Category: Just For Fun
Yes, I am guilty. I have not been blogging much. How come, you ask? Well, I live in Iowa and it’s winter and well….motivation is hard this time of year. Actually let me be more forthright. Basically winter in the Midwest sucks, unless you’re a cold, wet, freezing, love the snow, ice and slush kind of person – which I am not. My level of motivation tends to rise and fall with the ability to be outside (comfortably!) and that […]
I recently sold the dog training company I founded in May of 1998. That’s My Dog, Inc was a great run for nearly 24 years. Now, there is a new owner, with new visions for the future. I’m happy to see my baby in good hands and thrilled with the transition. Since the announcement of the sale, many people have reached out to either congratulate me on my retirement or ask what’s up next? Because I believe that for every person that […]
I’d like you to answer the following question with the FIRST response that comes to mind. Do you have a stubborn dog? Over the years, it has been my experience that many people respond with an affirmative, yes. Many times, the yes is accompanied by either a sigh of frustration or a defeated sense of acceptance. I celebrated my birthday recently and it got me contemplating the mindset we have about personalities that are “stubborn”. A friend of mine wished […]
The upcoming inauguration of President Elect, Donald Trump, has me thinking about many things, including dogs (I’ll get to that in a moment). For the record, I did not vote for Trump. He doesn’t impress me as possessing the character traits I value in a leader. That said, I’m not one to assert the “Not my president” message. I value our collective history, those who fought to build our country and the rights I often take for granted too much […]
E-Collars for Dog Training Using e-collars for dog training is often a common debate among dog owners and trainers. I have seen a few petitions in the past about banning e-collars and prong collars, a shop owner being targeted at Crofts in a campaign to slander and harass his company for even selling such tools. I saw a petition to not allow dogs wearing certain tools such as e-collars, be allowed at a dog event in a public park […]
Teaching a Dog to Retrieve: A Rewarding Skill to Practice Teaching a dog to retrieve is one of the most rewarding skills you can work on. I’m not talking about the game of chasing a ball and bringing it back to you. While that is certainly a fun activity and good exercise for your dog, I am speaking to the task of deliberately retrieving specific items and delivering them into your hand. Many dogs will chase and pick up something like […]
An Airedale Terrier can be a handful and Otis is no exception. But his owner is the one who really causes me to smile. Charlie is a retiree taking his young charge through my current class to learn a few manners. He’s doing the work and making good progress, but he’s also a guy who’s got enough years under his belt to understand not to sweat the small stuff. His wry sense of humor keeps me guessing what he might […]
I recently returned from a week in Las Vegas where I was working for Dogtra Company helping out at their booth at the SHOT Show. For those not familiar with this venue the acronym stands for Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show. The show is billed as the largest and most comprehensive trade show for all professionals involved with the shooting sports, hunting and law enforcement industries. It attracts buyers from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. I […]
We’ve been pretty bogged down here in Iowa with cold, COLD weather and LOTS of snow….but it didn’t stop my 10 year old Malinois, Tommy from wanting to go out and play! A good reminder for me to just keep moving forward and making the best of what ever comes. Dogs are fabulous for being that constant ‘in the moment’ presence in our lives. So what ever your New Year’s resolutions or hopes for self- improvement include this coming year […]
Just wanted to share some photos from this weeks video shoot. One of our regular day care attendees, Sam got into the act while shooting some short clips for the iQ Pet training collars. If you think the idea of Tap = Attention doesn’t work then you need to have a conversation with this Golden Retriever! He nailed it by very effectively interrupting our shooting numerous times. When the director called “Action!” and we went to roll, he […]