Articles & Guides
A comprehensive collection of dog training, behavior, health, and safety articles.
Written by Steve
Articles, columns, and training guides authored by Steve Brooks. Includes his popular "He Yaps, She Yaps" column from Fido Friendly Magazine.
Canine Spring Safety Tips
Fido Friendly Magazine
Essential safety guidelines for dogs as the weather warms up.
Doggy Kennel vs. Pet Sitter for Holiday Travel
Fido Friendly Magazine
Pros and cons of different pet care options when traveling for the holidays.
Beaches, Boats, and Lake Safety
Fido Friendly Magazine
Water safety tips for dogs during summer adventures.
Don't Panic
Fido Friendly Magazine
Staying calm and managing your dog's behavior in stressful situations.
Digity Diggin' Dog
Fido Friendly Magazine
Understanding and managing your dog's digging behavior.
How To Calm Your K9
Fido Friendly Magazine
Techniques to help reduce anxiety and stress in dogs.
How To Get Your Pup Doggone Tired
Fido Friendly Magazine
Exercise tips and activities to tire out your energetic dog.
How to Have a Happy (and Safe) Holiday with Your Dog
Fido Friendly Magazine
Navigate the holiday season safely with your four-legged family member.
Training Dogs for Fun and Safety in the Water
Fido Friendly Magazine
Teaching your dog to enjoy water activities safely.
Play Etiquette: Pups and Seniors
Fido Friendly Magazine
Managing play between young and older dogs safely.
Driving in Cars with Canines
Fido Friendly Magazine
Safe car travel tips for dogs of all sizes.
Water Safety for Fido
Fido Friendly Magazine
Keeping your dog safe around pools, lakes, and beaches.
Can't We All Just Get Along?
Fido Friendly Magazine
Teaching dogs to share and coexist peacefully.
Winter Couch Potato
Fido Friendly Magazine
Tips for keeping your dog active and engaged during the colder months.
Take the Drag out of Your Walk
Fido Friendly Magazine
Training techniques for better leash walks with your dog.
Teaching Kids To Get Along with a New Dog
Fido Friendly Magazine
Guidelines for introducing children and dogs safely.
How to Change the Name of Your Adopted Shelter Dog
Fido Friendly Magazine
Tips for helping your rescue dog learn their new name.
Prevent Excessive Licking
Fido Friendly Magazine
Understanding and reducing compulsive licking behavior in dogs.
Leash Lessons
Ladies Home Journal
Steve shares expert tips on teaching dogs proper leash manners.
5 Tips for Growing Old in L.A.
Local Publication
Steve shares tips for senior dogs in the Los Angeles lifestyle.
Oh My Dog
Beth Ostrosky Stern
How to Choose, Train, Groom, Nurture, Feed, and Care for Your New Best Friend
Guides & Articles
In-depth dog training guides from Steve Brooks K9U covering behavior, obedience, puppy raising, and more.
Leash Reactivity: Take the Drag Out of Your Walk
Why dogs that play fine off leash bark and lunge on walks — and how to fix leash reactivity with thresholds and reward-based training. By Steve Brooks, CPDT-KA.
Read the guide BehaviorHow to Train Your Dog on a Walk
Steve Brooks explains how to use small treats the right way on walks — treat pouches, hand-feeding safely, his squeeze-tube trick, and how to wean off food rewards.
Read the guide BehaviorHow to Teach Your Dogs to Share Toys, Attention, and Food
Dog-to-dog resource guarding: why one dog growls over toys or food, and how to use management, desensitization, and counter-conditioning to restore the peace.
Read the guide BehaviorHow to Stop Your Dog Digging Up the Yard
Why dogs dig and how to stop it: a digging pit, a foolproof recall, buried deterrents, and more exercise. Practical tips from trainer Steve Brooks, CPDT-KA.
Read the guide BehaviorHow to Calm a Dog Who Panics at the Vet
Does your dog panic or piddle on the way to the vet? Use gradual exposure, counter-conditioning, and calming tools to make the clinic a safe, familiar place.
Read the guide BehaviorHow to Calm an Anxious Dog
Thunderstorms, vet visits, doorbells: trainer Steve Brooks shares desensitization steps and calming tools to help an anxious, stressed dog relax.
Read the guide BehaviorHow to Tire Out a High-Energy Dog
Fetch for an hour and your dog still wants more? Mental stimulation beats mileage. Impulse-control games and energy expenders that actually tire dogs out.
Read the guide BehaviorHow to Calm a Dog Spooked by Loud Noises
Thunder, fireworks, jackhammers: why dogs fear loud noises and how massage, desensitization, and counter-conditioning can help, with advice from Steve Brooks.
Read the guide BehaviorHow to Stop Your Dog's Excessive Licking
Why dogs lick people — affection, attention, stress — and how to teach a "kiss and stop" cue that ends the face baths without punishing your dog.
Read the guide BehaviorShould You Rename Your Rescue Dog?
Yes, you can change an adopted dog's name — at any age. Steve Brooks explains how to pick a name dogs respond to and teach it with a click and a treat.
Read the guide PuppiesPlay Etiquette: Puppies and Older Dogs
Puppy nipping at your older dog? Why growling is a warning worth respecting, the body language to watch, and how to teach a young dog proper play manners.
Read the guide PuppiesPuppy Vaccination and Socialization Go Together
Puppies learn best from birth to 16 weeks. Why veterinarians recommend socialization classes starting at 8–9 weeks, after the first round of vaccines.
Read the guide SafetyBeaches, Boats, and Lake Safety for Dogs
Taking your dog to the beach or out on a boat? A certified trainer's checklist: recall first, life jackets, paw protection, algae and riptide hazards, and more.
