The other day during a lesson with a long time client who has a new puppy she asked me, so when do we start teaching The Basics and how long will they take? I looked at her blankly. The Basics?…
Learning Styles
What’s your dog’s learning style? What’s yours? Do you ever think about those factors before taking a class or training your dog? I’ve learned over the years, many people don’t. I used to ask each and every one of my…
Leashes in the House
Recently a number of folks I know have gotten puppies. And they’ve all asked my advice about house training, and keeping their pup out of trouble and such. And for all of them, as I recommend to anyone who asks…
2 Steps Forward, 3 Steps Back
I’ve been mulling over this since the news of Delta Airlines new service dog policy broke. Reading people’s comments, organizations responses. Thinking. Saddened. Frustrated. Really. On Sunday, when getting my husband an ice cream in a shop we’d never before…
2017 in Review & Here's to 2018
2017 was rather an eventful year for us. Dogs – In agility, Zora and I had a smoking year. I’m still in a bit of shock when I remember we won at NADAC Championships. I never in a million years…
Reminisce & Surprise in Dog Obedience
As I think I’ve mentioned before I grew up in dog sports. While other kids joined cross country or field hockey teams, did ballet classes or gymnastics, I joined a dog agility club and a 4-H group. My parents, when…
Training multiple skills
Yesterday at a training gathering we attended someone asked me, “Do you train more than one thing at a time?” And then the follow up, “How?” As it’s a question I would get from nearly every student I’ve come to…
Defining House Broken
Over the years I’ve worked with many many clients on toileting concerns. Many with puppies, and many with adult dogs. Some who have been toileting in undesired places for years, some that just began the behavior. Absolutely there is the…
Power of Positive Reinforcement
This is a story about my husband, W. He’s a quiet, introverted soul, with a wicked sense of humor and a tendency to perfectionism. 3 years ago he was laid off from a job with a company he’d been with…
Unobtrusive
Last night hubby and I went out for my belated birthday dinner. I’ve been sick with a bad cold for over a week and last week I was in no shape to be going out. But last night the lure…