American Dog Obedience Center

11/25/2025

Traveling? Where’s the family dog?
When we showed in KS and TX recently, athletes Rave On and Gabby joined us in the hotel social/dining areas each evening as we celebrated, strategized, and enjoyed dinner delivered by Door Dash - together.
Hotel staff and guests often come into our space, with stories of dogs they have loved. When they ask “Can I pet your dog?” Lab Gabby seems happy to accommodate. Border collie Rave On is less appreciative of attention from people she does not know. She has learned that acting like she recently died under that table deters advances quite effectively. With the same training foundations, each dog manages her needs politely. Good girls!

11/24/2025

It’s Monday but it doesn’t feel like a typical workweek. We are on a downhill slide to a long Thanksgiving weekend with different activities and schedules that must seem odd to our young dogs. Whether holiday changes seem scary or fun to our dogs depends a lot on how we advocate for them.
The beautiful young dog in this photo is Lux from our October class, practicing his Magic Carpet behaviors. A dog’s trained Magic Carpet provides a safe island in the midst of what surely can seem stressful to them during human celebrations. Although their carpets anchor them, dogs understand that on those rugs, they are free from expectations and the effects of the changes around them. It’s another of training’s “freedoms” that benefit dogs as much as their human family members. We are thankful for every opportunity to have shared the gifts of freedom with families here.

11/17/2025

This is what a double retrieve looks like in AKC Fetch. It isn’t the entire test because our videographer Becky was managing a lot more than her iPhone as her Lab Gabby waited with her to run next. Professional photographer Mark Fletcher, on the ground aiming that big lens, caught the still shots for us. Wylie Texas November 9 2025. Border collie Rave On and Kris Butler, first Advanced class qualifying score. Photos & video are a much appreciated bonus.

Thanks Becky H for the video clip. Mark Fletcher Photography for the stills Fresh Music for their royalty-free “New American Classic”

11/10/2025

Good Monday morning! It’s a new work week for most families - and a new work month for us at American Dog Obedience Center. Our November class is beginning, with 2 new student dogs arriving tomorrow.

But first, Rave On and I ran away to Wylie Texas over the weekend for an AKC Fetch test. This photo is my little dragon on her hotel room’s purple throne, waiting to leave for the event. She totally rocked her first Advanced class which included single and double retrieves thrown by helpers in the field, behind 3 blinds. She was sooo excited, so focused on the field, the notion that she might break her stays occurred for the first time since we began practicing for this game. But she held steady, marked, and flew out to exactly the right spots and delivered her bumpers promptly to my hands. Perfect! It was a great “Q” for this former field retriever trainer and a talented border collie who will turn 11 years old in 3 days.

11/04/2025

Former student Alfie stayed with us during October. Because of his training a few years ago, he enjoyed running and exploring each of several outings per day. We think he enjoyed his vacation here as much as we appreciated his enduring energy and s***k. Boarding benefits families we’ve trained for - and allows us to visit with those babies again. Until next time, stay feisty little buddy!

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween to all the inner children we work for. This video is an oldie but still a goodie from 9 years ago. Border collie Rave On still loves playing/working in her Fitroom today. Me too! We have new and changed equipment but the enjoyment of a challenge and our strong connection is still at the foundation. Rave On, little dragon.

Rave On shows us uses for pumpkins that go way beyond their seasonal decorative value. This talented Oklahoma border collie demonstrates fundamental behaviors necessary…

10/27/2025

Our October class has wrapped up and we are looking forward to a feisty November. There is an opening in that class. It would begin November 11. Contact Kris.
This is Harley from the October class. We used obedience cues to help her manage her extreme energy. As important, we also used off leash exercise and exploration to help her release physical and mental energy, activity made possible by the same brand of training. Before we can expect our dogs to behave in ways we consider appropriate, we must first show them what is possible. They don’t know automatically what their options are. Harley’s family worked well with her during our lesson together, and I felt confident she will thrive at home with them.

10/17/2025

Otis is a handsome and thoughtful doodle who attended the September class at American Dog Obedience Center. We work with a LOT of doodles here- labradoodle, aussiedoodle, bernadoodle, sheepadoodle, wheatendoodle, schnauzadoodle, saintdoodle, very recently a springerdoodle, and more commonly (like Otis) goldendoodle. Who am I forgetting?
Doodles are usually highly energetic which can make them challenging to their busy families, but they respond well to our special brand of training - which brings us a steady stream of doodle referrals from satisfied clients. What could be better? Good boy, Otis!

09/24/2025

Does it seem like this young boy from our September class resembles Stephen Tyler from Aerosmith? He can sing too.
We want to let future families know that our October class is full. There are a few opportunities for training in November before we go into Winter Break mode. Private lessons for former students will be available throughout, as scheduling allows.
Let’s empower the rock star in your dog!

09/23/2025

This photo was way too buried within our previous post. This weekend these girls made their debut in the canine sports arena, meeting - with extreme enthusiasm - requirements first for AKC’s Novice Fetch title on Saturday and the Intermediate Fetch title on Sunday at Wichita Dog Training Club’s wonderful event. To an observer, canine sports might seem all about skill. In reality much unseen effort is focused on managing our dogs in the unfamiliar environments they travel and perform within. First-time handlers are students themselves and coaches/therapists/family to their dogs. This was a very fine beginning for this team with many more successes in their future. Way to go Rebecca Hulsey!

09/22/2025

Good Monday. It’s a workweek here for sure, with student dogs arriving for our October class.
But first our shameless brag. Border collie Rave On earned 2 new titles over the weekend! We were at Wichita Dog Training Club’s AKC Fetch Test this weekend and those people know how to host great events. Rave On rocked Novice and Intermediate, 4 of 4. With those titles, we can move on to Advanced and Retriever classes where double/triple multiple retrieves, separate throwers from a distance, and falls behind blinds will be required. We have trained these skills to hunting and competitive retrievers in the past so it’s been fun sharing a border collie’s perspective on this game.
As exciting as our own successes are the accomplishments of 2 other teams we’ve been practicing with, one who’s never shown a dog before. Each of them also qualified for Novice and Intermediate titles. It was good company and happy vibes all around.
We hope your week is full of success and happy vibes too.