Dog training is a critical part of owning a canine. You can’t just expect a puppy or adult dog to know everything that you want him to. You also can’t expect your pet to learn on his own. If you’ve ever heard the term dog behavior work, you probably just assumed it meant dog training. It’s a common mistake, but the two are actually much different.

My guest this week is Debby Dobson. She’s a dog behaviorist that works with pet owners to help address some of the behavior issues that their dog is exhibiting. For example, if you have an issue with your dog jumping up on people when they come to your home for a visit, Debby could show you how to change that behavior.

While part of her job certainly involves training dogs, it’s also about finding the root of the problem and helping the dog to understand what the unwanted behavior is and what you would like him to do instead. In our interview, Debby shares some excellent tips and tricks for curbing unwanted behaviors. She also discusses some excellent books, products and other resources that will be a big help to pet owners trying to do behavior work with their pet at home.