<![CDATA[Camo Cross Dog Training

<![CDATA[Camo Cross Dog Training - Blog]]>Tue, 14 May 2024 11:24:16 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Are You a Communicator or a Puppeteer? How your mannerisms effect your dog's knowledge and understanding.]]>Fri, 13 Dec 2013 23:07:05 GMThttp://camocrossdogtraining.com/blog/are-you-a-communicator-or-apuppeteer-how-your-mannerisms-effect-your-dogs-knowledge-and-understandingAnyone who has done any training at our facility knows, when it comes to equipment we like to
keep it simple. Not just because of our owner's pocketbook, but because most "training equipment" does not train your dog to do anything, it just successfully avoids behaviors, as long as your dog is wearing said equipment. This develops a dependency on equipment to get behaviors. I HATE dependency. The real world is unpredictable and your dog needs to learn behaviors that will be consistent no matter the circumstances and no matter what equipment they are wearing or not wearing.

Now, enough of my soapbox on extra equipment. This week I want to focus on a piece of equipment that is necessary but should NOT be used to achieve behaviors: THE LEASH.

I tell owners the leash has 3 jobs:

1. It keeps you in compliance with
    leash laws
2. It is a safety net should your
    dog encounter an unexpected
    distraction you and he are not
    readily prepared for.
3. It gives you a boundary for
    leash walking (your dog is
                                                                allowed the 6 feet your leash
                                                                gives them).

It should NOT be used:

To control the dog.
To teach new behaviors.
To cue learned behaviors.

Why am I so picky about use of the leash, you ask? Well from the very beginning of training, I am
concerned with two transitions in your dog's training: replacing treat rewards with other life rewards, and OFF LEASH WORK. If you spend the foundation of your training developing a dependency on the leash to get behaviors, you have created an uphill battle for yourself when it comes to off leash work. Many owners get very frustrated with their dogs when trying to transition behaviors to an off leash consistency. They think their dog instantly stops listening when they are off leash "because they know they can get away with it". While I am not going to pretend that there are not more distractions to off leash work. Many times the behavior goes away when the leash does because we have made the leash a fundamental part of our communication model.

It all starts when we have an unruly puppy in puppy class that has not learned very many good behaviors yet. We are convinced our puppy is the MOST unruly puppy in class (everyone else is thinking that about their own puppy, by the way!)
So, we tend to keep them on a tight leash regardless of their behavior in hopes of keeping them under wraps and our embarrassment at bay.

The dog goes toward the other puppies= tight leash, the dog sits politely by you=tight leash, the pup chews on your shoelaces=tight leash, the puppy lays down next to you= tight leash, puppy runs toward the trainer to jump on her=tight leash.

So, the first topic I want to address is this:
constant tension on the leash- owner or dog?

I have had owners come into class telling me the dog pulls CONSTANTLY and will NOT stop pulling for ANYTHING! Then I proceed to observe a dog who does have an issue with pulling on the leash. But I also see an owner who is guilty of keeping tension on the leash even when the dog is not pulling. This teaches the dog that tension is the ONLY option, "when I am on a leash, it will be pulling on me, so why not pull on it?" Refer back to the examples above, only TWO of those
instances was the DOG the likely culprit in pulling on the leash, the others were owner created.

A Short Leash vs. a Tight Leash

Now, the answer is NOT to simply let them run free (boy that would be an interesting, albeit unproductive, puppy class!). There is nothing wrong with keeping a little shorter leash to keep the puppy from jumping on the trainer or turning class into recess with the other puppies. There is a difference between short leash and a tight leash. A tight leash makes you a puppeteer and not a communicator, holding a dog so tightly that it's only option is to sit right next to you is not communicating with the dog and showing it how to make the right choices. Keeping a short but loose leash is communicating by limiting your puppy's choices so he is more likely to choose the right one on is own and learn how rewarding pleasing you can be!

The image on the left is of a SHORT leash but not held tight by the owner. This can keep your dog close to you without holding them there. The images on the left are of a handler holding the dog beside them with the leash. Notice the difference in body language from the dog?

Body Blocking

Another very effective way to communicate with your puppy what is expected of him is body
language. Dogs communicate heavily through body language and respond to this type of communication from their owners quite naturally. For example: if you do not want your dog to go visit it's neighbor during class, as it takes a step in that direction, place your body between your dog and the others. As your dog focuses back on you praise and reward! You just communicated to your dog that his neighbor will not be reinforcing but you will be! This is especially helpful for very strong or big dogs who get distracted (I know when we round up cattle, unless we have a horse to help us, it is MUCH more successful to stop a bull by getting out in front of it than to rope it from behind and try to drag it back to you! Heck, even with the help of a horse, dragging a cow backwards is quite challenging!)

In the top photo, the handler is holding the dog beside her with the leash. Even though the dog is staying with her, where is the dog's focus? (on the other dog). The bottom photos show the handler getting in between her dog and the other dog. The leash is loose and where is the dog focused? (on the handler!)

The next area that the leash seems to creep in on us is to "assist" us in teaching new behaviors or cue already learned behaviors. I have to admit, every time I see someone get their dog to sit by jerking on the leash I cringe. Not just because it's certainly not the nicest way to gain compliance but because the leash pop actually becomes a cue for the behavior.
Once they associate the leash cue with sit, you are either forced to give it anytime you want them to sit or you have to spend time transferring the behavior to a different cue
(I'm not sure about you, but MOST of my clients are not looking for MORE work when it comes to training their dog!).

