DOGMANTICS

Help Ashlyn awesome young trainer fulfill her dream!

2009-10-26T22:32:00.000-07:00

16 years old and already a compassionate and awesome trainer! Vote 5 stars!

Obedience Heel- for large and small breeds

2009-09-08T00:33:00.000-07:00

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Step 1: Use a wall as a barrier so your dog doesn’t swing out in front of you at first-you are on one side of the dog the barrier on the other.

Step 2: do a little warm up of the cue “Touch” (getting your dog to target your hand) in the way you usually do it to get the dog on the right track. Now stand with you hand against your leg at the point where your dog can just reach it without having to jump (img 1). Cue “touch” and click ANY motion towards the hand. Try to feed the dog in the position you desire them to be in(img 2). Stand with your legs together at first, but also stand in many different positions- with a foot pointing out, with a foot pointing behind, crouching, bouncing slightly, shuffling your feet etc, teaching the dog this is the position I want you to be in no matter what my legs are doing (img 3).

Step 3: Once your dog is a master at this, try taking a tiny step. Two inches forwards. If the dog scoots forwards click and treat! If your dog can master tiny adjustments it will really fix it in their minds that “this is where I’m supposed to be, head up, glued to your leg”.

Step 4: Repeat all the exercises in the sit position as well (img4). If you have a small dog you can also start beginning to lift your hand up to the final position, the dog may start to jump to reach your fingers, ignore this, instead click the dog for having all 4 feet on the floor. Sometimes if you click AS you remove your hand, that can speed up the process tremendously (img5)

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Step 5: Take a normal step and click the dog for moving with you. Now add steps (img6). If the dog looks down, or lags or is too far out, try to encourage them to return to the hand, and click when they are back in place. If they don’t seem into it try again later, and take less steps. This is hard work, especially because they will be using new muscles than just normal walking and trusting you completely that you won’t walk them into a wall! Do this exercise on flat ground with nothing to trip and stumble over. Practice turning right and left in little increments to begin with. This “trick” can take months even years to perfect, so take it easy, it’s a great exercise for just building focus and understanding.

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The adventures of Splasherpup and Keeks

2009-07-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

The faces of innocence!

Until....

Grrrrrrr!...............

Keeks- 'How DARE you compete with my cuteness!'

Splasherpup- "Take THAT to your cuteness!"

Keeks- "I'm warning you!"

Splasherpup- "Ok! Ok! You win!'

"Phew! That was exhausting!"

Kikopup- "Ha ha! I have this pup wrapped around my little paw!"

Making an escape proof x-pen and toilet training ideas for crates

2009-06-09T21:42:00.000-07:00

If you have a Precision exercise pen, doesn't matter what the hight, and you buy one of the size of 24 inches in hight, you can take apart the 24 inch pen- so that you have two segments consisting of 2 panels. Then if you zip tie the two segments together so they form a square of 4 segments, you can then zip tie this 'roof' to the top of your original x-pen when it is in the shape of a square- you will leave one segment free of zip ties to be used as a 'door'. Once you have completed zip-tying, remember to cut off the hanging bits. You can use the fasteners that came with the x-pen to lock the 'door' when you leave the dog alone.

If your dog is not yet house trained you can try this method of preparing the base of the crate, this particular method is for a dog that doesn't like chewing and tugging. For a dog that might eat the base, you could use a piece of linoleum. AND for dogs that are strong and learn how to lift the crates up and squeeze uder, you can create a secure base in the same way you created the roof- making sure to line it so the dogs feet aren't on the metal grate. You can buy tops to the pens, but they are 50$ a cover, and the medium size 24 inch pen is 63$- which you can make 2 tops (or a top and a bottom from), so is a better deal.

