AfroPup Training

04/08/2023

Meet… Ackee!

Ackee is an almost six month old dachshund mix from Jamaican Red Dogs.

We brought Peridot, our 3 year old Windsprite, home in June 2020, right in the middle of quarantine. Because of that, a lot of training and socialization things just weren’t doable. So when the opportunity arose to learn and grow with another bright-eyed pup, we were eager to accept!

What would *you* like to see from us? Topics from fear periods to enrichment to introducing sports… you name it. Join us for ! 🐕

03/25/2023

We have an exciting announcement...can you guess what it is? 👀

01/13/2023

Nothing like having a Spanish-speaking client to remind you how bad your fluency has gotten... Back to DuoLingo for me!

Fellow animal care professionals; what are your favorite ways to stay accessible to clients of all backgrounds?

01/09/2023

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12/28/2022

Resharing this for everyone (for one person in particular ❤️).

This is my dog. He’s a good dog. In this photo, he’s posing with a group of people he’d not met before, as we were all getting ready to participate in a neighborhood parade. As…

12/12/2022

12/07/2022

12/06/2022

If you haven't heart of SuperPup STEAM Scouts, we're sure you've at least heard of Nausicaä the Icelandic Sheepdog and Poki the Windsprite! Their owners are more than just colleagues; they are two of my very best friends, and I'm lucky to count them as such.

This piece is by Ayaka Sano! She makes the most adorable Disney-style commissions...and yes, she DOES have slots available. 😉

12/05/2022

We always support our fellow animal professionals. But we also support artists! In light of recent social media trends (you know the one...), we'll be regularly spotlighting original content for the remainder of December.

Do you have a favorite animal artist that you love? Drop their info in the comments!

10/08/2022

10/07/2022

If someone hugs you against your wishes, you might just tolerate it. Or you might pull your body away, push them away, and snap "stop!"

The same goes for dogs - they don't always want to be cuddled anymore than you do, and while some might tolerate it, others might pull themselves away, growl, and snap.

Affection is only affectionate when it's what both parties want.



[image description: a woman's arms are wrapped around a teenage boy. He is leaning away and rolling his eyes as though annoyed. Below this another woman is smiling at the small black pug she holds in her arms. The pug is leaning away and looking off to the side, likely similarly annoyed. The text reads: Let's try this. You're sitting quietly eating your dinner alone after a long day and your crazy Aunt Maude that you don't really like comes rushing in and plants a big slobbery kiss on your mouth. Out of reflex you say "HEY!" and push her away. Are you the inappropriate one here? Even dogs that like to cuddle probably don't want to be interrupted during a nap or snack. While many may tolerate it, others may respond with a grumble, snap, or worse. Respect their space!"]

10/06/2022

Looking for online classes or Webinars? I've got a few planned over the next few months to keep you busy!

www.ayokabubar.com/services

10/05/2022

Rules For Owning a Gun Dog

1. Spend time with them each day. You are their everything.

2. Don’t hide your excitement, let them see the kid in you.

3. Your expectations of a bird dog are high but their expectations of an owner are higher.

4. Don’t sleep on it take them to the vet.

5. Go hunting with them at least one time just the two of you.

6. Tell your new friends about your old dogs.

7. Their falses aren’t the only ones in the field.

8. Judge your hunting friends by how they treat their dogs.

9. Always stop to pet them.

10. Stop walking, sit down you will see how much they love you. Enjoy it.

11. Treat puppies like puppies and treat your 12 year old like he still is one.

12. Know when to retire them and give them everything they want. They gave you everything they had.

13. Have patience when they are hard of hearing...it’s the birds fault.

14. Show your boys that there’s reasons to be gentle in this world. Bird dogs are just one of them.

15. You helped her down the stairs when she was young now help her up them when she is old.

16. Take the picture every single damn time. It’s worth it.

17. Enjoy their determination even when it’s not after a bird.

18. When it’s time to say goodbye don’t leave his side. Hold him. He knows what’s happening and he’s happy you are with him.

19. Remember them, visit the places that made you both so happy. Think about her while you stop walking and sit down with her daughter on an October afternoon.

20. Understand that you can not fill the hole they left in your heart but remember them and they will be with you every step of the way.

10/04/2022

Would you rather run errands with your best friend for two hours or hang out on a park bench with them for 20 minutes? Unless you're super fun to shop with, we bet the latter! Spending quality time with your dog follows the same rules. So next time you grab the leash, think about going on an adventure!

09/13/2022

We ALWAYS support our fellow BIPOCs in the animal world, regardless of species! Thank you so much for sharing your story with the world and inspiring others, Dressage by Jayne!

"I was raised by a white parent in predominantly white areas and was often the only person of color at the barns I rode at. So I really feel that I lacked a lot of black culture in most of my horse years. Even as a barn owner now, I am the only person of color at my farm.

