Merry Christmas and Class Announcements

Merry Christmas to All!

I hope all of you have an enjoyable holiday season and a Happy New Year.

Class Announcements:

Monday evening classes were not held on December 21st. If you are in that class and not planning to return to the next session please be aware that you are welcome to return for one more class on Monday January 4th.

Drop In Handling on Monday evenings will now be by "Reservation Only". Due to a fluctuating number of participants I am going to try a reservation system for the Drop-In Handling class. Class will only be held that evening if you have reserved your spot in advance by calling me or by emailing me By 5:00 pm on Mondays (reservations can be made anytime the week before as well) 717-203-0033 wescotdobe@hotmail.com If you call/email on the day of the class please be aware that I will not have time to reply. Simply leave your name and phone number (Be certain emails include Phone numbers) and confirmation that you will be attending that evening. As long as we have at least 3 people class will be held. If less than 3 people have made reservations for that evening the class will be cancelled. Participation in the drop-in class without a reservation is not guarunteed. If you make a reservation and later learn you will be late or need to cancel that reservation please Call me @ 203-0033 as I do not check email after 5 pm.

*No-shows will be billed for the missed class.

*If the drop in handling class is cancelled for an evening, you are welcome to schedule a private handling session during that time slot. Cost of a private Handling lesson is $25/half hour.

The Controlled Canines Class is to resume after the Holidays. However I have been informed that the building will not be available Thursday evenings @ 6:45 due to a scheduling conflict. If you were in the Controlled Canines class and had planned to attend the next session, please contact me with your availability. I'd like to reschedule this class for Monday evenings @ 6 pm. If that doesn't work for the majority of the class I will need to explore other options or delay the start of the session for a few weeks. Please contact me and let me know if Mondays @ 6 pm would work for you.

Rally Obedience has moved to 4 pm Mondays for the winter session. If you are gearing up to enter your dog in Rally Obedience this spring, or if a daytime class appeals to you we are currently accepting new students for this class. The new session will begin Monday January 11th @ 4pm.

The Thursday evening Combined Competitive Obedience Class will continue however our start time will be pushed back to it's original start time of 7:45. Class will run till 8:30.

Treat yourself to a Christmas gift!



Or a new clicker...




See you Next Year~!

4 Week Handling Class is on the Schedule!

The Four week long, Scheduled Handling class has been scheduled. It will be held Thursday evenings, @ 8:30 beginning December 10th. Although we've reached the minimum sign up needed to hold the class, there are still a few spots remaining. If you'd like to join us, please email me @ wescotdobe@hotmail.com

This class is for young dogs and/or beginnner handlers. We will work on the training of the dog, and polishing of the handlers skills. The current roster is a good mix of beginner handlers and a few experienced ones with young dogs.

Is there more to a clicker than just the sound?

I recently participated in a month long study of Karen Pryors newest book Reaching The Animal Mind. One of the things the book answered for me was "WHY" is the dog more responsive to the mechanical "click" than to a spoken word. I knew it was, I have seen it time and time again amongst the dogs in class who's owners use a mechanical click vs those who use a word paired with the reinforcer. The dogs with the mechanical clicks learn faster and work differently...more "sharply" and possibly with a bit more focus. But I couldn't explain the "why's" beyond the possibility that perhaps the owners timing was simply off. (it has been proven that the timing of the click Is faster than the timing of a spoken word)

This book discusses the Amygdale, the small area of the brain that is a common factor in all animals right down to the smallest/simplest of creatures. While I'm not a believer the evolution theory, I do believe all living beings follow a similar "blueprint". The book explained that a part of this blueprint is the inclusion of the Amygdale even in living creatures who's brain is fairly simple. Apparently the mechanical sound, triggers a response deep down in the brain (at the Amygdalia) which has a fast, lasting effect on the animal.

Here is an explaination, in Karen Pryors words, that I hope will also help explain the speed and enthusiasm that develops in the Clicker trained dog.