Furthermore, if you do not transfer it to a different cue (which happens more often), it should make sense that your dog does not have a reliable sit when off leash (sans leash cue).

Finally, why do all the work for them during THEIR training?Physical molding (pushing the dog into a sit or yanking up on the leash) may accomplish teaching a simple behavior like sit but does not challenge the dog to figure out how to offer you good behaviors, only how to be MADE to do good behaviors.
If you are constantly having to MAKE your dog do behaviors, who is really doing all the work?

A Special Note for Reactive Rovers and Leash Tension:

We have some very popular classes called Reactive Rover for dogs who have certain emotional triggers like dogs or people that make their behavior go off the deep end. Whether it is because of fear, overstimulation, or anxiety, these dogs can be very hard to handle! Unfortunately, many owners develop the response of tensing up on the leash when they see something they think will set off their reactive rover. What they don't realize is their reflex is compounding their dog's issue!

Imagine I had a friend with some social anxiety so I convinced her to go to a party with me.
Knowing she would get uncomfortable when each guest arrived, I grabbed her arm and forcibly pulled her to me. Not only would said friend be aggravated with me, she certainly would not develop any warm and fuzzy feelings
about the persons entering. She may even start to feel some anger toward them for MY behavior! While reactive dogs can be a very complicated subject (heck, we teach an entire class on it!), tensing up on the leash every time you see something they may not like is certainly NOT the best response. In fact, I encourage owners in my Reactive class to invest in a hands free leash system to help them break that habit!

Blame it on the fact that we are primates, or that we learn our entire lives to manipulate
things with our hands. Hey, it serves us pretty well in most of our every day lives! But in dog training, manipulating our dogs into "doing" behaviors by using the leash as a tool is not a good idea. It almost guarantees issues when transitioning to off leash and many times fools you into thinking they know a behavior when in reality, you are just puppeteering them into obedience. Let's challenge our dogs to think harder than that and get THEM to figure out the right answer by setting them up to be successful instead of doing the work for them!

A Special Thanks is in order for the individuals who helped me get the pictures and video I felt were needed to illustrate the ideas in this blog entry:

Kathy Schlotterbeck- who handled my girl "Ziva" perfectly and did things with the leash she didn't really want to do to illustrate the What Not to Do's!

"Ziva"- my beautiful German Shepherd rescue who does NOT pull on the leash, had never worked with Kathy before, and is VERY attached to me ( I was taking the pictures). Ziva was quite a sport while we used her as a model, even though she was quite confused as to what was going on!

Clayton Bausch- My son makes a couple of guest appearances as he comes to work with me on Fridays. I think he lends a quality of cuteness to the pictures and videos but maybe I am a little bias?

]]><![CDATA[Everyone's Worst Nightmare: My Dog is Missing! Part 2]]>Fri, 22 Nov 2013 23:37:23 GMThttp://camocrossdogtraining.com/blog/everyones-worst-nightmare-my-dog-is-missing-part-2We took all the necessary precautions and still the unthinkable has happened. Our dog is missing! What do we do now?

It is important to utilize the first 72 hours of your dog missing as efficiently as possible. Many dogs will no longer answer to their owners call after being gone more than 72 hours (scary, right?).

Neighborhood Search

First, you should canvass your neighborhood in hopes that this is just a momentary nightmare, that your dog has not wandered far, and will be home soon. But don't rush out the door before gathering a few things: Treats, Leash, Whistle, Squeaky, or Clicker, Food container you can rattle, and possibly another dog if you have one available to you. Also the most current photo of your pet you have (preferably a full body shot) and a handful of your business cards. If you do not have any business cards, bring whatever small pieces of paper you can gather up quickly to write your info down on and give to your neighbors. Finally, LEAVE SOMEONE AT HOME in case your dog comes back. Remember my story from Part One about my dog who went missing at my boyfriends house while I was out of town? I returned home to find she had somehow found her way back to my house and was asleep on the porch! The last thing you want to be doing is an exhaustive search when your pup has found its way back to home base.

Once you have driven (or walked, depending on your neighborhood and your dog) your
neighborhood, start talking to your neighbors. Are they at home? Ask if they
have seen your dog. If they are not at home, leave your dog's picture and your
contact info in their front door with the word Missing written on it.

After your initial search of your own neighborhood, you may want to invest in an option like www.findtoto.com. This is a service that for a fee, will call all the neighbors within a certain radius of your house and notify them that your dog is missing!

Next, notify all emergency vets in your area. We hate to think about our pet getting hurt while he is missing but it is a very real possibility. This way, if someone brings in a stray matching your description, they can notify you. A note about veterinarians in general, they are bound by a client/patient responsibility clause in most states much like human medicine. What this means is that if someone picks up your missing dog, brings it into the vet and does not mention that they found the dog and it could belong to someone else, the veterinarian CANNOT tell you they saw a dog that *could be* yours. (Frustrating, right?).

You also need to notify animal control as well as any local shelters. But notifying them is not enough in some cases. Many shelters are so overrun with demand that they are too busy taking care of the dogs in the shelter to match up missing dog descriptions with dogs brought in. The best practice if your dog remains missing is to go to the shelter as often as you can (daily, if possible) and
walk through yourself and look for your dog. You know them best!

