Pikes Peak K9 Camp

01/31/2024

It’s rude, inappropriate behavior.

Let’s set the scene. This may become a bit sensitive for some, and I apologise in advance.

You’re out somewhere. You might be at a restaurant, a bar, a public park on a sunny day enjoying the sunshine with your family. It may be that you’re on your way home from work or trying to catch the bus. You’re just minding your own business.

Suddenly, a person comes straight up to you. They give you anxiety. What is this person going to do? I don’t know! The person is walking with a friend and the friend sees you’re a bit anxious and calls out to you saying “Don’t stress, she/he’s all good!’’ But they keep approaching you. And when they finally reach you they randomly hug you. Touch you. Walk circles around you. Start talking to you. Don’t let you leave.

What would you call that? Harassment? Assault in severe cases?
How would this make you feel?

Now, after the initial shock you find your courage and you ask the person to go away. Leave you alone. But the person doesn’t stop and instead touches your arm or your hair. “Oh come on, we’re alright. I’m not doing anything bad I’m friendly! Just let me be around you.’’You get upset and might push the person. Shout at them. If you’re a bit more of an assertive person you might punch them. Who knows.
Then the person and the friend get upset. Well? WHY are you here then? What are you doing in this public space if you don’t like being around other people? You have no business to be here, minding your own business in this park with your family without allowing me to sit with you, play with you, touch you, talk to you. Actually, you know what you should do? You should be more social! You should go more often to random groups of people.

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Do you see what I did there?
If you thought any of the above situation is not okay (and I sure as heck hope you do), then why do we think it’s okay to let dogs run up to strange dogs and say ‘It’s okay he’s friendly’?

What we do in the dog world is the exact opposite what we should be doing. We label the harassed dog as aggressive and the harassing dog as the victim.

Dogs have emotions. They have feelings. They have their own characters and personalities. There are many, many dogs that are not interested in making new friends or being with dogs they don’t know they can trust.

And sure, some dogs love playing with other dogs. Those are the extraverted dogs. Just like we have people that LOVE hugging or love making new friends even as adults, but to be honest.. how many of those people do you know? I think if you put it into a % its lower than the people that rather just are with their select group of people and be left alone by random strangers in public spaces.

So don’t assume the dog your dog is running towards on the beach, is willing to play with your dog. Being in a public space means you need to have your dog under effective control. And if you can’t call your dog back, it should be on a long line until you can.

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In case you’re interested.. after quite a few requests I made a video version of this blog as well.

Your dog is NOT friendly, he's harassing others
https://youtu.be/YlWf02MHKCo

12/07/2023

The collar in the photograph is a "carlanca," a special iron collar with protruding spikes that was used to give a Pyrenean Mastiff a fighting chance against the attacks of wolves and bears. The collars are still being used for many LGD breeds both in the US and Europe, and it is up to all of us to educate the general public that sees it ,and assumed it is abusive it is to the dog.

This breed was commonly seen accompanying herds of sheep being moved from winter feeding confinement to summer grazing land, and indeed, the Pyrenean Mastiff is still a prized breed, especially by the Sheep and Herd Federation of Spain because of the dog’s superb ability to protect the flocks of sheep.

12/02/2023

Brienne of Tarth Sommet du Valhalla Freya/Beny 6 months old! Turning into one very pretty crazy girl!

11/28/2023

Silver and family have been been training with me for a few months! This girl is not your typical puppy. She has been an incredibly difficult dog in training and to live with for her family. Very overwhelming, over the top energy and tenacity for pushing an owner to their braking point! In lesson 6 of 10 we have moved to working in more difficult environments. And adding distractions. We worked recall, long downs and heeling in public. We also added in breed appropriate toy play and some hunting foundation in scent work and object holds. Silver’s owners have put a lot of trust in me. Even on the tough days when it seemed like she was regressing. Training moments like this are a testament to her owners commitment to training, resilience and commitment to enjoying Silver long term. This has been a training project that has pushed me to bring out all of my experience. And easily could have been a failure having her returned to her breeder or rehomed without a trainer with a deep toolbox of knowledge. Or one with a lot of experience with the “crazy” dogs. 😜 I’m excited to get to the fun part of training her and watch her excel in the work she was bred for!

11/28/2023

Good morning! I know a few have sent messages. I can’t get my business meta to load!
Or reply to them. I’m going to try on a different network when I get to town this afternoon.
Text me on my cell!

11/26/2023

Rare Holiday Dog Training opportunity! Reserve your dogs training spot this week for 25% off your dogs 2 week Camp and Training for December 22nd January 6th. Message me for more details and to schedule a free training evaluation.

11/25/2023

They say work until your mentors become your competitors! Last year in California competing for Freya’s Mondio 2. Michael Ellis was our dog in white example. I’ve competed at the same National Championships with him the year before. But it’s different in small trials and to have the moments of comrade. And discussion. And this person that was once kinda a legend to you, is now talking to you like a peer. I had tears streaming down my face during the dog in white. I didn’t care if I passed or failed. I knew I had made it. The far off goals I’d set for myself while watching his training videos for years, living in the middle of nowhere Nevada 10 years before paid off.
If anyone knew all of Freya’s and I’s story. No one would believe she would make it to a trial field. I made so many mistakes with her. We got there because I’m crazy and not afraid to fail. And I sacrificed my entire life to move, and build a different life for her, we went through 3 club breakups. My melanoma diagnosis and treatments. Twice!! I believed in a dream no one would have bet on. We had help. A lot, a lot of good people invested in me and her!! But in the end it was my sacrifice. Giving up everything I knew for a dream. And in one moment, I knew I had made it.
We passed that day. After the worst open field. Broken whistles. Lost toys. 1500 miles of travel, car and hotel problems. Everything went wrong. We got it together for an amazing few minutes together.