All animals, right down to crabs and fish, anything with a nervous system, pickup on the importance of the message in conditioned reinforcers, because of the way they work in the brain. That click, properly used, goes through theamydgala, creates chemical changes, neural changes, memory, AND a feeling ofexcitement that stays with the learner, no matter what the species. Moderntraining, using a marker, taps into a very old system that we normally only reach when we frighten the animal—and then it's a completely different kind of message, going through another part of the amygdale and creating chemicalchanges, memory, and a feeling—a bad feeling, never quite forgotten. - K. Pryor, as written to DogRead 2009

More Inspiration....

I'll keep this brief...Life is what you make it. Think you may some day be too old to train/compete or too slow physically? Check this youtube video out. The handlers age and physical limitations are of interest, as is the fact that she is working with a high energy, intellige3nt breed. But the routine is truly enjoyable regardless of dog or handler! Wow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgM0jXi7HaA&feature=related

Nursing homes and rehab centers should consider this type of Physical Therapy!

The proof is in the pudding or Proofing with Pudding!

The proof is in the pudding, is a lead in to announcing several brags achieved by my students recently. Congratulations to the following:

Bob and Storm - completion of their Rally Novice title with two 3rd places at the Rottweiler Nationals! (and their success in conformation as well)

Holly and Aspen - completion of their Rally Novice title at the Rottweiler Nationals.

Pat and Coach - completion of their Rally Advanced title at the Rottweiler Nationals (and the success of Pats puppy in conformation)

Steph and her Cardigan Corgi with their Winners bitch/Best of Winners placement at the Philadelphia Kennel Club Show. (National Dog Show)

Joanne and Miija - on the completion of their CDX with three 1st places!

Congratulations to all, I am proud of what you and your dog have accomplished and I know it is only the beginning of many more accomplishments! Don't forget to email me with your dogs Registered name and titles for my "Brag" page on the Beyond Basic's website!


And now for the Proofing with Pudding part of this post! As you all know, I've been drilling the idea of proofing in recent weeks. As we move into the busy holiday season, I wanted to remind you that training is not necessarily about setting aside an hour every day. Dogs learn just as well (if not better) in several short sessions throughout the day/week. They can even learn if you just work with them a few times a week. For my behavioral students reading this blog, your dogs learning and achieving is directly related to incorportating the techniques you are learning into your everday interactions with your dog. These should become an automatic rather than something worked seperately in a "training session.

For those of you ready to raise the bar on your dogs performance, I have some additional proofing suggestions for you that take advantage of the upcoming season as well as some suggestions perhaps not given before.

Visual Distractions:
gift wrapped boxes
gift wrapping crunched into balls
Ribbons/bows
Stuffed Animals
Remote Control or wind up toys
Visitors/Guests
left overs (only dog friendly ones) *if you aren't sure your dog is reliable, start with food placed in a plastic container with holes poked in the lid. This works best with food that has a strong odor!
Cookies
Blinking Christmas decorations

Audible Distractions:
Doorbell
Doorknocking *if needed, pay a child to stand outside for 5 min. with a clock and have them knock or ring the doorbell at agreed upon intervals.
Music (loud)
Clapping (again hire the kids!)
Laughter
Visitors/Guests

Olfactor Distractions:
Garbage bag
Amonia (on a cotton ball, or rubbed on ground)
Cinnamin, Garlic, Vanilla, Peppermint, Basil...sprinkled on floor, rubbed on ground, etc.
Horse/Cow manure (let me know if you'd like a baggy!)
Perfumes
Pine branches
Cleaning agents
Animal fur (again if you'd like some I can provide horse or rabbit fur)
Dog parks (contain more than one distraction! Be aware some of Lancasters dog parks require dogs to be spayed/neutered and don't allow toys/treats...which makes them poor choices for training)
Visitors/Guests (no offense intended!)


Happy Training! And remember to keep the Turkey Carcass safe from your dog...as even the best trained dogs can make mistakes!

New Classes Filling Now!