Another great resource that has just recently become available to owners of missing pets is
Social Media. I have witnessed many missing dogs matched with found dogs over the likes of Facebook, Craigslist, etc. Posting a missing ad on Craigslist is a great place to start. Facebook is also a beneficial place to post your dog is missing. Not only if you post on your personal page and ask others to share, but there are also Facebook groups dedicated solely to helping get the word out about missing pets. Topeka Kansas Lost and Found Pets, and Topeka area lost and found Pets are a few. Also, WIBW (local news station) has generously added a gallery to their website for pictures of missing pets here. As with any other venture on the internet, cautions must be taken. Unfortunately, there seems to always be someone out there lurking, ready to take advantage of another who is in an unfortunate situation. Take precautions with anyone who wants to send you a picture of a dog they "found", they may just send you a virus instead! (Why are people so mean?)

It may be helpful to design a poster before going to social media, so that you can easily upload
that poster to all the groups and it already has all the necessary information on it (area missing from, phone numbers, etc.). You may also choose to post these flyers around town or in businesses. A few notes about the effectiveness of posters: Handwritten posters do NOT tend to be as effective as a flyer made on the Computer. It needs to look neat and professional for strangers to take it seriously. Next, it needs to have all the necessary information on it, but not too much information, no one wants to stop and read a novel. It MUST, MUST, MUST include a photo of your missing pet, not a description, or you will be getting all sorts of phone calls that will turn into false leads. Be careful of posting a large reward on the flyer, especially if you have a dog that is scared or shy. It will encourage people to try to catch your dog instead of calling in a sighting. For dogs who will run away from people they don't know, this will most likely cause the dog to leave the
area. Finally, try to personalize the message. Make it resonate with whoever is
reading it. Many dogs are picked up and kept by people who think they are doing
the right thing. You may need to convince them to give the dog back (i.e. he
needs medications, my kids miss him!, or he may have been picked up by someone
who is keeping him).

Once you have exhausted all these resources comes the hardest part, waiting. Waiting for people to start phoning in tips. Have a notepad ready to record all the phone calls that come in. Ask qualifying questions instead of leading the tipster to the right answer ("What color collar was he wearing?" Instead of "Was he wearing a red collar?") We want to believe they saw our dog and they want to make our day but driving all over town for bad tips will exhaust your resources even further. Keep track of the geographical location of all tips, you may be able to eventually narrow a search area small enough to walk on foot with volunteers or set out a humane trap with food in it (especially if you have a scared or shy dog).

Another resource that I find to be simply AMAZING would be the growing number of search teams that are dedicated solely to using trained tracking dogs to locate missing pets. Here is one of my favorites: Karyn Tarqwyn

This is designed to be a list of ideas for owners to get started with, I am certain there are other great ideas out there. If you have any ideas that worked for you, feel free to leave them in the comments below!

]]><![CDATA[Everyone's Worst Nightmare: My Dog is Missing!]]>Fri, 18 Oct 2013 19:59:47 GMThttp://camocrossdogtraining.com/blog/everyones-worst-nightmare-my-dog-is-missing

This has been a subject that has been weighing on my mind for awhile now and I would like the opportunity to share some tips on what an owner can do in this scenario. While I have not had one of my own dogs go missing since I was in college and left it in the care of my boyfriend at the time, I have recently experienced one of my client's dogs come up missing and many of you know I feel like your dogs are my dogs too! When I got the call that Jackson was missing, I set out on a mission to help bring Jackson home. I will share some of the things I have learned about searching for missing dogs in the coming weeks.

But first, let's take a step back for a second and talk about ways to prevent this situation and/or be proactive in resolving it quickly should it happen.

Proactive/Preventative Strategies

Boomerang I.D. Tag

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, have current
identification on your dog!
There are plenty of products out there to make this an easy step for dog owners, a couple of my favorites are:

The Boomerang Tag- Whether you cannot stand the constant jingle of tags, or your dog has a interesting habit of losing his tags in the yard, these tags are a great choice, they slide right onto the collar! They do not hang off the collar where they can jingle or get caught on something, and there is no need for any mounting hardware like rivets! http://www.boomerangtags.com/

Embroidered I.D. collars

Embroidered Collars- Another great choice for your pet's ID. These collars come with your information embroidered right on the collar! http://www.amazon.com/Embroidered-Dog-Collars/dp/B0063EJ2SI

Microchip and Scanner

Microchipping- Since many dogs go missing everyday because they slip their collars, microchipping is a great way to help insure your dog's chances of getting back home to you. A microchip is a small identifying integrated circuit placed under the skin of your dog, usually between the shoulder blades. The chip, about the size of a large grain of rice, uses passive Radio Frequency Identification technology to send an identifying number to microchip scanners. That number is kept in a database by the microchipping company along with your contact info. Most shelters and
veterinarians have scanners and it is becoming common practice to scan a dog for a microchip when it is found wandering. Many dogs have returned home thanks to microchipping.

Storm Damage can be scary!

Don't leave your dog outside when Mother Nature is angry.
Many dogs are afraid of storms, no matter how
big or small the storm. Storms are also unpredictable and may cause damage to your fence, letting your pet escape, or cause a tree limb to fall and spook a dog that may not even be afraid of storms. It is always a good idea to bring dogs in when the weather could get nasty. It is also wise to keep your pets inside during certain holidays like 4th of July and Halloween, when your neighborhood could beunpredictable!

No-slip, Martingale style Collar

When traveling,
take appropriate precautions.

If you are planning a trip and will take your dog with you (lucky dog!). Please consider investing in a no-slip collar or harness for them to wear on the trip. There have been many dogs come up missing because they were out to do their business at a truck stop and got spooked by a big truck or other loud noise. This is a terrible scenario in many ways. First, truck stops/rest areas are, by design, right next to a busy highway, making it very easy for your pup to get hit by a vehicle. Secondly, many rest areas are there because there is nothing else around, meaning very little resources to find a missing dog (no local home owners to question). Finally, you are likely going to have to either change your trip to stay near the area your dog went missing or heaven forbid move on and hope that he can be located by someone else. Martingale collars are a great collar for leash walking while traveling.

