Canine Culture

24/08/2024

The West Coast seminar tour is in full swing. Just arrived at Corral Creek Dog Sport Center where I'll be presenting my signature Ring Stress Seminar on Saturday and Ring Impulse Control on Sunday. Let's build resilience!

15/08/2024

Proofed Obedience for Agility
✅️ Sit
✅️ Down
✅️ Stay
✅️ Come
✅️ Leave it
✅️ Place/Station

Without these skills, my dogs would not have the success we've achieved in agility. But honestly, I am most proud of their training that shines out in public and around triggering stimuli 🧡🧡🧡

Most agility training centers now require that a dog have graduated obedience classes before starting agility. I concur! So what does obedience have to do with agility?

✅️ Arousal control
✅️ Engagement
✅️ Focus
✅️ Listening
✅️ Relationship
✅️ Teamwork
✅️ Structure

Just to name a few. What else do you think it helps with?

13/08/2024

Barrier Reinforcement Frustration is real. Many handlers stand right outside the gate waiting their turn while feeding treats to their dog. As soon as you go in, the reinforcement stops. Dogs are incredibly savvy and know that "things" are different on the other side of the gate. It is a source of stress for many dogs. Many handlers have commented to me "he is happy outside the gate, but the moment we go in, he is stressed". How we use reinforcement at classes, seminars and our backyards is significant. What to reinforce, when to reinforce, how to reinforce and where is the reinforcer are factors that take careful consideration. Are you building a resilient dog for competition by how you reinforce in practice? Training and trialing should look the same to our dogs. We don't run in competition with food on our bodies. We don't shovel treats continously before we go out and practice. So what can we do? First, get food off your body. Put it in a cookie jar, Treat n Train, lotus ball, fur pouch and practice remote reinforcement and delayed gratification. Second, stop feeding treats at least 15ft away from ring gates. Use a practical pattern like the up/down game for focus & engagement while waiting your turn to run. If needed, add an arousal game to your Start Routine, to get your dog in Peak Performance on the way to the start line.

30/07/2024

Overfacing the dog is asking a dog to do more than what your training has prepared him for. Pay careful attention to not ask confusing questions.

17/07/2024

It's a Continuing Education day for me. I want to stay at the forefront of my craft. Because I specialize in dog behavior issues in agility, i.e. reactivity, I am always expanding my knowledge base and brushing up on my skills. I'm also getting CEU's to maintain my Certification. I'm a big proponent of the notion that whenever you stop learning about dog training, you should stop training dogs. So here's to the pursuit of more eloquence in my tool bag!

07/07/2024

📣2 Seminar Spots open
Ring Impulse Control 8/25
Corral Creek Dog Sports
Newberg, Oregon
Register here: https://www.canineculturecompany.com/Forms.aspx?FormID=484

01/06/2024

Training in the ring FEO

Here's how I like to start the day. First part of the video is of my 8 yr old doing a speed loop that is fast in and fast out. I opt for toy outside the ring. She prefers it thrown 👍

Second part of the video is 18 month old Whoopi getting Seesaw and A-frame rewarded. It's so important to reinforce your criteria. I didn't reward the first Seesaw cause she slid off.... she tried, it was so close. She has a "4 on" behavior. Frame was perfection 😊🎆🧨

31/05/2024

I like these reminders posted on the ring gates.

08/05/2024

Do you take breaks from competition? I'm currently on a 4 week break letting my dogs be dogs. Hiking, swimming, digging, and general feral frolicking is on the agenda. I do keep up their strength, balance, flexibility and conditioning training though. I also keep up my physical and mental fitness for handling. Love this photo from AWC Team Tryouts 🇺🇸

01/05/2024

If you could give yourself a selfie tattoo, what positive message would you put on your arm at a competition? Ready....Go! 🤔
(this was what I wanted to remind myself of at AWC team tryouts this past weekend)

11/04/2024

The Premium for the Canine Culture Heart of the Rockies UKI Trial and I.C.E. Challenge is now available. Salida, Colorado July 27-28, 2024.

