 'Tis the season to be jolly! That picture on the left makes me jolly every time I see those big floppy ears. It's hard to believe we're in December already. Here in the Mid-Atlantic, we've had some mild weather so far. No complaints here, but I do hope we get some snow before the new year! The dogs love the snow and revert to their puppy-selves when it snows. I love to watch them take a few tentative steps in the snow, realize what it is, then rocket around the yard, running like puppies.
My article last month created quite a buzz. Many readers commented that their problem was that their dog misbehaved in obedience class. Based on the responses, I wrote an article to help with that problem, too!
Smart Dog University believes there are three ways we can make our dog's lives the best ever: Teach. Play. Love. We're extra excited about our new weekly dog training video series on YouTube! Every week, we're adding a short and helpful training video. These are ideas you can implement right now with your dog. New videos will be posted every Thursday on the Smart Dog Blog, along with an article.
Tell us: what would you like to see in upcoming videos?
Laurie Luck, Professional Dog Trainer
Operation Socialization Certified Trainer
Faculty, Karen Pryor Academy
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The Flip Side: Your Dog Listens Only at Home
I was surprised when last month’s article (My Dog Listens In Obedience Class, But Not At Home!) was met with the cry of “I have the opposite problem! My dog will listen, but only at when we’re home. He never listens at obedience class.” I assumed (never assume, I know…) the obedience class instructors would have covered that for the students – it’s a really common problem. Based on the response I got from readers, though, I thought this month’s article might be able to help.
What’s Different In Public?
It’s not unusual for dogs to lose their minds when they leave home. Home is, well, sorry to say it folks, but: kind of boring. It’s the same old, same old. Yawn. But outside the yard? Now that’s exciting! Different surroundings are exciting! Different surroundings are distracting!
First, let’s not label the dogs’ distraction at obedience class as “silly,” or as “blowing you off.” No, it’s real, that distraction! And distraction (or excitement) means that performance will suffer. That dog that always sits, no matter what? It’ll look like he has selective hearing. The dog that never jumps, he’ll have his paws all over people. Not because he’s dumb, stubborn, or dominant – just because he’s distracted!
Strategies to Help
What’s a good dog owner to do when his dog is a maniac in dog obedience class? A good obedience instructor will implement one or more of these strategies:
Click here to read the strategies...
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Caysun Graduates!
Our sweet Baby Caysun is graduating! We're so proud of this girl -- and her new partner -- for the teamwork and love they share. I got to see them in action a few weeks ago and it was a sweet moment seeing Caysun working so eagerly for her new person. Caysun alerts to changes in blood sugar for her partner. It's fascinating work. And really rewarding for the puppy raisers when they get to see the wee baby pup they raised all grown up and doing very important work.
We're headed to Charlottesville, VA [with Schooner, who will be in the Puppy Parade -- I giggle at the thought!] for graduation and will bring back pictures and video. Check the Smart Dog Blog for all the details! |
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Smart Dog Blog
Struggling with a training issue? Check out the Smart Dog Blog for quick and easy dog training solutions.
Many of our articles have videos, too! Here are some articles from November:
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