Essays on the calm dog.
The method, set down in writing. Ten short essays on how dogs think and how people learn to lead them, written by Steve Del Savio.
All essays
Dog psychology before dog training
Obedience is the easy part. On understanding how a dog thinks before asking anything of them.
Mastering the walk
The walk begins the moment you pick up the leash. Seven quiet habits that make you worth following.
Calm, confident energy
The only energy a dog will follow, and the daily practice of returning to it.
The ultimate reward
A weekend with the Monks of New Skete, and the discovery that what a dog wants most is inclusion.
Meeting a dog the right way
No look, no talk, no touch. The greeting that tells a dog you understand them.
To the dog, you are their whole life.
Steve Del Savio · The Ultimate Reward
Introducing two dogs
First meetings go best in motion, side by side. A patient protocol for the day two dogs meet.
On respect, for dogs and their people
Why a working dog should be left to their work, and how to say no, kindly, on your dog's behalf.
The case for balance
Nine parts of our work reward calm. The tenth is clear, well-timed guidance. Why a dog needs both.
On tools, honestly
What we use, at what level, and why every tool is tested on ourselves before it touches a dog.
How to choose a dog walker
The standard most walks fail to meet, and the questions worth asking before you hand over the leash.
The thinking behind these essays is practiced daily at the ranch.
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