K9 Command's Blog

Quick video of Gizmo "in progress"

2009-12-15T22:48:00.002-05:00

Gizmo has come a long way, but bless his heart, he is still a nervous bug (or as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs-Haha!) Oh well, you can see his body language and how "concerned" he is about Mark filming us. This video was taken over a week ago and he has improved some, but he is still not comfortable in different settings. He has gotten MUCH better in the house and around Mackenzie. It is hard to believe that it has taken him nearly 4 weeks to finally get comfortable with me, his complete caregiver for his entire stay! We have discussed additional options for him and will continue to work with you and Gizmo and be your support once he goes home.

Gizmo's Beginning

2009-12-02T00:21:00.004-05:00

Gizmo is quite a unique dog and has been a little bit of a challenge. However, he is a very smart dog, once you get passed all of his insecurities. The first week he has been here, we have mainly been working on getting him to be relaxed. It has taken him nearly the entire week to get to where he can relax on his "place" without panting and drooling all over the place. Now he goes to his bed and relaxes a lot more quickly. He does still tend to be more anxious when Mackenzie is around. That added energy is almost too much for him. However, he remains on "place", which is very good. He has a tendency to shake a little when we go outside, but we are continuing to work on that and I do see improvement. He has also been doing well with our dog Dona, who is in the house. He has not growled at her once since he has been here. We have been working slowly with his obedience, trying to gain his confidence and build a proper leadership role with him. So far he has been working on heel, come on, sit, down, stay and place. He is doing well with all of these commands. Down is a bit more of a challenge, but he is progressing each day with that command. He does very well with "place" and "come on". He has a nice natural focus with his heel. He performs "sit" well and he is working on sitting at the door to come in and go out. Overall, I have seen quite a bit of progress in Gizmo from the day of his evaluation. We are continuing to work on his "issues" and hope to see more improvement over the next week.

Gizmo

2009-12-02T00:04:00.002-05:00

Gizmo
Male Lab - Hound mix, 7 yrs old
Owned by Libby from Kings Mtn, NC

Board N Train began on 11/21/09

List of problems as stated by owner:

Nuisance whiner
Doesn't come when called
Shy toward new situations
Stresses easily
Separation anxiety
Very nervous and clingy and tends to be anti-social

The owner states that he has been her "security blanket" and that she has transferred her insecurity to him.

Main goals owner wants to achieve:

How to be a dog

Lucy "Down"

2009-11-08T13:35:00.005-05:00

Lucy is also learning "Down" and Down-Stay". This a difficult command for a lot of dogs because it is one of the most submissive positions you can put a dog in. Many dogs fight this command. Lucy has struggled with this command as well, but it is no different that the struggles we faced with "sit". She is learning this command and learning to trust me while I am teaching this command to her. Lucy is doing great and continues to gain confidence in herself and trust in me everyday.

Lucy "Heel"

2009-11-08T13:19:00.004-05:00

Lucy is doing great with "heel" and "come on". Heel is a command that means stay by my left side, whether that be walking or standing still. Lucy is also learning to sit automatically after we stop walking. This command is great when you need more control over Lucy, such as in traffic situations or walking in the park with other people and dogs. "Come on" is a much more relaxed command. In this command, Lucy is only required to stay close when we are walking. She is not required to be on the right or left, but only to be paying attention to where I am. This command is helpful when you are just in the yard and you want her to freely walk around with you. Currently, Lucy is walking without the assistance of the leash. The leash is still attached at this point, but is only dragging behind her. The leash is only there to guide her if she gets confused about what I am asking her to do.

Lucy "Sit"

2009-11-07T15:24:00.004-05:00

Lucy is doing MUCH better with her "sit" command now. She understands what is being asked of her and is now doing sit with verbal or hand signal commands. She also performs an automatic sit when we come to a stop after heeling. She is learning to sit and wait at the door to come in or go out. Lucy is doing great and is starting to gain more confidence in her training.

Lucy Begins

2009-11-03T23:16:00.004-05:00

Lucy is a very interesting dog. She is very sweet, but not very affectionate. She is very smart, but also seems confused. She had the life of a breeding/kennel dog before you came to rescue her. It seems she is still really trying to figure this new life out. I can see that there is a lot of intelligence in her, but I am just trying to get her to trust me at this point. We have started things pretty slow with her. Some commands she picked up on very quickly and others are a bit more challenging. She is doing great with the "place" command in the house. She is also learning to walk with me pretty well (although this is one thing she did well to begin with). She is having more difficulty with sit and down. We have incorporated some treats to help with this and it seems to be working some. Again, there is still that lack of trust with her. She likes me, she just doesn't seem to trust me...yet. I do feel this will turn around. We will continue to work and I hope to see some major progress over the next few days. So far, she is learning "place", "heel", "come on", "sit", "down", and "stay".

Lucy

2009-11-03T22:57:00.003-05:00

Lucy
Female Standard Poodle, 6 yrs old
Owned by Tommie from Kinston, NC

Board N Train began on 10/29/09

List of problems as stated by owner:

Not housebroken
Doesn't come when called
Bolts through open doors
Sniffs or eats off countertops
Chasing cats
Refuses to move when you try to lead her by the collar

Main goals owner wants to achieve:

Basic obedience
Pay attention to commands and not think they are just suggestions
Get in and out of the car without having to be lifted

Mack at the Park

2009-10-28T21:07:00.004-04:00

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I took Mack to the park today. He enjoyed his walk with Pirata, Mackenzie and me. He did very well with the added distraction. He heeled great dragging his leash behind. At one point I did remove the leash, and of course, he did great. He is doing excellent for a four month old pup. Now with consistency at home, he is going to mature into a even more incredible companion!

Big Mack and "Stay"

2009-10-19T22:32:00.003-04:00

Big Mack is virtually off-leash now. He occasionally drags his leash behind him, which I use only for guidance when needed. He will "heel", "sit" ,"down", "stay", "come", and "go to place". He is learning to do this things with more consistency and distraction. Mackenzie and the goats are a big help in that area. The only problem we have with Mack is not permanent issue. He is young. Being only 4 months old, he has a short attention span, a little puppy ADD. One big advantage we do have is that he is a very smart fellow and learns quickly. Gaining better consistency and attention will come with maturity. He has matured a lot while he has been here and gained a lot of knowledge to expand on as he grows into adulthood. As with all of our clients, we will continue to support you once he comes home to you so that you can help him through his adolescent phase.