Who could leave this face behind?!

If you are unable to take your furry friend along, choose carefully where your dog will stay while you are away.

Another all too familiar story, "I was out of town and I left my dog with a friend. My dog got out of the yard and now he is lost and I am not even there to help find him!" What a desperate feeling that can be. When planning a trip, make arrangements well ahead of time where your dog will be staying in your absence. Whether it be with friends, relatives, or a dog boarding facility, it is smart to let your dog do a "trial run sleepover" before your trip. Show your dog that even though you are leaving him behind, you will always come back for him. When choosing a place for your dog to stay, make sure you are leaving him with someone who understands that your dog has no attachment to their house and probably very little
attachment to them so letting them escape is simply not an option. Don't feel like you are being "too picky" for your fur baby, imagine the guilt a friend or family member would feel if they lost your pet!

Newly adopted pets
While we are on the subject of pets not having an attachment to a place or a person, lets talk about the scenario of getting a new dog. This is another frequent cause for pets to go missing. Imagine with me for a moment: You go to the shelter, you lock eyes with your fur soulmate. "This is the one!", you think. You're sure that the dog is feeling the same way. You want to make the right decision, so you think it over for 24 hours, filled with excitement, you head to the local pet store to stock up on all the essentials, treats, toys, leash, collar, food. The next day, you fill out the necessary adoption paperwork, take the dog to your car and talk to it lovingly all the way home about how their life will never be like that again. You get home and within the first week, the dog escapes your yard and never looks back. As much as that might hurt your feelings (and your ego!), lets try to look at this from your dog's perspective. He was not a part of all the preparation described above that prepared you mentally and emotionally to own a dog. At this point, all he knows is you showed up one day and visited him and then the next day he left with you. Even though you consider yourself his owner, he does not yet. When adopting a pet, that pet should not be off leash at any time when outside of your house (and maybe even inside as well!), even if you have a fenced yard, for a week AT MINIMUM (every dog's back story is unique, some dogs may need 30 days, or longer). If "your" new dog manages to get away from you in the first few days of ownership, it will not have any attachment to your house or you yet. Also, time alone will not establish a lasting relationship between you and your new addition. I would also highly encourage you to enroll in a formal training program with your dog to strengthen your bond with them.

Even with the best of intentions, things happen. Follow every guideline for prevention and
your pet can still go missing. Next week in part 2, I will outline a plan of
action for owners who find themselves in this situation.

For any of you who are not familiar with the story of Jackson (referenced at the beginning of
this entry), he was found! (More on this story to come in part 2).

]]><![CDATA[Camo Cross Dog Training now offering C.L.A.S.S. curriculum and evaluations!]]>Sat, 01 Jun 2013 00:04:32 GMThttp://camocrossdogtraining.com/blog/camo-cross-dog-training-now-offering-class-curriculum-and-evaluations

We are so very excited to announce that Kelli Bausch has completed all requirements to become recognized through the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (The A.P.D.T. is the largest professional association of dog trainers in the world.) to conduct C.L.A.S.S evaluations! She is one of only three evaluators in the state of Kansas approved to do C.L.A.S.S. evaluations!

What is C.L.A.S.S?

Maggie showing off the C.L.A.S.S skill of waiting at the doorway!

C.L.A.S.S. stands for Canine Life and Social Skills. It is an educational program to promote training focused on the use of positive reinforcement and to strengthen relationships between humans and their canine companions. C.L.A.S.S. is a three-level
assessment program for pet owners to test real-life skills with their canine companions. The three levels of the program are named after university degree programs: the B.A. (Bachelor’s level), the M.A. (Master’s level), and the Ph.D. (Doctorate level). Through successfully completing each C.L.A.S.S. level, pet owners can earn certificates with their dogs in Canine Life and Social Skills.

C.L.A.S.S. is more than just an assessment. It is designed with several goals:
     • To generate a mindset among owners in how to incorporate skills they learn
         in dog training classes into daily living with their dogs
     • To raise the bar in pet dog training and manners via high standards
         required to pass each C.L.A.S.S. level
     • To improve relationships between dogs and owners through education and
         promotion of positive reinforcement and ongoing training
     • To reinforce responsible pet ownership through an online test on basic dog
         behavior and care, and a veterinarian certificate demonstrating the dog’s health
         care
      • To increase awareness for owners of additional training resources
         available, including helping to find the right professional dog trainer for
         their needs
       • To support training efforts of animal shelters and rescues, and promote
         dogs for adoption

As C.L.A.S.S. expands, it is the vision of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) that there will be more well-trained, socialized pets in society, and opportunities for increased benefits and acceptance in communities.

Why choose C.L.A.S.S?

Toby practicing the skill of "Settle" on his mat!

