Previously Griff didn’t really care for the weave poles. In class we helped Griff and his human build a strong, happy foundation for weaving. Yesterday he went from 6 poles to weaving 12 poles without batting an eye! Good boy Griff!
Winter Weather Wednesdays: Recall Games!
It's our last week of "Winter Weather Wednesdays", drop us a comment below and let us know what you thought about this series. :)
Today it's time for two fun games that will help exercise your dog inside AND improve their recall (coming when called)!
Game One: Call & Step Back
With your pup in front of you, on leash, say your dog’s name followed by their recall cue and then take several steps backward. When your pup reaches you, touch their collar and feed a treat. Sometimes take one step back, sometimes take many steps back – mix it up!
Game Two: Pass the Dog Game
Play this game with 2 to 5 people. To start the game, each person gets 5 cookies. The first person calls the dog to them saying "fido, come!" in a cheerful voice. When the dog reaches the person, the person holds the dog's collar and rewards with a treat. When the dog has finished eating his treat, the second person may call the dog. As the second person calls the dog, the first person lets go of the dog's collar. Repeat the game, alternating people. If you are out of cookies, do not call the dog to you. We want to always reward your pup for coming when called!
Winter Weather Wednesdays: Tricks!
When the weather outside gets ruff (yes, we're sticking with this pun :) ), exercise your dog's mind indoors! Learning new tricks can be fun and easy - and who doesn't like a cool party trick? Follow our guide below to teach your dog how to spin in a circle on cue!
First, choose a cue word for spinning in a circle. Popular cues include spin, circle, left/right, and twirl. Tip: if you wish to teach your dog seperate cues to spin left and right, be sure to work on only one direction at a time, and use your cues consistently for each direction.
Hold a treat in your hand, and slowly begin luring your dog with the treat in a circle. At first, reward your dog for turning half way around the circle - for some dogs, this can be an unatural manuver. When your dog has mastered that step, give your dog the treat when they turn in a full circle.
Now that your dog has the moves down, we'll add the cue for this trick! Say your cue word, and then lure your dog in a circle. Reward your dog when they complete the spin!
Want to add fun tricks to your dog's repertoire? Check out our Tricks class! Smarty Dog's Tricks class is a "pick your own tricks" curriculum. Visit thesmartydog.com/register for class offerings!
Senior Dog Fun!
Is your dog starting to grey around the muzzle? Do they have special needs like occasional achy joints, hearing or sight impairment, and can't keep up with active play as much anymore? Try a new activity with your fun-loving senior dog! Dogs with hearing or sight impairment can learn to locate odors in scentwork class and spend a whole hour having fun with their favorite person: you! Our Fun & Games and tricks classes can also be adjusted to fit your dog's needs. <3
Check out our class offerings at thesmartydog.com
Our students had a blast in Agility and Nose Work classes in the month of February!
In Agility Elements 2 we help your dog build understanding and confidence for contact equipment and 2x2 weave pole training. We love watching our #SmartyDogStudents learn and understand criteria on these dog agility obstacles!
Class sizes are small, fun, and held in our building located at 733 Hill Street Suite C. The building features 2100+sf, matted flooring and air conditioning.
To sign up for classes email us at [email protected] or visit http://thesmartydog.com/register
You know what's adorable? Puppies!
Do you know what's even MORE adorable?
Puppies in sloooooowwwwwwwwwwwww mooooooooootttttttiiiiiiiiiiioooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnn!
We're all about building great relationships with our dogs, and having fun! Jessica and her dog Kyla played agility this weekend and had a blast! Kyla is almost 12 years old and retired from competing, but still loves playing agility occasionally! :) Thanks to Ace'n Agility LLC for letting us come out and play!
What tricks do you want to teach your dog? Let us know in the comments below!
Registration for March classes is open! To learn more about the classes we offer visit http://thesmartydog.com/what-we-offer/group-classes/ All classes are 4 weeks long and cost $99+tax.
