Play Ruff Dog Training

06/26/2024

Tanner and his wonderful pup Redgy worked through the Relationship Building class this spring. Sadly, they are missing the last class. Congratulations Tanner, you guys are a great team, ready for the world. 👏👏💕

06/03/2024

Play Ruff Dog Training, friends and students were once again privileged to be part of the Yellowhead Ag Society and Edson Animal Rescue Society's 3rd annual Dog and Pony Show! We put on an agility demo and paired with Lori Hellekson and her equine crew for a Calcutta competition. The competition was fierce this year! Proud to say my guy Taken and his horse partner Gus, earned bragging rights this year!! The event was once again a huge success. Congratulations to all the volunteers on a job well done! Thanks for letting us showcase our furry friends ❤️❤️ Missing pics of Cash and Zephyr and Epic 😞
Photo credit goes to Aaron Whitten - thanks!

05/29/2024

Class tonight is canceled due to the weather.

05/27/2024

Come on out to the Ag Society grounds this Sunday! So much going on! Fun for whole family 👏👏

05/21/2024

Still room in the Advanced Agility classes. Begin May 27th at 6pm. Let me know.
Deanna Sauntry?

Send a message to learn more

05/21/2024

Looking for a fun filled, low pressure agility weekend? One where you can hang with friends, learn from one of the BEST, play with your dog, walk on some beautiful trails, let the dogs swim in the river to unwind and potentially walk away feeling better than you have in ages?
Maybe you have a puppy or young dog that needs to work in new environments?
Or maybe, you have worked with Karen Childs before and are ready to run your butt off on some of her amazing courses??

If you aren't familiar with Karen, she is a multi time world team member with several different dogs. Her feedback is amazing and she is one of the most positive people I have ever worked with.

There is room in the upcoming Karen Childs seminar!! June 29/30th just outside of Edson, AB. Outdoors on grass. Foundation Saturday and Sunday morning. International style Saturday and Sunday afternoon. $175 for each 3.5 hour session. Free camping on site. Hotels available 10 minutes away in Edson. Contact me for information or to register.

05/21/2024

Surprise and I have been working hard. This weekend we went to an agility trial put on by Spitfire Dog Sports (fantastic job).

I couldn't be prouder of this guy both inside and outside the ring 🥰

Here are 2 of my favorite runs from the weekend. Very unexpected 3rd place finishes in each. Good boy Sur, good boy ❤️ 2nd run is in comments.

05/14/2024

If you think this looks like fun, you're right!! In my opinion, agility is the most fun you can have with your dog 😃
The sport of agility is great for so many reasons. Build unbeatable teamwork between you and your dog, build confidence (for both of you 😉), great exercise for your mind and body, to name just a few.

2 classes will be offered this spring. The session will start on May 27th.

6pm - Beginner Foundations. Get started on the right foot, or continue building your foundations.

7:30 - Advanced for those teams that have some more serious skills and want to keep pushing for more 💪

Cost for a 6 week set of classes $157.50
Classes will be kept small for maximum working time.

I willbe contacting those that have expressed interest earlier, if spots remain, I will open them up.

05/14/2024

Relationship Building classes will be offered beginning May 28th! This class will focus on basic manners as well as insight into how to become more important to your dog or puppy. Come join the fun!

Tuesdays at 6 or 7:30.

Classes are kept small.
I will be contacting those that expressed interest on the earlier post. If there are spots remaining, I will open them up.

Cost for a 6 week set of classes is $157.50

04/29/2024

There are a couple of spots available in both the foundation and the international sessions. If you haven't worked with Karen before, you want to, trust me! She recently made the team AGAIN!! We are so lucky to have her come to the sticks to work with us

04/29/2024

Already have some agility training chops but need a place to practice? Field rentals are available to approved teams only. $50/month gets you (almost) unlimited access. $25/hour drop in also available if monthly access isn't your thing. Contact me.

