Karen Pryor's Blog

Some people fly through the holidays with the greatest of ease. Others need more than a little help from friends and family to navigate a big, jolly party, or even a small get-together. The good news is that humans have the ability to express what they need to fellow humans, both verbally and with body language. People may ask outright, but can also reasonably expect others to pick up on at least some of the more subtle communications of need.

People are people, and dogs are d...

If one of your goals is to be more active this winter, hiking is the perfect outdoor activity. Why not include your dog in your plans? Exercise is crucial to your dog’s physical and mental well-being. Unlike bears (and some humans!) dogs do not hibernate in the winter. A winter walk in the woods offers exercise and can be an excellent way to cure winter blues—with no worries about humidity or bugs!

Going for a walk in the woods with your dog can be one of life’s great joys. It...

I am regularly asked to assist with training projects that include animal actors in various entertainment settings, including film, television, and professional theater projects. Recently,  I assisted in training several dogs for their appearance in a musical production. A small protest group emerged, seeking to halt the use of dogs in this high-profile performance. These protestors had the best of intentions, but their concerns were based on misinformation.

Many pet guardians think that training their dog is only crucial if they have a problem behavior or something that needs to be fixed. Or they believe that training is something only puppies require. However, the reality is that good training is a critical part of providing meaningful care at every stage of an animal’s life. 

Excellent animal care ensures that you provide great welfare and well-being, focusing on four key aspects.

1. Good health (physical and psychological)

2. Excellent ...

Feeling nervous is uncomfortable. If we had to classify it, we would likely call it a negative emotion. For dog trainers, overcoming nervousness can be crucial as it easily prevents many of us from taking action. Let’s start with acknowledging the importance of emotions. 

I have two thoughts about nervousness that I’d like to share before we move on to practical tips to help you overcome it. These tips are helpful for dog trainers who...

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For some dogs, this world is a big, scary swamp of unknown dangers and unpredictable monsters around every corner. For others, it is a world of opportunity and possibility. Whether your dog is afraid of monsters around every corner or the doggy equivalent of the ice cream man, a safe space can take their well-being, your training, and your relationship to new levels. 

There are many situations where crafting and bolstering a safe space can ...

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It’s no secret that small dogs are, well, smaller. We often place them in a category of their own, apart from larger dogs, but small dogs and large dogs are the same species, so the same concepts apply. There are some special considerations that we might make with small dogs since their size does sometimes put them at a disadvantage in a world that is much larger than they are. Here are some things we can do to help make up for their size difference and empower them to have independence, choice,...

Terry Ryan is known for her pithy wisdom, patience, and signature classes that are creative, fun, and effective. Her training games help improve the performance of both canine and human students. Among these engaging training techniques is a playful yet purposeful game that exemplifies her training philosophy.

The game, I Spy, is based on the children’s guessing game. It is a great game to play at the first meeting of any beginner group dog training class. It highlights and promotes gentle an...