Dog Training Myths

  Question: What’s one myth about dog training or behavior that you’ve found to be completely false? Many owners think they have to be gruff with their dogs. They think they have to yell and shout at their dogs. They believe they have to berate their dogs. So...

Looking Downstream, Looking Upstream

Looking Downstream, Looking Upstream Question: I read somewhere that dogs naturally sleep 18 hours a day. Is it cause for concern if your dog sleeps a lot but is energetic when she’s awake? Answer: Look Upstream THIMKING caps on. Introducing upstream views and...

Dog’s Radar, and Dogs as Radar

You can think of a dog as a radar, and you can think of them as a radar indicator. First of all, identify if the dog is in a high energy state where it’s paying attention to things that Nature is commanding. Otherwise figure out if it’s paying attention to...

What Is Anthropomorphism?

In my model, anthropomorphism is the creating of a label or narrative to explain an animal’s behavior. This definition makes anthropomorphism measurable. Without its measurability, its occurrence is vague, vaguely defined, and inaccurately detected and identified. If...

Going Upstream Defeats the Reliance on Opinions

Someone asked: Why is my dog getting into moods where he’s unsettled, pacing, and whining? BNBR, being nice and being respectful, don’t ask “why.”  What dogs do is what they’re saying. (Ask me about this!) So instead of their unsettledness, pacing, and whining being a...

Common Sense

The best, common sense explanation for common sense is its shortest. “Experts” don’t do the determination—each person’s assessment does the determination. In that sense, experts don’t exist. Common sense involves moments of patient waiting—the dismissing of one’s own...