Big Mack Learns "Place"

2009-10-19T22:21:00.003-04:00

Big Mack is doing very well with his first week here. He has been taught all of the basic commands. We are now working on consistency with him. One of my favorite commands is "place". This command teaches him to be calm in the house and he has a place to be, not on the couch or under my feet (which can be dangerous, as you know, LOL). It is very important in pack leadership, that he learns that he has a place below you. It is ok, however, for you to allow him on the couch with you, but ONLY under your direction. He must not think that the couch is his. It is YOUR couch and sometimes you allow him up there with you. He has now learned that his bed is a calm and relaxing place to be. We have taught him that other things can be "place" as well, such as a bench, a bath mat, or any other thing that I designate for him to lie down on. He also enjoys snuggling with his bear on place. So cute.

Big Mack's Training Begins

2009-10-12T22:31:00.004-04:00

Big Mack is learning how to adapt here and beginning his new training. So far he is learning to follow us on leash and come to a sit when we stop. He is also learning the "down" command and "stay". In the house, he is learning how to relax on his bed, which is now his "place" command. He occasionally gets excited and wants to move around the house, but for the most part, he is doing excellent with this command.

Big Mack

2009-10-12T22:16:00.003-04:00

Big Mack
Male American Bulldog, 4 mo old
Owned by Marianne from Morganton, NC

Board N Train began on 10/9/09

List of problems as stated by owner:

Not completely housebroken
Play bites
Doesn't come when called

Main goals owner wants to achieve:

Come when called off leash
Obedience off leash

Finn and Charlie

2009-09-25T13:16:00.003-04:00

Finn and Charlie have a great time playing together. Charlie can be a bit annoying at times when we are working, however. He always thinks it is time to play and attacks Finn when he is suppose to be working on his "stays". Finn is doing great with his obedience. He is working completely off-leash now. He will heel at or side, sit when we come to a stop, down, come, go to place and stay. He still has a lot of energy and will need consistency when he comes home or he will learn to "blow you off". He is like a little teenager. We are continuing to work on his submissive urination problem, but that may never go away. We are using the belly band to help with that and he is starting to get use to it. Overall, I think Finn is doing well with his training and I know he will be looking forward to going home with you this weekend.

Finn's training

2009-09-14T21:32:00.004-04:00

Finn is doing well with his training. He is dragging a line behind him as we are getting him more consistent with his off-leash training. He is working on sit and down stay, heel, come, and place. We have also been trying to work with his submissive urination. That has been quite a challenge the first week. We did purchase for him a "belly band" which is sort of like a male dog diaper so that when he is in the house and we do not have to worry about him tinkling everywhere. This works really well. Along with this, we are trying to teach him NOT to immediately roll and pee every time someone walks by. We are doing this by giving him treats BEFORE he rolls hoping that this will change his automatic response of peeing. If he thinks a treat is coming, he will be focused on the treat, rather than reacting in the submissive way he has been used to. We are also, trying to utilize the "place" command hoping that by giving him this command, along with the treats, it will RE-FOCUS him onto doing something positive rather than the negative reaction of urinating. We have solicited other trainers advice that have dealt with dogs like Finn and have been given lots of great methods to try with him. We will continue to work with him in all areas and hopefully we can make some good progress on his submissive urination. The pictures show Finn in a down-stay, sit-stay, and place, with and without distraction (the cat). Come to think about it, that is probably what I should have named that cat! LOL

Rajah goes to the Park

2009-09-11T20:52:00.003-04:00

Today I took Rajah to the park. He did great among the added distractions. Even the out of control Rat Terrier running around off leash, while the owner yelled "Zoey, come here, Zoey, come here" didn't phase him. He also did great with the strangers passing by. He only made a couple of grumbles and I quickly stopped that. Rajah has really come a long way since he has been here with us. He is a much calmer and more controllable dog. I have also been able to use the pedi-paws nail trimmer on him without issue. Rajah is a great little dog and now with consistency from you, he will only get better. He looks forward to a better life with you as his proper pack leader.

Finn Starts His Training

2009-09-08T22:19:00.003-04:00

So far, Finn is enjoying his stay with us. He has met new friends and loves to play with them. He is doing very well with his training so far. As you know, he had never been on a leash prior to coming here. He is doing great with that now. He is now able to walk calmly on a flexi-leash and follow me around the yard. Right now, he is also learning to sit, follow me, place, and stay. He is also doing very well with his crate training, which will help in his housebreaking. He loves his crate and feels very secure in there. Finn is a very smart and sweet little boy. He is very food motivated and this is helping with his training. Of course, we will also teach him the difference between his treats and ours. HaHa! The only problem we are having with him at this point is his submissive urination. As I believe I had discussed with you prior, this is a genetic temperament issue and is not really something that can be "trained" out of him. We can work on ways to help improve it, such as not reinforcing the behavior by doing anything that excites him when we want to take him outside, etc. At this point, ignoring the behavior and not drawing much attention to it is the best approach to take. I will explain this more in his "going home lesson". Hopefully, as he matures, and as you learn to interact with him without the "over-excitement, this behavior will diminish.

Finn

2009-09-08T22:03:00.003-04:00

Finn
Male Miniature Dachshund, 6.5 months old
Owned by Cheryl and Gary from Morganton, NC

Board N Train began on 9/4/09

Lists of problems as stated by owner:

Not housebroken
Overactive and doesn't settle down easily
Mounts objects (his stuffed bunny)
Urinates when excited or afraid
Nuisance barker or whiner when strangers are around
Play bites
Chews destructively
Sniffs or eats off countertops and tables
Obsesses over people food
Jumps up in their face
Has never been on a leash

Main goals owner wants to achieve:

Not jumping on us or lunging at our face
Not obsessing over our food
Not barking at strangers
Not urinating on us or the floor when he's excited
Going to the bathroom outside more consistently

Rajah Off-Leash

2009-09-08T21:53:00.003-04:00

Rajah has been working completely off the leash this week. He is doing great with his training! Things are finally falling into place with him. He is even showing the new guy, Finn, the ropes. He will do sits or downs with Finn or just stay on place while I am training with Finn. Of course, the cat, who still has no name btw, continues to torture him while he is suppose to be listening. They are going to miss each other. He has also learned to accept Mackenzie as a part of our pack.