Many of you may be familiar with another program similar to this called the Canine Good Citizen Test which was developed by the American Kennel Club. I looked at both programs and decided to go with class for several reasons.
First and foremost, I was thrilled that the program has a focus on getting more dogs adopted. Evaluators who only evaluate shelter dogs get a discount on their evaulator fee and adoptable dogs who pass their C.L.A.S.S. evaluations get posted on the C.L.A.S.S website as dogs looking for their furever homes! Many of you who know me well know that something I am passionate about is seeing more behavior issues addressed in shelters. Overpopulation is certainly an issue and accounts for all the litters of puppies that find themselves in the shelter but most adult dogs who wind up there did have a home that decided not to keep them for one reason or another (usually lack of training).
Another reason I fell in love with this program is that it focuses on the dog and owner at a team, rather than just testing and evaluating the dog. While this may make some of your hearts flutter when thinking about being "tested", it really makes the test more meaningful AND is closer to the focus most Therapy dog evaluations take of approving a "team" (dog and owner), not just a dog to be a therapy dog.
I also liked that their were several levels to the program (a bachelors, a masters, and a doctorate, how cute is that?). Many owners pass the CGC and don't know what to do next with their dog. I think 3 levels is more comprehensive and more indicitave of the journey most owners take in training their dog.
The scoring of the evaluations was also something that caught my eye, in the CGC every item is either pass or fail while the CLASS system gives 4 categories: Excellent, Needs Work, Incomplete, and Automatic Incomplete. Having watched many CGC evaluations it is difficult to group ALL dogs tested into only 2 categories and I find having a wider scale to place performance on is very helpful to the evaluator and the owner getting evaluated!
I also believe the skills on the test are a more accurate simulation of skills needed in real life to be a good ambassador for dogs everywhere. Dogs need to be good at skills like waiting at doorways, loose leash walking, meet and greets, settle on a mat, stay etc.

How to Get Started

Harley showing off Leash Walking Skills needed for C.L.A.S.S.

If you have already completed some of our classes, give us a call for a needs assessment to get ready for an evaluation!
If you are just getting started with your training, give us a call to sign up for a Beginner class to get you ready for a Bachelor's evaluation!
785.408.6127

]]><![CDATA[Our New Home Part Four! Open House announcement!]]>Fri, 29 Mar 2013 14:59:21 GMThttp://camocrossdogtraining.com/blog/our-new-home-part-four-open-house-announcement

Clay makes a pretty good painter (with close supervision!)

It's been a couple of weeks since we gave you an update on our new place, not because we haven't been making any progress, but because we have been too busy making progress to give updates! ( not to mention participating in the St Patrick's day parade, having a full house with spring break boarders, and all our regular classes and private lessons!)
We are SO excited about the things that have been going on over at 710 SW Gage and we hope you will be too! We are confident (we hope!) in scheduling an official Open House next Friday April 5th! It will be a come and go event that will allow current clients and potential customers to see our new location, check out some of the new merchandise we will be carrying, enjoy some refreshments, and sign up for a chance to win some prizes!

This event is open to the public and will be from 3 p.m.-8 p.m. so please stop by and see us, it would mean a lot to us to see your support of our new venture!

New paint color, curtains and chalkboards!

Well, we FINALLY got all the painting done except for little touch up pieces once we get everything else done. We really hope you enjoy the colors we have picked out, some of our clients who have already stopped by have used the words calm and relaxing to describe them. We hope the dogs think so too! We also finally decided what to do with those mirrors that a previous tenant glued to the wall. We painted them with chalkboard paint and made new wood frames for them (frames are not on them yet in this picture) and we think they will turn out great and will be a perfect place to let you know about current deals on our merchandise! Gone also are the faded blue curtains replaced by the orange curtains you see pictured (Spice is the color they are described as by Bed Bath and Beyond).

It's all coming together!

The front reception desk is nearly finished, lacking only a clear coat finish on it's new paint. We also acquired a very cool old chalkboard that will hang behind the desk detailing upcoming classes and seminars that are available! Also better seen in this picture is the new carpet for the front room!

Our lending library! Come check out a book!

In additon to merchandise, we will have a lending library of books and dvd's we have available on many different dog training topics. Topics range from general obedience and puppy training to scent work, agility, and reactive dogs materials and a few dog magazines featuring great articles. We even have older dog training books that may even qualify as antiques and are interesting to read! This service will be free to anyone who is currently enrolled in lessons or classes! If you have any dog training books that you are no longer using and would like to donate them to the lending library we would gladly take them!

Tru took her job as taste tester seriously!

We are also very excited to offer Topeka high quality pet food brands and treats that are not currently available in our area! We have met with a distributor and "Tru" did a grueling taste test and selection process (it was hard work but somebody had to do it!) and we have come up with a line of products that we think your dog will love! All the foods we will be carrying are 4-5 star foods in terms of quality. Here are some of the brands we will be offering a small selection of:

Nutrisource
Acana
Primal Pet Foods Freeze Dried
Petcurean NOW!

We will also be carrying a selection of treats, leashes, and other pet products as well as partnering with Furever Friends Pet Supply who will also be offering some merchandise in our store!

The training room still needs some work in the next week including putting in the rubber flooring that will be comfortable on your dogs feet and give them great traction in class (and give YOU traction too!). The training room will also have tethers that will allow you to have your hands free of the leash while working with your dog in class which will help with the juggling of treats, leash and clicker! We hope to have those in by the open house but may not have them completed just yet.

If you are planning to attend our Open House, please let us know you are coming so we know how many refreshments to plan for! We can't wait to show you our new place!

]]><![CDATA[Our New Home: Part Three!]]>Sat, 09 Mar 2013 04:43:33 GMThttp://camocrossdogtraining.com/blog/our-new-home-part-threeIs it time for another update already?! This weeks has gone by so FAST (well technically speaking, it has only been 5 days since our last blog post and we are going to use that to explain the lack of progress on our new place this week!) Slow and steady wins the race right? I sure hope so!

Prepping the walls

Clayton hard at work cleaning the walls!