If you need to leave your puppy in a safe environment but are unable to return to let the puppy out to use the bathroom, you can put a square of grass sod in one corner of the pen (preferably in front of the door, as that is were they will be most likely to go, bed to the back), or a pee pad in a litter box. Grass is way better to use than pee pads as pee pads can actually train your dog to pee on anything that resembles a pee pad- for instance white t-shirts on the floor of your bed room, your pillows, your sheets, your bed etc.

Here you can see an example of what do with a little dog with extreme toilet issues. You can create a crate that only has a bed and a toilet. You can also create a exercise pen that consists of one small bed and the rest of the pen- pee pads. Then all you have to do is reduce the pads to just being in one of the corners of the crate.

P.s. Crates are a training tool. The goal is to train your dog to be calm and loose in your house. The more choices a dog has during the day, the less hyperactive and frantic the dog will be when you return home. Crates are useful when you don't yet trust the dog to not destroy your house, or your dog is not house trained. It is essential to teach your dog to love crates regardless of if they need one at home so that they are comfortable when they have to stay at the vet or in an emergency situation- like Hurricane Katrina.

My dogs are both loose in the house now that they are trusted.

Creating Super Puppies- Early Neurological Stimulation

2009-06-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

The U.S. military did studies on raising puppies, and they found that doing certain exercises with puppies during the time of rapid neurological growth, between the puppies third and sixteenth day of life would increase the pup’s performance in later life. They created a program called the ‘Bio Sensor’ program consisting of 5 exercises to be done once a day with the pups. They found that not only were puppies able to cope more with stressful situations, and problem solve better than other puppies, but that they were actually physically healthier with higher cardiovascular performance, stronger immune systems, adrenal glands and heart beats.

The exercises should only be repeated once a day, as the point is to add mild stress. More than once, and it could be overwhelming and could have the reverse effect on the puppies. Natural handling should also be a big part of rearing puppies, and these exercises are not a replacement for that! These exercises should be followed up by environmental enrichment, and socialization as the puppies grow. Thanks to Dr. Carmen Battaglia who published an article on this subject, many breeders have started implementing “early Neurological stimulation” in their breeding programs.

Google: Early Neurological Stimulation and Dr. Carmen Battaglia to find his article on the Internet, which explains the exercises in greater detail.

THIS IS VIDEO IS NOT MEANT TO PROMOTE BREEDING DOGS IN ANY WAY!

Tues Night Puppy Class at Windan Sea!

2009-05-27T22:45:00.000-07:00

For more info click on this flier to enlarge:

Doggie Birthday Party with Trix!

2009-05-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

Kiko and I did a tricks lesson at a doggie birthday party at a dog park yesterday. Louis the Maltese turned 1 ! It was loads of fun, and surprisingly not too chaotic, with about 30 dogs off leash. Hootie the Pug won the tricks contest with his awesome version of "Crawl". It was a hard to choose a winner as all the dogs in the contest rocked! We also did an agility obstacle coarse.

Louis showing everone how to do "targeting"

Dance Dance Dance!

Mini Agility Obstacle Course!

"Tunnel anyone?"

Bandit and Splash! at Fiesta Island

2009-05-01T19:48:00.000-07:00

To fetch or to herd? That is the question!

Best Buds!

Dog is Love: Heath and Fitness Expo

2009-04-26T21:53:00.000-07:00

Splash did her 'Slumdog Millionare' routine at the Dog is Love Expo, and I was very proud of her. She funnily enough made up a new move while we were performing....

Seminars in Spain

2009-04-12T01:05:00.000-07:00

I have just returned from 2 weeks in Spain. I had a wonderful time! I made some very close friendships in such a short period of time and had the opportunity to see the best of the best dog trainers at work! I also had the opportunity to visit Guide Dogs For the Blind as well as the facility of Action Fauna that trains animals for film and video. The AEEC hosted my seminars and was very generous and welcoming to me. They made my time in Spain a complete joy.

Madrid March 28 29

Barcelona April 4 5

Emily demoing counter conditioning to handling with a shy pup

Gaudi!

