Oh Behave!

I’ve been off the web for a little while. As much as I love blogging about dogs and dog training, major taxing life events have interrupted. Now that I have a little more time on my hands, writing feels like a task I’m not quite prepared for. The ideas don’t flow like they used to when I was blogging regularly. Sentences feel awkward and strained. The words on the screen don’t seem to fully capture what I want to say. . . I’m rusty.

You may be wondering what any of this has to do with dog training. Good question. Continue Reading

I should have known better.

Yesterday was Vinnie’s and my first public freestyle performance. We danced in a group routine at a dog festival in a park, with a large audience of dogs and their people, including my husband a.k.a, Vinnie’s “Papa.” (Very corny, I know. But c’mon, I have a hunch you’ve dished up some corny talk to your dog.)

Back to the festival. As soon as we arrived, a little voice in my head said, Uh oh. Vinnie was very excited. He wanted to play off-leash with other dogs, to inhale the scent of grilling meat wafting about and hunt for dropped tidbits. He saw kids playing soccer and wanted to nab their ball. And he was hell-bent on keeping his group – me, him and his Papa – together. Rounding us up is something my dear Kelpie mix has always done, and more intently in new environments. Continue Reading

Have you ever wondered just how far you could take your dog with positive reinforcement training? Can a clicker and some treats really teach your dog anything more interesting than sits, stays and downs?

The answer is a resounding yes. A clicker and some treats can take your dog further than you may have realized. In addition to the typical line-up of class offerings – puppy kindergarten, puppy intermediate, adolescent manners, basic manners – there’s a tantalizing selection of positive training classes, some all about having fun and some more serious. Continue Reading