Clayton and I have been hard at work today cleaning up the walls and prepping them for paint. This includes scraping the concrete walls with a wire brush, scraping off any previous paint that is loose, and wiping the walls down with a wet sponge to get them as clean as possible. My lovely husband has agreed to patch all the holes left from the previous tenant.

Painting the walls

Clay's idea of good paint for the walls...

So we haven't gotten the walls painted yet, but we have picked out the colors and bought the paint! The colors will be another surprise left for our Open house but I will tell you one of the colors we opted for is appropriately named "Camo Beige" ;). Clayton went to Sutherlands with me to purchase the paint and his first choice can be seen to the left. Needless to say, I had to explain to him that John Deere Yellow spray paint is best saved for tractor projects! In other exciting news, we have a friend who has so graciously offered up his paint sprayer to paint the walls, saving us many man hours once we finally get to painting!

Front Desk

Hope to finish this up in the next couple of days!

We inherited this front desk from the previous tenant and let us just say, it has seen better days. So my latest project is trying to breathe new life into it. The picture to the left is the before ( I am pretty sure I found someone's gum while I was sanding it!) and the picture to the right is the work in progress. I have primed it and applied the initial layer of paint to the top. I plan to paint the bottom part a flat brown, I hope to be able to show you finished pictures next week!

Our New...Neighbors?

Love my new view!

I took our German Shepherd "Ziva" along today to hang out while I worked. As I sat at the front window to take a short break, I realized Ziva was staring pretty intently out the front door. I followed her gaze across the street and realized we have an amazing view of the Elephant enclosure at the zoo! They were loving the weather this afternoon and we even got to see one pick up one of the big tires and play with it! After the sun went down, I had the front door propped open to help with the paint fumes when all of a sudden the quiet night air was disrupted by the lonely roar of a lion. I am not sure I will ever get used to hearing that noise!

We will be announcing the Open House date soon!

]]><![CDATA[Our New Home: Part Two]]>Mon, 04 Mar 2013 02:33:42 GMThttp://camocrossdogtraining.com/blog/our-new-home-part-two

Signage coming soon!

As I mentioned last week, March is going to be jam-packed for us! Not only are we remodeling our new location, but we are also teaching more classes and private lessons than ever before, preparing for our appearance in the St. Patrick's Day Parade, and starting our Agility classes back up! Because my days are so full, the best I can give you for blog entries for a few weeks are updates on the new building. I hope you enjoy!

Front Signage

Sneak Peek at Signage!

We have finalized the decision on signage and have the order in place for a perforated window wrap for our big front windows! For those of you who are familiar with the windows on our Tahoe and Suburban, it is the same process. The Sign House in Salina produced both signs for our Tahoe and Suburban and will be doing the front window signage for us as well. Check out the sneak peak at art work to the right!

New Dividing Wall

Tru showing us the new wall, she could be a Price is Right girl!

We originally planned to move the existing wall forward, making the classroom a bit larger. After contemplating on the space a bit longer, we opted to build an additional dividing wall, giving us some more storage space as well as a door that is accessible during classes to help practice door greetings and threshold work!

Bathroom Makeover

New Sink and Tile floor! (The previous sink was plastic and only had two legs!)

The restroom received some much needed attention this week as well. I won't subject you to a picture of the before but let's just say it had been overlooked for awhile...
The contractors installed a new toilet and sink and laid a new tile floor.

Upcoming Projects

We hope to complete these things this week:
Filling holes in the sheetrock
Cleaning and preparing the walls to be painted
Priming and Painting ALL the walls (I better pick out some paint, eh?)
Painting the front desk
Hooking up the phone lines and alarm system
Possibly lay the flooring in the training room (this might be a bit optomistic, it may not get done this week!)

]]><![CDATA[Our New Home: Part One]]>Sat, 23 Feb 2013 04:19:11 GMThttp://camocrossdogtraining.com/blog/a-very-exciting-announcementAfter teaching classes at Westport Animal Clinic for a little over a year (an ENORMOUS thank you to Dr. Anderson for allowing us to use her space!), I am so very excited to announce that we have signed a lease on a space of our VERY OWN! This new space will not be ready for use for a few weeks while we do some remodeling to prepare the space for classes. Since the next few weeks of our life will be totally consumed by this remodel, I have decided to chronicle some of it in my blog for anyone who might enjoy hearing about the trials and triumphs of our newest project!

That's us in the middle, to the left of Wet Whiskers!

In a few short weeks Camo Cross Dog Training will make it's new home at 710 SW Gage Boulevard. Our neighbors will include: A hair salon, a taxidermist, Wet Whiskers Day Spa (WONDERFUL groomer, by the way!), and a CPR and First Aid Instructor. The space will be smaller than the area we have to work with currently but will open up some new opportunities for Camo Cross Dog Training, including having regular hours that you can drop by and see us, carrying a variety of training merchandise previously unavailable in Topeka, and utilizing nearby Gage Park for some of our training sessions! Some of my students will also be glad to hear NO MORE STAIRS! (especially those with dogs who are afraid of the stairs!)

Reception area before

The space does not come ready made (wouldn't that be nice?!) So there is some major work to be done. It's a good thing I am not allergic to elbow grease! We need to move a dividing wall, rip up carpet (NO ONE wants to deal with carpet and puppies, am I right?), discover what is under the carpet, prime the walls, prime the walls again (did you see the dark blue paint?), paint the walls, decide on signage, etc.

Reception area, bye bye carpet!

Today I decided to pull up the carpet and have a look at what is underneath.
And the verdict is...