PUPPIES! Future guide dogs!

Natural Dog/ Dog Fancy Flip Issue- Splash and Emily

2009-03-24T00:17:00.000-07:00

One of Splash's prizes for winning Canine Runway finally came about! She was to be on the cover of Dog Fancy, but I think cause she is not part of the American Kennel Club or for whatever reason, they decided to have her on the back cover. So I am very grateful for Splash and I being on the Flip Side of Dog Fancy- Natural Dog... but being a photographer myself, I can't believe they did the biggest error that even casual photographers avoid- making your subjects stare directly into the sun... I am so picky! I am a control freak! I actually sent them pics that I thought would be good for the cover (just of Splash of course!).

Video Finalist for the Canis Film Festival 2009!

2009-03-13T01:58:00.000-07:00

Winner will be announced at the Clicker Expo at the end of this month! Darn! I will be in Spain!

http://www.canisfilmfestival.com/

Doggie Street Fair- Performance "Slumdog Millionare"

2009-03-04T21:41:00.000-08:00

Creeping and Crawling

Rolling in the Money!

"We fly like paper..."- MIA Paper Planes was the song

1st Annual Doggie Street Festival- Freestyle Performance March 1st

2009-02-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

Come by and check out Splash's new routine!

Pam with her talented Border Collie Bandit will also be performing amazing tricks!

vistit this site for more details!: doggiestreetfestival.org

Abby and Splash play date at the beach

2009-02-11T23:18:00.000-08:00

Splash taught Abby to swim! Now Abby can swim fearlessly like a true retriever! Abby taught Splash (not previously a fan) that tennis balls are pretty cool!

Abby is very photogenic!

Dirty dirty dog...

Positively reinforced settle- it works!

2009-02-11T23:14:00.000-08:00

Here is Splash practicing the 'default settle' among friends at the mall.

Here is a 'how to' to get this behavior

Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore!

2009-02-09T14:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I saw a production of Wizard of Oz, my clients dogs did AWESOME! When the 5 heros get sleepy in the poppy fields, Klitie popped down and became motionless, head on the ground. Stellar performance from both talented dogs. Tashi will have her oppertunities in the future no doubt!

Diva!

2009-01-27T15:23:00.000-08:00

Sunday- Had a blast down in Mexico with my friend Omar and his Mal girl- Diva!. We were working on 'go out's - building her speed on going to the mat, where she would offer a default down, unless asked to do another behavior.

We also played a game - 'Around'- to go out and around objects (here the bar stool).

Diva on my youtube channel

Divas own youtube channel

Dog Fancy/Natural Dog Photo Shoot and treats!

2009-01-14T14:45:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Splash!'s photo shoot for Dog Fancy/ Natural Dog. She will be on the full page cover of the June issue of Natural Dog, which is on the flip side of Dog Fancy. I was so impressed with my little girl, who had to pose for what seemed FOREVER perched on rocks in the river and above little waterfalls, without getting to touch the water even once. WATER is irresistible to Splashers, so she did very well. At the end of the shoot, she got to dive into the water and then preceded to have major Border Collie Zoomies while the camera crew stood back in awe.

I was also sent some treats in the mail regarding the Starpet contest in NY, cute! There she is with Milo the kitty on the label.

Bandit and Splash Playdate

2009-01-04T19:14:00.000-08:00

2008-12-31T14:38:00.000-08:00

2008-12-30T20:51:00.000-08:00

Kiko surveys her territory

Desert wonderland

Splash strikes a pose

Sedona portrait

2008-12-30T20:50:00.000-08:00

Icicles!

Kiko's not digging the cold weather!

Splash totally digs the cold weather!

Group photo!

Kiko wearing a leg warmer for a scarf!

2008-12-30T20:47:00.000-08:00

Nothing quite like a good game of fetch the stick!

Finding her coyote spirit!

Mission Trails Park

2008-12-24T12:31:00.000-08:00