Creative Canine, LLC (2025)

21/07/2025

Anyone here have experience with opening online stores such as with custom ink, etsy, red bubble, cafe press etc?

19/07/2025

Will tried Fast Cat today! 😁

15/07/2025

What does "supporting your dog" look like to you? For Will, that's letting him opt out if I've asked for too much... too much? What does that look like? Too many reps, too hard of a task, more than I've actually communicated, too much pressure to "do the thing". Opting out doesn't happen much any more with him, but it used to... alot. My expectations were higher than my reality. Deb Jones said something brilliant the other day in the "Focus and Engage" conference. She said "When they can say no, they are more likely to say yes more often in the future." So far, I've found that to be truer than true! If we don't allow the dog the opportunity to leave, if we don't provide that measure of choice, then we really have no way of knowing what the dog's emotional state and intention is to stay, we have no expectation of their ability to stay if we don't allow them to leave us. When your dog says "no" do you let them? Do you build in opportunities in your training to ask the question "do you want to stay?" If you aren't sure how, check out my upcoming class "Game Changer". You'll learn how to use games and activities that give your dog both a reason to stay and the option to go. Engagement is a choice in a cooperative interaction. And it's always a 2-way street.

13/07/2025

Well I showed you Phee's latest trick.... here's Will's! He's learning to BreakDance! His stage name is "Reckless Abandon"! 😂🤣🐾

11/07/2025

It's been a bit since Phee learned a new trick! Sound up for this one!

10/07/2025

One of my students in my current class had a question about over-arousal and the barking mad behavior that comes along for the ride. I responded to her questions, but thought I would lay it out a little more succinctly here. It's something we all deal with at one time or another and while often it can be easily (or not so easily) managed or prevented through management, other times we need to apply a more intensive and targeted approach to help our dogs manage their emotions. Let me preface this by saying that behavioral work or behavior modification is not my area of expertise. If you have severe behavior concerns, always best to work with a behaviorist whose has expertise and experience in the area. As a sport trainer though, I need to know a little something about managing, redirecting, or mitigating arousal when it negatively impacts the dog or our relationship. Arousal isn't always bad, but when it tips past the dog’s ability to think, choose, or connect, it starts working against the relationship — not for it.

🎯 Turning Triggers Into Triumphs: Managing Over-Arousal Through Games and Conditioning:

One of my students shared a relatable challenge:
“Many triggers — letting him out of his pen, going into the basement, arriving home in the car — all cause barking and spinning. I thought impulse control games could help manage this. I think this is classical conditioning?”

They aren't wrong! — but it’s a little more layered than that.

🔥 Why These Triggers Cause Over-Arousal
When a dog hears a door open or sees the dog on the other side of the fence, their body reacts before their brain has a chance to choose. These are high-arousal scenarios, and often the behavior (barking, spinning) is reflexive, driven by emotional intensity — not thoughtful decision-making.

🛠️ Step One: Build Strong Alternate Behaviors
Start in low-arousal environments.
Train behaviors like a quick “down,” “sit on Cato,” or “check-in” when your dog is relaxed. Practice them to fluency — fast, reliable, and rewarding.

Then, gradually increase the difficulty:
- Add distractions- Shift locations
- Pair with mild versions of triggers

👉 Why it works: A dog can’t spin and bark if they’re lying calmly in a down. These behaviors compete neurologically with over-arousal responses. They’re rooted in operant conditioning — your dog chooses the behavior in anticipation of reinforcement.

🌱 Step Two: Add Classical Conditioning for Emotional Calm
To truly shift arousal, the cue itself must become a calming signal. You do this by repeatedly pairing the cue with soothing reinforcers:
- Calm praise and tone
- Gentle touch
- Long-duration chews
- Familiar scent

Over time, the cue doesn’t just prompt behavior — it evokes emotional safety.

💎 Treat Scatters and Floor Focus
Use food scatters when approaching known triggers. This encourages a nose-down orientation, shifts posture, and brings arousal down a notch. Eventually, your dog may look to the floor in anticipation — a sign that conditioning is taking hold.

