Fetch Rules Cheat Sheet for Judges and Competitors
Interested in the new AKC Fetch program this article will give you an overview of the rules for all four levels. Use it to train or to prepare for competition. Click the button below to see the article! Read the Handout
Puppy Socialization Essentials
Most people know they should introduce their new puppy to dogs and people while they're still young - but there's a lot more to socialization than meeting dogs and people! During the first three months of a puppy's life, they should have as many different positive experiences as possible, including as wide a variety as possible of people and dogs, but also places, sounds, [...]
A Promise to Your Dog
Before you embark on your behavior and training journey with us, know that modifying behaviors is a process. There are no quick fixes or immediate solutions. Though they can seem tedious, small steps are usually the fastest and most effective path to lasting success. While our staff will be coaching you along the way, behavior change takes time and effort. To ensure we are [...]
Canine Good Citizen & Pet Therapy
Therapy dogs, service dogs, and emotional support dogs are all the rage these days - but what does it all mean? And furthermore, what type of training do these dogs require? Each of these dogs has vastly different legal requirements but they do all need training. That's why we've created our Canine Good Citizen Pet Therapy classes. These classes will prepare you and your [...]
How to Identify Resource Guarding
Though resource guarding is a perfectly natural impulse for a dog to have, it can also be an incredibly dangerous one. If resource guarding is not appropriately identified then a person, oftentimes a child, can get hurt. Most people know that dogs may resource guard their food but did you know there are lots of other things dogs resource guard? Dogs may resource guard their [...]
To Crate or Not to Crate
By Angelica Steinker, M.Ed., C.D.B.C, CAP2 designed by Kimberly "Kim" Archer, CPDT-KA, CTDI It has become a popular notion to crate dogs, especially during adolescence to encourage a reinforcement history with people rather than the environment. However, is keeping a dog crated for 23.5 hours a day appropriate? This article does not aim to exclusively answer any of the questions posed but [...]
The Problem With Shock Collars
It isn’t that shock collar training doesn’t work, because it does. The question is at what price? Some extremely skilled trainers may be able to offset some of the problems shock collars can cause. However, shock collars are for sale at almost every pet store making them readily accessible to the general public. A shock collar can potentially lead to very serious problems if not [...]
The Art & Science of Heeling
The Art & Science of Heeling By Angelica Steinker, M.Ed., C.D.B.C, CAP2 Designed by Kimberly "Kim" Archer, CPDT-KA, CTDI "Heeling is a dance of special connection with my dog. Some view it as merely a mechanical exercise, but for me it is the ultimate connection of our two spirits.” – Ruth E Barish, avid obedience competitor and author In the world of dogs [...]
The Power of Fun in Dog Training
Being a fun detective pays off huge in dog training It’s six am and while sleeping in your bed, feeling cozy and content, your puppy has pounced on you! If your dog is mentally or physically under stimulated this could happen to you! Is this an annoying situation or fun detective opportunity? The truth is it can be both. Prevent early morning pouncing by spending [...]
Why Counter Conditioning Doesn’t Work
A common criticism of counter conditioning is that it does not work. While there can be many reasons why a behavior modification protocol based on counter conditioning fails it is almost always user error not that the counter conditioning itself doesn’t work. Here are four common reasons that cause counter conditioning to fail. Four reasons why Counter Conditioning doesn't work: Lack of Global Safe Zone [...]
Dog Training 101: What is Clicker Training?
Dog Training 101: What is Clicker Training? By Angelica Steinker, M.Ed., CDBC, CAP2 edited by Kimberly "Kim" Archer, CPDT-KA, CTDI Clicker training is a training method using a handheld plastic box that makes a clicking noise when depressed by a trainer. This click allows a trainer to mark a very precise moment in time, communicating to a dog exactly when they did something desired. The [...]
Tampa Bay Times Interview: Dog’s good manners according to a Lutz expert
By Philip Morgan, Tampa Bay Times Correspondent Originally published by the Tampa Bay Times here. Angelica Steinker loved dogs early on. “When I was little, I begged my parents for a brother or sister, and they said no and they got me a dog. And it all spiraled out of control from there,’’ she says. Steinker is founder of Courteous Canine, Inc. in Lutz. The [...]