We have interest in a 4 week Scheduled handling class. This class will be held Monday evening @ 6:00 pm (or possibly Thursday evening @ 8:30 pm). If you would like to join this class, email me @ wescotdobe@hotmail.com We currently have two students on the list, and need 3 more to hold the class. This class will begin on December 7th (or Thursday Dec. 3rd).

The Control Class level 1 is being post poned till January. It will begin Monday January 4th. If you are interested in this class, please contact me to be added to the waiting list!

The Control Class level 2 will begin in January. Night/time TBA. (hopefully we can continue on Thursdays @ 6:45)

CONTROL CLASS

I want to thank Shawn for providing a what I think will be a great resource to those of you in my Control Class! Click here for the audio tape from our week two class. You can rewind and fast forward as needed to review any portion of the class as you work with your dog at home!

http://www.realhopefellowship.org/beyondbasics/

BTW...who's dog was barking so obnoxiously 1/4 of the way through the class? ;-) My apologies class, that was an unavoidable distraction that I will do my best to AVOID this week!

Also a quick note to those in the current Control Class and to those wishing they were in the current Control Class! I will be adding a new Control Class to Monday's schedule at 6:00 pm, beginning on December 7th. This will be a level one class for those new to the program. We need 4 students in order to hold this class. I will also be adding a Control Level 2 Class to the schedule. Watch the Blog and Website for the starting date of Control Level 2.

Happy Halloween!

Just had to share some Halloween pictures! No trick or treating for my dogs or kids...I'm still nursing an illness. I think it's just a cold, but trying to be careful in case it isn't. Anyhow the first is one of my Thursday night students whom I sadly missed last night while home nursing this illness. The second, none other than Fire showing his true demon colors!

Control Class Week 1

Our Control class is off to a great start! I have decided to experiment with posting a review of each weeks lesson along with helpful tips here on the blog rather than emailing everyone. (Class: Sorry for the last minute change in plans.)

In our first week we covered helping our dogs to relax. Remember to aim for a meditative type relaxation in this situation. Breathing deeply, long strokes rather than rubbing/patting, and maintaining a relaxed body position. It's important to have your dog in the right frame of mind before training/work/competitions and this is one of the three ways we discussed on how to achieve that. It's all about connecting with your dog and in this step you are doing so in a manner that relaxes rather than excites. (Does anyone remember the other two?)

We also began the first of many exercises to help teach the dogs impulse control. Step 1 is the Zen exercise. Important parts of Zen are letting the dog make the choice (No reminders/cues/commands), and making sure to reward only when the dogs muzzle moves away from the food. If the dog reaches for the food when you attempt to reward, do not give it. The dog must not reach for the food! I'm anxious to see who has progressed to level two this week! (My dog and I have NOT!)

This class covers alot of information in a very short amount of time. On week two I'd like you to come to class and practice relaxing your dog outside of the ring before the start of class. Do not enter the ring until your dog is in the right (relaxed) frame of mind! I don't care if it takes you 10 seconds or 10 minutes! :-) Feel free to arrive to class a few minutes early. The building will be open. Don't forget to bring a mat, blanket, towel, or dog bed. It doesn't need to be elaborate! A square of carpet will work quite well. This week we will cover four basic concepts and exercises: Behavior Shaping with a marker, A Spot Command, and the next step towards Impulse Control!

See you Thursday!

Setting Goals - Show Cluster to consider

I've been encouraging students to set goals, long term and short term! With this in mind, I searched the show calendar for winter shows. I personally enjoy local shows and shows where there is a chance to achieve a title in one weekend. Therefore the best weekend I see that is local, and contains multiple trials is the Celtic Cluster in March, held at the York Fairgrounds. Beginning March 18th, this cluster boosts Rally, Obedience, and Conformation. This cluster begins Thursday March 18th and ends Sunday March 21st (conformation only).

There will be three chances to get a rally leg. Thursdays (Lancaster Kennel Club) Rally judges are: RN A, RN B, RADV A and RAXA Mrs Louise Botko. Rally AdvB and XB is Ed Whitney. Fridays' (York Kennel Club) judging panel has not been revealed. Saturdays (Deleware County Kennel Club) Rally judge is Miss Bonnie Lee.