🎲Games: Practice Before the Storm
Games like “Leapfrog,” “Hansel and Gretel,” and “Food Bowling” teach self-regulation and create a reason to engage with you rather than the trigger. But here’s the catch — you can't train these during full-blown reactivity. You must practice them outside trigger zones, then slowly layer them in.

These games build engagement and shift focus to you. When done right, the trigger itself can become the cue to play, not to react.

📹Real-Life Example: Will vs. the Barking Robot Dog
Will was highly aroused — barking, locked onto a mechanical barking dog. No name recall. No eye contact.
But we had practiced Food Bowling often. I pulled out the game — and immediately, Will disengaged from the trigger and re-engaged with me. The game had become his emotional anchor.

💬 Final Takeaway
To change emotional responses, you need both:
- Operant Conditioning: Fluent behaviors that redirect action
- Classical Conditioning: Consistent emotional pairing to shift internal states. Practice outside the chaos. Build fluency. Layer difficulty with precision. Because at the heart of training is this truth: You can’t train a behavior at the moment you need it.
You train it when it’s easy — so it’s available when it’s hard.

Want to learn more about using games for focus and engagement? Check out the 1-day conference at FDSA! Link in the comments!

23/06/2025

Hey all! I'm doing a session on the upcoming FDSA 1-day conference on Focus and Engagement! The title of my presentation is "Your Dog's Brain on Games" and I'll be talking about the dog's desire and ability to focus and engage and how games impact that desire by the chemical reactions in their brain! It's less about the way you entice the dog to connect and more about the way they feel when they do! I did a quick synopsis about what I'll be talking about and of course! You'll learn some games that foster focus and engagement! I'll pop the info in the comments!

There are several amazing instructors presenting throughout the day and you get to see them all for only $89 for the entire conference. If you can't be there it is recorded and you can watch later! I Hope to see you there!

Building Attention, Focus, and Engagement Through Games

Understanding the distinction between attention, focus, and engagement is the key to unlocking effective training. Attention is the ability to notice and respond, focus is the ability to sustain concentration, and engagement is the willingness to actively participate. While all three work together, each plays a unique role in creating a dog that is eager, reliable, and responsive in training.

Why Games?

Games transform learning into an experience that is both enjoyable and lasting. Unlike rigid training drills, games tap into natural movement, excitement, and problem-solving—reinforcing behaviors in ways that feel effortless rather than forced. They build muscle memory, emotional associations, and intrinsic motivation, ensuring that skills are retained and reliably performed in various environments.

Why Name Your Games? The Value of the Start Cue

Every game begins with a cue—a signal that sets the tone for what’s coming next. Naming your games provides a clear starting point, shaping expectations and enthusiasm. When a dog hears a familiar game name, they instantly recognize the structure, rules, and reward potential, allowing them to dive in with focus and confidence. A well-timed start cue builds anticipation, increases precision, and strengthens the emotional connection to training.

The Value of Games in Building Focus and Attention—It’s More Than the Obvious!

Games do more than just improve responsiveness; they shape the way a dog thinks, reacts, and problem-solves. By incorporating movement, timing, and choice, games train a dog to filter distractions, sustain concentration, and develop self-control. Beyond the immediate benefits, game-based learning encourages creativity, adaptability, and engagement, making dogs more eager to learn and less prone to frustration.

The Value of “Go Away” Games for Engagement

It might seem counterintuitive, but games that encourage moving away—such as chasing a tossed treat or running toward a target—can significantly increase engagement. By reinforcing controlled separation and strategic movement, these games build confidence, trust, and motivation. When a dog learns that moving away leads to an exciting opportunity to return, the desire to engage increases, as they remain tuned in to the handler’s cues even at a distance.

Through well-structured play, training becomes a partnership—one that fosters confidence, motivation, and lasting skills. Whether strengthening focus, refining attention, or deepening engagement, games create an environment where learning is not only effective but exhilarating

20/06/2025

Ooooh! Shiney new thing!

