Joey came to his San Diego Dog Training Camp a bit of a wild boy… and now he’s like Super Dog! The contrast from the first day of training camp and now is amazing! He not only walks and runs really nicely on a leash, but he has an off leash recall that rocks!Being a German Shorthair Pointer, Joey is a working dog and most certainly needs a job to keep his mind entertained enough to keep him out of trouble as well as not being one of those “hyperactive” dogs! He’s got that now. He has learned many things and now can practice all of them daily with pride.

He’s got the concept of “spot” down well. I use “spot” to teach dogs a solid “stay”, but it can be used to target dogs to go away from you to somewhere you designate, or stay in a certain spot. The video shows him doing “spot” in several different instances. It can be anything you designate really which is what is cool about it. It becomes a game when you are out and about with your dog.

For instance you could be at a park and see people coming, you can tell your dog “spot” and have him get on a large rock that is placed in the park for decoration. He’ll hold it while people or dogs walk by.

You can use it as a place for him to stay while your family is eating dinner, or on a trail while other dogs walk by. People are amazed at how well your dog is behaved… and its all because he’s learned a job and is preforming it well by practicing it all the time.

It gives your dog a sense of accomplishment, and he actually “knows” something. Many people discount what a dog can actually learn and those poor dogs usually end up not so happy, simply because they are not trained.

For Joey, life is great. He’s smart and he likes working. He is a gorgeous Pointer and with the skills he’s learned at K9 Coach Dog Training Camp in Encinitas his life is going to only get better and better. He has a family who is really into him and the things that they can do with him now are many fold.

He is a special dog. There’s no doubt about that. I’ve enjoyed every moment of training and being with Joey. Dogs can teach us things as well and Joey worked some of his pure joy for life on me.

Dublin is a very lucky Rhodesian Ridgeback in that as a puppy she was adopted by a really great incredibly active family here in San Diego. Ridgebacks are working dogs and need activity to be happy and certainly to be a well trained dog. Dog Training Camp was in the plan for Dublin from the start.

Her family knew before they even got her that they wanted to have a dog that had good manners and that meant training from the very beginning. Her family did a great job of educating themselves through K9 Coach on all the things to do for a new puppy, including an ever important aspect of socializing her.

Dublin is now 6 months old and has a very strong will about her. Good thing her family started some formal training with her at 4 months old. Just the basics but it’s helped in a huge way. The main thing she started was a recall… or to come when called. She started early on with that ornery look in her eye. She has her own agenda and wants you to know it! So, working on recall from an early age was incredibly important for her.

It’s paid off! Dublin’s come back for a few more days of training now that she is a bit older and can be expected to learn more things. The great thing is she does come when called now. It’s great. Because of that she’s been able to do things like go to Dog Beach, just one of the great things that you can do with your dog here in North County San Diego.

We’re working on things like staying off the counters. With her size she tends to get herself up on things he shouldn’t like the kitchen counter where she smells food! She needs to start containing herself a bit and the best way to do that is to learn to “stay”.

K9 Coach teaches “spot” which is a way to target a dog to stay on something. It makes it very clear where the dog should stay. It’s an exact “spot” to send the dog back to if they mess up… and so the picture becomes very clear what stay is.

Dublin is also starting to learn how to “down”. We call it “park it”. She’s in the beginning stages of these things but the great thing is she gets such great follow through from her family that by the time this 6 month old pup is a year old she’s going to be a very well trained dog and a best friend for the family her whole life.

Joey, the German Shorthair Pointer goes to the Encinitas location of K9 Coach Dog Training Camp here in San Diego.

Joey is just a year old, a puppy still really. He has a really cool story behind him in that his first owner past away and Joey went to his daughter. He’s such a cool dog and she now has what was a part of her father… one of the reasons I believe that Joey is such a special dog.

I’ve taken a real liking to Joey. He’s a German Shorthaired Pointer that has gorgeous markings, a tail that points high with confidence, and an attitude of pure joy in everything he does.

His dog training camp is going really well. He learns quickly, but like many confident dogs of his breed he can be a bit stubborn. That is where the average person will fall down in training a dog like Joey. It takes persistence and repetition… not so much so he “gets it”, he does that pretty quickly. Its a matter of wanting to do it for you.

Joey is a dog that wants to be with you. Just like everyone wants, a best friend that will hang out with you. There are times though that he wants to do it on his terms. The repetition in training is mainly so that he realizes that you are in fact going to lead him, and that you will follow through every time. Once he excepts that, he does it, because it simply becomes his job.

Reward is huge for these dogs as well. There is a balance to everything! He is a ball dog, so I use it to reward him with play and in the beginning to lure him into what I wanted him to do. After all, any working person or dog wants a pay off right?!

I’m stoked that Joey’s recall is so incredibly good. We worked on it heavily from day one. Because of that he also has earned more freedom off leash, and he realizes that. It’s something he already will work for… he gets to do a lot of things simply because he will come when called.