The Lancaster Kennel Club is also offering Non regular classes including Graduate Novice and Versatility! Bonnie Lee is judging those classes on Thursday, along with also judging the above listed Rally classes and Open A and B. Ed Whitney is judging Utility. Novice A and B judge is Robt. Squires.

Judges for Obedience on Friday and Saturday have not yet been announced.

Assuming Obedience and Rally are held in the same building this year as last year, it is a pleasant, reasonably quiet (obedience only) room. There is room for chairs although it does get a little crowded around the Rally and Novice rings. Food is served in this building and parking is close to the building.

You have 5 mos. to train, 5 mos. to acrue sick days or plan vacation days from work, 4 mos. to save money for entries and travel...see you there!!!!!

Superintendent: Jim Rau Dog Shows, Ltd.P O Box 6898Readinig PA 19610 PHONE: (610) 376-1880 FAX:(610) 376-4939http://www.raudogshows.com

Thursday Evening 7:30 Class

Just a reminder to all Thursday night Competitive Obedience Students, class this week (Oct. 21st) will not be held due to the absence of most students in this class. Good luck at the Rottweiler Nationals Holly, Bob, Deb, and Pat!!!

The Controlled Canines class will be held @ 6:45! There is still room in this class if anyone would like to join in. In addition to being a great class for high energy/hyperactive dogs, and dogs with impulse control issues, this is also a suitable class for anyone who wants to improve their dogs attention/focus and ability to ignore distractions!

Finally, in case you missed it...please note in the comment section from the last post (Inspirational Videos). We have a link in the comments to a new video that is sure to inspire! Congratulations LuAnn and Edison on their first Rally Novice leg with a first place win in Rally Novice B and second place High in Trial! W

Standard of Perfection - Inspirational Videos

I recently was participating in a discussion regarding obedience training. Without getting into the actual discussion here, I made a comment that "it all depends on ones standard of perfection". What picture do you have in your head of the Ideal you are striving to achieve. You may watch a 200 score performance and think "my dog could never do that", or you could be thinking "someday I'd like to achieve that". Others may watch a 175 score performance and be quite content seeing that level of performance as their goal. Although I always say it's as easy to train for 200's as it is for 175's please note that Training used in this manner means teaching the behavior. Not the hours of training and levels of proofing to assure a 200. And despite being able to train for a 200 not all of us want to wait till our dog and we are ready for that 200.

Just the same, I think if I asked many of my competitive students what compelled them to get into competive performance sports many would tell me it was from watching a certain dog and handler at an event. A few may say it was the thrill of seeing their dog glide through the moves with energy and enjoyment. Either way, they saw a "standard of perfection" that they wanted to see again. However nowadays some savvy dog owners are coming to performance training because they have an intelligent (and possibly energetic) dog who needs a "job" . Or they have heard that training and canine performance activities are good activities for both person and dog in the terms of physical activity, stress reduction, and enjoyment. It is for those owners, and others who have long since forgotten their original Standard of Perfection that I am listing these videos for you to watch! I hope you find them to be Inspiring!

Here's an ESS. Note: this is at a match show, so corrections may be seen!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81VgtDEg3xk

A Brussels Griffon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3vgjEYVafw

Schutzhund Style Heeling but well done video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s145-TjOffA&feature=related

Fun! A Great Dane Drill Team!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50UFAkq_Gho

Here you go...not a 200 but I love this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk7PzQlfowc

Mixed Breeds Welcome!

Calling all owners of Mixed breeds who enjoy training and other activities with their dogs: Did you know that your dog is now eligible for AKC Performance events? Visit http://www.akc.org/mixedbreeds/ for more information.