I'm still not certain what is there! There seems to be areas of concrete, areas of tile, and areas of....? It is kind of fun to ponder how many tenants this place has had and what it looked like for each owner.

This is part of the training room, not much to look at yet!

The training room definitely needs some major TLC, these work benches will have to go or be relocated higher for overhead storage, new flooring, new paint, and of course adorned with my educational posters. I have also considered a graduation wall for all the lovely graduation pictures of your pups, what do you guys think?
After pulling up the carpet, I decided to go by Menard's and found the perfect floor for the training room but you will have to wait until our open house to catch a glimpse at it, I love surprises!

Stay tuned for more updates on progress! As soon as I truly realize how much work I have gotten myself into, I will set a deadline for an Open House! It will probably be a Friday afternoon/evening come and go event in the next month or so.

]]><![CDATA[How to Choose a Dog Trainer]]>Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:28:08 GMThttp://camocrossdogtraining.com/blog/how-to-choose-a-dog-trainer

This precious face deserves some careful consideration!

I am always flattered when I hear one of my clients say, "How can I find a trainer like you for my family member/friend in another state?" Unfortunately, picking a trainer can be a tricky process. What you see is NOT always what you get when it comes to trainers. Dog training used to be about force, cohersion, and doing it because I SAID SO. Thankfully, recent research has shown that those methods of the past are not only not very humane, they aren't as effective! Even though the new methods have been proven , some trainers are still finding it hard to reinvent themeselves to fit into the new generation of training techniques so they simply reinvented the verbiage on their website. What does all this mean for someone looking for a dog trainer? If you are looking for a trainer who uses positive training methods, take what you see on their website with a grain of salt and do some of your own research. Choosing a trainer should be a careful decision. If you end up not liking the trainer you hastily chose, not only are you out the money you spent on that class, you will likely need to spend some more on taking a class elsewhere. Not to mention the possibility of undoing some of the things that were initiated in the first training experience. Here are some helpful tips on choosing a trainer:

Ask your friends!

Get trainer referrals during your daily dog walk!

Do any of your friends have dogs? Ask them who they used for their training needs. Depending on their dog's behavior, this may sell you on their trainer or convince you NOT to use that one! :) Next time you are at the dog park, ask some of those friends who they used. Do you encounter a very well behaved pooch on your daily walk with your dog? Consider stopping and asking them who has helped them achieve their training goals. You will probably get more than one answer, helping you begin a list of possible options to choose from.

Ask other Pet Professionals

Ask your local rescue groups if they have a trainer they recommend!

Most pet professionals have heard feedback from their clients about other services they may have used. Don't overlook them for additions to your list of potential trainers. Examples of other pet professionals: Veterinarians, Groomers, Dog Day Care Facilities, Dog Boarding Facilities, Pet Stores, Pet Portrait Photographers, local rescue groups, etc.

Online Homework

Do your research!

Once you have compiled a list of possible trainers, sit down at the computer and do some online research, just don't forget, their website was written by them, to sell themselves so use a critical eye. Things to look for on their website:

Do they offer all the classes you will eventually want to take? Since every dog trainer is a little different, switching trainers mid stream is not exactly seamless. So, if you want to eventually take an Agility class, consider trainers who offer agility from the very beginning puppy class.
Experience or Certifications? Which is more important? There are currently no laws governing the licensure of dog trainers but there are several certifications out there. While certifications are certainly good, experience is the most important element. Some certifications only require that the trainer pay a fee and then they are magically "certified". Others do require they pass a written test to qualify but trainers are never observed. This means that the trainer doesn't actually have to use the correct methods, they just have to know the right answers on the test. Also, do your homework in checking the validity of certifications. Most accrediting websites will have a list of trainers currently certified by them. Make sure the trainer claiming to be certified is among the trainers listed on their website. Does their website talk about what their hands-on experience entails?
Be wary of facilities that REQUIRE board and train programs. Board and Train simply means you leave the dog with them and they do some or all of the training without you present. While some trainers offer this as an option, I haven't found this route to be very successful. It is my experience that the dog needs to learn from the owner, not the trainer. Otherwise you end up with a dog who is trained to listen to the trainer, not the owner and an owner who doesn’t know how to maintain the training. Don't rule a trainer out because they offer this as an option, but if they require working with your dog when you are not around, proceed with caution. Many old style traditional trainers did board and train programs.
Photographs? Why is photography so important, you might ask. Pictures don't lie, even if a trainer refers to their training as positive reinforcement, if you see pictures on their website of classes where dogs are wearing choke chains, prong collars, or electronic collars, they are not likely as positive as they are trying to appear. Also be wary of a website that has impersonal, stock photography. Pictures that are not even of that particular business or their actual clients.
Social Media Do they have a facebook page? That is the best place to find out how excited their clients are about their services and a source that is not as closely regulated for content as their website. Is there a positive buzz about their classes on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, etc?

What to ask on the phone:

Pick up that phone!

Now that you have likely eliminated a few of the options after viewing their website, it is time to sit down and call the remaining candidates.

