The Academy Blog
The Mop Up Squad
The Mop Up Squad: Helping dogs harmed by aversive trainers There is a trope—long disproven and actually dangerous for dogs—among those trainers who continue to use aversive stimuli in dog training: they say that they are the only ones who can train aggressive dogs....
Reality Testing
Reality Testing by Jean Donaldson Years ago I was chatting with a friend about the lay of the land in dog training and mentioned that in the US it was still legal to use electric shock on dogs, by anyone and at any time. She, who is not in dogs, said...
Buyer Beware! (And “HUSH”?)
Buyer Beware! (And "HUSH"?) by Kristin Lucey, CTC It's one of my most common refrains. I say it again and again. I warn; I apologize; I explain; I complain. "Dog training is an unregulated industry." Did you know it may also be an industry that, in some...
Our Specious Enemy: Friendly Fire in the Trenches of Dog Training
Our Specious Enemy: Friendly Fire in the Trenches of Dog Training by Kristi Benson Caveat: I usually work to avoid military metaphors in my writing, but in writing this piece I found them simply too useful, especially considering my somewhat depleted state....
Holidays with Stranger Danger Dogs
Surviving the Holidays with Stranger Danger Dogs by Jean Donaldson With COVID restrictions dwindling and the holidays approaching, families with dogs who are uncomfortable around strangers may be feeling trepidation. Fear not: you can all survive this and even,...
The Ethics of Aversives Use
The Ethics of Aversives UseAcademy director Jean Donaldson and staffer Kristi Benson unpack the argument that all training is "science-based" in this thoughtful conversation. Kristi:Science has given us, as dog trainers (heck, as humans) such an incredible bounty of...