100 Day Trick Training Challenge

A few weeks ago I watched a movie called Wild Horse, Wild Ride about the Extreme Mustang Makeover Challenge, an annual contest that dares 100 people to each tame a totally wild mustang in order to get it adopted into a better life beyond federal corrals.

This has branched off into an Extreme Mutt Makeover - 15 trainers - 56 days - annual event in Texas held every year in conjunction with the Mustang Makeover.

So we are doing our own version and you are invited to play along.

100 DAY TRICK TRAINING CHALLENGE
Utilizing Kyra Sundance's Trick Title system...

BASIC RULES:
All tricks must be new to the dog – ie. if your dog already knows Sit, you may not count it.
Handler will bring any props required for a trick.
A reward may be given after a trick is successfully performed, but food must remain in a pocket until completion.

SCORING:
All tricks should be performed on 1 command and/or signal.  Extra commands or signals will be a 1 point deduction.  Gestures, body movements, noises are all considered extra commands/signals.  Multi-part tricks are allowed 1 command and/or signal per part without deduction.

If a dog is unable to perform the trick after 3 extra commands and/or signals, they will receive 0 points for that trick.

[N] Novice Tricks are worth 3 points each.
[ I ] Intermediate Tricks are worth 4 points each.
[A] Advanced Tricks are worth 6 points each.
[E] Expert Tricks are worth 8 points each.
[C] Champion Tricks are worth 10 points each.

A full tricks list is available on request indicating the possible tricks and their difficulty level.

Anyone want to play?

Major Updates!

So we have been silent for far too long - things got really hectic at the farm and the property was actually being sold.  This put us into a big tailspin as there aren't very many places that will allow 12 dogs and the comings and goings of boarders and training dogs.

In the end, we found a place in Winston Salem and are truly blessed to have such a fantastic new space!

We are still putting the finishing touches on it and will do a full post on the before and afters of it all - but we are so thrilled with the potential here.  We have a training room, office, photography studio and are fencing the yard for an amazing play area, building a full size agility course and outdoor obstacle course.

THE OFFICE SPACE BEFORE:

THE OFFICE SNEAK PEEK:

Moving up here has brought us closer to some really great people who have come on board at Pawtential.  

Melissa Robertson has come on board as our Office Manager.  She is handling the day to day answering of emails, phone calls and appointments.  She is also studying in our Train the Trainer program as an apprentice.  

We also have Jeanene Ridge joining us.  She comes from a lifetime of stock dog handling and competing as well as almost 10yrs of grooming.  She has come on board as a program trainer.

We have tons of exciting classes planned for next year, Woof Weekends, Urban Dog Programs, seminars and workshops and more...stick around - we are only just getting started!

PAWTENTIAL PROFILE: Charlie

Name:  Charlie
Breed:  Cockapoo
Sex:  Male
Age: 4 years

Duration: 2 week Board & Train

Reason for B&T:  Barking/Jumping


What we are working on during his stay:

OWNERS REQUESTS:
* Barking - sometimes he wakes at night and begins barking uncontrollably
* Jumping - jumps on/scratches people when greeting
* Loose Leash Walking- could use some fine tuning
* Reactive to Other Dogs - especially when on leash
* Resource Guarding - he has bitten over this

Due to his potential reactive issues - Charlie did an overnight with us to be sure he was not going to be overwhelmed by the dogs here - so far he is doing beautifully.  He is settling in and is taking it all in stride!

Pawtential Pals MEETUP

The first meetup of Pawtential Pals training group was a great success. We had 12 dogs of all different ages and breeds turn up. Everyone socialized well together, including Coco who isn't even really a fan of other dogs and then we got down to business. 

We discussed our options for working on Levels, Dog Scouts, Therapy behaviors, Canine Good Citizen (CGC), Trick Dog titling, Rally and other options and most everyone is ready to just work on the basics and then go from there.

All the dogs were able to focus on their handlers and I think everyone went away with a plan for next week and a few new ways of looking at things. YAY! 

Phoenix missed out this time as I had Coco with me but she will be joining us next week!

Welcome Charlie!

Charlie has just arrived for his overnight to be sure he will be comfortable here before his family leaves him next week for a few weeks of Board & Train.

Welcome Cassie

This weekend Coco and Chiffy go home but we welcome Cassie, Ayla's daughter to stay for a week.  She is so like her mother - they even both do Down the same...

The dogs had to take a second sniff as she walked out of the dark...it was funny...

New FREE Weekly TRAINING GROUP MEETUP

We are starting a local group to meet Monday nights at 6:30 in Durham for people who wish to work on any of the following:

Sue Ailsby's Training Levels - (great graduated scale for family pets, sport dogs or therapy/assistance dogs)

Dog Scouts of America - we will be working towards earning the basic DSOA badge and then people can pursue individual badges based on what they enjoy.

Trick Dog Titling - Earn a Novice, Intermediate, Advanced or Expert level title with your dog.

