The McCann Dogs Podcast

We want to wish each and every one you our listeners a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year! Train With Us: https://mydogcan.mccanndogs.com/courses/my-dog-can Watch us record this IRL on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mccanndogs Check Out Our Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOcwHVQWDuxc3182u9cXJZw Thanks for listening! Happy Training! ~Ken

Winter can be tough to get through some years, but since hibernation is simply not an option for most of us, we have to make the most of it. Winter with a young dog or a dog in training can be even more challenging, but there are lots of great tips on how you can continue to work and train your dog, even when it's too frigid to go outdoors. Try Some Trick Training: https://www.youtube.com/playlist...

There are many things involved in raising a great dog. One of the biggest components is management, especially during the puppy phase. Without proper management, things will likely go wrong in a hurry. Today, we want to discuss what management is and how to use it to your advantage to help create the best possible dog! Train With Us: https://mydogcan.mccanndogs.com/courses/my-dog-can Watch us reco...

There is nothing in the world quite like a puppy – warm, fuzzy and snuggly and you’d be hard-pressed to find anything cuter! But as the holidays approach, squash those thoughts about giving the gift of a puppy. Often parents imagine the wonderment of a soft, fuzzy puppy under the tree – providing a Christmas morning that their children will never forget. Fast forward a few days, weeks or months an...

"Damn dog! I called him and he didn't come - what a bad dog." "Look at that dog ignoring his owner - they must not have done their job training - what a bad human!" Blame, blame, BLAME! We want to place it when we see something not going as planned. Dog not coming? Must be a bad dog! After all - he didn't come. No wait, that seems wrong - how can it be the dog's fault? Must be the human's fault -...

The majority of my thinking these days falls in line with that of a dog trainers. There are things that are engrained so deeply now, that it's surprising to me when I hear a different opinion or tactic. I pride myself on having an open mind, but there are definitely beliefs that I hold so strongly to that I can't imagine thinking differently. I remember the days prior to becoming a dog trainer wel...

Okay, full disclosure: This may be a trick question! How many times should you say "sit" or "come" or "leave it"? Essentially, how many times should you repeat a command? This is one of the more common errors we see: repetition of commands. There are so many reasons why you should be very careful on this point - one command for each skill. To ask more than once is lacking in expectation and will o...

This is a commonly asked question for us and like most things in dog training, there is no, "one-size-fits-all" answer. Black and white is a rarity in the dog training world, so we try not to choose definitive sides on most issues. Really, we like to examine each individual situation and assess the dog's level of respect and understanding of the rules of the house. Train With Us: https://mydogcan....

This topic came up in our My Dog Can Online Training community group and I knew right away it would make a great article. I also knew right away that it would likely to be a controversial one with strong beliefs on both sides of the argument, but I still pose the question: Should you let your dog play with other dogs? As with most posts I write, there is no black and white answer and my goal is to...

There's no question about it, old dogs are special. There's something about the unwavering loyalty of a grey-faced dog that could melt your heart. Living with an old dog can present some unique challenges. To help ease the transition into old age, here are a few great and subtle changes you can make to ensure they still have a wonderful quality of life. Train With Us: https://mydogcan.mccanndogs.c...

When a dog belonging to one of our staff members went missing, we all had a bit of a wake-up call. Firstly, it reminded us that this could happen to anyone. Even though we are knowledgeable and extremely careful with our dogs and despite how well trained they are, there is really no predicting when disaster might strike. Secondly, we didn’t realize how little we knew about the search process inclu...

I'm eagerly counting the days until my newest family member comes home! It's been a while since my last puppy, so I'm constantly going over the things I need to get done for my new boy's arrival. You Can Read The Full Article HERE: https://mccanndogs.com/blog-page/210-things-to-do-with-your-new-puppy Check out our Dog Training Channel: https://www.youtube.com/McCannDogs Here Is A Link To Our Video...

