Canine Connection

01/18/2025

The purpose of a private lesson is to teach you how to train your dog. Sure, we can do advanced levels of training spanning multiple packages, but the most common package is usually about problem solving. We normally teach you how to identify and target problem areas, then to picture a better outcome than the behavior that causes the problem. Then we give you basic skills to transition your dog into a new, more acceptable behavior. We like to use the word “tendency”. Identify the tendency you don’t like and create a new (incompatible behavior) tendency that you like. There is SO much more to the best life with your dog or puppy than “obedience”.
A client had problems with her big yellow lab being over exuberant in play sessions. She’d been knocked down during a game of fetch causing serious injury. (…We’re talking broken bones!) and she’d developed a healthy fear of her own dog. Look what SHE taught her dog in this video, using skills we gave her. Notice, she’s not commanding her dog to do anything. She’s using the word “Fetch” to mark a successful completion of a simple chain.

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas to all of you that have become part of our Canine Connection family. We could do nothing without your love and support. Merry Christmas and a most blessed New Year!!!

11/07/2024

Staying professional would be the professional thing to do.

11/04/2024

Wow. Just wow. I cannot say how much I loved teaching this workshop for Marin Humane at the FDSA Ranch. So many professional trainers were there to gather information and lots of people who are dedicated to helping their dogs. This is not an easy workshop to coordinate and teach when working with dogs that are fearful and/or reactive. It is such a blessing to be able to have a huge facility like the Ranch to accommodate this type of event.

Can't wait to come back for bigger and better things to help dogs with reactivity. We will keep you posted!

10/27/2024

Less than a week away and I will be heading to California to speak at Marin Humane and teach a two-day workshop on reactivity at the FDSA Ranch. That will be followed by a full day of private lessons. I am so excited that I get to meet two of my online students in person! CJ Dobe and multiple class student, Dodie Slaton! I am honored that they are both traveling many hours to be there so we can meet in person, and I get to meet their dogs that were stars in my class(es).

10/25/2024

While I was in Texas, Dempsey mostly just hung out with my dear friend RozeLyn Beck and her GSD, Velvet.... trying to teach her to play. But he actually got to do some work and have fun at our Dog Scout Meeting (Troop 119 - biggest and best in the US!) where we introduced the Vito Game and Movement Puzzles which I will be teaching at camp in a few weeks.
Didn't get any video, but the photographer got some great shots of him starting the Vito game, adding an obstacle to it (jumping on the chair), and then adding pressure to the game by having Michelle McClelland step closer and closer to him while playing the game.

10/22/2024

My fall time in Texas is coming to an end. Been here for 12 days this trip and did 1 board & train send home with lesson, one phone consultation, 10 private lessons (mostly reactivity), 7 workshops or mini seminars, and met with some amazing friends and colleagues. I had the pleasure of staying with a very special friend who is willing to let me come back again. Which ironically may be sooner than I was thinking if one of my clients wants me to come back to do an immersion program for their dogs reactivity.

But I'm headed back to TN and can't wait to get home and spend time there with Bob Deeds and the other pups before I dash off to CA to teach for Marin Humane at the Fenzi Ranch!

10/18/2024

Do you have a dog that is easily bored? Who is a bit shy or fearful? Or you are simply looking for something FUN to do with your dog? This is NOT an introduction into the sport of Nose Work, but is how you can enrich your dogs life, provide an activity that is more tiring than physical exercise and is something you can do within your own home!

Whether your bring your dog or not, you will learn how to set up games for your dog to play and how these can help your dog build confidence and for you to better your relationship with them!

NO OBEDIENCE REQUIRED! LOL!

https://humanetomorrow.salsalabs.org/DoesYourDogsNoseKnow/index.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawF8D5pleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHdq_Uycq4IRcCzzFfaH6yBVoxBoFFopUJk7GKNzCKCnmBvd14tngNKWbzA_aem_Nxr6UNLBDlonUjC_vhTPmA

Join us in welcoming Karen Deeds with Canine Connection as she takes us through the introduction to nose work to build confidence in our dogs.

10/15/2024

Tomorrow is the last day to sign up for my "Advancing Reactive Integration into the real-world" class. Some amazing Gold spots that are doing outstanding work and seeing good results already. Some nice silver spots but more still available and of course bronze spots are available, and our Facebook group is getting bigger!

Online dog training classes for obedience, rally, agility, tracking, nosework, dog behavior, freestyle, and foundation skills.

10/09/2024

Texas bound! Workshops at HSNT, Humane Tomorrow, Young County Humane Society, in Krum, Aledo, Addison, and for Dog Scouts. A wide variety of topics and audiences. And of course, private lessons too!

10/07/2024

Just made it the drive home from FDSA Camp. I had the pleasure of taking bestie Ashley Horan to the airport along with a new colleague and friend, Dante Camacho and his lovely wife. We had great conversation about all sorts of things, and I hope we will meet again!

Got enough time to do some laundry, load some crates, work at the vet clinic tomorrow, then pack up and head back to TX for a couple of weeks to do 6 workshops and a half dozen private lessons or so!

10/02/2024

Stuck on the Tennessee River Bridge. Not sure what the hold up is, but this is making my arrival to FDSA Training Camp Ohio 2024 delayed!!!

10/01/2024

Are you stuck in a rut with your reactive dog, practicing the same thing and getting results, but not progress? Or are you overwhelmed with the various options for working with your dog and just need some guidance?

The 'Advancing Reactive Integration into the Real World' will help give you more options or help you fine tune what works best for you, your dog, and your environment!

Lots of great Gold spots to follow along with to learn from. Still Silver spots left and unlimited Bronze of course!

Online dog training classes for obedience, rally, agility, tracking, nosework, dog behavior, freestyle, and foundation skills.

09/29/2024