This blog is a tribute to Belle, and all the dogs who have come before and after. They are my friends, my companions, my teachers and my students. They bring me both joy and heartache, laughter and tears. There is nothing as sweet as the smell of puppy breathe, and nothing as sad as the final goodbye.


Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Thought for today -


Why pay a dog trainer to train your dog if you are not going to follow up with daily practice? It always amazes me that so many people think that they need not participate in the training process to have a well trained dog.  Do they not ‘get’ that in and of itself, training means nothing to a dog. Therefore if it is not reinforced daily and consistently a dog will just as soon forget about it and behave in a manner that, in the dog’s mind, works best for what he wants and needs.  Like-wise, training doesn’t exist in a bubble, by which I mean it must be incorporated into the day-to-day business of living.  If you practice for short periods each day but fail to incorporate the training by utilizing it through practical application as you go about your daily routine, your dog will never generalize the training skills learned outside the practice sessions.
Ruby and Timo practicing Sit Stay at the park

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