Although I feel strongly about the promotion of purebred dogs and think there is nothing better than a carefully bred/raised purebred puppy; I also know from experience that there are some intelligent, eager mixed breeds who'd love to strut their stuff in the performance rings! Although mixed breeds have been welcome in other performance venues for a number of years (Ambor, ASCA, and I believe UKC) the AKC performance rings are still among the most prevelant/accessible. With the AKC creating a program that allows mixed breeds it means that most mixed breed owners in our area now have lots of opportunities to participate with their dogs in Obedience, Rally Obedience, and Agility (as well as tracking and other activities). My first two obedience trained dogs were mixed breeds. (the second I trained at the age of 11 with Kaye ...anyone who knows my age now knows that this was many years ago! LOL) I remember watching the purebred dogs owned by the training instructors and hearing a little about the activities they did. I wanted to get involved but didn't know how. I'm sure since my dog was a mixed breed and this was just a basic obedience class...no one thought to discuss it with me. I was a determined child, but not outgoing (believe it or not) so pursuing the idea was something that wouldn't happen till I was an adult. Needless to say I am Excited to see what opening doors to mixed breeds might do for people and their dogs in terms of having fun in performance events! The next top handler might just be a young 11 y/o who thinks she can't go to dog shows because she has a mixed breed dog. And now she can!

Has your dog tried a Kibble Nibble yet?

Do you have a high energy, working minded, or highly intelligent dog who drives you crazy if he doesn't get enough work on a regular basis? Or how about a couch potato who needs a bit more movement in his life? The Kibble Nibble is a relatively new product on the market that works well for both types of dogs. I have been recommended food toys to owners of active, high energy, intelligent dogs for a long time now as a way to give their dog an additional challenge (IE: "work") in the course of every day life.
Similar to Buster Cubes and stuffed Kongs, the Kibble Nibble is a food based toy. It rolls well, has rubber "bumpers" to protect furniture, and a delivery system that is simple and yet effective for most levels of dogs, and unlike it's predecessor's it's very easy to clean.
I recommend using the Kibble Nibble as an alternate way of feeding your dog it's breakfast or dinner. Using it as a feeding method helps to slow down your dogs eating, and occupy your dogs mind by making it "work" for it's food. I have used the Kibble Nibble puppies ages 3 mos. and up, as well as adults. My Siberian, Doberman, and Border Collies have all used it. Fire used to eat his meals regularly from a Kibble Nibble rather than a bowl. I have found that it can hold nearly three cups of the dog food I feed, and takes 15 min - 45 min. for my dogs to work every piece out of it. And work every piece out they do! Unlike some of the other food delivery toys, I have not found a piece of food left behind.
So if your dog could use a little more exercise or mental challenges, try switching from the bowl to the Kibble Nibble!



*Kibble Nibbles are a part of the Busy Buddy line of dog toys distributed by Premier Pet Products. Woof 'N Tails Pet Supplies, located beside Kaye Ames School for Dogs carries them if you are looking to purchase one.

It's a Doggy Weekend-Places to go!

If you are looking for a place to socialize your dog or get out and practice in a distracting environment...there are several opportunities this weekend!

This Saturday, 11-3 is the Mutt Mixer dog event and flea market at Stumpf Field in Lancaster. This event benefits the Furry Friends Network. I have never attended this event before, so I don't know what to expect. But it looks like there are contests/events for fun, and certainly to be lots of dogs!

Also on Satuday in Bel Air, MD is a UKC conformation/obedience/rallyO Trial. In order to enter, your dog needs to be UKC registered, or have a Temporary Listing Number which can be acquired online today.

Sunday in Lancaster is the Humane Leagues Tail Waggers Trot. Again, my apologies but this is not an event I normally attend and I can't give further insight except that again there are sure to be distractions and other dogs! LOL It starts at Clipper Stadium and ends at Buchannon Park.

Also on Sunday in Bel Air, MD is another UKC conformation/obedience/rallyO trial. The link to the UKC website can be found at Beyond Basics on the links page.

CALLING ALL OUT OF CONTROL CANINES!

Does your dog have difficulty keeping four paws on the floor? Does he bark exciteably, run laps around the house, steal food, jump on people, and is seemingly unable to relax?