Early last week, a little girl was attacked by a dog in a Mississauga dog park. Her name is Georgia and she is an adorable, pig-tail wearing 3-year-old. She was visiting a leash-free park with her Grandfather and her brother. They stopped at the dog park to let their own dog have some off-leash time. I'm sure the Grandfather thought it would be a harmless and fun adventure - after all, it's just d...

Picture it! The day has finally arrived after a long wait. You're all set to pick up your new 4-legged family member! So much excitement and anticipation that has been in the works for months now. The kids have finally agreed on a name, everyone is on board and ready - you've got all of your supplies and now, all you need is the puppy!!!! Imagine the heartache to show up and ring the bell, only to...

Without question, the recall is the most important skill anyone can teach a dog. Teaching your dog to "COME" when you call will allow you to give them freedom, knowing that they'll be safe and will come back to you when you need them to. Without a reliable recall, your dog could find danger, become lost or even worse. All dogs can learn a reliable recall if they have an owner willing to put in the...

Training mode is a hoax! Want to know why? Think about this for a moment - training mode would be the time you strap on your bait pouch, get out your clicker and set out to train your dog. Okay, so we know that practice makes perfect, which means it is important to set out to train skills that you might not encounter in day-to-day life, but that can't be the only time you teach your dog. What abou...

Dogs are masterful with their mouths. They are quite capable of being able to exert or remove pressure very accurately. That is why when people say, "he bit by accident," in all likelihood, they are wrong. There's truly only 2 reasons that a dog will put teeth on a human. They either meant to or they've never been taught not to. Check out our NEW Video Podcast Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube....

Make no mistake about it! Dogs are not who this blog post is about. Dogs are easy: If we give them good information, they will rise to the occasion. When we start a new session of classes, we can identify quickly which teams will have the most success. When we find ourselves frustrated with a team in class, 99% of the time, the frustration is with the handler, not the dog. Dogs are almost always e...

There are many types of learning when it comes to dogs. Trainers often talk of Classical and Operant Conditioning as the two main ways dogs learn, but it can get a bit more complicated than that when you start to dig below the surface. There are several other things that may come into play when analyzing your dog's behaviour. My Dog Can Online Training: https://mydogcan.mccanndogs.com/courses/my-d...

Housetraining can be a daunting task if you don’t go about it right. With proper supervision and timely responses, any owner can have a fully housetrained puppy in no time. Train With Us Online!: https://mydogcan.mccanndogs.com/courses/my-dog-can Link To The Blog Post: https://mccanndogs.com/blog-page/236-quick-and-easy-house-training-tips

In this episode we'll discuss some of the best ways to stop your dog from jumping up on people, and things! Train With Us ONLINE: https://mydogcan.mccanndogs.com/courses/my-dog-can Jumping Up YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kDyOojXZn0

One of the first commands I teach a new puppy is "OUT". It comes in very handy considering I like sporting breeds who are very tactile and love to pick up anything and everything, but it is quite typical of most puppies to want to explore the world with their mouths. Hence the need to teach the "out" command early on. Train With Us Online: https://mydogcan.mccanndogs.com/courses/my-dog-can Check O...

Do you feel like you have to bribe your dog with treats to get them to listen? Do you feel like food has failed you in training them? We couldn't agree more than having to have a handful of cookies to get your dog to listen is NOT the path to a well-trained dog. Want to train with us? Link HERE: https://mydogcan.mccanndogs.com/courses/my-dog-can Link To The Blog Post: https://mccanndogs.com/blog-p...

All dogs are capable of showing possession. It is ingrained in their DNA as canines and part of their base instinct behaviours as predatory creatures. So how do we work through this instinct to ensure our dogs don't think they need to turn teeth towards us if we wander into their space while they have an item of value? Train with us by clicking HERE: https://mydogcan.mccanndogs.com/courses/my-dog-...

Leadership is an important thing in so many situations. Good leaders are revered and keep the world moving smoothly. Good leaders make wonderful bosses, raise amazing children and, for our purposes today, raise and train wonderful dogs. So the burning question, of course, is what makes a good leader when it comes to dogs? Want To Try Some Online Training? Take The First Lesson For Free: https://my...