Puppy & Obedience classes starting this week
Whether you just want your dog to be a great companion or hope to start him on the road to competitive dog sports, you’ll need the Basics & more. Encourage your friends and neighbors to train their dogs. It makes for a nice canine community as well as enriching the lives of both human & canine.
Dog Training Workshops this weekend & future weekends (September/October 2012)
We’ve got some great one-day workhops planned for the next few weeks. Everyone had a great time at our Friday with Fido workshops last Friday and we’ve gotten requests for more. So here’s what’s on tap for the next few weeks:
WEEKEND WORKSHOPS with Sheyla Gutierrez (except as noted all workshops are $20 each or 2 on the same night for $35.) Many of these workshops are appropriate for dogs that have been through a Puppy class or Basic Obedience class. If you are not sure if your dog is ready, just ask!
FRIDAY, Sep. 21 at 7:15 pm: WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK: Games and Exercises for Working Through DISTRACTIONS
SATURDAY, Sep. 22nd at 7:45 pm: TREIBALL
FRIDAY, Oct. 5th at 6:30 pm: “It All Begins at the Startline” – Elements of a Good Startline Stay
FRIDAY, Oct. 5th at 7:45 pm: Where’s My Tail?
FRIDAY, September 21 at 6:00 pm: GOT RECALL?
If you want your dog to respond when you call every time and under any situation you must first build up their desire to come to you. In this workshop we will use PREMACK’s Principle (If you do what I want, you will get what you want) in many games and exercises to teach your dog to WANT to come to you. Learn how to use your dog’s natural tendencies to your recall’s advantage! This Workshop is open to dogs of all levels and ages. Limited to 6-8 Working Teams. Please bring lots of tiny treats that your dog can easily swallow.
FRIDAY, September 21 at 7:15 pm: WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK: Games and Exercises for Working Through DISTRACTIONS
Distractions are an unavoidable element of a performance dog’s career – in fact, not even your couch potato can avoid them! Dealing with distractions and learning to work through them, is what takes training to a whole new level and what will “cement” your training and help your dog generalize your cues. Come and learn the 3 D’s of Distractions and how to apply them to your training. Put this new knowledge to the test by challenging your dog in some fun games and exercises.
Spaces will only be held if payment is received prior to class start dates. Refunds for cancellations less than 1 week prior to class start date are only available if your space can be filled off a waiting list.
Paws in Motion Adventures 4/3/12
We had a very busy Adventure day! Starting with the customary play sessions in which we successfully introduced Higgins the Standard Poodle off leash and off muzzle, even with a few of the small dogs around! Joining us for the first time was Mixed Breed Millie’s sister: Maya the German Shepherd! It was again a full day with 10 Explorers to join in our adventure. We had Cooper the Golden, Millie the mix, Maya the German Shepherd, Flash the Mini Schnauzer, Tippy the Mix, Sabine the Border Collie Mix, Higgins the Poodle, Satya the Bulldog, Bruno the Boxer and Sinbad the Cavalier.
After a fun and energizing morning play session, the first group of Explorers headed out for the morning field trip. The morning group consisted of Higgins, Cooper, Flash, Tippy, Sabine, Satya and Sinbad. This group visited Fuch’s Park in the City of South Miami. The plan was to expose them to lots of real world distractions, and test our group stays that were worked on last week. The morning group was split in two teams: the Large dogs and the Little dogs. Each Team worked stays as a group, and also had practice walking together on leash in a larger group. Though the park was pretty silent, there were a few visitors, a lady with an umbrella and another with a stroller, to provide some mild distractions. There were also birds, and ducks floating in the pond, not to mention traffic noise from nearby US 1. The dogs performed above and beyond, staying in position calmly and walking nicely on leash in a group. Even the younger dogs in the Little dog group did well with the distractions!
Back at Paws in Motion, we switched the Large Dog group for Millie, Maya and Bruno and headed out to Sunset Drive & Red Road. There we walked along the stores and practiced loose leash walking in a different, yet just as distracting, environment. The dogs posed for pictures by water fountains, walked across streets, waited calmly at pedestrian crossings and were exposed to many strangers. The first group: Millie, Maya and Simbad, got to go into the mall and see some of the stores. The second group: Bruno, Satya and Flash, visited The Dog from Ipanema store were they got lots of kisses and attention, and of course did some shopping! Both outings were a success and showed how much our Explorers have learned and how well they are working. It was great exposure, specially for the younger dogs in the pack.
To finish off the day, we worked on toy drive, retrieving, bringing the toy to hand and releasing it, as well as taking and holding different objects. Each dog worked individually with one of our trainers, some started off with simple hand touches, others did more advanced exercises. All worked at their own level, using clicker training and treats. By the end of the day, many had successfully tugged on a toy, or retrieved it from a few steps away. A great beginning to what could become a wonderful game with their owners!!!!
Therapy Dog skills
We had five Therapy Dog hopefuls attend our Therapy Dog Skills class. The dogs ranged in age from 1.5 – 8 years and size from 12-75#. But they all had one thing in common: great potential as a Therapy Dog- those dogs that visit hospitals, nursing homes & other facilities to brighten the day of a patient or resident. All the dogs aced our Greeting & Handling exercises, and got practice in staying calm & focused while interacting with other people & dogs. In subsequent weeks we will be adding more distractions & simulating scenarios Therapy Dogs would likely encounter while on visits. We finished up with exercises from AKC’s Canine Good Citizen test since the CGC test is a good starting point for Therapy Dogs.
Here’s Liz returning to her beautiful black Lab, Tag after the supervised separation exercise during which Tag hung out with instructor Sheyla.
