Nicole WildeJan 9, 20194 minLearned HelplessnessBob 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 WildeOct 3, 20163 minCan 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 WildeJun 25, 20143 minWho 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 WildeSep 3, 20133 minSocial Facilitation: When Two Dogs are Better Than OneNoises from the upper floor of the house; unfamiliar people; sudden movements. Those were just a few of the things that scared Buster....
Nicole WildeJul 23, 20133 minDeer, Dogs, and Human Body LanguageMy 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 WildeMay 28, 20132 minOverhead DreadBack in the days when I co-ran a rescue center for wolves and wolfdogs, we sometimes brought ambassador animals to educational events. If...
Nicole WildeMar 26, 20133 minDogs: from Learned Helplessness to Learned JoyfulnessA while back, I watched an episode of Our America where Lisa Ling was exploring the world of underaged prostitution. The eleven- to...
Nicole WildeFeb 20, 20133 minStudying Canine Fear–and Dog OwnersA 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 WildeSep 26, 20122 minPutting Canine Fear in ContextI 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 WildeSep 11, 20122 min“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 WildeAug 29, 20122 minWhen 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 WildeJun 5, 20122 minA Tired Dog is a … Less Anxious DogYou’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 WildeApr 3, 20122 minWhy 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 WildeMar 13, 20123 minNew Doggy Digs and Preventing Negative AssociationsAs I sit here typing, my husband is outside building a large wooden doghouse. He’s joked recently that the many canine-related...
Nicole WildeMar 7, 20123 minDog Behavior Seminars: Fear, Dog-Dog Play, Separation AnxietyI really love presenting seminars. Spreading education about positive, gentle training methods, helping people to help their dogs,...
Nicole WildeOct 25, 20113 minCan 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 WildeAug 24, 20093 minWhat 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 WildeAug 17, 20093 minSeven Soothers for Thunderstorm Phobic DogsI 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...