Rajah Progressing

2009-09-02T21:26:00.003-04:00

Rajah had a very good training session today. We worked a lot on sit and down-stay. We also did more heeling work, now adding some distraction. I had Rajah "heel" while I was pushing Mackenzie in her little car. A week ago, this would never have happened because he was WAY too uncomfortable with Mackenzie and any other strange movement. He did very well with this exercise. He is now only dragging a 4 foot leash when I let him outside or work with him. I have very good control over him without holding the leash. We are still using a good bit of treats to reinforce his behaviors, but they will soon be weaned out. Today, I made Rajah perform a sit-stay while I fed the goats and Baxter, our livestock guardian. He did very well with this. He did get a little distracted a couple of times, but before today, this exercise was not possible. He has come a long way in the last couple of days. He is a smart dog and I knew he had it in him. It is just going to take consistency to make these good behaviors continue. He is a cute dog, and with that, he can sucker you into not following through with commands. You must follow through with each command that is given so that he will not return home and take advantage of you.

Rajah coming around

2009-09-02T20:43:00.003-04:00

Well Rajah has been her for 10 days and he is finally starting to come around. He was pretty stressed his first week here and we took his training very slowly. Now he is starting to understand what things are all about here. I also found something that he likes, to assist with his training...hot dogs! He need just a little something extra to help him "come around". Hot dogs did the trick. So far, the commands that Rajah has been taught are sit, down, come, stay, place, heel and come on. He is also working on the "quiet" or no barking command. He is a chihuahua and barking at strangers (or even people he is not comfortable with) is almost an automatic response. I am not sure that will ever be 100% but we have DEFINITELY gotten more control over it. Here are a few pics of Rajah in training. Some of the pics show the "place" command on a rock and other pics show a sit-stay and a"down" under distraction (the cat attacking him). I would say that is a pretty good distraction for any dog.

Rajah in training

2009-08-25T21:49:00.004-04:00

Rajah is a very sweet and smart dog. However, he is a little shy until he feels comfortable with you. We are experiencing some of his shyness. He is not quite comfortable here yet so we are taking things really slow with him. I have been using a lot of food reward with his training right now to get him comfortable with me and his new surroundings. That will soon be weaned out as we progress with the training. I can tell that he is going to be an easy dog to work with, once he trusts me completely. We have been working on him following me on a leash, sit, stay and place. He has already been taught many commands before coming to us, now we will just teach him how to do them more consistently with or without a food reward.

Rajah

2009-08-25T21:32:00.002-04:00

Rajah
Male, Long-haired Chihuahua, 22 months old
Owned by Pam from Winston-Salem, NC

Board N Train began on 8/22/09

List of problems as stated by owner:

Overactive and doesn't settle down easily
Mounts other dogs when he first meets them
Jumps on people
Is aggressive toward people
Growls at family members when moved from where he is laying
Nuisance barker!!!!!
Play bites
Doesn't come when called
Bolts through open doors
Guards his space and people
Stresses easily
Sniffs or eats off countertops or tables

Main goals owner wants to achieve:

obey commands
stop barking when told

Tucker and Suka

2009-06-09T17:38:00.002-04:00

We had a great training session today. It all seemed to "click" today, especially with Tucker. He did really great. I worked with both dogs at the same time. I was able to put one dog on place while I heeled with the other one and vice versa. They also did really great together performing sits, downs, and place.

Mackenzie, Suka and Tucker

2009-06-09T17:32:00.003-04:00

This is just a cute video of the dogs with Mackenzie. Both dogs are doing very well with their "place" command.

Tucker

2009-06-09T17:08:00.002-04:00

Tucker is doing well with his training. He is now working off-leash. He is a smart dog but will test you at every turn. He is going to be a dog that I recommend implementing the "Nothing in Life is Free" program. Basically, anything he wants, he must "work" to get it. Food, petting, water, whatever, he must perform some obedient command to get it. He is going to test you when he comes home. You must not let him get by with anything, or he will take complete advantage of you. If you are diligent and continue to show him good leadership, Tucker will be an excellent dog. He is a great dog now, he just wants to be the boss and will "blow you off" if given the opportunity. Many bulldog breeds have this type of personality.

Suka off-leash

2009-06-09T16:43:00.003-04:00

Suka is doing great in her training. She is 90% off -leash. The only time we use a leash with her is when we are "cleaning up" some of her heeling. For the most part she does excellent, but every now and then she gets a wild hair and wants to dart around the yard. Funny, but not as "clean" of a heel that we would like to see. LOL

Mackenzie the Future Dog Trainer

2009-06-02T16:23:00.003-04:00

Both Tucker and Suka have been excellent around Mackenzie. I could not ask for two better dogs to train around her. She adds quite a bit of distraction for them. Here are of few pics of Mackenzie learning the e-collar method while working with Tucker and Suka. (The remote is turned off, btw)

Suka and Tucker Together

2009-06-02T16:14:00.003-04:00

Suka and Tucker are now training some together. They have done very well. I will put one dog on place while I train with the other one and vice versa. They are doing excellent and also enjoy each others company. They love getting out in the yard and running around also.

Tucker

2009-06-02T16:05:00.003-04:00

Tucker is progressing quite nicely in his training. He now only drags a 4 foot leash. This will soon be taken away, as I have great control over him off the leash. He still wants to test his limits every now and then, but he is MUCH more controllable and easier to live with.

Suka

2009-06-02T15:56:00.003-04:00

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Suka is doing very well with her training. She continues to progress everyday. She is doing great with her "place" command in the house and also doing very well with sitting before going in or out of the house. The heel command is coming along nicely and she is doing much better with the automatic sit when we come to a stop. She is great in the house and great with Mackenzie.It is amazing how much she reminds us of Astrid, our first dog and the one that I took to the dog training school where Mark and I met. It is very nostalgic having Suka around.

Suka's Training Begins

2009-05-28T20:20:00.004-04:00

Suka is a very sweet and pretty laid back Husky mix. She has had some obedience prior to coming to us. She is a very smart girl and so far is doing well in her training. I have noticed that she has a little bit of an issue about sitting right next to you. She either wants to sit just behind your leg or flip around and face you. We will be working on this as she progresses. So far she has been working on sit, down, stay, place and follow me. I will post more about Suka in the coming days.

Suka

2009-05-28T20:05:00.003-04:00

Suka
Female Husky mix, 11 months old

Owned by Renee and Christian from Troutman, NC

Board N Train began on 5/27/09

List of problems as stated by owners:

Barks at neighbors, other dogs, other animals, tv, etc
play bites
chews destructively on kids toys, books, and her halter
doesn't come when called
bolts through open doors
shy toward approaching animals
pulls on leash
sniffs at food on countertops and tables
jumps on furniture she shouldn't
digs in yard
afraid of the car wash
not tolerant of grooming
chases the roombas (robot vacuum)

Main goals owner wants to achieve:

Consistent obedience
Walk on a leash

Short video of today's session

2009-05-28T19:37:00.004-04:00

This is a very short video of Tucker from today's session. It shows him following me and sitting on command without the guidance of the leash. He does break the sit a couple of times, but goes back into the sit when commanded to. This was the first time we had worked on these commands without leash and hand guidance.

