This afternoon I played with some out of sight stays with distraction. So much fun and a darn handy skill to have with your dog. Keep a look out as we may do a short course on this🫸🏻
Our dedicated tracking teams got an early start this morning to beat the heat.
Despite the challenging conditions—dry, hard ground and warm temperatures—our incredible dogs performed admirably during their second week back.
It's truly wonderful to be training again with some of my favorite people in the world!
We're now in session three of our Whistle Recall Class, and the energy is fantastic!
With teams at various training levels, the diversity adds incredible value to our group experience. This remarkable group of dog and human pairs is eager to learn, tackle challenges, and, most importantly, cheer for each other's successes.
I can only imagine how much they will grow by session six—I’m eagerly looking forward to witnessing their progress!
Today marked our first day of tracking for 2025, and I’m thrilled to report that none of the dogs made any mistakes! They were all fantastic, especially considering the warm, dry weather and gusty winds, which can pose challenges during scent work. It was wonderful to have everyone back together, supporting one another and reveling in the joy our dogs bring.
This morning, we held our second session of the whistle recall class.
Each team engaged in fresh activities designed to enhance their dogs' enthusiasm and comprehension, encouraging them to return at full speed. Everyone performed exceptionally well, and it was wonderful to witness both individual and collective learning unfold—one of my favorite aspects of teaching.
Effective recall is rooted in the bond, enjoyment, and communication between the dog and their handler. It's not just a command to follow; it's an experience that the dog should find joy in.
I have no pics or video from this morning as I was in the moment with each team and enjoying watching them learn.
Just for fun her is a down then come with Scooter and Shine.
And we are there, the dremmel was used for the first time this morning and we had success. This handsome boy is now well on his way to better nails with minimal stress and restraint. We actually could hardly keep him off the table where the nail work happens, it's become a place of choice for him.
I am getting excited about classes starting back in two weeks, it feels like it's been forever since we used the shed and the arena to play dog stuff.
Here is the follow up on clipping Mr GSD's nails. What at super boy he was this morning, we only took a little bit off on his first go but he was a super star.
Clipping your dog's nails can sometimes feel like a daunting task. We’ve been focusing on making this process as stress-free as possible for this wonderful boy. He’s been learning to use a scratch board and is really starting to get the hang of it.
This morning, after some other training sessions, we decided to take a different approach to see how he would respond. He has a history of disliking having his paws held or having nail clippers near his feet.
Working together as a fantastic team, his owner and I completed a couple of sessions this morning that helped build his confidence with the process. Using the scissors was a brilliant step; I could gently place them around his nails and make a clicking sound. We were thrilled with how well it went!
Next week, we’ll be attempting our first real nail clip. Stay tuned!
Here is a little dinner time training session with Shine, no yelling or strong words at her, my body language is soft with her and look how joyful she is.
I walk out and place her dinner down, walk away from the food bowl and she comes with me, place her in a sit, walk away and then call her to heel position. Her reward is a quick release to her dinner.
This technique is called the Premack Principle, the up and coming Whistle Recall class will be learning about this.
Some morning fun when I let some of our guests out this morning. I so love how big Oscar is with the little dogs, he is a gem.