San Diego is a dog friendly place and when you have a dog that is well trained there are tons of opportunities to take your dog out and have some fun in all kinds of activities. Joey is one of the lucky dogs, he’s gone to K9 Coach Training Camp and his life rocks!

K9 Coach Dog Training Camp has another San Diego dog here to become a well behaved best friend. Joey is a 1 year old German Shorthaired Pointer, full of energy and not sure what to do with it. He’s only been at dog training camp in our Encinitas location for a couple of days and is already loving it.

German Shorthaired Pointers are bred to be hunting dogs and so are very much a working dog. They do very well with obedience training and in fact do need some sort of job to use their energy or the become restless and destructive.

Exercise is a huge part of GSP dog’s need to be well trained. Joey is getting exercise but he’ll be able to get a lot more constructive exercise as well as a much more enjoyable time for his family as they won’t have to get sore arms while hanging onto a leash he’s pulling out at the end of! He’s already taking to the leash training very well.

Joey is a confident dog, one that has some spirit which means on many things he has his idea of how it’s to be done, and when it should be done. For instance, sitting is something he knows, but chooses when he wants to do it and can be very stubborn about it.

This is the type of dog that I love to train because he is a strong boy with attitude that can be used to become a very good dog. The more he learns what he’s supposed to do and gives up being stubborn just to be stubborn, the happier he gets. He’s got a fabulous smile and shows it already when he’s preforming.

We’ve just begun his training so there will be much more about Joey and his dog training camp experiences to come. He’s a way cool dog and I’ve taken to him already and so has my Weimaraner. They’ve become best buddies, and she helps out as one of our K9 Coach Dog Trainers!

Robin MacFarlane of That’s My Dog came to San Diego this past week to work with Jt Clough and K9 Coach Dog Training on various aspects of the dog training business world.

Diesel, a Min Pin who came to Dog Training Camp through our Temecula location was able to get some training tips by Robin, the owner of the professional dog trainers school, That’s My Dog, located in Hazel Green, WI

Teaching people to read a dog’s signs of behavior is important in the case where a dog has had issues with other dogs and people. Many of the signs are evident in a dog like Diesel who at one point in his life was attached by another dog and severely injured way before he actually displays the unwanted behavior. Reading his behavior helps redirect it to what he should be doing before he goes into that state of fear.

His training has taken him a long way in his ability to trust other dogs that come near as well as how to deal with people. There is a certain amount of introducing the situations to him in a new way and getting Diesel to the point that he knows enough obedience that he can be brought back to doing his newly learned behavior or commands. This will in turn allow him to feel safe in his surroundings with a leader who will protect him but who will also have him follow through with his end of the deal. That being preform the command or task he was asked to do.

Learning to read his body language and then projecting what he should be doing BEFORE the scenario takes him to a place he doesn’t need to be is key. K9 Coach Dog Training Camps teach your dog the correct behavior and how to learn to become confident. Then its a matter of continuing to practice those behaviors. Practice does make permanent.

San Diego K9 Coach Camp with dog aggressive habits. He would bark, pull on the leash & go wild around other dogs. Even in his house when other dogs walk by outside the window he’d feel the need to show the dogs they needed to stay away so he’d bark as well as mark his territory all over the house! Yikes. Stinky! He needed dog training and potty training.

He became boss of the house. Just did sort of what ever he wanted to, cute as he is…. even so far as to chase children from his spot on the sofa. Diesel had developed some atrocious manners and was out of control. His owner knew it and loves him so much she has come to K9 Coach for help and Diesel is so much happier for it and very glad he came to Dog Training Camp. He lives in San Diego but is at our Temecula location. We are happy to travel as we have one trainer who is very good with small dogs, and one who is very good with big dogs at each location.

Diesel is learning how to behave much better around other dogs as you can see in this short clip of training sessions with Spencer. Way to go Spencer you are such a good dog!

Exercise, mental challenges and affection as a reward are a part of Diesel’s rehabilitation. He is doing a great job and improved his manners around other dogs and people. He has not had one accident on his potty training! Obedience is hugely rewarded and the Min Pin is responding very well.

Way to go Diesel.

Diesel is a 5yr old male Miniature Pinscher, who loved to go to Dog Park here in San Diego, until one day he was seriously injured by another larger dog. Unfortunately, this was not his last incident involving dog attack and though he was a very sweet boy, he has become fearful and aggressive towards people and dogs. Worst of all, Diesel started “marking” his territory all over the house!

Min Pin’s are a hearty breed; they are very determined and love to bark. Descendants of the terrier breed, not related to the Doberman Pinscher, the Min Pin is from Germany and the breed is much older than the Doberman. The Min Pin’s original purpose was to hunt rodents. They are known as “King of the Toys” and can become tyrannical if spoiled. Diesel’s family wants to be able to manage his aggressive behavior and is committed to making his new training apart of their daily life.

