By Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton, Esq./Mediator
Hamilton Law and Mediation, PLLC

On January 29th 2016, in Commerce City, Colorado, dog owner Gary Branson and the city of Commerce City reached a settlement that enabled the parties to avoid an emotional and expensive trial. Mr. Branson’s attorney, Jay Swearingen, filed a lawsuit against Commerce City in federal civil court requesting compensation for seized property under the 4th amendment in the death of Branson’s beloved dog, Chloe. It is the largest settlement, at $262,500.00, to be paid in a lawsuit of this kind in the United States.

The facts as reported in local newspapers and TV are…

What a beautiful day!

We have been looking at available spaces for our training center. We have narrowed it down to just a few spots. We are looking forward to sharing some great news soon. Our plan is to have a New Class Schedule for all of you next week. In the meantime, we are always seeing families privately for behavior modification challenges and we are continuing our Puppy Next Step classes and Family Dog 1 classes out in the beautiful, cool, sunny mornings in area parks. Please call us if that fits your needs, 303-238-DOGS(3647).

Thank you to everyone for…

Physical exercise is necessary and healthy for all dogs. However, there are a few common problems we see in client’s dogs who are not exercised properly. Today we’ll discuss one of the biggest problems, overarousal due to exercise, and the myth that you should exercise “crazy” dogs more.

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The Association of Pet Dog Trainer’s annual campaign in January, “National Train Your Dog Month,” promotes the benefits of positive training and socialization for all pets.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of pets are turned into animal shelters because their owners couldn’t find a reliable resource to help them with their pets’ behavior problems. The APDT has designated the month of January as National Train Your Dog Month to bring awareness to the importance of socialization and training for all pets! January was selected as the perfect month because so many animals are adopted and brought home…

Found at FriendsOfAnimals.org - written by Joan Lownds

The disturbing headline consumed the front page of the March 15, 2005, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Parents in Abuse Case Get Prison; They Used Shock Collar; Hot Iron.” The story below it detailed the unthinkable. A Wisconsin couple routinely shocked their 17-year-old daughter with a dog’s electric “training” collar and burned her with a hot iron. At the trial, Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General Tom Fallon described both tools as “instruments of torture.”

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I know my dog needs exercise but how much? And how do I provide this with the winter weather right around the corner? My dog is making me crazy! High-energy dogs need a rigorous exercise structured training routine. We cannot expect a high-energy Jack Russell, or a young Pit-Bull, or an adolescent Border Collie to live happily in a sedentary lifestyle. Dogs, as a whole, are social creatures. They need power walks as well as social, dog-to-dog, times and times to sniff and play. This may also be supplemented by daily wrestle mania sessions with other dogs in the…