Tucker in Training

2009-05-28T19:22:00.003-04:00

Tucker is a very sweet boy but one that lives up to his bulldog breeding. He has a very strong will and a mind of his own. The last several days we have been feeling each other out. He has not been very willing to participate in learning to follow me on a leash. When he is walking, according to him, it is "his" time and he could care less about anything but what HE wants to do. Well that is changing. To help facilitate some of that change, I added hot dogs to training session today. That created a whole new willing participant in Tucker. As we go along, the hot dogs will be weened out, but for now, it helps him to understand what I am asking him to do as well as giving him a willingness to care what I am asking. :-) Today we saw much progress. He will follow me around the yard dragging a long line. He is also learning to sit when we come to a stop. Over the last several days we have also worked on his "place" command, sit and sit-stay, as well as sitting at the door to come in or go out. I was very pleased with Tucker's progress today and I expect more from him in the coming days.

Tucker

2009-05-28T19:12:00.002-04:00

Tucker

Male French Bulldog, 15 months old

Owned by Debbie from Shelby, NC

Board N Train began on 5/23/2009

List of problems as stated by owner:

Overactive, doesn't settle down easily
Jumps on people
Doesn't come when called all the time
Bolts through open doors
Pulls on the leash
Sniffs at or eats off countertops / tables
Jumps on furniture he shouldn't

Main goals owner wants to achieve:

Not pulling on leash
Don't chase other animals
Not so excitable

Raja at the Park

2009-05-07T10:45:00.004-04:00

I took Raja with us on our morning walk today. I worked her around the playground equipment and had her heel with me along the walking paths. She did great. There were guys there weed-eating so there was a lot of noise around. There were also two little boys playing on the playground while we were there. She did very good around the distractions. At first she did not want to sit on bench, but after working with her a couple of times, she would jump up on her on. She is still a little nervous about some things. The key to her overcoming her nervousness is to not let her fear play into what you are going to make her do. If you ask her to do something, require that she does it. If she is fearful and her fear is irrational, require her to do as asked anyway. Help her through her fear and show her that she will be fine. By doing this, she will gain more confidence around strange things because she has conquered them already. When she first came to the house, she did not want to climb the stairs. Now she has no problem with the stairs. Even the little ones on the playground, she walked up happily.

Raja Off-Leash

2009-05-01T22:20:00.008-04:00

Raja has progressed very quickly and has moved to off-leash status quicker than most especially considering the first couple of days where we did not get much accomplished. Here are a few pics of Raja performing "place" on the bench outside, and performing a Sit-Stay with Mackenzie. There is also a short video clip of her performing heel, stay, and come. I hope the video doesn't make you seasick. It is a little "wobbly". LOL

2009-05-01T22:09:00.003-04:00

Raja came to us a little shy so it took a couple of days for her to get use to her new pack. She is an extremely intelligent little girl. It only takes a couple of times showing her something and she "gets it". She is a real pleasure to train. She is nervous about stairs and we are working on building her confidence with that as well. Even though we had a few delays in her training, she has made up for it. She has progressed very quickly over the last several days. She is now 90% off-leash. She is very controllable in the yard with only the remote collar. She will heel, sit, down, stay, place, come and sit and wait at doors before coming in or going out. We are also working on her excitement with the other dogs. She does well with Mackenzie, but I am also teaching her to respect Mackenzie's "space". Here are a few pics of Raja in her first week.

Raja

2009-05-01T21:54:00.003-04:00

RAJA
Female Giant Schnauzer, 5 months old

Owned by Angie and Jeff from Shelby, NC

Board N Train began on 4/23/2009

List of Problems as stated by owner:

Not housebroken
Doesn't settle down easily
Jumps on people
Too rough toward other dogs
Play bites
Chews destructively on nearly everything
Doesn't come when called consistently
Pulls on leash
Sniffs or eats off countertops and tables
Jumps on furniture
Separation anxiety
Digs in yard

Main goals owner wants to achieve:

To not be dominant toward kids (taking toys from the 4yr old)
Control prey drive toward their smaller animals
Calm down indoors
No play biting
Not to jump on furniture
Not to bolt through doors

Going Off-Leash

2009-03-24T16:48:00.003-04:00

Blondie and Blackie work mostly off-leash now. They are doing well with their heeling and automatic sit from the heel. They do excellent when they are separated but are moe of a challenge when they are together . I am now starting to work with them together. The challenge is working with the extremely strong bond they have. They never want to be away from the other one. Little by little we are making progress and I am able to work with one on their heeling while the other is lying nicely on the "place". I have also worked both dogs with the stroller and each one heels great when I am pushing Mackenzie around the yard.

Sitting at the door

2009-03-24T16:44:00.005-04:00

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Blondie and Blackie are learning to sit and wait at the door before coming in or going out. They are doing pretty good with this command. Blackie is still my star pupil out of the two, but Blondie is working on his "grades" and he is improving.

Learning Place

2009-03-24T16:35:00.003-04:00

Blondie and Blackie have been learning "place" while they have been here. This command is good in the house or when you just want them out of your way and out of trouble. They will share place with each other and have shared it with Athos too! :-) I am working on having one remain on place while the other is "working". Blackie does this very well, but Blondie cna hardly stand to be away from his big brother. They are getting better at it however. They are also learning that "place" can be almost anything they can sit on, like my garden bench.

Beginning the training

2009-03-17T00:54:00.004-04:00

Blondie and Blackie are very sweet, young dogs. They still have a lot of maturing to do. They are doing very well with their training and are very responsive to the training collar. On the first day of training, within a matter of a few minutes I had them following me around the yard close to the heel position. Now after about a week of training, they are doing very well with heeling and staying close when not in a heel. They have learned to sit, heel, place, down, stay, and come. We are working on consistency with them right now. They biggest challenge for them is when they are together. They have such a strong bond with one another, that sometimes my commands are ignored because of their desire to be next to the other one. I have found that Blondie is the worst with this. As you have already told me, he is the more submissive of the two and wants to follow his leader, Blackie, where ever he goes. We have had several days of rain and that has inhibited training a little. We have been training inside during this time. I hope that the rest of this week will be great for training and for getting good pictures for you for the blog.