Finding connections with black riders near me through social media has made it easier. Being able to see how many riders of color there are in the U.S., regardless of discipline, professional status, or how they like to engage with horses, has made me feel like there is more space for me in this profession than I felt before."
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Featured EOC participant: Jayne Bailey of Dressage by Jayne
Read the full story here: https://equestriansofcolor.com/jayne-bailey/
Photographer Ally: Renae Mona Photography
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If you are an Equestrian of Color (EOC) or Nonprofit Organization operating in this space and are interested in sharing your story, please visit our website and submit an inquiry under the “inquire” section. We will assist you in finding an approved photographer in your area. Must be 16 years or older to participate.
Read, learn & grow.

08/26/2022

Happy National Dog Day!

We celebrated by doing a little training and peach-picking at one of our favorite places: Indian Creek Farm! (U-Pick Farms are a great place to socialize your pups. Just be sure to call ahead to ask about their pet policy!)

How are you celebrating National Dog Day? If you us know in the comments below, your pup may just be picked to win something special… 🎁

08/19/2022

TMW you're leaving a home training session with a family of five, and you aren't even out of the driveway before you start hearing the clicker.

08/06/2022

A husky’s feeling on getting stuck in a summer downpour, from h**p to derp.

07/13/2022

06/28/2022

Is your dog a party animal?

Once, at an AKC Meet The Breeds event, I spoke to a breeder of both Cardigan and Pembroke Welsh Corgis. I asked her to describe the difference in breed personalities to me, and I’ll always remember her answer.

“Oh they’re both party animals! But Pembrokes are on the porch playing Truth or Dare with Jell-O shots. Meanwhile, Cardigans are inside on the couch, drinking IPAs and making SNL references with each other.”

I had to laugh! But she was right; I could totally see the comparison. And it’s so important to be able to understand your dog’s breed(s): it gives you invaluable information about their personality and behavior.

What about your pups? Where are they at the party?

(Picture from Norma The Fluffy Corgi!)

05/28/2022

🎉 GIVEAWAY TIME! 🥳

We spent the morning playing with kids (of the human variety) at the Finger Lakes Toy Library for World Play Day. What games will we play with our pups when we get home? Well, it’s up to them! ⚽️

Playing with your dog is one of the best things you can do. Not only does it build and strengthen your relationship with your pup, it releases feel-good hormones in both canine and human brains.

In honor of , let’s see some playful pups! Each picture comment is an entry for a chance to win a FREE Enrichment Package. Share for another entry! (Two entries per person, please!) We’ll draw on Monday, March 30th!

05/23/2022

While we humans primarily use verbal language, dogs primarily use body language. With these two very different styles of speaking, it's no wonder we misunderstand each other so often! But we can begin to break down these two miscommunication barriers the same way: by listening.

This reminder is important because it can be easy to miss the subtle signs, or forget to take into account the context, or a dog’s learning history — all are very important pieces in understanding how our dogs might be feeling in certain situations.

Listening to our dogs promotes animal welfare and positive human + canine bonds, and teaches future generations how to model that behavior as well.

Cheers to teaching future generations how to listen to dogs!

03/15/2022

Did you know that sniffing can make your dog’s outlook more positive? A 2019 study by Dr. Charlotte Duranton (Ethodog) and Dr. Alexandra Horowitz (Barnard College) compared dogs participating in nose work with their owners to dogs participating in heelwork. The dogs were then giving a cognitive bias test, which gauges optimism using one bowl that always contains food in one specific location, and a second that never does in another specific location. The test is what the dog does when they come across a third bowl in a new location, right between the other two. An optimistic dog would get to this new bowl more quickly, thinking it contains a snack; a pessimistic dog would get there more slowly, unsure about the snack or thinking the bowl is empty.

After two weeks of sniff- or heel-training, the nose work dogs went to the third bowl significantly faster time than they had before; the heelwork dogs showed no difference in time to reach the bowl before and after the training.

Why is this? One possibility is that dogs engaged in sniff training are encouraged to move around and make their own choices; heel training requests the opposite, remaining in a specific spot and not moving around or investigating. Smell is also an incredibly important sense for dogs, so sniffing allows a dog to engage in a natural behavior while obedience heel work is more artificial, and this may have an effect on how each dog is feeling at after the training.

02/03/2022

Happy Black History Month! We'll be spending this month sharing the often unsung stories of Black people in the dog world: both those who have made history and those who are making it as we speak!

Today, in honor of Black History Month, we want to honor Dr. J.P. McCain.​​​​​​​​
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Before Dr. McCain became the first ever person of color to serve as an American Kennel Club judge, he was regarded as one of the best Collie breeders and an expert in all dog-related topics. Dr. McCain became an all-breed judge with the AKC in the 1940s, and was able to award the Best in Show at the Buffalo Kennel Club, just before his untimely death.​​​​​​​​
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Read more about Dr. McCain and his work with dogs at the .​​​​​​​​
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Continue to watch our IG stories this month to learn more about how you can support black-owned small (dog) businesses!​​​​​​​​
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01/12/2022