The Controlled Canine Class will provide you with the knowledge and teach you the techniques needed to teach your dog self control even in exciteable situations! Prerequisites for this class include the completion of a basic training session (at any facility), referral by Wendy or Kaye, or completion of at least one behaviour counseling session/private lesson. If you and your dog have not completed one of these prerequisites, contact Wendy for a suitability evaluation.

This class will begin Thursday October 22nd at 6:45 and will last for 6 weeks. Class cost is $88.

*Space available for 8 students. Register now to reserve your spot!

Show and Go - Red Lion, PA Saturday Oct. 17th!

This was sent to me recently. Another oportunity to practice and proof. Nice building, two rings and adequate seating area...

Show and Go's are a great way to test your dog before spending the big fees for an entry! They are also a great opportunity to "train" your dog in a new setting to help assure your dog will be reliable when you finally enter a trial. And unlike AKC approved match shows, Show and Go's usually allow training tools to be used. :-)

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Show and go at Papillonia Dog Training Academy on Oct 17 (sat) beginning at 9 Am. Open and Utility first then Novice in the first available ring. Fee--$7 a run. Please let Jill Whorl know if you can help steward or judge. Her number is (717) 668-8379 and her email is JRWhorl@aol.com. Judges run for free as do stewards. We really need your help to keep these show and goes happening. Check the web site for directions www.Papillonia.com. Hope you can come! Jeannine and Keith Rash

UKC Shows

This past weekend Fire and I attended three United Kennel Club Shows in Carlisle PA. This was my first experience with the UKC. In the past I have had a few students earn UKC obedience titles, and so I have studied their obedience classes and rule/regulations. I always found their obedience program interesting and appealing but because of the lack of trials in the area, and my involvement with AKC shows I never found the time to venture into the UKC Obedience ring. As for UKC conformation, well I had an opinion there that shall not see print at this point in time. But in short, having known one of the first UKC Champions of a particular breed, a dog which IMO was a poor specimin of the breed...I didn't think too highly of their conformation program. More recently however, I've been encountering UKC shows more frequently. Several UKC shows are held during the year, at a horse show grounds I frequent. So I recently explored the UKC website to learn more, and found the four shows listed for Carlisle PA. Fire needs experience with other people touching him. Between his broken leg as a puppy and impaling himself this summer, he was starting to not trust strangers to touch him anywhere other than his head. I prefer to not combine exam acceptance with the obedience stand-stay when I have a problem dog and so felt getting him out to some match shows in conformation would be the way to go. I can feed, help, and support as needed. But match shows are few and far between these days. So when I stumbled across the Carlisle show, I thought "why not". Entry fees at UKC shows are reasonable and there are usually generous discounts for multiple entries of the same dog and/or pre-entries. I also LOVE that you can enter the day of the show at many events. Perfect for me, as with my family of five there are many times when I find myself needing to skip a show due to schedule conflicts.

At the UKC show, I found most of what I'd heard to be true, and some of what I suspected to not be true. The show was laid back, almost too laid back! (Hurry up and Wait!) But it was a beautiful day and a great chance to lounge in my chair with nothing to do. Friendly is definitely a way to describe UKC shows. I was greeted by almost every exhibitor I passed in the morning. I felt comfortable approaching various people to ask questions and all were willing to assist. I obseverved most of the judges being friendly and patient. The dogs were friendly, and clapping and congratulations was heard frequently. Unfortunately these shows cancelled their obedience trial for some reason, so I didn't get to observe the obedience rings. But if they are as accommodating as the breed rings (usually obedience is More accommodating) they too must be a pleasant place to exhibit.

Although I have no plans to leave the AKC behind, it is still the "cream of the crop" IMO and I love the competitiveness encountered there in some breeds. If I want an accurate opinion of my dog, I'm going to enter under knowledgeable AKC judges. But UKC shows may see more of me in the future! I find it to be a great training grounds for a puppy, more relaxing than other show venues, and very accommodating with the low fees and day of show entries.