Blondie and Blackie

2009-03-17T00:37:00.002-04:00

Blondie and Blackie
They came from the local shelter at 3 mo old. They were found in the "drop off kennel".

Male Lab mixes, approx 6 mo old

Owned by Susan from Shelby, NC

Board N Train began on March 9, 2009

List of problems as stated by owner:

Overactive / Doesn't settle down easily
Jumps on people
Nuisance barker/whiner (Blondie)
play bites
Chews destructively on dog beds, etc
Sniffs at or eats off countertops and tables
will try to escape the fenced in area

Main goals owner wants to achieve:

No cat chasing
give owner personal space
come when called
learn how to be in the house and a part of the family

Loading Up

2009-03-05T18:06:00.004-05:00

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Frank LOVES to go for car rides. Today I was working on him riding in the back of the vehicle without having to be put in a cage. The last several times I have put him in the car, he would always jump over the backseat and want to sit on the seat. Well, I could not have him doing that because Mackenzie's car seat is on the backseat. So my goal was to get him to ride comfortably in the back of the vehicle without being restrained or having to put the cage back there. The first few times we worked on it today, he wanted to jump to the front. After a couple of times, however, he decided it was best to stay in the back. He did great and rode free in the back all the way to the park. He would also lay down when I told him to. He was very pleasant to ride in the car with. He will also wait at the car door until he is told it is ok for him to get in.

Frank at the Park

2009-03-05T17:56:00.004-05:00

I took Frank for a 2 mile walk with me and Mackenzie and a friend and her daughter. Frank did very well. He got a little excited when we first got there, but after a couple a taps with the collar, he was walking perfectly at my side for the entire 2 miles. After our walk, I let him drag the leash around behind him and we walked through the play area. He did excellent with everything. I was very proud of him today.

Frank in the Snow with Mara

2009-03-02T16:28:00.004-05:00

Frank got a chance to get out in the snow today and run around. We let him out with Mara, our female Shepherd. He did really well with her. At first, he ran up to her, not really knowing how to exhibit his "doggy manners", but after a quick tap with the collar, he approached her in a more appropriate manner. They had a good time in the snow and Frank LOVED running around in it!

Frank Unleashed

2009-03-01T16:43:00.005-05:00

Frank started working off leash on Monday. Now when he goes outside or he is in the house, he no longer has to drag a leash around behind him. He is very responsive to the training collar and doing very well with all of his commands. I worked with him the other day using the jogging stroller. With you having and young baby, I felt this would be useful to you when you wanted to take Frank for a walk. He did very well with the stroller on the leash as well as off the leash.

Frank is doing very well with sitting at the door before going in or going out of the house. He has also gotten much better with the stay command and letting me walk around him. Before he never wanted to let me cross behind his back. He has gotten much more comfortable with that.

We are continuing to work on some of his "dog aggression issues". He seems to be getting better. He has definitely accepted our smallest dog, Dona. He no longer has any issues with her whatsoever. I will continue to work through this week with Frank and our other dogs and hopefully we will see great progress. Already, I am very pleased with what we have accomplished so far with Frank.

Testimony from Yankee Pete of the Ace & TJ show on KISS 95.1

2009-03-01T16:35:00.004-05:00

"Amy not only trained Stewart to obey, she took the time to do her research and customize a training program long before the actual training occurred. And during his 2 week visit, we got regular updates through pictures and video. Excellent training and even better customer service. Special touches, continuing education when needed, and life-long training...K9 Command is the best there is!"

More from Yankee Pete:

"Amy, has anyone else told you today that you're brilliant?! I appreciate the quick reminder lesson with the training of Stewart! Not only did you MAKE my family's Christmas, but you make life with a dog so much more structured."

"I'll do any testimonial you ever want to use. 2 weeks with you is magic for a dog. Here's one for you: You can throw away money on Cesar's DVD set, or you can actually go TO Amy. She's one-on-one and puts the owners in their place more than the dog. Yes, I know! It's our fault our dogs act the way they do!"

Stewart's Blog started on November 25, 2008

Frank Working on the "Basics"

2009-02-21T20:35:00.004-05:00

Frank has been working on his "basic" commands this week. We have worked on Sit, Down, and Stay. He is also learning Heel and the follow me command, "come on". In addition, he is learning to sit at doors to come in or go out. Frank is a very smart dog and is very responsive to the training. Frank did get a little aggressive with the other dogs the first few days, but I feel a lot of this stems from his own insecurities as well as not knowing how to properly "speak" dog. He gets excited when the other dogs are around and to him this translates into the aggression. By preventing his over excitement, I feel that we will be able to manage his behavior better with the other dogs. This has already worked one on one with him and our German Hunt Terrier, Dona. However, you have to always be ahead of him looking for things that will over excite him. Prevention is the key. Learning to know what triggers his behaviors will help you manage his aggression and other bad behaviors.

Frank Learning "Place"

2009-02-21T20:22:00.004-05:00

Frank has been learning the "place" command while in the house. He is doing EXCELLENT with this command. Place is a great command because it keeps him out of trouble and in an area that he is comfortable staying. There can be different "places" in each room. However, if I leave the room, Frank knows to remain on his place no matter how long I am gone. He is very secure on his place. He is also not able to find things to chew on or other ways to get into trouble when he is on his "place". Management is the key to preventing Frank's "bad behaviors". Frank has been very manageable with place around the baby and our terrier, Dona.

FRANK

2009-02-21T20:02:00.005-05:00

Frank
Male Black Labrador, 3yrs old

Owned by Jason and Heidi from Morganton, NC

Board N Train began on February 14, 2009

List of problems as stated by owner:

Overactive / doesn't settle down easily
Jumps on people
Aggressive towards other dogs
Aggressive towards owners two daughters (one is a baby)
Nuisance barker/whiner
Chews destructively on kids toys, etc
Doesn't come when called
Stresses easily with the baby
Pulls on the leash
Sniffs at or eats off countertops and tables
Jumps on furniture
charges at the door when someone knocks or rings doorbell

Main Goals owner wants to achieve:

Walking on leash
Being able to be near other dogs
Not getting so stressed with the baby

More Training with Lucy

2009-02-09T17:18:00.003-05:00

Lucy is doing well with her training. She is about 90% off leash now. She is very responsive and will perform all of her commands. We are now working on better consistency with Lucy. I still use an occasional treat with her, but she does not need it to follow her commands. She does excellent with her "place" command and will sit at the door before coming in or going out. Here "heeling" is very nice and she will also stay close when we are casually walking around the yard. She still gets excited, but she is much more controllable. Here are a few more pictures of Lucy.

