January 27, 2020

Canine Good Citizen Training Tips: Sitting Politely for Petting

January 27, 2020/ Irene McHugh

Learning how to calmly interact with friendly strangers can be a major challenge for dogs looking to earn their Canine Good Citizen Title. If your dog needs help bottling his enthusiasm, keep reading for tips on implementing threshold waits to boost your dog’s impulse control.

January 20, 2020

Pet Bloggers Journey: Reflections

January 20, 2020/ Irene McHugh

Bernie and Lizzie McSquare look forward to all that 2020 has to offer. Before January ends, though, we’re taking some time to reflect on 2019. There wasn’t a single new blog post on McSquare Doodles, but we were keeping busy with many other life challenges and projects.

January 20, 2020

Canine Good Citizen Training Tips: Accepting a Friendly Stranger

January 20, 2020/ Irene McHugh

Sitting calmly while friendly strangers approach can be a major challenge for some dogs who aspire to pass the Canine Good Citizen Test. If your pup suffers from an abundance of enthusiasm for meeting people, keep reading for tips on how to start training your dog at home.

January 13, 2020

Canine Good Citizen Training Tips: Preparing for a CGC Class

January 13, 2020/ Irene McHugh

Before paying for a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Class, take some time to consider if you and your dog are ready for this next level of dog training. These four questions guide you with your decision on whether or not a CGC Class is your next dog training step.

January 06, 2020

Training Dogs Is Like Teaching Middle Schoolers

January 06, 2020/ Irene McHugh

When out with our two dogs, the best compliment I hear from time to time is “Are you a dog trainer?”

I am not, but I am dedicated to training Bernie and Lizzie. Plus with more than 15 years experience as a middle school educator, I probably have an advantage when it comes to dog training. Want some teaching inspiration? Remember these 13 middle school teaching strategies when you’re training your dog.