Category: Author Annie
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Is My Dog Trying to Dominate by Going Out the Door First?
Here’s a question I recently received from a reader: I have a new, very large German Shepherd I recently adopted. He’s great in every way, but he does rush out the door in front of me. I have read that this is a sign of dominance. Is that true? How do I get him to…
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What to Do When an Off-Leash Dog Approaches Your Leashed Dog
The most “liked” column I have written for Dogster was about why it is critical to observe leash laws. Nearly 20,000 of you clicked that button. The article struck a nerve because owners who flaunt these laws exist from coast to coast. Some of them angrily responded to my article, insisting they had every right…
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Sanity in a barking-mad world
In January, five irrepressible dogs stood with their silent, nervous owners for Day 1 of Growly Dog Class. Despite careful partitions preventing the dogs from seeing each other, all four-footed creatures were nonetheless growling. The only human unperturbed by the canine cacophony was Annie Phenix, the formidable instructor and founder of Growly Dog Class. “Whenever…
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Are You One of the Few Who Train Their Dog?
Less than five percent of owners attend a training class with their dog. We offer resources for the majority who don’t. As a professional dog trainer, I find it tragic that less than five percent of owners take their dog to a class. I don’t find it tragic for business reasons, as I live in…
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Ask a Trainer: What Makes You a “Responsible” Dog Owner?
It’s Responsible Dog Ownership Month, so we’ve made a shortlist of 10 things that make a responsible dog owner. Do all these apply to you? So, September is Responsible Dog Owner Month, at least according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). I guess it is nice that an organization making millions by championing dog breeding…
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Meet Paul Owens, the Original Dog Whisperer
Are you surprised to learn that there are, in fact, two dog whisperers? And that their messages are at opposite ends of the dog-training spectrum? Professional dog trainer Paul Owens first called himself the Dog Whisperer more than 17 years ago. He has helped more than 10,000 dog owners train dogs using a nonviolent and compassionate approach. Owens has…
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Why Are People Spending Thousands on Bogus Allergy Alert Dogs?
“Have you ever seen a child go into anaphylactic shock?” Christine Clifford, the mother of two sons with severe peanut allergies, asks me. (I haven’t.) “You are literally watching your children begin to die.” READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE: http://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/peanut-sniffing-dogs
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Freedom-constrained Fido: Off-leash dogs in Durango are OK only at Dog Park
By Sarah Mueller Herald staff writer Annie Phenix, dog trainer with Phenix Dogs at the Durango Dog College, answers questions about dog etiquette:What should a good pet owner know about picking up after his or her pet? “First of all, with the city, it’s illegal not to. Rule No. 1 if your dog goes to the bathroom,…
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Dog Owners Say the Wackiest Things to Trainers
A good dog trainer loves humans as much as she loves dogs, because she knows that it was the human who called and scheduled a private consult or signed up for a class for Fido. We train humans to learn to train their dogs. I love dog people, and many of my clients over the…