What experience have you had with my breed specifically? Every breed has personality quirks that make training them all a little bit different. You want a trainer who has had experience with many different breeds or at least extensive experience with the breed you own.
What kind of a guarantee do you offer? This is a trick question! Because every dog learns at a different pace, you want to steer clear of any place that guarantees the dog will be performing specific behaviors by the end of that class. The only guarantee I offer my clients is that I guarantee by the end of class YOU will possess the skills necessary to continue to work with your dog and improve their behavior until you are satisfied.
What type of equipment do you require for class? This should be a very short list! There are companies and trainers out there getting rich off of the "training" equipment they make you buy to attend their classes! I use quotation marks around the word training because equipment CANNOT train your dog, only you can. So called training equipment does not actually train away from bad behaviors, it just prevents them from happening. This results in a dependency on the equipment to get the desired behavior, or a period of time and work "weaning" them off of said equipment. Regular buckle collar, leash and treats should be all you need for most beginner classes. Some trainers also recommend harnesses or head halters. I choose not to use these in my classes but it is not a reason to eliminate a potential trainer from the list.
What Vaccinations are required for participation in classes? Most classes have vaccination requirements so this should be an easy question for them. NEVER enroll in a class that does not require proof of vaccination!
Ask them for an assessment appointment and take your dog! Unless it is an in home assessment, your dog will likely act differently in the new surroundings but you will be able to see how the trainer interacts with YOUR dog specifically and how your dog responds to their methods. You may also want to request that they demonstrate some of the curriculum with their own dog. This way you can see how their dog behaves and responds to them. If their dog is eager and happy to learn or a robot responding to commands. Some assessments are free while other trainers may charge a small fee for an assessment.
Ask if you can sit in on a training class they are currently teaching. If they do not allow you to observe one session before enrolling, I would not be comfortable with signing up for a class at that facility. Besides, if you sit in on a class, you will get a feel for their teaching style and how they adapt to the different needs of the dogs/owners in their classes.
Pricing: If you have never had a dog trained before, my suggestion would be to call around and receive some price quotes so you know what is reasonable in your area. Some trainers who think they have the market cornered may charge whatever they think they can get away with so beware. However, if you know what a reasonable price is in your area, price should be a VERY minute factor in choosing a trainer. Only use it if you have exhausted all other resources and it is the tie breaker between two options.

Once you have done all of this, trust your gut! No one knows your dog better than you!

]]><![CDATA[Are you exercising your dog's training muscles?]]>Sat, 02 Feb 2013 01:33:15 GMThttp://camocrossdogtraining.com/blog/are-you-exercising-your-dogs-training-muscles Does anyone else picture a bulldog in a muscle tank top when you read that headline? Okay, maybe its just me…

Dumbells not required!

So what exactly do I mean by training muscles? Many of the behaviors we expect from our dog require prerequisite skills to perform. You can think of these skills as "muscles". We have to strengthen these muscles before we can ever hope to achieve the behavior we want to accomplish.

This is the face I make doing a pull up!

Imagine I had a goal to be able to do a pull up. Perhaps I need to first let my readers know that I was not born with incredible upper body strength. Okay, so imagine I wanted to do a pull up. If I started out my journey by installing a pull up bar and immediately trying to accomplish my goal. What would probably happen? I would fail, not just fail but fail miserably. I probably wouldn't even be able to raise my lead filled feet one inch above the ground! I would then promptly return the pull up bar and decide I wasn't "made" to be able to do a pull up, always wishing I had been.

It takes practice!

So what does this have to do with dog training? I'm glad you asked! You see, I experience dog owners doing this to their dogs constantly without even realizing it! We are constantly expecting our dogs to exhibit behaviors just because we want them to, without taking into consideration that they will need to exercise these skills for awhile before they will be able to perform the behavior at the level we will be satisfied. We then make excuses for why our dog "isn't good at training", "has puppy ADHD", or is "just plain too stubborn to be obedient".

"I know he knows what I want, he just won't do it!"

Make sure your dog is prepared for his assignments!

Many times when I hear an owner say this, I know exactly what is going on. Cognitive recognition precedes physical capability. In other words, your pup will understand the behavior you are requesting before their physical skills are capable of obliging. The "stay" command is a perfect example. As we get ready to teach "Stay" to our furry friend, we get so excited about how we will be able to utilize this command in the future, that we ask too much too quickly. Time and time again I see owners who are just beginning stay, trying to get the dog to accomplish Duration, Distance, and Distractions all at once. Your dog will understand that the command means do not move until you are released but he is far from having the self control to actually perform the behavior. So, even though it may seem that they know exactly what we want and simply choose not to do it (and I am not saying that never happens) many times it is because they are not "strong enough" to accomplish the task

Will I ever be able to do a pullup?

Let's revisit my goal above of the perfect pull up. A parallel exists between the dog above and my quest in upper body strength. I knew exactly what I wanted to accomplish, a pull up. But simply understanding what I wanted to do was not enough for me to be able to do it. I would need to start with a strength training regimen. I would need to start wherever I saw success and build from there. Even if that means simply lifting 1/10 of my body weight! I may even need to cross train in areas that do not seem to be related to my ultimate goal. For example, I may not "need" to or have a desire to be able to do bicep curls or bench press. However, accomplishing these goals will strengthen my arm muscles, preparing me to lift my own body weight high enough to clear a bar with my chin.

You might be surprised at what they can do!

Now let's turn the channel back to the owner in obedience class working on a "Stay" command with their pup. First , start wherever they are successful. Forget walking away from them, get rid of the distractions, and start with a short stay (6 seconds or less). Also cross train in other areas that help develop self control "muscles" like Leave it exercises and Polite leash walking. Slowly increase duration, distance and distraction, preparing their training muscles to perform the "Stay" command you are hoping to eventually accomplish.

A final note on "training muscles":
Just like our muscles,
If you don't use 'em, you lose 'em
So don't stop exercising (training) once your dog is able to do that pull up or it won't be there next time you need it!

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