dog training based on genetics

A Scientific Approach to Dog Training

What may work for one dog might not necessarily work for another. At Dog Behaviorist UT, we tailor the training to the individual dog using our deep understanding of canine behavior and cognition. We teach dog owners how to communicate with their dogs effectively.

A Scientific Approach

At Dog Behaviorist UT, we train dogs using the best scientific principles and the most current understanding of genetics and behavioral development. Nature (genes) and Nurture (upbringing) interact in complex ways to determine how dogs behave. There are genetic differences between breeds and differences in dogs of the same breed. The foundation of our training program is understanding individual differences in temperament and developing a program to address your dog’s unique needs.

About Mark

Mark Deesing is a native Utahn, born in Salt Lake. He began his career as a dog and horse trainer in the late 1970s, then moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, in 1993 to begin work for Dr. Temple Grandin at Colorado State University. Together, they wrote three books and published several peer-reviewed journal articles on animal behavior. Their book “Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals” is the leading textbook in the field and is now in its third edition. In the second edition (pictured here), Mark co-authored and co-edited with Dr.Grandin and interacted on the book with the top experts in the field. This information led Mark to develop a comprehensive dog training philosophy for raising well-adjusted young dogs or correcting problems and bad habits in older dogs.
Mark Deesing and Dr. Temple Grandin

What in the Whorl?

Research done by Lisa Tomkins at the University of Sydney found that, statistically, right-pawed dogs with a counterclockwise whorl on their chest had twice the

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