04/29/2024

Almost ready to open up class registration for spring!!
Relationship Building, Tricks, Foundation Agility and Advanced Agility coming up 😃😍 Stay tuned! Message below if you are interested (this will NOT guarantee you a spot).

03/21/2024

Save the date!! June 29/30 Karen Childs is coming back to Edson!! Those of you that have worked with Karen before know why you don't want to miss it. If you haven't worked with her before, I assure you, she is one of the BEST!!

Karen is a multi time Canadian World Team member in agility with multiple dogs at multiple organiztions

12/27/2023

Last chance to sign up for the month of January and only a couple spots remain! Message me if you have any questions!

12/25/2023

Merry Christmas to you all!! The boys are about to rip up some wrapping paper and kibble stuffed holee rollers! 🥰

12/01/2023

GREAT information!!! LOVE THIS ❤️

Let’s go back to a parking lot observation session with puppy Seeya 🥹 to remind you that ….✏️ Puppy socializing isn’t solely about a magical checklist of people to meet and dogs to introduce your puppy to. 📝

Socializing your puppy is about confident, safe exposures to all that life has to offer and helping them tackle it with joy, enthusiasm and confidence.

Socializing your puppy is about helping them see dogs, people etc. and making good choices, remaining neutral and comfortable. Forced interactions and overwhelming a puppy forces them to make poor life choices so they can feel safe.

Socialization looks like helping your puppy confidently navigate different floorings & textures under their feet. Socialization looks like taking your puppy into elevators and through automatic sliding doors. Socialization looks like taking your puppy through a car wash 🧽.

Socialization looks like taking your puppy to safely watch,from a comfortable distance, a construction site 🏗. Socialization looks like walking by or sitting & observing a school during daily pickup and watching children.

Socialization looks like learning how to confidently handle grooming, veterinary care, toenail trims, emergency holds etc.

Socialization looks like exposing your puppy to different sounds, different animals (farms, birds, cows, goats etc), and vehicles etc. It can look like taking your puppy for a ride in a wagon, smashing pop cans, playing in a tub of plastic bottles. Socialization can look like helping your puppy realize the puppy in the mirror is just them.

There is SO much more to socializing your puppy than dog parks, doggie day care, meeting 100 people, meeting 50 dogs and finding a human with an umbrella.

Socialization is about helping your puppy see the world through an appropriate, confidence filled lens. It is about helping your puppy learn that they can remain calm, polite and behave appropriately in a variety of situations. Proper socialization helps teach your puppy that you have their back and will protect and advocate for them.

Proper socialization helps your puppy become a well established adult dog. And after all…. That’s what we all want when we set out to socialize our puppies/young dogs.

Prioritize confidence.
Prioritize observations Vs interactions.
Prioritize experiences.

…and remember raising a puppy is hard work. You’re doing great. We all feel overwhelmed at times. You’re doing great.

11/09/2023

Excellent article for anyone considering a Malinois. Read the whole article. It is worth it.

As professional dog trainers, our job is to tell clients what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. Due to the rising popularity of the Belgian Malinois, we're receiving more and more inquiries asking us to help "fix" these dogs as they mature into adults. They're biting house guests, chasing the children, and getting into bar fights at the dog park.... and their families are feeling hopeless and frustrated, realizing they bit off more than they could chew.

We understand the appeal. They're beautiful, athletic dogs with hilarious personalities and they're smart as can be. Videos of their impressive training and abilities regularly go viral on the internet. Done correctly, you'd be hard pressed to find a more loyal breed. But these dogs are not without extreme challenges that can make them completely unsuitable for the average home.

