Ya gotta love training a Lab. They love to chase a ball and they love water.

Kiki lives by the beach so this is her home ground. She’s one of those dogs that just needed to be shown what to do and now she’s coming out of herself. She actually likes “working”.

As a lab she does like to get out and let it loose so part of her training has been running on trails as well as on the beach. She’s had some help with some pack training. My dogs know how to run and how to come back in distraction and they’ve helped her along. She’s already way stoked when she knows she’s going out for some hard core exercise.

It’s important for any Lab. Hard core exercise. Every day.

Kiki’s owners want her to be able to run back up the stairs to her home when it’s time for her to go. That is the fun part about training dogs, especially working dogs… they can learn to do all kinds of things. There’s a lot more than can be done than just basic dog obedience training.

And the really great thing for the dog; they love it. They love having a job. They love having some pride in something they get to do. Dogs know when they are doing something their owner is really proud of as well.

K9 Coach Multisports Dog Training Camp is good for your dog, and it’s good for you!

Kiki the black lab… she’s really a good dog. Just one of those that needs a little help with direction. She sometimes just isn’t sure of herself; needs a bit of confidence built up.

Thats the cool thing about dog training. With some work on even basic commands she begins to really feel like she is doing well at a job. It gives her purpose. It’s always a gratifying thing for me to watch happen.

She’s a beach dog, so we’ve worked on basic commands this week… come, sit, down, she stays beside me on a walk or a run if I tell her too… though we still have to a work a bit on distraction stuff. Sometimes those smells, or new people are just a bit much for her! Considering it’s been less than a week, she is doing really well.

Now that she’s getting these things down, it’s time to head to the beach with her and practice her skills at a place she not only loves but gets highly distracted in all the excitement. Since she lives by the beach this is going to be so great for her.

More updates later in the week. For now, you can see she’s very happy, she’s tired at the end of the day, and she’s doing very well at her K9 Coach Multisports Dog Training Camp.

The fun of training is getting to go out to some cool places with your dog.

Sonic, Mosely, & Finnegan have all done K9 Coach Dog Training Camps and now enjoy the benefits of being out and about doing their thing.

Sonic has come along nicely. His owner was out with him because he took our training to heart and knows that practice makes permanent. To have them come out and hang out with us at the beach was so cool!

Mosely & Finnegan have just come out of the dog training camp program and they are doing so incredibly well. Finnegan’s first day to dog beach took off running after a bird and his owner called him back… and just like that he came running back!

Spencer, he’s our mascot. The original. He’s getting along in years now but his very favorite thing to do is go to the beach. He loves life.

Teaching your dog to retrieve will insure that basic obedience is achieved. Reason being, to teach a retrieve, and that means your dog will go pick something up, a ball, a stick, or some object when you ask every time, not when your dog decides to “play” with the ball…. on any account reason being your dog will truly understand the concept of learning a skill by being taught a very clear retrieve.

It’s much different than just a basic sit, and for most that falls apart under distraction. Its a great skill for any dog. Robin MacFarlane of That’s My Dog highly recommends it for all dogs and their owners to develop a leader relationship bond.

See the latest press release for information on That’s My Dog and a retrieve workshop.
Press Release: Dog Retrieve Workshop That’s My Dog

When people think of dog training they usually picture a class with a bunch of dogs sitting, am I right? Of course, we go to law of first mention as a society. Dog training is so much more and a very important aspect of dog training is socialization. Both with people and with other dogs.

Two things go with that… confidence as in the case with Finnegan the King Charles Cavalier. When he came to camp he was a bit timid. Who knows why… so many people try to theorize that one… I like to just go to fixing the problem. For Finnegan it was getting him to understand some basic tasks, like come and sit, and be able to do them in distraction. Then add socialization with different people. I’m able to build his confidence by having him do things he’s very clear on in the midst of a new person reaching for him… something as simple as come (for when he’s trying to run away from the person) and sit… that allows him to anchor himself. He knows what to do and he’s now finding being around other people isn’t so bad. In fact I get some little smiles out of him which is really cool.