Online entries only open on May 15th. 375/runs per day. Get your motel and RV reservations made now. Limited dry camping on site. Premium link in comments. It's also on UKI Website.

05/04/2024

🥁New Class Announcement!

Ringside Impulse Control Online Class is NOW OPEN for enrollment!

Working and auditing spots with lifetime access! $249/working. $149/auditing. Learn more here: https://canine-culture.thinkific.com/courses/ringside-impulse-control

👉Is your dog a little crazy in and around the agility ring? Does your dog have start line issues? Problems controlling itself in high energy environments? Do you have a young dog or puppy that needs the valuable skills of engagement around the ring? You’ll learn how to get focus & engagement inside and outside of the ring for hyped up, driven dogs. Learn cutting edge techniques that you'll be able to replicate at home, in public, at classes and in competition. Suitable for all excitable dogs that need to find their thinking brain or for any dog over 6 months old to start them off right.

13/03/2024

For the 902 handlers running 1,330 dogs at the 2024 AKC National Championship, here's some thoughts:
👊Wrap yourself in an invisible positivity cloak.
You got this
👊You are a great handler with serious skills
You got this
👊Your dog is well trained and is ready
You got this
👊Run with confidence and go big
You got this
👊Give yourself grace for imperfect moments
You got this
👊Be you - comparison is the thief of joy
You got this
🫶Smile often, especially to your dog
You got this
🫶Tell a random person they had a nice run
You got this
🫶Be present in each moment with your dog
You got this
🫶Ground yourself in gratitude
You got this
🫶Have the best time of your life!!!

06/03/2024

Routines for Start & End

Recently, I had an opportunity to introduce my young dog Whoopi to training in the ring. Mainly, I wanted to proof our starting and ending routines that we've been working on in classes and seminars. My goal was focus, engagement, Startline, arousal control and confidence. I want trialing and training to look pretty similar for her. Choosing a small UKI trial at a familiar place was perfect. I'm happy to report that Whoopi exceeded my expectations - mission accomplished! We will continue doing NFC and FEO "learning in the ring" for the near future. It will be a while before we're competition ready, but I love the journey we are on.

21/02/2024

I'm so excited to have one of my courses on Clean Run! Mastering Course Memorization - Improve your skills with remembering courses, the dog's line, the handler path, and when to execute timely handling in dog agility competition. Learn cutting edge memorization and visualization skills. Learn how to maximize your preparation time for pre-walk study, ringside scan, and retaining crucial information. Learn smarter course walking strategies with more attention to specific details. Expand your focus and attention for a flowing agility run.

This course is loaded with content and includes 50+ lessons across 6 chapters

23/01/2024

ℹ️ 2024 North American Seminar Tour ⤵️

02/24/24: Superstars of Tomorrow - Zephyrhills, FL
02/25/24: Ringside Impulse Control - Zephyrhills, FL
03/09/24: Ring Stressed! - Durham Kennel Club, NC
03/10/24: Handling for Motivation & Daring Distance - Durham, NC
03/14/24: Ring Stressed! - Troy, OH
03/15/24: Ringside Impulse Control - Troy, OH
03/28/24: Ring Stressed! - Antioch, IL
04/12/24: Ringside Impulse Control - Punta Gorda, FL
04/19/24: Ring Stressed! - Lexington, KY
05/03/24: Ring Stressed! Seminar - TBA , AR
05/04/24: Daring Distance Seminar - TBA, AR
06/14/24: Ring Stressed! - Denver, CO
08/02/24: Seminars TBD - Whitewater, CO
08/03/24: Seminars TBD - Whitewater, CO
08/17/24: Ringside Impulse Control - Marin County, CA
08/18/24: Ring Stressed! - Marin County, CA
08/24/24: Ringside Impulse Control - Newberg, OR
08/25/24: Ring Stressed! - Newberg, OR
09/02/24: Ring Stressed! - TBA BC

There are a few dates available in the fall. DM me if you'd like to Book.