Rally-O Foundations - for anyone interested in pursuing a Rally Novice title

There is no cost to this group - just come along and work with your dog whatever level you are on.

There are currently several pups ranging from 9-16 weeks, a few adolescents and several adults. All sizes are permitted but any dog that displays reactive or aggressive tendencies will be asked to work outside the enclosure or leave. 

There will be a social time before the group starts from 6:00-6:30.

All dogs must be current on vaccinations including rabies and bordetella where applicable.

To register for the group - just let me know here or by email with details of yourself, your dog and what you would like to work on.

March Madness

This year has flown by already.  This month we have Boarding visits from three of our favorites - Ellie, Charlie & Brooks, Coco is back while his family are away on an emergency and we have newcomers Chiffy, Merv, Cassie and Shy coming before the end of the month.

I met two new clients this week, one with an overexcited Heeler mix that does not like children and Ayla helped with a nervous Hound mix who isn't good with other dogs. 

We still have one Board & Train spot open for April - for either 2 or 4 weeks - let us know if you need it by March 31st.

Showoff!

Ayla was showing off in class today!

Phoenix is coming along in leaps and bounds!

So Phoenix is definitely one smart cookie.  Just this week she passed her Novice Trick Dog Title and became on of the youngest to have ever done this - at 7 weeks!  To do this she needed to demonstrate she could do 15 tricks from the Easy list in front of a witness with no more than half needing to be lured still.

She did:

Sit
Down
Come
Stand
Touch (Hand)
Chase Lure
Puppy Push Ups
Follow Finger
Ramp
Thank You (Drop It)
Fetch
Head Tilt
Jump Over Bar
Kisses
Paws Up
Table (Pedestal)
Wobble Board


But she is also showing a more independent side now as well as a bit more of the Hound type personality comes through.

She is proving to be good with all sorts of dogs and people and training with her is a joy!  Plus she LOVES to play!

Early Puppy Development - Phoenix

Phoenix has been doing so well...she has met tons of people to ensure her socialization is where it should be, has played with several of the dogs in my classes - both large and small and is really developing into a confident and bright pup...

Sophia Yin recently released an article that I think sums up my feelings on how important it is to get your pup out and about in a safe way.  Sequestering them until they are 4-6 months old will not only make it harder for them to relate to people and other dogs but greatly increases the chances of them having fear based issues in the future...


Here are a few highlights of the past few weeks!

PAWTENTIAL PROFILE: SOPHIE

Name:  Sophie
Breed:  Cairn Terrier
Sex:  Female
Age: 2 years

Duration: 2 week Board & Train

Reason for B&T:  Mostly boarding for the holidays with a manners brush up / controlling barking


What we are working on during her stay:

OWNERS REQUESTS:
* Barking - normal terrier barking but with no off switch
* Jumping - jumps on/scratches people and furniture
* Loose Leash Walking- could use some fine tuning

She has settled in nicely and plays really well with McKenna (the other terrier) and Kai, our new Pit Bull pup rescue.

Jinx is back for the holidays

So Jinx is back with us for the Xmas holidays while her new owner is home...she came back like she had never left - she jumped in and played with her siblings and has fit right back in.  Blizzard LOVES her - a little too much - but other than that she has settled in nicely.

PAWTENTIAL PROFILE: BLIZZARD

Name:  Blizzard
Breed:  American Pit Bull Terrier
Sex:  Male
Age: 8 months

Duration: 4 week Board & Train

Reason for B&T:  General obedience work / social skills

Background:  Blizzard and his littermates were being sold on the side of the road at 4 weeks old when his family took him in.  I met him that day and shared some concerns not only for his premature age, but also for his health.  He appeared to have limited to no hearing and his ear canals were swollen shut still.  I advised his family to seek a vet opinion ASAP.

As it turns out he is deaf - but that hasn't stopped him, or them.  It has made working with him much harder for them however, so as he is bigger, stronger and very clever at avoiding situations he doesn't want to participate in...they have asked for my help.

What we are working on during his stay:

OWNERS REQUESTS:
* Basic Obedience - Sit, Down, Stay, Leave It - hand signal
* Jumping - jumps on people and furniture
* LLW- does not walk well on leash AT ALL
* Door Manners - stop bolting through open doors
* Anxiety - mild separation anxiety

I have worked with deaf and blind dogs before and love the challenge!  Let's see what we can teach this big boy!

Coco Update

So Coco finished his month here and we hadn't gotten as far as I wanted with him.  I offered his Mom another 2 weeks free since the first two weeks we couldn't do much training at all.  These two weeks have really made a difference.  

Somewhere around week 4 we started to turn a corner and look at him now!

He is so much more relaxed and calm.  And his recall is amazing - even with farmyard distractions.  His reaction to the doorbell was pretty severe - but we are working on that as well.

Coco & Charley Update

COCO:  UPDATE  
Boy did I ever speak too soon about Coco.

This poor boy has probably the most severe case of separation anxiety I have EVER seen.  

