I have pretty high expectations for my dogs. I have specific goals and expectations for what Romeo will eventually be doing. (Note: I originally wrote this blog post when Romeo was under 2 years old in March 2011.) I expect him to be extremely well-behaved and reliable wherever we are and whatever I ask of [...]
I'm itching to get competing in Rally Obedience with Romeo! In preparation for competing, I needed to find some drop-in classes where we could perform some practice courses with other dogs around. Either there are not many out there, or I just can't find them. I found a Rally drop-in class on Friday mornings. Perfect [...]
How many cues does your dog know? Have you ever counted? I did, and I'll get to that in a minute. But first. . . If you have done any training with me, you've probably heard me say at least once: "Mental stimulation is just as taxing, if not more so, than physical stimulation." OR, [...]
How do you know if and when your dog is ready to be allowed off leash? Many people want to be able to take their dogs hiking off leash but aren't sure how to know when they can trust their dogs. Regardless of whether you plan to allow your dog off leash, it's still a [...]
It's easy to get caught up in the "what my dog is doing wrong" scenarios, but do not forget to celebrate your successes too!! In my previous post, I shared a setback in my training with Romeo. I was pretty upset with Romeo's behavior last Friday (February 2011) at the dog park. Rather than reacting [...]
