Think-K9

06/03/2024

06/03/2024

🏅Congratulations Sylviane Chapoulaud (USA, CA) & Tiger (Tiger Opal Wildflower DSK NTD), Dutch Shepherd, on earning your "Novice" title!

06/03/2024

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Don't forget to Subscribe to Showsight: https://showsightmagazine.com/showsight-subscribe/

06/03/2024

A new study provides updated guidelines to decrease risk of certain cancers and joint disorders.

06/03/2024

The Boerboel is dominant, confident, and eager to learn. A discerning guardian, they have a no-frills, no-nonsense quality.

Why do you love the breed?

04/05/2024

Not Acceptable not safe!!!!! Please reach out to a professional trainer experienced with your breed or behavioral modification ASAP! https://www.facebook.com/reel/1475623009699775?fs=e&s=TIeQ9V&mibextid=0VwfS7

01/31/2024

Did you know? Dogs must be 24 months or older for OFA Hip and Elbow Certification, and 12 months or older for Cardiac and Patella certification. There is no age minimum for eye certification, nor for DNA, since DNA does not change as the dog ages.

Of course, OFA also does Preliminary evaluations on hips and elbows before 24 months of age.

01/31/2024

A remarkably bright workaholic, the Border Collie is an amazing dog — possibly a bit too amazing for owners without the time, energy, or means to keep them occupied.

Why do you love the breed?

01/31/2024

01/24/2024

🐾 Chesapeake Bay Retriever Training 🐾

Training a Chesapeake Bay Retriever demands an understanding of this breed’s spirited and independent nature. Famed for their intelligence and determination, Chessies can excel in training sessions that employ consistency, positivity, and firmness.

The innate intelligence of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever can be both a gift and a challenge. While these dogs have the capacity to pick up commands quickly, their independent streak can sometimes make them appear stubborn. They are not always immediately compliant, often preferring to weigh the benefits of obeying a command. This is why it’s crucial for trainers to be consistent and firm without being overly harsh.

Chessies often respond best to training methods rooted in positive reinforcement. Treats, praise, and play can motivate them effectively. Due to their sensitivity, negative or punishment-based techniques can lead to a withdrawn or unresponsive dog.

Regarding their vocal nature, while they are not known to be excessive barkers, Chessies will alert their family to unfamiliar sounds or possible intruders. Early training can help to modulate this behavior, ensuring they bark when necessary but can also be quieted on command.

Their intelligence and drive make the Chesapeake Bay Retriever an excellent candidate for advanced Obedience and other Dog Sports. However, these traits come with a double-edged sword; the breed’s potential for wanderlust and predation. Proper recall training and a secure environment are essential for any Chessie, ensuring it won’t chase after interesting scents or smaller animals.🐾

➡️Learn more: https://showsightmagazine.com/dog-breeds/chesapeake-bay-retriever/

01/03/2024

Well it's officially the last weekend of 2023. Are you goal-setting for 2024? I am! Goal setting is one of my favorite subjects to talk about, specifically, Outcome versus Performance goals. What's the difference, and which is more important?

Outcome goals are the goals we most often set for ourselves and our dogs, especially this time of year. They are goals that depend on a specific outcome. Such as, "I want my dog to get her RATCH," or "I want to win a Bye to the National". It's fun to set Outcome goals!

Performance goals are goals tied to a specific performance criteria. Such as, "I will stop chattering in the ring," "I will help my dog understand complex tunnels," or "I will increase my dog's drive to the rat."

Outcome goals are fine, but Performance goals should come first. Setting realistic, challenging but obtainable Performance goals lead to good Outcome goals. The hazard of setting only Outcome goals is that they can lead you to feeling like a failure, and can also cause you to actively sabotage your next Outcome goals.

Scenario 1. You have a green dog, and your Outcome goal is to get a RATN in a single weekend. First two runs go well, but the dog is showing signs of being a little stressed. Third run, the dog doesn't do the tunnel and doesn't find the rat. Now you're on the 4th run, last of the weekend, and you only need that one leg! So you go in and the dog finds the rat, but won't tunnel. You beg, you cajole, and finally resort to pretty much bellowing at your dog to tunnel, and the dog ends up tunneling. You met your Outcome! You finished your RATN! But what have you done to your dog's confidence and comfort for the tunnel and future events?

Scenario 2. Your goal is a RATCH, and your dog only needs one leg. Getting the dog to release the tube has been an issue, and you've been skating a Lack of Control call, including a couple of verbal warnings from Judges. You also tend to verbally nag your dog. You go into the ring and stay quiet. Your dog is finding rats quickly, and when you ask him to release, he's releasing and moving on. You work the ring, the dog tunnels, and you call Clear. There is one rat left on the course that you didn't find. Because your Outcome goal is RATCH, and you didn't set Performance goals, you are super disappointed. But if you had set Performance goals of "stop chatting," and "good releases," then you will have met your goals. Not getting the RATCH that run will sting far less, and you will not have sabotaged other long term goals just to get an Outcome.

So, that was a long post to read through, but what are your Performance and Outcome goals for 2024?

Mine are for Glimmer and Vila to primarily have fun. For both to get proficient and enjoy complex tunnels, Glimmer to work on stronger indications and finish CZ8B and RATS, Vila to get more comfortable in the blind and finish RATO.

Photo is Glimmer during a training session.

11/11/2021

11/11/2021

11/11/2021

05/26/2021

AT A GLANCE Benefits of trimming your dog's nails at home What device is best for at-home trimming Accustom your dog to having her paws touched and handled Trim carefully to avoid cutting into the quick How to trim black nails Styptic powder or cinnamon powder If you're a pet parent with an aversion...

05/24/2021

Do you agree?

05/22/2021

Have to agree here 😍

05/20/2021

Walking with a friendly, playful dog is a wonderful thing, but we need to ensure that they are playing naturally and properly, to avoid any accidents. 🐶

Nice, social play between dogs should be consensual; this means they should take it in turns to be the submissive one and there should be regular natural breaks caused by the dogs and not our intervention.

We should watch how the dogs first greet each other; it should be relaxed and not tense. One or both dogs may begin to ‘play-bow’ as an invitation to play. At this point they may both start playing, or one may walk away as a refusal to play, and this should be respected by the other dog.

Dogs will generally learn how to play with their litter-mates, but some dogs do not have this benefit and lack the important social-skills required at an early age. If you have a dog that is very pushy, or does not stop, or doesn’t allow natural breaks in play, then we should control this environment for them, and we can do this by first working on any over-excitability under-threshold, and then by getting a good reliable recall when around dogs off-lead.

All dog play is simply a ‘mock battle’; each dog should give regular signals to the other that it is just a game and nothing serious. These signals will include sneezing, yawing, sniffing etc. and are designed to help keep the play ‘fun’, but of course sometimes one of the dogs may become a little over-excited and the play may spill over into something more serious. This is why we need to watch the play to ensure that it remains fun for both dogs.

If either dog is becoming too pushy, or just continuously chasing, then we should intervene to ensure both dogs’ safety. 👍

05/12/2021

Unissued / Unused material. Dog show in Moscow. Russia (Soviet Union).LS entrance to stadium. MS man brushing dog. CU dog seated in car. MS lady chatting. CU...

05/11/2021

05/11/2021