Kaizen Dog and Handler Training

Stan practicing his chilling in different locations, including very busy ones including the Christmas Fayre. Don't forget to train "chill" in different situations. Love when training/ homework pays off and makes handlers so proud.

Willow's amazing heel work, all wrapped up and with her watch command combined

Been having loads of enquiries for puppy training to start in January with all different breeds. Here's a list of things to consider when deciding on getting a puppy (please send more friendly advice for new puppy owners - this list is not exhausted and is in no particular order): - Why are you getting another dog? If it's to be company for your first dog, this in my opinion isn't the right reason e.g. separation anxiety very rarely is sorted with a 2nd dog. In addition, you don't want the 2nd dog bonding more with the first dog than with you. -What equipment will be necessary? E.g. crates etc. -Have you got room in the house for necessary equipment? - Have you got suitable flooring in the house for a dog? What fabric is the sofa made from - easily cleaned? -Is the car big enough? Can the dog at full size be secured/ crated in the car? - Have you checked with landlord or house deeds that you can have a dog? -Who will look after the pup when it's fully grown if you go on holiday? E.g. big dogs with elderly relatives might not work and boarding your dog is about £30 per day (£420 for a 2 week holiday) - If you needed to go into hospital or worse what would be the arrangements for your dog? - Does the breed require owners with previous experience? How much experience do you have? - How much does the breed shed hair? How regularly do you need to hoover? Groom? E.g. dog grooms cost between £30 and £60 per cut for poodle crosses, every 6 to 8 weeks - What medical issues are typical for the breed? How much are vet bills linked to these conditions? Does the insurance company cover it? - What is the life expectancy for the breed? - What was the breed bred for? What activities/ training might you need to do to fulfill their natural instincts safely? - How energetic is the breed? Is it from working lines or show lines? - How much is Pet insurance for the breed? - How much is it to feed the pup once it's fully grown? - What was the temperament of the Mothe

Along the medical theme at the moment - Erik has been recently diagnosed with Pannus, a condition where UV light rays affect his eyes, the solution is eye gel (another type of training) and Doggles. Here Caroline shows the steps that she takes to ensure the doggles are a fun experience (like any training session) and that Erik feels confident putting them on. This is part of Erik's winter training to have them back on in the spring during the day when the UV rays are high. Just like muzzle training it's a gradual process that can be fun. Remember the perfect time to train most things is sitting on the floor watching the TV when you and your dog are really relaxed. More photos and videos in the comments due to FB restrictions.

We had our 2nd 121 with the very cute Otis, where the focus was heel work and attention/ focus while walking, play around distractions, drop command, leave it commands, recall, long line work and sit stays. Otis and his amazing owner have done their homework well and in the weeks between our first and second visit, this little puppy has come on leaps and bounds. It's hard to see your progress when you see it everyday, however in a few weeks Otis is coming on so well, so much so I kept forgetting he's only 14 weeks old. Excited to see what progress he makes over the coming months.