Nose work for dogs is a team sport. No, the dogs aren't a team--you and your dog together are a team. And the biggest lesson for most handlers is to "trust your dog." A dog that knows how to "find it!" is going to find it and tell you. Eventually. But we humans like to second guess our . . .
Nosing around town
I'm getting ready to go to nose class, where I learn to locate things by scent. Want to come? Today was the first day we worked outdoors. Miss Pam put a bunch of boxes outside. Four of them had scent and the rest didn't. I had to find the ones that contained odor and alert Mom. I'm just a little . . .
How not to feed a dog
Yes, he's adorable. But those who know and love him get most tickled by his dinner plate, which gets almost as many comments as his adorableness. In real life, that is. But today, you have the rare opportunity to comment on His Royal Highness' mealtime ritual even if you haven't had the honor of . . .
Smart dogs do for themselves
We bought a nifty new retractable screen door for the French doors off our patio, recently. Not only do they retract smoothly, but because we bought one that cuts the hot glare of sun by at least half, our family room stays a lot cooler. That's Little He's room and he really appreciates that part of . . .
How to teach a dog agility
Smart dogs need something to do. Yes, they do. If, like us, you have a very smart dog, you know that regular activities just don't keep his attention. And a bored dog gets in trouble, right? Riley is an ideal candidate for agility training. He's smart, learns quickly (sometimes, so . . .
Riley: "I does what I wants to do"
"He's sooo cuuuttte!" everyone says when they see Riley. And he is.If they don't know him, they don't understand why Riley's latest report from his trainer said, and I quote:"Riley's case continues to be challenging...."Here's his cuteness playing ball with me. You must remember that his vocabulary . . .
Training Riley, training us
Our new dog trainer spent almost half a day with us yesterday and I have to say that it was worth every minute.I can't say that I heard a lot significantly different from what I've heard or read from our very fine trainers in the past. But they were truths packaged in a practical way that took into . . .
The root of Riley’s attitude problem
That's right. We found his secret stash of affirmation tapes. THIS is why he's such a confident dog.We've confiscated them.And listen to them ourselves, with a modification: "You are SUCH a confident dog owner! You are leaders of the pack! You are the masters!" . . .
School Nights….
Riley went to class last night, since we're gone on his usual Friday training night. He practiced his high-fives, shake and wave, and then started to learn "back" and "bow."Bow will come in handy, because he drew a crowd, who all applauded while they commented how cute he was, and how smart! (Proud . . .