For those of you that know us, you know that we are incredibly passionate about the breed. For those of you that don't, a little background on us. Lisa Lucero won the USA Mondioring Nationals in 2021 with her Malinois, Hero; and competed in Romania in the International competition with him in Oct. 2021 - placing in the top 15 in the world. She has been in the Malinois breed for twelve years, with her third competition dog of the breed. Shaina Zimmerman won the MR1 Nationals in 2019 with one of her Malinois, Atom, took 3rd place at MR3 in 2021, and has two dogs currently competing in Mondioring and French Ring. Both have also been involved in rescue and placement of the breed, as well as puppy selection and rearing for some of the top breeders in the country. Shaina's female Malinois just had a litter of puppies for a well known kennel, and she is currently raising one of those puppies until he is placed in an appropriate home. Prior to Malinois, Lisa and Shaina both competed with working line German Shepherds. We have titled in AKC and ASCA Obedience and Rally, in addition to protection sports. We have trained with the best of the best in the country, and in the world. The point is, we have extensive breeding and training experience with Malinois.

We aren't going to sugarcoat what it takes to be successful with a young Malinois in a pet home. One of our well-respected colleagues, that we refer to for private lessons and group classes (since we do not offer those services) has decided to refer out all Malinois inquiries that come in as she has had almost no success helping people with these dogs as pets. The breed has gained exponentially in popularity since the rise of the public's exposure to them. Unfortunately, this has led to many more of them being bred and put out into the world - from those in shelter situations, to those being purchased from working line breeders, to those being bred by less scrupulous breeders looking to cash in on their popularity. It's easy to find breeders regularly mixing Malinois with Dutch Shepherds and German Shepherds, touting them as the perfect family protector and companion, selling them to ill-prepared families. They are a truly singular breed in their needs, and in how their brains work. Even those from the very best breeders require a completely different type of life and training than most trainers offer, or most homes are willing to provide. While we do not subscribe to the theory that Malinois need hours of intensive training and exercise every day, we do know that they need more structure and understanding of training theories and genetic behaviors than most homes are willing to learn and implement.

Malinois are purposefully bred to be a bit neurotic, with a lot of drive, suspicion, and aggression. This can be a hard balance to get right, as genetics have a huge influence on behavior and despite the most thoughtful of breeding, the result can be undesirable. Some Malinois like dogs. Some like people. If you're lucky, you end up with a dog that likes both (we call this a UNICORN)... but most often, they dislike both. And that doesn't make them a bad Malinois.

No matter how social a Malinois is (or appears to be), dog parks and daycare are not appropriate outlets for their energy. These dogs are obsessive -- of their toys, their interactions, and their environments. Putting them in situations where they are able to obsess over dogs, people, and items will inevitably result in behaviors such as barking and lunging on walks, aggression due to possession of their toys, running off after dogs while off leash, etc.

Any interactions our own dogs have with other dogs and strangers are well thought out, and for the benefit of the dog. This is not a breed to hang out at a backyard BBQ with intoxicated houseguests who don't understand high drive dogs. Even sober overzealous greeters can get into trouble with a Malinois. (HAIIII PUPPPY!)

While I am not saying owning a Malinois is akin to a tiger that needs to be kept in a cage, I am telling you that they require a much higher level of obedience control, and coaching other people how to interact (management) than other dogs in order to be mentally well adjusted, happy dogs, to prevent dog fights, and bites to people. Even an accidental bite can have devastating consequences for a dog and it is our job to respect this breed for what it is, and for what it isn't, and to avoid and/or intervene in bad situations. While we can help our clients get rock-solid obedience training, direct them to appropriate training outlets, and help them live the best life together, we cannot, and will not, help them make a Malinois what they are not (a Golden Retriever, by example). It is not possible, and it would be unprofessional and unethical for us to take a clients money promising to do so.

To drive it home, here is a good post from a breeder friend of ours that has gone viral numerous times over the years:

