Training Time!

Training day for my Trailmix Gang! This will be a great day! Are you training today? If so, what are you practicing?

Are you running the gamut on training techniques? Are you still having trouble teaching a particular behavior? Great article for you to take a look at! 

http://awesomedogs.wordpress.com/2014/01/25/treat-training-trinity-why-positive-reinforcement-did-not-work-for-my-dog/

So I decided to play in the yard with the dogs instead of walking so that everyone could enjoy being outside today including Dodger. When we were finished playing they all laid down in the grass so I decided to lie down in the grass with them. They really love when we just "hang" with them in the yard. These are the ones I could capture as they came up to check on me! Notice all the pictures of Journey, he is offering the gift of grass to me from his mouth!! LOL!! Train, play and rest with your dogs, these are all deposits in building relationship!

Katie!

Banjo!

Journey trying to share his grass!

And more grass!

Dixie!

Glacier!

Clean Clean Clean!

Charlie and I spent the morning mopping and cleaning the training facility. When finding a place to train, you want a facility that is clean and disinfects!

DROP IT!!!!

A great cue to teach your dog! This is my Dixie and today as I let her in the house from the backyard she found a small mouse on the back porch and politely picked it up with her mouth and ran inside. She did not close her mouth all they way so the tail was sticking out a bit. I immediately said "Drop It" and she twisted her tongue and tried to get it out! It was stuck to her tongue! I bent down and grabbed the tail and slid it off her tongue! Not sure if she tried to really drop it on cue or did not like the texture of the mouse on her tongue! We have played the "drop it" game a lot with toys! She gets an "A" today for at least trying!! Keep training, you never know how your going to use a cue at times!

Good tip for a lost dog!

http://www.reshareworthy.com/how-to-find-a-lost-dog/

Stella! Learning to pick out letters in our tricks class! All the dogs did great, I even included my Dixie in class!

Some Good Ideas!

Great ideas and great mental stimulation for dogs confined to a crate for a bit!

Training Tip Thursday!

When training loose leash walking it is a great idea to exercise your dog before a walk! You can play ball, frisbee in the backyard! The "flirt pole" shown in this video is a great tool to burn some energy and teach self control! It is futile to try and train Loose leash walking on a three mile walk with an energized pooch! Keep walks short and low in distractions, you will be less frustrated and ready to walk again!
The flirt pole or sometimes called "tease pole" is available on Amazon or at Kyjen

The only one at fault here would be the adult in the room.