Lucy's First Week

2009-02-06T08:50:00.003-05:00

Lucy is doing well with her training. She has learned the "place" command as well as working on Heel, Sit, Down, Stay, Come, and "come on". We started incorporating some food into her training and she really seems to enjoy that. I was not pleased at how she was progressing and that is why I decided to use some food in her training. She will not need this when she comes home. However, it is a good treat for her to use food every now and then with her training.

I walked Lucy with Mackenzie yesterday. We walked to the mailbox. She did really well and sat and waited while I got the mail. She is doing much better with her "stay" command.

Lucy

2009-02-06T08:37:00.002-05:00

LUCY
female Boxer 8 months old

Owned by Ben and Joan of Wilmington, NC

Board and Train began on January 30, 2009

List of problems as stated by owner:
-Jumps on people
-Overactive and doesn't settle down easliy
-Nuisance barker/whiner
-Play bites
-Chews destructively on things left on the floor
-Doesn't come when called
-Bolts through open doors
-Pulls on the leash
-Sniffs/eats off countertops and tables
-Jumps on furniture she shouldn't
-Digs in yard

Jackson's Video

2009-02-06T08:27:00.002-05:00

Here is a short video clip of Jackson's training.

Photos of Jackson Off-leash

2009-02-01T22:10:00.002-05:00

Jackson is now obeying his commands without the assistance of a leash. He is doing very well responding to the collar and the commands. Consistency will be key when he returns home. You must give him definite rules and guidelines to go by at home. If you don't, he will define his own boundaries. He is a very smart dog with lots of desire to do his "own thing". He will need firm, loving guidance to keep him on the right path and preventing him from reverting to his old ways.

Jackson's Training

2009-02-01T21:56:00.004-05:00

Jackson has done very well with his training. He is a very smart dog, although he is a bit on the stubborn side. He gets easily excited, but is doing much better with his commands through consistency. He has been learning to hang out on "place" in the house as well as heel, sit, down, stay, come, and also wait at the door. In the beginning, we used a long line with teaching him to heel by our side. As he became more consistent, we were able to let him drag the line behind him, then eventually, move to a six foot leash, and now he obeys his commands with no leash attached. He can still get distracted, but now it is much easier to regain his attention. He is much easier to control now.

Jackson Begins

2009-02-01T21:36:00.003-05:00

JACKSON
German Shepherd mix 2 yrs old (uncertain)

Owned by Tom and Nanci from Mooresville, NC

Board N Train began on January 18, 2009

List of problems as stated by owner:

Jackson was a stray and his history is unknown. Tom and Nanci have only had Jackson a short time.
-Not housebroken
-Jumps on people
-Overactive/excited around other dogs
-Nuisance barker/whiner
-Play bites
-Chews destructively on anything
-Doesn't come when called
-Bolts through open doors
-Pulls on the leash
-Sniffs/eats off countertops and tables
-Separation anxiety

Sophie's Video

2008-12-26T21:27:00.004-05:00

Sophie and I have had some obstacles to overcome in her time here, but she is doing well despite them. The day before she flew down, she got her tongue frozen to the door (she is from Wisconsin). So, needless to say, it took a few days for her to recuperate from her flight down as well as the damage that was done to her tongue. Bless her heart, the only thing I could think of was The Christmas Story when the boy got his tongue stuck to the flag pole. We did watch that movie together on Christmas Eve while Santa put together Mackenzie's rocking horse. LOL

Sophie's Training

2008-12-19T00:09:00.003-05:00

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We have trained quite a number of toy breeds over the years, but by my estimate, Sophie is the smallest dog I have ever trained. She probably weighs 3 pounds soaking wet. Sophie is still very young and a little unsure of herself. After the first few days, Sophie started showing us more of her personality and she also found her voice. She gets along great with the other dogs and loves to chase Athos around the yard. It is hilarious to see this big German Shepherd playing with this tiny little Yorkie. Sophie has been learning several commands this week. She is starting to follow me on the leash, Sit, Down and go to Place. She is doing a great job with the Place command and will stay there even if I leave the room. I have done some training with Sit and Down using a table. This saves my back as well as keeps me from "hovering" over her which causes some submissive behaviors from Sophie. Sophie is a smart little dog and I look forward to seeing her progress with her training.

Introducing Sophie

2008-12-18T23:50:00.002-05:00

SOPHIE
Yorkshire Terrier
Female 5 months old

Owned by Tammy from Wisconsin

Board N Train began on 12/13/08

List of Problems stated by owner:

Not completely housebroken
Overactive and doesn't settle down easily
Urinates when excited
Nuisance barker/whiner when owner is eating or doorbell rings
Play bites
Does not come when called consistently
Bolts through open doors

Stewart Unleashed

2008-12-09T13:47:00.000-05:00

Stewart is doing very well with his training. I have put together a little video for you to see how he is doing. He still gets a little distracted at times, but with time and consistency, that will improve. At his age, he is like a little kid with a short attention span. However, he has greatly improved in the time he has been here and will only get better as he matures.

Stewart's First Week

2008-12-03T17:58:00.000-05:00

Stewart has done excellent his first week here with us. He is a smart little guy and I am having a lot of fun working with him. He does great with his "place" command. He is also doing well with sitting and waiting at the door to go out or come in. He is having a blast with the other dogs too. He is 95% off-leash now. I rarely have to use a leash with him at all now. He goes outside off-leash, plays with the other dogs, and performs all of his commands off-leash. We are still working on more consistency with him, but he is still very controllable off the leash. Every now and then he gets a little spur in his rear and does a little "freaknik" dance around the yard, but then he will come back when I call him and sit at my side. The biggest challenge for you when he comes home will be working with his adolescence. You must be consistent and not let him get away with disobeying. You must always follow through with the commands you give him. Treat him like you would a child. You would not want an uncontrollable kid running around. Believe me, he understands what is expected here, and he is so smart that he can learn bad behaviors as quickly as he can learn good ones. Keep this in mind while you are waiting on him to come home. The hardest part of dog training, is training the owner.

I have also been working on the "speak" command and "wave". For "speak" I am using the German command "Gib Laut", pronounced like it looks. You can check out the short video clip to see these commands. We are still working on consistency with these commands, but for the short time we have been working on them, he is doing very well. I hope to try working with the frisbee later this week.

Stewart's Second Video

2008-11-29T22:27:00.001-05:00

Stewart is doing really well with his training. He is getting more consistent everyday. His automatic sit is improving and so is his stay. He is learning the "down" command and the recall.
He is also doing well with his house manners, sitting and waiting before being fed, and sitting before going in or out of the house.