If you'd like to try UKC showing, you can visit their website at www.ukcdogs.com Your dog has to be UKC registered, but they will register purebred dogs who are already registered with another upstanding registry (AKC, Canadian Kennel Club, etc). And they do have listing privileges for spayed/neutered dogs who are not otherwise registered. You also don't have to wait to register your dog prior to entering a show, they have a temporary listing number you can acquire over the phone or Internet which allows you to show your dog prior to receiving it's UKC registration. If you need help or have any questions, drop me an email! wescotdobe@hotmail.com

Show and Go this Saturday September 19th

Jeanine Rash at Papillonia Dog Training Academy is offering a Show and Go this Saturday.

It's a great facility, fully matted, climate controlled, and friendly. Here are the details if you are interested in attending!

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Show and Go at Papillonia Dog Training Academy this Saturday Sept 19 at 9 AM. Open and Utility first--Novice in the first available ring. Lunch is available. $7 a run.

We desperately need judges and stewards so PLEASE if you want to continue having show and goes here you must volunteer. Call Jill Whorl at (717) 668-8379 or email her at JRWhorl@aol.com ASAP. Judges get their runs free and people who steward most of the day get a run free.

Please feel free to crost post! www.Papillonia.com has directions on it.

No Class Labor Day Monday!

There will be no classes held this evening, Monday September 7th.

Monday classes will resume on Monday, Sept. 14th at the normal schedule times. The Monday night session will be extended by one week to make up for today.

My apologies for the late notice.

Stepping into the ring and leaving the food behind

I often hear the comment "But you can't take food in the ring", or I find a student preparing for a trial by suddenly moving to "show mode" (no food, no toys, no corrections, etc) days before the event. I've struggled to explain how to move towards the show without the dogs behavior declining. It seems to me that people think in black and white. A trial is coming up and the handler wants to get ready for it. In doing so the handler either panics and really stresses the weak areas of a dog performance while working the dog, or starts treating the dog like they are in the show ring a day or more before the trial. I've tried explaining how to keep the dog from knowing that you won't use food in the ring. A savvy handler learns to use food, toys, and play interchangeably. The experienced handler knows how to utilize training aids in such a way that they are a reinforcement that magically appears rather than a lure/bribe to entice the desired behavior. I've told my students that my dogs think I'm a cookie dispenser able to produce treats from the sky (and my hand, pocket, mouth, etc)! I've also explained to use food right up till the minute before you step in the ring.
In catching up on some reading today, I came across a quote from Patty Ruzzo (a highly successful obedience competitor who used positive food based training) that really stuck in my head and I wanted to share it with all of you. Patty, who was frequently asked how to work away from food in preparation for a trial, stated this "If you knew a famine was coming, would you starve your children to prepare them for it?" Neither should the dog trainer "starve" their dogs prior to a trial, be it with an absence of treats, toys, or corrections!
Remember in preparing for a trial, keep "show mode" to a very small percentage of your overall practice and never right before you go into the ring. Instead, try Upping the level of reinforcement and see what happens! This relates to proofing as well. I've said this before, but I think it bears repeating. When facing a particularly challenging distraction up the level of reinforcement in terms of both quality and quantity! Feed for instant focus. Feed for 1 second of focus, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, etc. This method has a name. Ask me about it in class this week!

Upcoming Match Shows!

SUNDAY SEPT. 6th- Conformation Match

This coming Sunday, September 6th is the Lancaster Kennel Clubs match show. This is a conformation match only (no obedience or rally). However if you have an obedience or rally dog, attending the match as a spectator is a great way to get your dog used to a show environment. You can always practice on the sidelines while watching!

Sunday Sept. 13th - Doberman Pinscher Match *Rally Open to All Breeds!

The Metropolitan Doberman Pinscher Club is hosting a match in Westminister, MD. Conformation Classes for Doberman Pinschers, no experience necessary. Obedience classes for Doberman Pinschers. Rally and CGC open to ALL BREEDS. Click here for more information:
http://mbdpc.net/events.htm
*I will be attending this event and am happy to assist any students who enter.

