A Reliable Rocket Recall: Teach It, Train It, Practice It….and Practice Some More!
At our most recent Play in the Pasture session, an off leash, outdoor social for clients and their dogs, my girl, Willow, joined in the fun. In addition to the the socialization experience of helping her to continue to enjoy the company of a variety of other dogs, I also use the time to practice Recall. Over […]
Hot Dog! Let’s Leave It.
One of the more useful behaviors a dog can learn is to leave things alone when asked. Dogs and especially puppies, explore the world with their mouth. Leave It is one of the very first exercises I began working on with Willow when she joined our home. The cue, Leave It, as a finished behavior […]
Wait, it’s important!
Nothing like having a new puppy in the house to remind you how many things a dog needs to know to live happily in our human world. Oh the things that Gibson knew that I had trained and eventually took for granted and the things Willow does not yet know. There’s a big gap. The […]
Puppy Prep 101
Written on February 27, 2012 As I write this I’m thinking about tomorrow and am giddy with excitement because tomorrow we’re adding a new puppy to our home. There’s nothing like a puppy to spice up one’s life! But bringing a new pup into your home should be done with much forethought and preparation….no snap […]
Hiking With Your Dog…..are you ready?
Ahhhh, early autumn and changing leaves! As the days get cooler, my thoughts turn to hiking with my dog. I’m fortunate to live in an area where I can easily walk outside of the fenced acreage around my home and hit a few trails. I love being out of doors and so does my dog! […]
How long will it take to train my dog?
How long will it take to train my dog? is a question I’m often asked. My standard answer is , it depends, but in reality it takes a lifetime. Training our dogs is not like getting a tune up for our cars, you can’t just do it once and consider it fixed. The way I […]
Barking Dogs, Caterwauling Cats & Attention
I’m continuing to enjoy the attention training which is the first foundation behavior in the Canine Freestyle Course in which I’m currently enrolled. Last weekend, I took the practice outside for the first time. Nothing like a barking dog and caterwauling cat to provide some distractions. In reality, I think the cat was more of a […]
A Commitment to Train My Own Dog
by Lisa Lyle Waggoner Personally, I can’t think of many things more fun than working with and training a dog, especially my own dog. I did create a bit of time recently to work on some tandem “wait” and “individual release” practice with Gibson & Cody. However, because Brad and I are always working with […]
Tips for Hiking with Your Dog
by Lisa Lyle Waggoner Ahhhh, early autumn and changing leaves! As the days get cooler, my thoughts turn to hiking with my dog. I’m fortunate to live in an area where I can easily walk outside of the fenced acreage around my home and hit a few trails. I love being out of doors and […]
Whose Walk Is It Anyway?
by Lisa Lyle Waggoner As I headed out the door the other day for a long walk with my two dogs, I wondered, “Whose walk is it anyway?” It’s probably no surprise to anyone who shares their life with a dog that their sense of smell is keen. In doing some additional reading for an […]
