In order to get everyone excited for our upcoming agility classes, here is a video of Boomer showing off his two favorite things: agility and swimming.  If you would like to teach your dog to swim underwater (as well as many other great tricks) check out our Trick Training DVD!

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We frequently use the place command to not only teach targets, but also to create a boundary that aids with remaining in one spot for a long period of time.  The amount of time that you can have your dog remain in one spot is totally up to you.  Remember, we use obedience to functionally manage our pets, if that means leaving your dog in a down on their bed while you and your family eat a complete dinner, then so be it.

In the video below, Maverick (who has been featured in a previous post) is going to show us that remaining on a placeboard for a long period of time with distractions is not impossible.

In all fairness, Maverick is at the more advanced level of his training, and he has been conditioned to be able to handle long durations over time.  When starting out building during into your dogs sits and downs, start small and increase the amount of time; and always be fair to your dog.

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With the 4th of July and other summertime activities coming up, we can all expect that there will be an increase in firework displays.  Many dogs do not deal well with the loud noises associated with fireworks, so here are some things to remember this summer.

Don’t reward any signs of anxiety, stress, or trembling - Remember, we have to train through a dog’s mentality and this means not marking or acknowledging these behaviors.  Instead, redirect your dog into a task that is more desirable like running them through some obedience commands or fetching a ball.

Do not leave your dog outside - Many dogs are quickly startled by the loud noises associated with fireworks and immediately bolt; even fences will not stop some dogs in this situation.  If your dog has issues with fireworks or other loud noises, keep them inside and crated.

Do not bring your dog to an event with fireworks – Even with a leash and collar on your dog, then can panic and get out of their collar and run for cover.  Instead, leave your dog at home, this type of event is not the place for all dogs.

Do not tease or chase your dog – No dog should ever be chased or teased with fireworks; even smaller items like sparklers and bottle rockets can cause unneeded stress in your dog.  This one really comes down to supervising children and any one else who is around your dog with fireworks.  Better yet, keep your dog out of that situation completely.

Have a collar with tags on your dog – Just in case the worst thing happens, please make sure your dog is wearing a collar with your identification on it.  Even if the dog is micro-chipped, a good tag will help you get reunited with your dog faster.

Keeping all of these things in mind are good ideas, but bottom line – keep your dog inside and crated!

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Earlier this week, our first dog training blog app was released for the iPhone and is available for free download in the iTunes store. For those of you who have iPhones, you know how useful some of the apps are, and hopefully ours in no exception.

This is by far the best way to easily access our recent blog posts and keep our contact information handy.  We are still working out some slight kinks, but we hope you enjoy it!

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After what seems like an eternity of searching different locations, we have finally acquired our new training facility.  Classes have already started at our new training center earlier this week, but I wanted to give everyone a tour of the grounds.

Below is the outside of the training building that sits on plenty of land for the dogs to run, play, and of course learn.

Here is a shot of the inside of the training building.  The space is not huge, but will provide us a great indoor space during sudden weather changes and is also a great place to work in smaller groups.

Here are a few pictures of some of the outdoor training fields; this is the main reason we decided to go with this particular property.  We now have tons of room to spread out and really have some fun with the dogs.  It will also give us enough room to offer additional services like lure coursing and agility (which starts next month).

Our training center is located north of Austin in Leander, and is a quick trip up Route 183.  Complete directions and class times are available on our schedule page. We hope to see you out there soon!

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Since the last time we all say Rocky and Tucker, they have made huge progress in our board and train program. Enjoy their latest video.

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We recently took in two really nice Golden Retrievers into our Austin board and train program. They are doing very well with their training, and below is a short video of their progress in the first few days.

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Here is June’s edition of our Student of the Month! I apologize for the audio issues during the interview portion of the video.

Our most recent student of the month is (once again) a very consistent trainer.  Kaya is a very driven, high energy border collie who has been through previous training but plateaued out at a level that was way below her owner’s expectations.

While we still have some work to do with Kaya, we wanted to express our pride in having another client who is well on her way to having the dog she has always dreamed of.  Great job, keep it up!

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