Play Day at the Park Cancelled

Todays Playday at the Park has been cancelled due to a lack of participation.

Stay tuned for the next bonus training session!

Thursday night class

Just a quick announcement regarding tonights class. We will be having class as usual, at Kaye Ames School for Dogs. 7:45 pm.

Practice at the Park!

This Saturday, August 15th I will be offering a practice session at Long's Park. We will meet at the far end of the park, near the last small pavillion on the right. (This is on the barn end of the park) 10:00 am. We will be doing obedience run-thru's and maybe some additional training. This session is free to call current competition students. However I will only be holding the session provided at least 5 students plan to attend. Email me at wescotdobe@hotmail.com to reserve your spot! Please check this blog Saturday morning for any last minute changes or cancellations.

I came across an interesting article while surfing the web. It applies to dogs who shut down due to ring stress. Read it and give it a try. There are no big revalations in the article, it's fairly short and simple. But it may make a difference. http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~may/judy

Keep in mind that although the Author uses a leash correction, you might be able to get an acceptable response with behavior shaping. However so many of us tend to guide/lure/beg with our voice and our body language rather than shape in a positive fashion or deliver a correction if needed. So positive training or negative just be sure you are not still luring/bribing through past the distractions.

More on Treats and Leash Pops:

As most of you know, I have switched over to the positive side of training these past few years and it has worked quite well. What hasn't changed in my training is the insistance of a response. And I can still deliver a well timed correction if needed. Luckily with behavior shaping my dogs have learned that it's too their advantage to work with me and they are eager to comply. And yet when I do have to utilize a correction or leash pop, they don't shut down. They learned early on to respond positively to a leash pop. If your dog hasn't learned this, we can still teach it. Ask me about it in class. I personally hate to deliver a leash pop, particularly with my Dobermans. But a mild leash pop on a rare occasion probably isn't going to cause any more harm than the rough play they engage in together.

I am heading out this afternoon to do some training in a new location. A stressful, challenging location. I'll let you know how it goes. I challenge you to do the same!

Thursday Night Conformation Handling

I'm putting together a Thursday night handling class. (conformation) This class will be held at 8:15pm Thursdays at Kaye Ames School for Dogs. We need a minimum of four students to hold the class. If you are interested, please email me at wescotdobe@hotmail.com This will be a four week session and cost is $48. Class will begin the first week in August if we have enough students interested.

July Schedule Change!

Effective Monday July 12 th, Tuesday evening classes (Rally, Novice, Open, and Conformation Handling) are moving to Monday evenings. I apologize for any conflicts this causes with scheduling.

If Monday evenings aren't convenient for you, I do offer a great class on Thursday evenings at 7:45. (a Progressive class representing all levels of obedience and rally)

As of Monday July 13th, Conformation Handling Class will be operating as a 4 week, prepaid session rather than as a drop in class. Cost of the session will be $48. Any students who show up unaware of the new format will be permitted to "drop in" at the rate of $15 per night. This format will run till September, after which the class will return to a drop-in format.

New Conformation Handling Class! I am looking for students interested in a Thursday evening handling class. We need a min. of five to hold the class. This class will run in four week sessions, at a cost of $48.

Training Site

Hi Everyone,

For those of you who haven't yet been notified, I now have a website geared towards my dog training services. As with this blog, it is still a work in progress. But at this time it provides basic information on the classes and training services I provide.

http://www.dogsensewithwendy.webs.com/

And as always you can visit my dogs (and horses!) at
www.rockyridgefarms.com


And finally...I promised there'd be some things on this blog to INSPIRE. Think you don't have what it takes to train your dog? Have a look here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuuSyIAnlhA&feature=related

Welcome

I'm new to this, so you'll have to bear with me. I was looking for a way to communicate quickly with all of my dog training students past and present (those who wish to stay in contact that is! ), and decided to give blogging a try. This is the spot to visit if you want to catch announcements on upcoming classes, get tips for training, or be inspired (hopefully).

As always, your input is welcome!