Stewart's first morning of training

2008-11-26T11:11:00.001-05:00

Pete and Tessa, as you have described, Stewart is a very intelligent puppy. He has tons of energy and just needs a constructive outlet for that energy. Many of his "problem behaviors" are typical of a young puppy. So far, we have been working on behaviors in the house and teaching Stewart to follow on a loose leash, sit, stay, and down. We have also been working with Stewart on his "place" command, which he is doing very well, even under distraction. Rudy, one of our former students, is helping out with distractions in the photos. Mara, our German Shepherd, is helping out in the video. We worked on Stewart's "counter surfing" this morning. He learned very quickly not to put his paws on the counter even when being teased by a bowl of dog food. I have also been teaching Stewart to "wait" for his food. He is not allowed to go to his bowl until I say that it is okay. So far, I am very pleased with Stewart's progress. He is a very trainable dog and I look forward to watching his progress.

Introducing Stewart owned by Yankee Pete of the Ace & TJ Show

2008-11-25T19:00:00.000-05:00

STEWART
Labrador Retriever
Male 6 months old

Owned by Yankee Pete of the Ace & TJ Show on 95.1FM

Board N Train began on 11/25/2008

List of problems stated by owner:

Overactive and does not settle down easily
Mounts people or objects
Urinates when excited
Jumps on people
Nuisance barker/whiner in the crate
Play bites or mouths
Chews destructively on shoes
Does not come when called
Bolts through open doors
Pulls on leash
Sniffs at or eats off of the counter tops or tables
Digs in the yard

End of another training day

2008-11-17T09:53:00.000-05:00

Amy and Keeno are finished with another training day. Keeno is seen in these pictures heeling off-leash back to the house. Keeno is also waiting at the door to be let in which is accomplishing a great deal with his high level of enthusiasm.

Sunday evening training with Keeno

2008-11-17T09:42:00.000-05:00

Keeno is progressing very well and has the makings of a great dog. He learns rather quickly and and is performing well off-leash at this time. Keeno is now allowed to run off-leash with the other dogs and recalls back to us as needed.

Keeno Learning the "Place" Command

2008-11-11T22:00:00.000-05:00

Keeno is doing very well learning his "place" command. I was able to move about the house while he relaxed on his bed. It took him a little while to learn to relax, but after a few times of directing him, he settled down and fell sound asleep.

Keeno Starting His Training

2008-11-11T21:46:00.000-05:00

Mark started Keeno in his training the other day. He is a very smart dog, and VERY energetic.
He is learning to walk on a loose leash, to do an automatic sit when we come to a stop He is also learning stay, down, heel and place.

Jessie and Thor Downtown

2008-11-07T18:53:00.000-05:00

Jessie and Thor went downtown today and walked on the rail trail. They did very good although they were much more excited among the different distractions. They still listened to their commands but it took a little more persistence. When you walk them in public areas, start off by giving them several commands near the car. Get them under good control before you continue your walk into the more distracting areas. Above all, maintain calmness and confidence. Require that they obey each command you give them. If you are consistent in this, each time you take them into a public place, they will be easier to control.

Obedience under Distraction

2008-11-05T16:26:00.001-05:00

I did some distraction work with Thor and Jessie. I let Mara run around with her toy while Thor and Jessie had to follow commands. They did very well under the distraction.

Thor and Jessie Off-Leash

2008-11-04T21:55:00.000-05:00

Thor and Jessie are now training off-leash. I can put one dog in a stay or on their "place" and work with the other dog. I can also heel with both dogs at my side, although Thor will sometimes want to move to my right side because Jessie crowds my left. Nevertheless, they are both walking at my side without the constraint of leashes. They have also been around Mara and Athos, our two German Shepherds during their training. They are learning that they must do as I ask even if the other dogs are out and running around. Thor and Jessie are also sitting and waiting at the door before I let them come in the house or go outside. Overall, they are doing well with their obedience. The biggest challenge you will have when they come home is to prevent them from becoming confused by the stimulation since they are used to being on an invisible fence at home. Guiding them with body language and then additionally with the leash will help with re-enforcing your training at home.

Thor & Jessie

2008-10-30T13:55:00.000-04:00

Meeting Mara

2008-10-27T22:38:00.000-04:00

Jessie and Thor got to hang out with Mara some tonight. They did very well with her. Thor got a little excited and wanted to play a little rough but he was easily controlled with the collar. They even did some obedience with Mara sitting on her place watching.

Hanging Out on "Place"

2008-10-27T22:35:00.001-04:00

They are enjoying their "place" command. They hang out in the house on their beds. They are learning to stay there even if there are distractions or if I leave the room. They have also done well with Mackenzie, as she is a big distraction.

Hanging Out on "Place"

2008-10-27T22:35:00.000-04:00

Jessie and Thor in Training

2008-10-27T22:23:00.000-04:00

Jessie and Thor are doing very well with the beginning work in their obedience. They are adapting nicely and within just a few minutes I had them walking beside me on a loose leash. It is apparent that they have had some basic training. They do remember the commands that you have already taught them. Now it is just changing it so that they understand the commands under different circumstances. We have worked on walk on a loose leash, "come on", sit, down, stay, place, and wait at the door. They are doing well with all of the commands. I anticipate that they are going to do very well with their training.

A Short Video of Henderson

2008-10-18T17:43:00.000-04:00

Here is a short video clip of Henderson. He is much more controllable. He still gets a little nervous around things, but hopefully you will now have more control over him when he does.

More Pictures of Henderson

2008-10-15T21:16:00.000-04:00

Here are some more pictures of Henderson.

Hendersom and His Place Command

2008-10-15T21:02:00.000-04:00

Henderson is doing well with his "place" command. He has learned to stay on his place while in the house, hanging out with me in the office or while I am cooking dinner in the other room. He has learned that "place" can mean his bed, a bathmat, or even the bench outside by our garden. He is also learning to wait at the door before coming in or going out. Today, we took Henderson completely off leash. He is now doing all of his commands without a leash. He is enjoying himself with the other dogs too. He gets to run around the yard and play, but he must also follow his commands even if the other dogs are still playing.

Henderson Continues Training

2008-10-15T09:44:00.000-04:00

Henderson is doing well with his training. He is learning what is expected and is following his commands. He is doing very well with his "place" command. He can now heel, sit and down without the assistance of the leash. On occasion, he still gets a little nervous about some things, but we just make him work through his fears and it seems to be helping him. When he becomes confused or nervous about something, we utilize the leash and guide him into what is being asked. This will be something that you can do when he comes home to help him understand what you expect of him as well. He also works very well with treats and we will occasionally use them as a reward during training.