10/01/2024

January intake for RING STRESS AGILITY DOGS Online class opens today for Working and Auditing. Lifetime access. Workers have 6 months to submit video for feedback. Please join if your dog is sniffing, visiting ring crew, gets the zoomies, barking at you, spinning, blowing contacts, wants to leave the ring, slow, too hyped up or reactive to dogs, people and/or sounds. We can make changes! Working is $289 and auditing is $169. Limited number of students accepted. Click this link for more info:

This comprehensive class takes a multiple strategy approach to decrease ring stress in your dog. Build resilience in your dog to compete at peak performance: focused, driven & happy. Tackle the extensive, content packed curriculum at your pace.

24/12/2023

Team Redheads and I wish you a joyous holiday filled with love and laughter🎄⭐️

21/12/2023

Agility handlers want to run clean and do their best for the dog. However, many may lack confidence when they step to the line causing ring nerves that results in a poor performance. Here's 3 things to significantly boost your confidence and to have better runs:

1. Preparation - Walk the course smarter to understand the dog's line, your line and your physical relationship to the obstacles as you move through the course. Rehearse your handling plan with air-handling and visualization techniques. Rehearse at least 10 times. You want to intimately memorize all of the nuances of the course before you get your dog out. This will improve your timing and will foster mental readiness. Visualization is a key component behind every successful athlete. Yes, handler's are athletes!

2. Learning from Mistakes - Critically analyze your videos in slow-motion to find errors and take corrective action. You will build confidence in your ability to make better handling decisions and avoid repeating the same mistakes. Video analysis is underused by the majority of handlers, but it truly is key to improving your handling skills. The brain will lie to you about what you did, but video tells the truth.

3. Drawing on past successes - Naturally boost your confidence by focusing on past success, strengths and positive elements you already have. Make yourself a highlight reel of clips of your best runs. Little pieces spliced together that demonstrate YOU can have good runs. Watch these before a competition at the start of the day to give yourself a wake-up confidence call.

14/12/2023

Speed first, precision second.

30/11/2023

💪Output and Outcome🤔in competition. You can never control the outcome, but you do control your Output in a run. For the 223 partnerships trying out for Team USA's 28 spots for the 2024 European Open, or for the local competitor competing this weekend at your favorite venue, keep your mind focused on what you can control:
💪Preparation Output- play to your strengths, trust your training and trust your dog's skills.
💪Mindset Output - you are in full control of the output you will give to each run. Own that. It's you vs. the course.
💪Attitude Output- believe in yourself, be happy because you are lucky to step to the line with your dog, and have grace for yourself when needed.
💪Execution Output- focus on the best handling plan for your team and deliver your best performance. You got this!

We will never ever be able to control the outcome. There may be another dog out there faster & more skilled than yours. Faults happen. Refusals happen. However, if you concentrate on putting out your best Output at this present time, than you are in control of that and that is enough for today. Learn from how your run went and make adjustments for the next run. Just keep laying down your best performance output each time. That's golden!

📷 Devan Vest Photography

23/11/2023

To all of my amazing students past and present, I want you to know how grateful I am of the trust you put in me as a coach. It is a privilege and a honor to help guide agility teams through the highs and lows of agility competition. I am passionate in helping dogs overcome ring stress and be able to show their amazing skills. I feel that it is my calling and I want all of you to know that it is immensely rewarding to me. So I am grateful for you! I am grateful for all the people that come up to me at events and tell me how much I've helped their dog. I am grateful for the emails and messages I receive several times a week reporting huge successes. Hearing these things, just feels my heart with happiness. May everyone reading this, have a Happy Thanksgiving filled with family, friends and love.

17/11/2023

🧡Grace and Gratitude🧡

💛Step to the line with Gratitude
💜Leave the ring with Gratitude
💚Give yourself Grace if you screwed up

🎯Every single time I step to the line, I honor my dogs by telling them "you're the best" just before I lead out. I feel so darn lucky to have healthy and happy dogs. I needed Grace for myself after this run :)