29/05/2025

A few months ago my friend and colleague, Claudine Illg said two simple words that got me back on track with my training, after a few frustrating weeks.

Show up.

That's it. Show up. Claudine had recently earned yet another high achievement and I was congratulating her, telling her how impressed I was at how far she and her young dog had come, while at the same time accomplishing so much with her other dog. I asked her how she did it all. She said "I show up".

I had been slacking... not progressing how I wanted. And was busy! So much going on! So I had started training less over recent weeks. And what she said smacked me in the forehead like a ton of bricks.

If you aren't showing up nothing will get accomplished. Showing up physically - setting aside the time to train. Showing up mentally, being in the moment and focusing on the session. It was the kick in the pants I needed. Thank you Claudine for those 2 words of infinite wisdom and getting me over a bump in the road.

28/05/2025

Long time no see! I be busy! But I think of posting often! Does that count? Didn't think so 🫣 If you follow me at all then you know our freestyle club just celebrated their 25th anniversary as a club with many of the same members over the years! I was on the organizing committee for both the show and the celebratory party afterwards so that has taken up a bunch of my time and energy. Now that that's over, I'm gearing up for my June FDSA classes, a few upcoming workshops (online and in person) and the FDSA camp in MD in September! Soooo excited for that! I'm working to cut back on my schedule... we'll see how that goes! 😉

I've been having a lot of fun with Will since I got him. Lot's of shiney new things to try and play, while still working everyday life skills and manners, foundation stuff for freestyle, trying out some new sports, and keeping up on a fitness regimen with him. It sometimes seems like there is never enough time in the day to do all the training that you want to do! So I wrote a blog about it! Maybe this will make up for my absence. 😉

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If you're juggling multiple training goals and battling "STS" (Shiny Thing Syndrome) or "ATTS" (All the Things! Syndrome), finding an effective system to stay organized is key. But let's focus on one of the most impactful elements: training sessions that prioritize efficiency. These moments aren't about cramming as much as possible into your time—they're about making every minute count. Here's how you can turn your training sessions into purposeful
progress boosters.

Why Efficiency Matters

Efficient sessions ensure that even if you’re short on time or hopping between tricks and sports, the work you do brings lasting results. Quality over quantity is key. A short, focused session can yield more improvement than hours of distracted or half-hearted training. Plus, it keeps your dog engaged and excited to learn without exhausting them—or you!

Tips for Efficient Training Sessions

1. Set Clear Objectives: Before each session, decide exactly what you want to focus on. Whether it's introducing a new trick, refining verbal cues, playing a new game, or polishing a specific skill, having a clear goal prevents aimless training.

2. Keep Sessions Short: Dogs learn best in bursts of 5–10 minutes. Break longer training blocks into smaller intervals with breaks for play or rest.

3. Eliminate Distractions: Pick a quiet, clutter-free area for training. This helps both you and your dog stay present and focused. When generalizing or adding difficulty or distractions do so in a methodical and planned way.

4. Start with Warm-Up Skills: Begin with something your dog knows well and enjoys to build confidence and ease them into the learning mindset.

5. End on a High Note: Always finish your session with a win—be it a successfully executed trick or a fun game. This keeps your dog motivated for future sessions.

6. Reflect and Adjust: After each session, take a moment to think about what worked and what didn’t. Did your dog struggle with something specific? Could you tweak your approach next time? Efficient training grows from continual refinement.

Efficiency doesn't mean rushing through tasks—it means giving undivided attention to the moment. If you're teaching a new trick, break it into small, manageable steps. Celebrate every milestone and move forward incrementally. When working on multiple sports or skills, ensure each session brings focus to a specific area. You can rotate priorities daily or weekly, but when you're training, zero in.
By embracing efficiency, your training becomes less about the length of time spent and more about the quality of your work. Your dog will retain more, you’ll feel accomplished, and progress will naturally follow. making every moment count is the secret to staying ahead—despite "ATTS" lurking in the background!

02/04/2025

I was looking through some old blogs I had written and came across this one so thought I would share here.

