Confident Canines LLC by Las Vegas Animal Behavior

10/03/2026

This is completely unsurprising. Balanced/punitive trainers reject the large body of scientific research, veterinary behaviorists, universities, and zoos that advocate for force free training methodology for ALL training and behavioral issues.

Something I have noticed is that a lot of these people display insecurity in their speech and behavior and a need for control. Vulnerabilities like these (that could be exploited by ours or another intelligence agency) are something I pick up on quickly as a former CIA officer analyst. They appear focused on their ability to control another individual (at all costs) rather than looking at how to help the individual animal and their overall welfare. The satisfaction of coercing behavior from the animal strokes the ego of the individual rather than helping the animal. Big difference in approach and who is being helped in these opposite training scenarios. It sometimes feels like people like this are drawn to this field of work because there are no education requirements to open a business and make money, and it can also fulfill the needs of one's own ego. This is my own theory of why some people refuse to change even when they learn more -- it may no longer give them that sense of control through coercion. Just my thoughts as a former intelligence officer who was trained to identify these vulnerabilities. Obviously, not everyone who uses aversive fits into that mold, but some absolutely do. However, we all need to keep learning more and doing better, regardless of the methods we currently use and make it about the animal rather than oneself.

Dog Trainers Switch Methods Due to Empathy and Education | Psychology Today

Reward-based dog trainers place greater emphasis on education and science than those who use aversives, study shows.

09/16/2026

This is information from a board-certified veterinary behaviorist on C*D for anxiety and fear. The public fear of extensively tested and well-regulated medications is very unfortunate. There can be harms beyond simple ineffectiveness when using some natural supplements that are not well-tested or regulated.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1ErFJJB43y/

09/15/2026

Should you get a 2nd (or 3rd!) dog?

The answer: "it depends." Most people imagine their existing dog's problem behaviors will improve with having more playtime and companionship, and they envision them quickly accepting the new dog. People imagine things will go more smoothly than might be the actuality in many situations. Sometimes, people never imagined how bad things could get after bringing in another dog. This article discusses some crucial considerations when making this important decision.

(Article link is in the comments)

09/13/2026

Cooperation vs Compliance: the solution to endless problems

Gilgamesh is getting all cleaned up and dapper to see his friends at agility classes that start back this week after the long, hot summer. Bath time and blow drying! He doesn't particularly like being combed out, and he allows blow drying when he feels like it, which is more often than not. He just doesn't value it like I do.

Solution: reward occasionally during the process to promote cooperation. This makes him enjoy the experience and be more likely to look forward to it the next time. Each time I have done this, I end up needing fewer rewards and he is quicker to settle in and cooperate because it was never allowed to become a battle of wills between us that would leave any negative feelings about the experience. Instead, it was a "job" that he did with us where he was rewarded for his work. And he enjoyed doing it! Do things WITH your dog rather than doing things TO them. We often do not need to use any rewards at all for this, but we like to remind him that it is a positive experience so he looks forward to doing it. This pays dividends since our relationship is cooperative and trusting where he is ready to offer cooperation in other situations in which maybe he would prefer not to do whatever the activity might be, but he chooses to trust us and cooperate with it. This is important for all dogs, but especially with independent breeds like a Kooiker!

It is interesting (and sad!) how rewarding with treats has become more looked down upon in some circles than using force or intimidation on an animal. Remember that whatever your pet feels about an experience this time will affect their behavior the next time they face a similar experience. Make it a positive one! It pays dividends.

09/13/2026

Wolves forage for berries much more than previously believed, and the berry seeds in their s**t help to spread these plants throughout the ecosystem far from the original source. The seeds from wolf s**t have increased rates and speed of germination compared to seeds that were not in s**t. This is very insightful research that supports other existing research indicating foraging behavior in wolves that was previously believed to be rare or non-existent behavior in wolves. The reason I share this is because of the misinformation out there regarding wolf diets that people use to inform their choices for their dogs' nutritional needs. Dogs are not wolves and have very different nutritional needs. But also, there is a lot we are still learning about wolves' diets!

The best source of information for your dog's diet is your veterinarian. Homemade diets must be carefully formulated to ensure they are balanced. It is not unusual in behavior cases to find where poor diet is significantly impacting health and behavior. This could be too high of fat, or too high of protein, which has been linked to increased aggression in research studies, amongst other issues that can occur in diet. Your veterinarian can help guide your to a proper diet for your dog's specific needs, even if that is finding a well-balanced homemade recipe or other fresh food diet. I personally love the BalanceIt website and their vitamins. We have previously used that alongside guidance from our veterinarian for our dogs' specific needs.

https://scienceblog.com/s-blueberry-seeds-pulled-out-of-five-wolf-s**ts-in-northern-minnesota-germinated-at-96-percent-against-69-percent-for-seeds-taken-straight-from-the-fruit-and-half-of-them-had-sprouted-by-day-19/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAUT0RRjbGNrBRPREXBkb2YFZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEeexBtyWYrU0VjgnblgNUj365e0C84-K3pocgZMbgBDNN8S2cJapWP20dx8T8_aem_x9CeZG6jebbS2oJlihpfAw

The difference is real and the size of it is not settled: measured against the best of the study's three control batches, the advantage shrinks from 27 percentage points to five.

09/08/2026

I got mail today 😁

09/07/2026

💯. A freeze response may initially appear like a positive thing to the vet and pet parents if the dog can be handled in the back but not in the room with the pet parent due to reactivity, HOWEVER... this is NOT a good long term approach to subject them to more significant fear and helplessness. Some dogs and cats feel more comfortable to display a "tough guy" act when they are fearful if they are with their pet parent. Being away from the owner is not going to make them less fearful. It is going to increase that level of fear when they are surrounded and isolated in the back. Their emotional state and behavior will often worsen with time as they continue to be subjected to these experiences. A better long term approach is to spend time on training cooperative care at home, having the vet and techs spend time on low stress handling while in the room with both the pet and the owner, and discussing with the veterinarian whether medication interventions may assist while working on this if the fear is significant.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Nrhm4nPai/

08/27/2026

Impulsive Aggression -- a training issue or pathological?

Treating this as solely a training issue -- regardless of the training methods used -- misses the root of the issue which are changes in the neurophysiological connectivity that regulate top-down decision-making and modulation of behavioral responses. We cannot train away a medical/physiological issue. Sometimes collaboration with a veterinarian for a dual approach is easential. There can be numerous causes of these neurochemical, neuroanatomical, and neuro-connectivity changes, but here is a review of the research on serotonin-related causes. I will eventually put this into a more digestible format for the general public, but here is my recent systematic literature review. Still deciding on whether to submit to an open-access journal for publication, but it is now available online for anyone interested.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19SzrAN5cm/

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08/18/2026

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