"For those that need to hear it....MALINOIS BITE!
MALINOIS BITE !!
MALINOIS BITE !!!
MALINOIS BITE !!!!
No, there’s nothing ‘wrong’ with them. They are bred this way. They do this from 5 weeks on. They also have lots of energy, are very reactive, very pushy and usually carry quite a bit of aggression. They are not known as ‘tolerant dogs’. They don’t care if that’s your kid’s toy. It’s theirs now. P**s off!
They are not like German Shepherds. They are nothing like your Rottweiler you had years ago that you got to sit and stay. They are not Lassie. They are not Rin Tin Tin. Just stop with that.
They jump like REALLY well. See all those cool videos online of them doing crazy parkour s**t? See all those high walls they scale? Your stupid fenced in yard is a joke. I watch 5 month old Malinois puppies that can climb 6ft fences no problem. These are very athletic and agile dogs. There are reasons they are securely confined when not closely supervised by responsible owners. This is one.
And here comes the ‘well, if they are so terrible than how come you have them?’
Well, guess what? I’m a professional trainer. My life revolves around training dogs. I literally eat, breath and sleep this stuff. Everyday. 24/7. It’s an obsession and a lifestyle. I have the need for a breed that matches that intensity. If I didn’t, you bet your ass I wouldn’t have Malinois. In fact, I started out with other breeds first. I went out to sport training clubs and was a dedicated member for years before I got a Malinois. I spent lots of time around the breed with professional trainers before getting my own.
If you’re still romanticizing about getting your own Malinois after reading all this. Fine. Do it right. Don’t be a schmuck and just go out and get one from the first jerk drooling to sell your naive ass a BYB puppy. JOIN a training club. Spend LOTS of time around them. Learn how to actually train a dog using your brain instead of jerking it into a sit. Get a proper set up. Make sure you have several REPUTABLE breeders lined up. Make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into. Then take the plunge and hopefully enjoy the rewards of dedication and planning. Or don’t...because you found out this isn’t for you and you can’t commit. No shame in that.
The point here...don’t make a round peg try to fit in a square hole. Don’t make a selfish, uneducated decision because you are impulsive and don’t care if another living being suffers due to your crap choice at the time. The safety blanket for this breed is gone. Yes, that’s right. The Malinois rescues are overwhelmed. The shelters are getting owner surrender and stray Malinois left and right. They are now on the blacklist for many insurance companies and landlords. It’s not slowing down. Nobody will want your Malinois when you finally decide that maybe you made a mistake. So keep that in mind when admiring that pretty brown hero dog with the black mask."
-Stephanie OBrien
Loucyn Malinois

09/18/2023

FULL

Agility drop in lesson, Wednesday at 6pm. Please let me know in the comments if you plan to come and what level you are at. If you are interested in working obedience and there is room, we can do that too 😊
$30/dog. Hope to see you then!

08/28/2023

So so proud of how Surprise (and I) ran this weekend at the Karen Childs seminar this weekend. Skills are starting to come together ❤️ Good boy Sur!

08/28/2023

Was REALLY pleased how well both Taken and Sur ran for me at the Karen Childs seminar this weekend. I think it is safe to say that everyone had a blast!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&fbclid=IwAR0ak31GhpZmCdmDUfyv9C7S8b2g712OsVvtEKX_R67Zw5cRGfoir7wVCyc&v=DOcA7OiZRT0

08/24/2023

Stacey Gendron could you PLEASE contact me regarding the seminar this weekend. Thanks 😊

08/23/2023

Edit: Saturday full. Sunday one advanced spot.

Can't make the whole weekend work?? Join us for one day, that option is available. 😊

We have had a last minute cancelation. ONE SPOT AVAILABLE IN THE ADVANCED GROUP! PM me for more information :-)
The weather is looking good. Camping is available on site, potluck supper on Saturday night and 2 fabulous days of agility. Advanced session runs 2 - 5:30 both days.

08/14/2023

Hey guys, I'm going to try for a drop in agility session on Wednesday at 7pm. Cost is $30. Let me know if you are interested.

08/01/2023

How did August get here ALREADY? There are still a few spots left in the foundation level of the upcoming Karen Childs seminar. If you have been on the fence about coming out to play, it is time to jump in! There is also one spot left in the advanced level. 😃

Seminar is August 26/27th just outside of Edson Alberta. Cost for a working spot is $250 plus gst for both days. Karen is a multiple time world team member for Team Canada (with multiple dogs). She is an amazing coach. Karen goes above and beyond to ensure that both the dog and the handler get what they need, and that they have the most fun ever!