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Learned Helplessness
Bob and Molly have a female spaniel mix named Ginger. Ginger is known to have fear issues, specifically, a fear of Bob. This Bob-o-phobia...

Nicole Wilde
Jan 9, 20194 min read
148 views
39 comments


Can a Confident Dog Help a Fearful One?
Misty is a six-month-old Bichon who has been with her family since the age of seven weeks. On walks, Misty seems to be afraid of...

Nicole Wilde
Oct 3, 20163 min read
23 views
18 comments


Who Comes First: You or Your Dog?
The woman on the phone sounded anxious. She needed a trainer to come to her house today. When asked about the urgency, she replied that...

Nicole Wilde
Jun 25, 20143 min read
21 views
17 comments


Social Facilitation: When Two Dogs are Better Than One
Noises from the upper floor of the house; unfamiliar people; sudden movements. Those were just a few of the things that scared Buster....

Nicole Wilde
Sep 3, 20133 min read
37 views
19 comments


Deer, Dogs, and Human Body Language
My husband and I just returned from a trip to Ireland, where I was teaching a weekend seminar. We stayed three extra days and absolutely...

Nicole Wilde
Jul 23, 20133 min read
16 views
17 comments


Overhead Dread
Back in the days when I co-ran a rescue center for wolves and wolfdogs, we sometimes brought ambassador animals to educational events. If...

Nicole Wilde
May 28, 20132 min read
16 views
19 comments


Dogs: from Learned Helplessness to Learned Joyfulness
A while back, I watched an episode of Our America where Lisa Ling was exploring the world of underaged prostitution. The eleven- to...

Nicole Wilde
Mar 26, 20133 min read
139 views
16 comments


Studying Canine Fear–and Dog Owners
A new study has come out about dogs’ fear responses to noise; well, that’s what the headline says, but as it turns out, the study is more...

Nicole Wilde
Feb 20, 20133 min read
37 views
18 comments


Putting Canine Fear in Context
I just got back from teaching a seminar in Seattle. The trip was one of those rare occasions when I got to spend an extra day in town,...

Nicole Wilde
Sep 26, 20122 min read
8 views
16 comments


“It Was Just a Little Nip”
“It was just a little nip.” This phrase was uttered by a woman at the park the other day, as she explained to me that a dog on leash had...

Nicole Wilde
Sep 11, 20122 min read
19 views
19 comments


When a Dog Has Nowhere to Run
“Oh, he’d never bite.” If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that phrase, I’d be blogging from a beach in Tahiti. The truth is, no...

Nicole Wilde
Aug 29, 20122 min read
15 views
19 comments


A Tired Dog is a … Less Anxious Dog
You’ve probably heard the saying, “A tired dog is a good dog.” Dogs who are pleasantly worn out have less excess energy to burn off by...

Nicole Wilde
Jun 5, 20122 min read
17 views
18 comments


Why Are Some Dogs Bullied More than Others?
Years ago, when I worked at a doggy daycare center, I noticed that some dogs were picked on much more so than others. The normal protocol...

Nicole Wilde
Apr 3, 20122 min read
7 views
17 comments


New Doggy Digs and Preventing Negative Associations
As I sit here typing, my husband is outside building a large wooden doghouse. He’s joked recently that the many canine-related...

Nicole Wilde
Mar 13, 20123 min read
8 views
17 comments


Dog Behavior Seminars: Fear, Dog-Dog Play, Separation Anxiety
I really love presenting seminars. Spreading education about positive, gentle training methods, helping people to help their dogs,...

Nicole Wilde
Mar 7, 20123 min read
33 views
17 comments


Can Dogs Really Change?
I received a query this morning from a student of canine behavior. Based in the UK, she’s writing a paper on whether temperament can be...

Nicole Wilde
Oct 25, 20113 min read
15 views
20 comments


What is DAP and How Can it Help Dogs?
DAP stands for Dog Appeasing Pheromone. Products containing DAP, such as those sold under the brand name Comfort Zone, chemically mimic...

Nicole Wilde
Aug 24, 20093 min read
778 views
83 comments


Seven Soothers for Thunderstorm Phobic Dogs
I recently taught a seminar in St. Petersburg, Florida. A friend told me St. Pete is the “lightning capital” of the country, and it’s not...

Nicole Wilde
Aug 16, 20093 min read
23 views
19 comments
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