One reason I get so much enjoyment out of training dogs is because I’m able to give them a life like in the above video. They get to go to new environments and be dogs.. run and play. That is the beauty of having a strong recall. By that I mean coming to me no matter what, even if they are checking out some new smell or in the midst of a major game with another dog. Or in Mosely’s case… has scene a new person he could quite possibly get to pet him!

Dogs absolutely need exercise and a trained dog’s life opens wide up for getting enough because they can go so many more places, they don’t always have to be drug around on a leash for fear they’ll run off… and they simply a much better best friend when you know your dog will listen to you!

Mosely the GoldenDoodle and Finnegan the King Charles Cavalier are so happy they’ve come to K9 Coach Dog Training Camp. I am too. I’ve been having such a good time training them, my dogs have had such a good time playing with them.. and I can’t wait for their owner to enjoy their new manners and dog knowledge! Her friends are going to be jealous of such well behaved dogs!

This is the hardest thing about what I do. There are dogs I train that I really bond with. There are dogs that do amazing things, come so far… learn so much, and are so endearing.

Tucker was one of those. Of course, the “was” is key. I got the e-mail and when the subject line came up, I knew before I opened it. Tucker had passed away. He passed away before his time. He was only 7. The pictures tell it all… a yellow lab that was full of it! Such a cool dog.

Tucker did have an issue with dog aggression… and his owners did so much for him. They came to me for training and Tucker’s life changed. He wasn’t able to leave his yard, to being able to go out and walk and enjoy all the cool places around in San Diego. He got to walk all over Del Mar… just a couple of weeks ago he was down in LaJolla on the beach on a nice long walk. Granted he never really did love dogs… but he learned to deal. Tucker’s life was great and his owners so loved him.

Losing him is tragic. I’m so very sad about it. We don’t know what caused it at this point. He just started throwing up and it went down hill from there. He was rushed into the vet… but no one knows what really was wrong… he just didn’t make it.

I wish I could explain it… it’s so sad. The loss of a dog is the hardest… the best friend…. the livelihood of a household. My heart goes out to his owners…. I know them and I know how hard this is. When I made the call to talk… I had a hard time keeping it together. Tucker holds a place in my heart.

Love your dog… love all the moments of your life & theirs. It’s really short… and there’s so much to love.

I love you Tucker… I’m so happy that I got to be a part of your very special life.

Jt

Mosely and Finnegan are two dogs very different from one another, yet they live together, get along together, are great companions, and have come to K9 Coach Dog Training Camp so they can go and do more things. They live in a household that is of the active lifestyle and being able to take them everywhere will be possible with a solid recall or come to me no matter what is going on and some other basic manners.

Mosely is a GoldenDoodle… and he’s a big one. Tall, big, and a happy go lucky kind of guy. Finnegan is a King Charles Cavalier. He’s small, timid, and not all that gregarious. When he gets to you know you, he’s comes out of himself and becomes the sweetest lap dog.

Mosely is one of those dogs that has a hard time containing his excitement. He wants to jump, or bowl right into because he’s soooo happy to see you… it doesn’t really matter who you are. He just doesn’t realize that he’s bigger than a kid, and is stronger than lots of adults. So, we’ve been working on the sit, and on how to contain his excitement in moments of meeting and greeting people. He gets plenty of play time though to romp and have his fun as well.

Finnegan is one with a nature that is in his own little world. He is a bit fearful of the new and he doesn’t necessarily like to come to you when he’s called either. Some of it is out of his own curiousity, some of it is out of fear of something only he will know what caused it in his own little mind. We’ve been working on building up his confidence, as well on his recall… or to come whenever he’s called. The good news is… with consistency he is getting clear already. Today he came out of the distraction of “the hunt” while out on a trail. Very good for him. We also had a play session with a few other dogs I train, and he’s understanding to come when he’s called.

It’s all very fun for everyone. I love showing a new dog the right thing to do. I love it when they get it. It just takes some patience, some understanding of how a dog thinks, and the ability to communicate with the right timing and the learning curve comes around quickly.

There will be more updates about these two very cool dogs! Stay tuned. Dog training camp is a blast!