Use your RECALL, to evaluate your relationship with your dog

 Be diligent at making improvements each day in the level of intensity your dog has for working with you. Work at building a better relationship with your dog rather than making excuses for his performance. Work with the dog on the end of your leash -- and turn him into a dog other people wish they had!  -Susan Garrett

Reinforce EVERYTIME your dog comes to you or checks in with you! Praise, treats, games, toys and attention! It is the simplest thing ever and the outcome is phenominal!

Cool, Calm, and Confident Starting soon!

Cool, Calm, and Confident is a class that is all about building up your dog's confidence, through the use of tunnels, arches, ramps, wobble boards and stairs. We will also do a small amount of scent work, which will allow your dog to build confidence by using his or her natural ability to succeed in finding the scent source. This class will help you with desensitizing your dog to sounds such as thunder and fireworks. You will also be introduced to tools that you can use in your home to help release stress a

nd anxiety.

Date: August 28th - September 9th

Time: 7:30

Location: Taming the Wild Side Training Facility

Cost: $125 for a seven week class (Cash or checks only please.)

Equipment: Easy to eat treats for your dog, water, water bowl, six foot leash

To sign up for this class, please click the following link:

http://www.supersaas.com/schedule/Taming_The_Wild_Side/Cool,_Calm_and_Confident

All about Reinforcers

Lets talk about reinforcers! If food is reinforcing to your dogs, why would you go anywhere without it? It is a question we are asked alot, when can we stop using food? Nice article how and when to use food as a reinforcer! 

http://clickertrainingtoronto.net/2012/08/18/when-can-i-leave-food-away-from-training-my-answer-is-never/

Training Tip - List of Reinforcers

Behaviours are shaped by CONSEQUENCES. Be aware of what is reinforcing your dog. Review and alter your list of reinforcers as your dog grows up, especially the “activities that reinforce” section. There are many things besides treats that are reinforcing to your dog! Some of the best reinforcers can be sniff games, find it games, puzzle games, they chase you games, reinforcers change all the time so check and update your list. Remember reinforcers are what keep behavior going, good behaviors and unwanted behaviors, watch what you are reinforcing!

Tunnel 1 Wednesday Sign Up!

Tunnelers class is a numbered course made only of tunnels. We will teach your dogs to move in and out of tunnels and respond quickly to your directional cues while you are moving along the course! This class is great for confidence building and teamwork between you and your dog. This is a fast paced class, you will be moving with your dog! The Tunnel class will fill up quickly - it is one of our favorites!

NOTE: This class will be limited to 6 dogs.

Location: Taming the Wild Side Training Facility

Cost: $100 for a 6 week class. Cash or checks only please.

Equipment: Easy to eat treats for your dog, water bowl.

Wednesday Class:  August 29th - October 3rd

Time: 6:00 - 7:00 pm

To Hug or Not to Hug....?!

One of the most common causes of bites to human faces, especially children, is hugging dogs. Dogs don't really like to be hugged, especially by strangers. Within my own dogs, out of the seven I have thress that really seem to like to be hugged but again only by us. It has also taken a couple of years to build the trust and comfort that a hug is non threatening to them. They ask for the affection now. However, the other four a hug is clearly uncomfortable for them and not an option at all from a stranger. Bond with your dog through training and play, learn what your dog is telling you through body language, everyone will be safer and happier!

Puppy Class 1 Starting This Sunday!

Puppy 1 is a six week course in which puppies will learn sit, down, leave it, recalls off of distractions and loose leash walking. You will also learn crate training, teaching your puppy bite inhibition and getting them comfortable being handled. Puppies will be able to socialize and play with other puppies. This is very important towards good manners as they grow through adolescence. We will also teach targeting exercises and confidence building exercises.

Please Note: This class will be limited to 6 puppies. This cl
ass is only open to puppies 8 to 16 weeks old. Proof of vaccinations will be required - please bring your vaccination records to the first class session.

Date: Sunday, August 12th - September 16th

Time: 3:15 - 4:15 pm

Location: Taming the Wild Side Training Facility

Cost: $100 for a six week class. Cash or checks only please.

Equipment: Easy to eat treats for your dog, water bowl, flat collar or harness, six foot leash

Please register online to participate in this class by clicking the following link:
http://www.supersaas.com/schedule/Taming_The_Wild_Side/Puppy_I

Elfie is an adult dog that is aggressive towards people, especially around her house. I have worked with her in her crate because she would lunge and bark at me when I entered her home. After several sessions I can now come in and she is better and I have been able to pet her. I have taught her to take a breath because she becomes anxious when she sees people. When she begins to get anxious, I can cue her to "breathe." She will take a breath and we can see her begin to relax as she exhales. As in people, when we take a deep breath and then exhale we release endorphins and it makes us feel better. This can also occur in dogs. I have noticed that she will now do it without the cue if she is in a stressful situation. Taking a breath is just another tool to help heal the aggressive dog.

Teach Your Dog To Check In Around Many Distractions!

In this video we are teaching Trew to check in with Kara around distractions. We have already strengthened his default down and played many sessions of the "Look At That" game from the book "Control Unleashed". Basically, he can look at a distraction, get clicked for looking at it and then receive a reward. We can cue him to look at distractions and now they are not a surprise! Scary distractions become valuable and not scary anymore because they are associated with a reward. He no longer lunges or jumps at people for attention and stays focused on Kara! This is a great game to practice with your dog, Begin with low level distractions and work your way to higher level distractions, using distance to keep your dog under threshold or from reacting to the distraction.