This Week's Behaviors

Last Week
Level 1: Nose touch, Recall, Walk on Leash
Level 2: Practice

This Week
Level 1: Leave it / Don't touch, Sit-Stay for Greeting, Focus, Focus, Focus
Level 2: Paw touch, Stand Still

Next Week's Behaviors:

Last Week
Level 1: Down, Wait at the Door, Relax for Veterinary Exams
Level 2: Give/Drop, Fetch

This Week
Level 1: Nose touch, Recall, Walk on Leash
Level 2: Paw touch, Stand Still

Homework
Level 1: Practice down in a variety of environments, change the amount of time they must stay down, and what's going on around them at the time frequently.  Generalize wait at the door to getting in and out of the car.  Practice handling your dog's ears, mouth, tail, and feet.
Level 2: Practice having your dog hold a ball/toy in his/her mouth until you touch it with your hand.

Class Schedules

Remember that I'll be posting next week's behaviors to be worked on here so you can decide if that's a class you'd like to attend (or need to attend).

Last week

Level 1: Attention and Sit

Level 2: On Your Spot

This week

Level 1: Down, Wait at the Door, Relax for Veterinary Exams

Level 2: Give, Drop, Fetch

Remember to let us know if you'll be missing class!

January is National Train Your Dog Month!

We are encouraging dog owners to commit at least 10 minutes a day to formal training with their pet by coming in and putting their name and their dogs name on one of our paw prints to hang on the wall.  On January 31st we'll enter all participants into a drawing for some great prizes including a couple of free classes, so there's some extra incentive for you!  Of course we recognize that training is happening all the time (even when you don't want it to be) but this commitment is for teaching your dog something new, or working on something that you need to work on, devoting a full 10 minutes a day just to your dog.  It might sound difficult, but if your dog is eating  two meals a day just plan on spending 5 minutes at the start of each meal time, maybe it's not as difficult as you thought.

 

Remember Your Dog is a DOG!

Here is a great article by a great trainer reminding us that what we sometimes think of as "normal" for dogs isn't really so normal.  Check it out and let us know, are you a "normal" dog owner?

The Myth of "Normal" Dogs

Schedule Change

Due to class enrollment numbers we're changing the class schedule a little.  From now on Level 1 will have class at 10:00am and Puppies over 12 weeks will have class at 9:00am.  Please contact us if you have any questions, see you all on Saturday!

Great Resource

Dr. Sophia Yin is a well respected veterinarian and behaviorist and for the next two weeks several chapters of her latest book are available for reading online for free.  I would really encourage you to check it out and read a couple of chapters if you have the time, it will give you some great information and potentially help your relationship with your dog.

Click on the ling below to read the available chapters.

Low Stress Handling Book