At camp we have been working on socialization skills and he is learning to walk nicely past other dogs and to listen to commands in distraction. Diesel is full of energy and loves to walk on the leash. He is learning to focus more on his task at hand (walking or sitting) instead of barking at the things we walk past.

Our dog training camps in San Diego and Temecula train dogs from Min Pins to Labrador Retrievers and everything in between for basic obedience, off leash recall, and behavior modification.

Lucy is a 9 month old pup with a whole lot of energy. She’s gone to the best Dog Training Camp in San Diego to help with her over active behavior. She does things like chews whatever she can find up, is so excited when she sees someone she uncontrollably jumps on them, and she has a tendency to nip at people’s hands simply to get their attention.

Lucy does have more energy then most dogs even her age. It’s hard to get her attention. Key in training is a lot of exercise. Part of her routine has already been running and going to dog beach, which is a good thing. She’s going to need to have a lot of exercise every day in order for her to take the edge off. That means long walks, running, getting her to chase balls and toys, and possibly dog parks to use up some of that extra energy she has.

She also gets over active at other dogs. Licks them, jumps on them, generally just gets in their face and won’t let up. Her training in that area has gone really well. She’s now learning to play with other dogs and not get so in their face. Its a great thing because it allows her to burn off some energy without irritating other dogs.

People are harder for her. She gets sooooo very excited. It takes a lot of reminding her to stay off and to sit for her to calm down around people. This one is going to take some time and consistency, coupled with a lot of exercise so she will be calmer. It will come in time. She understands how to respond at this point, she just goes into over drive and forgets. It is practice, practice, practice.

The nipping at people comes from her breed. She has Lab in her but she definitely has some sort of herding dog as well, like Border Collie, or Australian Shepherd… something along those lines. Its natural for them to nip and heard people or animals to get their attention and she is one to automatically do it. At this point she doesn’t do it to those she is around the most, but she will attempt it when she meets someone new.

Again, this will be about practice, practice, practice. Dogs do learn in pictures and by getting her attention prior to her actually approaching a person is going to be key in her learning to contain herself. Her training has been to sit, and then she gets attention. This is a picture that she’ll need to keep getting reinforced for quite some time.

Some dogs have way more energy than other dogs. Lucy is one that is WAY up there in the energy department. It’s a balance for her… enough exercise and practicing how to be calm around people. Giving her attention when she is calm will paint the picture. Following through with having her sit and be calm is a job that has to be constant with a dog like Lucy.

She is sweet, and she is so happy. Too bad she couldn’t give some of her energy to all those parents out there burning the candle at both ends!

Exercise, exercise, exercise for Lucy is going to be the best for her to be a well trained dog. She knows how to sit, down, heel, come, leave it, get off things. She just has to keep practicing keeping herself in those behaviors before she goes dilly!

Mojo is a rescue dog who definitely is very happy about her new plight in life. She’s only 11 months old and has spent most of her life in shelters. She started out in a Las Angeles shelter and was moved to the San Diego Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas. Lucky for her she was adopted by a couple who are ready to have a dog in their lives and they want to do it the right way so off to dog training camp she went right away.

Mojo is certainly enjoying her new freedom and needs to catch up on some much needed exercise. She has a ton of energy. Exercise is going to be huge for her to contain herself. She wants to be with a person all the time which is understandable considering where she has come from. She just doesn’t know about jumping up for attention, getting on the counters, or even really how to sit when she is so excited to see a person or another dog.

This type of dog is the hardest for many to train because she is so sweet people tend to let her get away with a lot of things because of where she has been. She has that “not sure” sort of look about her and she just wants attention.

The best thing for a dog like this is some very clear rules about how to act in the house as well as how to sit outside when around people rather than jumping on them. She also needs a recall or to come when called every time.

This is extremely important in her case because she has so much energy that she does need to burn it off by running. She is very lucky in that her adoptive dad is a triathlete and runs a lot so she’ll get plenty of exercise that way. But she also needs some off leash time to burn it off with other dogs. She has so much energy even the best of triathletes don’t run that much daily!!

She’s got a good start on training. She is learning how to sit at doors and she is starting to get the idea that it’s better to sit in front of people for attention rather than jumping up on them for attention. Capturing that picture for her every time is how she is starting to see how she is supposed to act and already responds to sit in mid air as she starts to jump in excitement.

Working on recall is our big project and practicing it over and over at short distances is what we’ve started with. Most people don’t understand that if a dog doesn’t know how to come to you every time at short distances with no distraction, the hope that a dog will come to you for a distance with distraction is nearly impossible and certainly won’t be reliable.

So the recall training will continue, over and over and over until it becomes very clear to Mojo.

She is a lucky dog and she knows it. Coming to K9 Coach Dog Training Camp is giving her a head start to a new life of a well mannered best friend.