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It is the outdoor training these barmy summer days offer that makes for time spent with your dog so pleasurable, but there is no such thing as bad weather for training dogs, just the wrong clothes.
We, by necessity teach Life skills for Dogs (and Puppies), it is contextual learning. Many "Puppy School" socialisation class are teaching Dogs that other Dogs are more important than you. If there are no Dogs permitted and it is Puppy only, where does the puppy learn and acquire to great social skills to interact [or not] with safe, good adult dogs and, importantly same for people?
I am commonly asked why 'School of the Naked Dog'. Hey! just ask around, we have about two thousand happy Dogs all across Christchurch. There are plenty of people who will testify to our points of difference, just look out for the soft leash.
I was veritably asked this question today. I thought it worthy to say, here, pretty much what I told the inquirer.
The short answer is in our four week class. In one hour x4, in a big social hall on the Dog friendly grounds of (formally known as) The Blind Foundation, the home of a different way of seeing. Class and the venue grounds are one meter between noses' rule enabling both Dog and Handler to watch the other end of the leash.
We teach what to do when your Dog watches you and how to incentivise desired behaviours and how to reward the outcomes you want to see. It was a delight to observe this transition in our January Class, seeing their companions doing what Dogs do best, and doing so - despite being surrounded by bums to sniff. 
Finally, in some time out from Dogs moment, we kayaked 12 Km down the Avon River. Yes, it has considerable restoration to go but sadly arriving home we learned of the death of two Dogs near Masterton due to drinking river water because of the toxic algae (sign posted of the dangers ). In this uncommonly hot weather Dogs will seek out what looks, smells and tastes like water. Rivers, more especially, those with heads in the agricultural sector, and similarly standing water represent 'a risk'. [Bring on the Dung Beetle!]
Responsible animal welfare and husbandry demands we are their eyes and ears, but over 30 degrees we would should carry some water for our Dog. Delight in rewarding your Dog's great behaviour with a drink often [and rub some on its tummy when you feel stink hot too] and the risks are largely mitigated.
Remember, your Dog cannot remove its wooly jumper! or read the warning sign. Thats why they domesticated us.
We've been asked about our past newsletters? if you enjoy reading them, here's the archive
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Thank you to the Internet for this poem
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We took the opportunity of asking our clients about their thoughts about our Life Skills course...
What did they like best? "picked up a lot of new things', 'tips on building blocks', 'friendly and consistent', 'small group size', gives good ideas', 'the style of teaching', 'well delivered',
The greatest benefit? 'ways to use what was shown in class', 'my dog behaviour has improved significantly', 'knowing command & actions', 'that I'm doing okay', 'the 'watch' command', 'the confidence to NOT give up on our dog'
As we had a few puppies, this exercise is called Pass the Pup. The owner of one dog reported that her dog was less barky afterwards. Definitely builds confidence.
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- With their swivelling ears, dogs can locate the source of a sound in 6/100 of a second.
- Dogs have far fewer taste buds than humans, but the 200 million scent receptors (compared to our 5 million) in their nasal folds nevertheless make some of them very finicky eaters.
- The hair on a dog’s muzzle, eyes, and jaws are touch-sensitive hairs called vibrissae that can sense tiny changes in airflow.
- Dogs have 39 pairs of chromosomes.
Humans have 23.
- Dogs have about 10 vocal chords.
Cats have more than 100.
- Studies show dogs can learn to distinguish up to 100 words.
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 Surprising Reasons Why Dogs Have Whiskers
In some ways a dog's whiskers may be viewed as part of their visual system.
Ten Tips to Integrate Dog Training Into Everyday Life
Dogs are always learning, so here are ten tips for a better-behaved dog.
5 Simple Tricks to Ditch the Dog Odor in Your Home - I keep forgetting about baking soda!
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The Beatles in The Lord of the Rings (or Ringo)
Deepfake video technology is scary when applied to news, or the concept of using actors without paying them to act. But it also gives us delights like The Beatles starring in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
In this video, Paul McCartney is Frodo, George Harrison is Gandalf, Ringo Starr is Samwise, and John Lennon is Gollum. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
 Have you ever wondered how our finger names came to be? How the “thumb” came to be called the “thumb”? Why the “index” finger is called the “index” finger? Have you also thought about how other languages call these fingers? Our names for our fingers show a surprising depth of cultural variation—and similarity.
*Did You Eat Grandma* is a succinct and funny guide to punctuation, grammar, and English usage. Perhaps a good gift for a student.
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Keep in mind when you train and trial that every interaction with your dog will either enhance his joy at playing the game with you or chip it away… Just like us, dogs will grow to love an activity in which they feel encouraged and successful.
-- Laurie Leach
The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and respect to look at ourselves honestly and gently.
-- Pema Chödron
[N]o plan of operations extends with any certainty beyond the first contact with the main hostile force.
-- von Moltke
*Dieu ne pas pour le gros battalions, mais pour sequi teront le meilleur* [God is not on the side of the big battalions, but of those who shoot the best].
-- Voltaire
To see we must forget the name of the thing we are looking at.
-- Monet
One must be very naive or dishonest to imagine that men choose their beliefs independently of their situation.
-- Claude Levi-Strauss
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