are intelligent and resourceful creatures. The reason some perceive cats as untrainable has to do with the way people visualize and define training. Training cats is less about teaching them to listen to cues and more about learning how to modify […]
Retailers Can Foster Loyal Customers with Training Tips for Older Dogs
I’m often asked, “Can you teach an old dog new tricks?” The short answer is “yes.” Retailers who understand about training older dogs and the typical behavioral challenges owners of older dogs face are in a much better position to offer advice and assistance. The more you can help your customers, the greater the likelihood […]
Retailers, Take Advantage of Dog Training Season
Dog training can be a seasonal business, often starting around mid-February due to dog owners enrolling puppies that joined their family during the winter holiday season. Pet retailers who understand this can respond by having the equipment dog trainers recommend—and owners will come looking for—at their stores. Retailers who are knowledgeable about the proper usage […]
Training with Treats
The use of treats to train dogs was once considered by dog trainers and owners alike to be tantamount to bribery. The concern was the dog would become dependent on getting the treat and when the owner didn’t have one to offer, the dog wouldn’t listen. As methods of training changed, so did ideas and […]