Often when we look at or make plans for behavior modification with our dogs the focus is on management and gradual exposure to stressors that allow the dog to practice alternate coping skills below threshold working to change the dog’s…
Buy In
Last night I taught an agility workshop, kicking off the start of agility lessons here. It was a nice small group of competitors preparing for this weekend’s trial. I had a lovely time with them all and we had good…
Rehearsal
Practice: verb perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one’s proficiency. carry out or perform (a particular activity, method, or custom) habitually or regularly. When was the last time you…
How to Be Bored
Often times life for dogs involves a fair amount of “hurry up and wait.” Waiting for meals to get prepared, walks to happen, car rides to end, owners to return home, balls to be thrown, for neighbors to stop chatting…
What Does Your Leash Cue?
What does your leash cue to your dog? Have you ever thought about it? Or noticed? Does it depend on which leash, what environment? Dogs have an amazing ability to learn environmental cues. The leash will often trigger a reliable…
Listen for Stillness
This is starting to look like the season of stays. With stay instruction and training working its way into many lessons. Stays are an integral foundation behavior and a part of nearly all performance sports. And the bare bones basics…
Freestyle Shaping
Materials: 1 kitchen chair 1 bored corgi in need of entertainment Handful of dog kibble or small treats 1 tired human 1 comfortable sitting place for tired human preferably warm and with cozy blankets Goal: entertain corgi in silliness and…
Contact Obstacles: More Than the End Zone
This spring I’m working with a number of agility teams specifically on contact obstacles. Some of the teams are with young dogs that the handlers want to set a solid foundation for contacts on, some are dogs who are nervous,…
Thank goodness for Premack
A favorite dog of mine, Rose, who belongs to a good friend has been ill for the past couple of months. Steadily going downhill. Thursday my friend learned Rose’s symptoms were due to cancer. It beyond sucks. Rose is a…
Training Dog Agility when Visually Impaired
On average I have 6-10 degrees of functional vision. In certain lighting conditions I have less. With my glasses on I have 20/20 central vision. In doing dog agility, or training dogs, I have to make some modifications. And often…