Read the guide SafetySpring Safety Tips for Dogs
Hikes, dog parks, and dog-friendly cafes: how to keep your dog safe outdoors this spring, from leash skills on the trail to reading dog-park body language.
Read the guide SafetyHow to Teach Your Dog to Swim
Steve Brooks taught his water-shy poodle mix to love swimming in six weeks — without force. Step-by-step positive training for pools, kayaks, and boats.
Read the guide SafetyWater Safety for Dogs
Pools, beaches, and sprinklers: preventing fatigue, water intoxication, and heat stroke in water-loving dogs, plus how to teach a clear pool exit strategy.
Read the guide SafetyA Happy (and Safe) Holiday with Your Dog
Keep your dog from turning the holidays into the howl-i-days: calm greetings, tree and food hazards, and party tips from trainer Steve Brooks, CPDT-KA.
Read the guide SafetyHalloween Safety for Dogs
Ghosts, goblins, and dogs don't mix. How to prepare your dog for Halloween: a safe room, ID tags, costume cautions, and the candy dangers to know.
Read the guide SafetyDog First Aid Kit Checklist
What belongs in your dog's first aid kit, from Vetwrap and Benadryl to poison-control numbers — a veterinarian's checklist worth packing before you need it.
Read the guide Life With DogsBoarding Kennel vs. Pet Sitter: Which Is Better?
Traveling without your dog? How to vet a boarding kennel or in-home pet sitter — the questions to ask, trial visits, and when to just bring the dogs along.
Read the guide Life With DogsDriving in Cars with Canines: Road-Trip Tips
Multi-day road trip with dogs? Packing lists, crash-tested restraints, calming aids for travel stress, safe road food, and potty-break strategy from Steve Brooks.
Read the guide Life With DogsWinter Exercise for Dogs: No Couch Potatoes
Keep your dog fit through the cold months: outdoor workouts like the three-paced walk, plus indoor games — doggie push-ups, nose work, and puzzle toys.
Read the guide Life With DogsExercising With Your Dog
How much exercise does a dog need, and how do you both get it? Weight checks, safety guidelines, and workouts you can do together, from sprints to doggie push-ups.
Read the guide Life With DogsHoliday and Travel Tips for Dog Owners
The complete holiday Q&A: hosting with dogs, dinner-table manners, introducing dogs, flying and driving with your dog, and the seasonal hazards to avoid.
Read the guide Life With DogsTeaching Kids to Get Along with a New Dog
Bringing home a dog with a toddler in the house? Steve Brooks' guidelines for safe introductions, supervision, and modeling dog-human etiquette for children.
Read the guideWritten About Steve
Press features, magazine profiles, and publications that have featured Steve Brooks as a dog training expert.
Top Dog
FeaturedAngeleno Magazine
Full-page profile of Steve Brooks and his reward-based training philosophy, featuring his book Dog Bites and his work with celebrity clients in the Hollywood Hills.
Dutch Article
Dutch Publication
International coverage of Steve Brooks' training methods.
Steve in Dog Fancy 2014
FeaturedDog Fancy Magazine
Steve Brooks featured as an expert trainer in Dog Fancy Magazine.
How to Train Your Dog on a Walk
Pet Press Magazine
Profile highlighting Steve's approach to positive reinforcement training.
Pampered Pets Have Collared the Market
Los Angeles Times
Feature on the growing pet industry including Steve's dog training services.
The Charlotte Observer
The Charlotte Observer
Steve Brooks featured in this North Carolina newspaper.
Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
Steve Brooks featured as a dog training expert.
NovaDog Feature
NovaDog Magazine
Steve Brooks profiled in NovaDog Magazine.
K9 Fusion Article
Modern Dog Magazine
Feature article about Steve and K9 Fusion.
K9 Fusion in the House
K9 Fusion Magazine
Extended feature about Steve's training methods.
Holiday Article
Metro Magazine
Holiday tips and pet advice featuring Steve Brooks.
Antelope Valley Press
Antelope Valley Press
Local newspaper feature on Steve Brooks K9U.
The Attack on the Plush Toys
Animal Wellness Magazine
Understanding your dog's toy destruction behavior.
Can Dogs Understand Words?
Psychology Research
The science behind canine language comprehension featuring Steve.
Silverlake Dog Walk
Local Publication
Community dog walking event featuring Steve Brooks.
Doctor's Big Book of Home Remedies - Dog Section
Rodale Publishing
Steve contributed expert advice on dog health and behavior.
The Pros and Cons of Sleeping with Pets
The Washington Post
Steve interviewed about whether dogs should sleep in your bed.
Recommended Reading
Helpful articles and resources from veterinarians, behaviorists, and other experts that Steve recommends.
How to Calm a Pet Dog Spooked by Loud Noises
WebVet - Erik J. Martin
Expert advice on helping dogs cope with noise phobias including fireworks and thunderstorms.
How To Teach Your Dog To Talk (125 Tricks Book)
Book Excerpt
Extensive guide to teaching your dog tricks and commands.
Dog Biz: Amazing Facts and Anecdotes
Dog Biz Publication
A compendium of amazing facts and anecdotes from the dog world.
Puppy Training Tips
Steve Brooks K9U
Essential tips for training your new puppy.
Puppy Training Tricks
Steve Brooks K9U
Fun tricks to teach your puppy using positive reinforcement.
Steve has been featured in numerous other publications including The Kansas City Star, Fort Worth Star Telegram, and many more. For video appearances, TV segments, and radio interviews, visit our Videos & Media page.