There are people who believe that puppy classes are causing an increase in some dog behavior problems? Could there be any truth to this? What is a puppy class for? What makes a puppy class good? What can make a puppy class bad?

We give this question a second attempt, and this time we manage to stay on topic. Is there an increase of dog aggression or just the perception of dog aggression? If aggression is on the rise, how can we address it?

Coprophagia (the eating of poop) is not pretty, but is there an upside? In this episode we discuss why some dogs eat feces and how you might prevent them from eating feces in the future.

Is aggression on the rise with pet dogs? Who knows? We certainly don’t get to the bottom of this question in this episode where we meandered a bit off the original topic, into the realm of punishment and discipline and how they fit into the practice of dog training. How do we correct our dog’s behaviors when they aren’t appropriate?

Shirley in New Jersey has a problem with her dog being reactive when off-leash, jumping her fence and chasing down bikers and joggers. She’s tried setting up training scenarios, but the dog doesn’t seem to react when it’s on-leash, so how should she address the problem?

Want to observe a Growl Class right now? Use this link to save 20% off the price of Ian's single-day Growl Class, in the form of an online video you can download or stream online instantly.

Many veterinarians are sufficiently concerned about the risk posed by canine parvovirus that they advise dog owners to keep their puppies at home until their vaccinations are complete. This poses some serious limitations for socializing your puppy. In this episode the Dunbars assess the true risk of Parvo, and how you can socialize your puppy without putting them at risk of contracting this disease.

Ian’s been reading up on socialization research and he has some fresh thoughts to share. But first, what is socialization, what do we mean when we say it? Is there another word that might be better suited to what we want to talk about? What is socialization on a scientific, biological, structural, neurological level? Research shows a lack of sufficient socialization in young social animals leads to permanent and physical brain damage. So please, socialize that puppy!

When it comes to dogs, people say and do a lot of silly things. Sometimes they record those things and publish them on the internet. Today we're looking at just two examples of this sort of behavior. First is a Facebook post by Sarah Palin where she celebrates her son for stepping on their dog as an illustration of persistence and problem solving.