All For One

The other day, I had a student ask me what my cues were for pivots. When I told them I didn’t have any, they were surprised. And when I went on to say that I didn’t have cues for side passes or backing in heel either, they were really confused!

Well, it's not exactly accurate that I don't have any cues....

In my experience, many handlers tend to overcomplicate their cueing for what is essentially heelwork. If you’re nodding in recognition, you’re going to love post because I’m going to simplify all of this for both your dog and you. It’s easier than you think!

All For One ….And one for all
In Freestyle or other performance sports, handlers sometimes use a variety of cues for directional changes, which can sometimes lead to moments of uncertainty for the dog. The result is often a handler relying on additional signals like hand gestures or body movements, which can affect flow and precision. Sound familiar? Let’s simplify it!

The Magic Word
I use one word for moving with me in heel position on the left and one word for moving with me in heel on the right. This includes not only forward heeling, but backing, sidepasses and pivoting, as well. If my dog is on my left, my cue is “heel.” If she’s on my right, it’s “right.”

This makes it clear to my dog that the only thing they have to do is stay with my leg, no matter if it goes forward, back, to the side or in a pivot. It’s also a lot less for me to remember and to say during a performance!

This one-word approach not only reduces the complexity of cueing but also lays the foundation for defining clear criteria that ensure precision in heeling movements.

The Defining Moment
Thinking about heeling this way simplifies training, too. Instead of having to teach my dog the meaning of four words for each direction, I just need to teach them one. If I’m asking my pup to maintain heel position, I need to have a very clear picture of what heel position looks like.

Setting clear criteria is critical. If you continue to reward your dog for lagging when moving forward or for crabbing away from you when moving backwards, these problems or other variants will carry over into your pivots and sidepasses, as well. If the game is to stay in heel and you’ve taught your dog that heel means their shoulder touching your thigh while they look up at you, this is what you should reward. If your dog is a little crooked or just a bit farther forward than you’d like, you can move slightly to place yourself in perfect position before feeding. Always reward in perfect position! This builds value into your heel positions.

Success Pivots on Understanding
I use pivots to teach my dog that my heel cue means to move with me. Pivoting is a multi-functional skill that not only teaches rear end awareness, right turns, and how to find heel position, but also teaches the dog the cue for moving in heel position. So unless you’re going to use “pivot” as your cue for staying with you and moving in any direction, it’s not a cue I would use for pivots on a prop such as a bowl or perch, or on the flat or floor.

Pivoting is heeling. My cue for heeling is “heel.” My cue for pivots on a bowl or perch is “heel.” My cue for coming into heel on the standing platform is “heel,” and my cue for sidepasses and backing in heel position is “heel.” My dog is doing the exact same thing for each of those – staying in heel position while standing. “Heel” has a single definition that both my dog and I agree on. This simplifies heeling for both of us!

Want to practice? Here is a fun heeling game using pivots.

Pivot If You Cone!
This game is excerpted from my book, “The Joy of Heeling.” It's also one of the exercises in my "Positions, Laterals and Backing" class at FDSA. It can be played either with your pivot platform or while pivoting on the flat. If you and your pup enjoy this, you can find many, many more fun games to build enthusiasm and precision in my book or several of my FDSA classes!

How to Play the Game:
Step 1: Start with your cone in front of you and about 6-10 feet away, and your dog on the pivot platform, next to you in heel position. Send your dog to go Out and Around the cone. As they round the cone, give your heel cue. Mark and reward when your dog comes into heel position.

Step 2: From here you can either send your dog to the cone again, or do a pivot until you are back again facing the cone, before sending for another rep.

Step 3: Add some challenge! Pivot to a point where the cone is not directly in front of you but off to the side. Send your dog and give your heel cue. Can they still come back to you and find the position even if you move again?

Be sure to provide fast food when they do! Finding that position again is all about the value you’ve put into it.

31/03/2025

Tomorrow! Tomorrow! Class starts tomorrow! It's only a day away! I've got 2 classes on the schedule this session and wonder of wonders, as of this morning there were still a couple of gold spots left! 😮 For more info or to register go to www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com

Creative Canine, LLC