Blog
(Mostly Archived)
Relate your way to canine sports…
At the end of November, I enrolled Rio in an beginners agility class with a friend and colleague and signed Shayne up for a Rally-O class with her as well. I wanted to give them both something to do during the frisbee 'off-season' and I wanted to continue to work on...
read moreNo sleep for the weary!
I had no intention of posting a blog today (hence the late post) but I woke up... inspired.... to post a little tidbit. There are days I wake up completely perplexed about my status in my own house. Let's recap for a moment, very briefly, some aspects of what it's...
read moreTug your way to a retrieve!
"I'd love to play but he never brings it back." "How can do I teach him to retrieve, he'll chase but then that's it." I frequently hear complaints about dogs having no concept of a retrieve. Now, there are TONS of ways to teach a retrieve. Back chaining a take/hold...
read moreA favorite and comical past time…
I am a huge advocate of the saying, "a tired dog is a good dog." I think dogs are often under stimulated and under exercised. These two factors can lead to dogs with any number of negative behaviors. The last few weeks have been really tough for me and the kids. ...
read moreLook MA! No hands!
The latest jargon for many states regarding cell-phone usage is "HANDS FREE ONLY!" Well, I like to take that to working with the dogs by using hands free leashes. I have a normal nylon leash with a plastic clip handle that allows it to be wrapped around my waist--it...
read moreSo you think you want me?
This past weekend I was jamming with the dogs at the park (ie frisbee practice), nothing special, just playing around in the snow. It's not terribly uncommon to draw a crowd of people to watch and occasionally they wait around to pet the pups or talk with me. I've...
read moreA place to unwind while waiting for a furever home…
Today is Blog the Change for Animals, it is a virtual event that happens four times each year. It aims to bring together a passionate community of animal bloggers in support of a wide variety of animal causes. This month I'm going to highlight one of my favorite...
read moreNo drooling at the dinner table
When I was living alone in my studio apartment, I admit it, I let both dogs beg at my feet or on the couch next to me as I ate (I didn't have a table or desk where I could eat). For me, this was not a big deal. They had excellent leave-it cues and would never take...
read moreMost of the time I'm a PEOPLE trainer…
Why "dog trainer" is not the most accurate term for what I do most of the time--a tail of semantics. One of the things that can frustrate some people that take training classes with their dogs is that the "dog trainers" don't spend enough time training their dogs. ...
read moreMs. Serious makes me smile when she lets loose
This is Shayne. She is Ms. Serious. Everything about her is no-nonsense. She likes to play, but even her play is work. She is generally quite stoic and observant. She does not let herself loose to be silly and crazy (unlike Rio who embodies "silly"). This...
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