I had to leave him for about 30 minutes yesterday and his owner said no crating so I left him in my bedroom. I never expected to come back to anything like this.  He was soaked from his muzzle to his feet with drool.  The floor was a pool of drool and footprints.  The inside of the door was dirty at least 4ft high.  He was out of his mind with panic. 

I immediately called his Mom and she said yes she knew (but didn't tell me).  Hmmmm.....

If I close a door between us the result is total chaos.  He tries to bolt through doors to avoid getting left behind and will do so dangerously.  He jumps and slams himself against the door, drooling profusely and crying.  We are in for a long month!

CHARLIE: UPDATE
Charley has fit right in.  She has been busy exploring and running out some of her energy.  

Her "brother" Brooks is here for a few days boarding but he is more interested in toys and she is more interested in the other dogs!  LOL

PAWTENTIAL PROFILE: COCO

Name:  Coco
Breed:  Mini Poodle
Sex:  Male
Age: 6 yrs

Duration: 4 week Board & Train


Reason for B&T:  General obedience work / social skills

Background:  Coco has been with his Mom since a pup.  He has traveled with her through several moves and has taken several obedience classes.  He hasn't had much socialization with people or dogs though outside of those classes.  He seems to be a generally very settled dog who just needs to sharpen up on some basic manners and social skills.  He doesn't seem bothered by too much at the farm so far.

What we are working on during his stay:

OWNERS REQUESTS:
* Basic Obedience Refresher- Sit, Down, Stay, Leave It
* Recall - owner says he has an unreliable recall and has not trusted him outside off leash
* Jumping - jumps on people and furniture
* Barking - alerts to every sight and sound, esp the door
* Dog Social Skills - doesn't really have any
* People Social Skills - has been known to nip
* Feeding - only eats people/table food

Sounds easy enough! 

PAWTENTIAL PROFILE: CHARLIE

Name:  Charlie
Breed:  Rat Terrier / Basenji mix?
Sex:  Female
Age: 12 months

Duration: 4 week Board & Train

Reason for B&T:  General obedience work, leadership issues




Background:  Charley is a feisty rescue who just needs a little polishing. She has begun to growl at her owner if she doesn't want to move or go to her bed, jumps like a little kangaroo, barks like crazy, annoys her Dachshund brother and is just generally a little wild and free.

What we are working on during her stay:

OWNERS REQUESTS:
* Basic Obedience - she will be completing Big Dog University 101 - Look, Leave It, Touch, Sit, Down, Stay, Wait 
* Loose Leash Walking - currently a very forward, zig zag type puller
* Recall - owner says she has an unreliable recall and has not trusted her outside off leash
* Jumping - when excited she jumps and scratches
* Barking - can be a little overzealous about "intruders"
* Dog Social Skills - she doesn't know when enough is enough and can get too rough with other dogs - esp her housemate Brooks, a Dachshund who has already had back issues

Introducing Charley:

Bubbie Goes Home

So Bubbie finished his first month here on the farm.  His momma was so glad to see him!   Awwwww - we love moments like these!  He still has a long way to go but he has come along in leaps and bounds.

When a dog comes we ask what issues are specifically problematic and sometimes new issues present themselves that the owner is either unaware of or didn't really think were a problem.  In Bubbie's case it was pretty much all up front...just behind those pearly canines.  V----V

When a dog is leaving us to return home, we shoot a support video demonstrating the techniques, cues and hand signals used during their time here, with helpful bits of advice to help the owner continue their training.  We do a two hour "hand over" where questions are asked, the dog demonstrates what they have learned and everyone gets a chance to talk about the experience and what expectations they have moving forward.

Since Ariel, my apprentice, did alot of the work with Bubbie's obedience, I let her shoot the support video.  As this was her first video, we had some interesting outtakes.  Here is a sample of the video we shot for Bubbie's owner.

Bubbie will be returning to us in November to continue his training - working specifically next time with his aggression using BAT, TTouch and LAT training techniques.  Stay tuned to see his progress.  

If you have a reactive or aggressive dog that is in need of help - check out some of these great resources:

Click to Calm

Behavior Adjustment Training

LAT - Look at That Training

Control Unleashed

TTouch for Dogs

Relaxation Protocols

3LostDogs Reactivity eBook

Field Trip - Archie & Bella at Tractor Supply

The dogs and I LOVE Tractor Supply.  It is one of the few places outside of a pet store that you can take the dogs to roadwork some of their training.

Our local TS is in Siler City.  Archie & Bella got dropped off last night around 6:30 and we jumped in the van to get some work in before they closed.

First they did a beautiful wait in the parking lot before getting out in the rain.

Then we headed inside for some Loose Leash, Wait, Stay, Recall & Polite People Greeting work.  We definitely have to work more on the people greeting as they LOVE people and are all over them.  Here is some shaky footage of them showing off!

They are with us for another week to polish up their skills.  Stay tuned for more progress...