Henderson Starts Training

2008-10-10T09:48:00.000-04:00

Henderson has begun his training. He is doing very well with adapting to everything here. He is learning to heel, walk on a loose leash, sit, down and stay. He is a very smart dog and is picking up the commands easily. It is apparent that he has had some basic commands taught to him at some point in his life. He is a little nervous on occasion, but for the most part, is doing very well. We are showing him how to be a pack member and he is very receptive to it.

Trevor Just Playin' Around

2008-10-09T23:32:00.002-04:00

The other day I just took a little clip of Trevor playing around with the other dogs. I would call him over and have him sit and down while the other dogs were still walking around him. He is very responsive with the collar and is listening well. He still gets nervous around Mark. He will still try to get out of doing as asked, if he fearful of something, but with persistence, he will perform his command despite his fears.

A Tribute to a Friend

2008-10-04T22:30:00.000-04:00

Shadow came in for training with us April of this year. She was a very big, beautiful and very loving Rottweiler. You can find her blog in our earlier posts. We enjoyed working with her and getting to know her wonderful owner, Connie. Connie has become, what I consider, a very dear friend. I thank Shadow for that.

Connie sent me an email last week to tell me some very sad news. Shadow got sick and passed away suddenly at the vet's office on September 27th. We are not sure what killed Shadow but it is suspected that she ate a poisonous plant or mushroom. This was very devastating for Connie, as anyone could imagine. Shadow was a wonderful dog and became an even better companion to Connie over the last several months. We all will miss Shadow, but we hope that God will have her waiting on Connie at the Rainbow Bridge.

RAINBOW BRIDGE
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Trevor is Progressing

2008-10-02T22:37:00.001-04:00

Trevor is progressing. He is heeling nicely and is much more controllable. He still has some nervous tendencies, but I am able to keep him under much more control when he becomes fearful of something.

Today, Mark did a short video of me a Trevor. He is doing much better. He is now only dragging a 6ft leash. Soon he will be completely off the leash. We sat out by the newly constructed Fire Pit today with Trevor and our dog Athos. He seemed to be comforted around Athos and was not bothered by Mark like he normally is.

Trevor in Training

2008-09-29T09:01:00.000-04:00

Trevor is doing much better with his training. He still has his fear issues, but I seem to be able to control him better during his episodes. One good thing is that he is learning that his safe zone is with me instead of finding a safe zone on his on. He wants to use his crate as a safe area, but I have been working with him so that he knows he must still come to me even if it means leaving the safety of his crate and therefore teaching him that I am also a safe area.

Trevor is doing great with his Sit, Down, and Stay and is doing well with Heel and walking on a loose leash. Right now, during training, he is dragging a long line. I am able to control him using the collar now without using the guidance of the leash.

Trevor has also enjoyed playing with the dogs here, including his old buddies, Abby and Flash. I feel that the other dogs help him cope with some of his fear issues.

All in all, I am seening great improvement in Trevor's training. I hope we will continue to make progress and help him overcome some of his anxieties.

Trevor Begins Training

2008-09-24T08:36:00.001-04:00

We started Trevor's training on Monday. We took a few days to try to get him comfortable with us. He is a very insecure dog and does not warm up easily. He does better with me as the day progresses, but each time I go to get him out of his crate, he is nervous and I have to physically reach in and pull him out of his crate. He has done great with the baby so far and usually relaxes on his place beside us.

We started working with him on Monday, teaching him to follow me on a loose leash. We also have been working on sitting before coming in and out of doors, as well as down on his place.

Hoot Off-leash Heeling

2008-06-24T20:51:00.002-04:00

Hoot is doing very well with heeling. He walks very calmly at my side and is very easy to control. He enjoys playing with the other dogs and also loves a good roll in the grass.

Hoot's 1st Week in Training

2008-06-24T20:44:00.005-04:00

Hoot is a very intelligent dog. It is very evident that Hoot has had some prior training. He is doing excellent adapting to the training and the collar. He is now completely off-leash and works very well for us. His stays are excellent and so is his recall. Hoot has had no signs of dog aggression since he has been here with us. He gets along very well with all of the other dogs here.

2008-06-21T12:02:00.003-04:00

Here are some pictures of Maya on the day she went home with her owner. She was a joy to train and she really loves having her picture taken.

Hoot Starts His Training

2008-06-16T21:05:00.003-04:00

Hoot is doing well with the beginning of his training. He has really gotten along well with our girls and Maya. We have started working on sit-stays, down-stays, place, and heel. He is quite a lover and seems to have a great personality.

Maya's Second Video

2008-06-16T20:54:00.002-04:00

Maya first week of training has come to a close. She has done very well for such an energetic puppy. Here is a short video clip of her working and playing with the other dogs.

Maya's First Video

2008-06-10T21:23:00.003-04:00

Maya is doing great with her training. Here is a short video clip of her heeling and performing sit-stay and down. Right now, she drags a 30 ft long line for safety. She is not perfect yet, but I think she is doing excellent for her first week of training.

Maya Training With Stay

2008-06-10T21:15:00.003-04:00

Maya is learning to follow me and to heel. She is also learning to stay for longer periods and at further distances. She is doing very well, although she still has a lot of energy. Sometimes it takes just a little extra time to get her to settle down and understand what I am asking of her. That being said, she is doing excellent for have only been in training here less than one week.

Maya Begins Training

2008-06-09T21:56:00.004-04:00

Maya is a very smart little yellow lab. She has a ton of energy and wants to put it to use. She is a very quick learner. She is learning to come, heel, sit, sit-stay, down and down-stay. She is also learning the "place" command in the house. So far she is doing great. Her "place" command is very good. I can leave the room and bring food around her and she stays on her place. She is also having a lot of fun playing with the other dogs. She is learning how to listen around that distraction. She must learn to obey her commands even though there are other dogs running around. I feel that Maya is going to do very well with her training.

Mara used as a distraction around Beaux.

2008-06-03T07:51:00.003-04:00

We brought Mara out and had some fun doing some heel work with her. This acted as a great distraction for Beaux while he maintained his stay position.

Obedience In Distraction

2008-06-01T19:18:00.006-04:00

Here are some more pictures of Beaux having to be obedient around other dogs. He has done very well with all of his commands. Consistency will be the most important thing when he comes home.