Shep knows his basic commands very well.  "Come"  "here"  "sit"  "stay"  "leash"  "down"  are all commands we practice over and over and over again every day.   Sometimes with a treat, sometimes without - but always with high praise.  When we are out in the world, Shep wants to take stock first - see why I'm giving a command - what's up - and what's going on around us before committing to obedience.   How do we fix this?   That's our challenge right now.  Listen in and see what we're up to this week!

If you have any thoughts on how we could better manage our outdoor obedience training - please leave me a voicemail message here or you can always email me:  [email protected]

Thank you.  

Learning and teaching impulse control on the doggy level is definitely a big challenge!   I recently heard a dog trainer talk about how he had a German Shepherd that he felt was totally in check - no need to worry about impulse control - chase after a cat and lose his life due to an automobile incident.   So, I know safety  must always come first.   And I must always err on the side of caution.  But I've found one thing that Shep loves even more than chicken - and it's working really well for our impulse control training right now.   Listen in and see what I'm talking about here!

Shep and I have had a rough week.   We've taken some steps backwards in our leash aggression and reactivity.   I'll tell you about it here in this episode- and our decision to move forward with some scent training to help boost his confidence.   And I wonder.. does anyone have any tips for administering ear drops that doesn't include peanut butter or food?   Listen in and see what we've been up to.

Distractions have been big for Shep and I this week.   A neighborhood cat insists on taking our training up a notch... or is it down?   I'm not sure which direction we're going in right now.   Listen in and see what we're up against this week! 

Shep is a 15 month old German Shepherd Dog who hates everything about grooming.  Boy does it make him grouchy!   He doesn't want a bath but will play in the river.  Will only allow brushing if a game of tug is involved and has to be bribed with chicken jerky and greek yogurt for ear cleaning and nail trimming.   Listen in now and here how it's going for us in the grooming department.

Shep and I have been forced into more loose leash training due to our National Forest trails and playgrounds being closed.   But, it's really been for the best.  As we've come a very long way with our loose leash walking and command training on leash.  I'm pretty excited about the progress that we've made and would love to hear how you are doing with your dog training!

Shep and I are back from our time away.  Our hiking trails are once again open.   And as we settle back into our routine, it's time for Shep's monthly heartworm and flea and tick tablets.   There's no hiding those for me - and I've tried all sorts of things.   Listen in and see what we're doing with that.. and please let us know how you manage this!