Wed 11 Jan 2012

Canine Conditioning for the Senior Dog

Posted by phoenix dog training under Canine Conditioning, Dog Training Classes, exercise your dog, Overweight Dogs, Phoenix Dog Training
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Canine Conditioning for the Senior Dog – Physical Rehabilitation Conditioning for Older Dogs

When someone hears physical therapy the common thought is injury or surgical rehabilitation. However, canine conditioning for the senior dog or physical therapy, will aid in giving your older dog a longer, increased quality, healthy and more active life both physically and mentally.

Canine conditioning for senior dogs is a great complement to their wellness examinations, bloodwork and good nutrition. Dogs are very much like people and tend to lose muscle strength and balance with age, as well as lose mental focus. Senior dogs benefit from shorter walks for cardiovascular health, as well as stretching and strengthening exercises and balance/proprioception exercises will aid in stability and developing core strength to help build a stronger dog. These exercises have the added benefit of providing the dog with mental stimulation and focus and keeping the bond strong with the owner.

Senior Dogs can benefit from continued activity and mental stimulation. Encourage clients to maintain their mature dogs both with wellness examinations and activities to enrich and possibly extend their dogs lives.
Conditioning exercises will strengthen the senior dog and help promote healthy joints and balance. The need to target the gluteal and hamstring muscles for maintaining standing.
Exercising is important physically, as well as mentally and goes beyond just making the senior dog “comfortable. It will possibly extend their lives and increase the quality of their lives.

Precision Canine and Julie Mayer, DVM (www.integrativeveterinarian.com) offer a Canine Conditioning for the Senior Dog Class not only for the athlete but for the old canine, as well.

Sat 8 Oct 2011

Positive Reinforcement Dog Training

Posted by phoenix dog training under Dog Training Classes, Phoenix Dog Training, puppy classes
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Positive Reinforcement Dog Training

Look at those sit/stays !

Positive Reinforcement dog training is the most effective and human way of dog training. Dogs are a cognitive animal and learn using their perception, attention, memory, motivation and decision making. The basic principle is to reward your dog’s desired behavior with something pleasant; including treats, toys, verbal praise, petting and play.

I saw a car magnet the other day that read “Train… Don’t Complain”. Wow ! What a great idea ! How many people come home to their garbage cans raided or have a shoe chewed on ? Is that the dog’s fault… no, the dog was just being a dog and having a good (okay, great)time ! We as owners have a responsibility to “dog proof” our house just as you would “child proof” a house. How many shoes do you need to lose before you say, “duh, I should just pick them up and put them in the closet ” !!!… and then learn to assist your dog in being a member of the family by training.

Positive Dog Training Techniques

While your dog is learning a new behavior praise and reward them every time they are correct. If their offered behavior is incorrect, don’t reprimand or punish them…. just start over and help them with a physical touch or prompt. After the dog responds consistently to a command, you can praise them and eventually discontinue the treats or the rewards (except the praise and petting)

You can choose any words for commands but the most commonly used are sit, stay, down (when you want the dog to lay down), and off (when your dog has jumped up ) and come. It is best to be consistent with these commands and have everyone in your household use the same ones.

Practice sessions should be frequent (2 to 4 times a day) for short periods of time – 10 minutes at the longest and in a variety of locations. Keep training fun with your tone of voice light and pleasant. Dogs are very sensitive to tone of voice. Limit your repetitions of each command to 3 in your training session.

Personal Tips for You about Positive Reinforcement Dog Training

If you are in a bad mood put off the training session until you and your dog can enjoy the time and it can be a good experience for both of you. Training your dog is another way to build a social interaction with your dog and is best when enjoyed by all parties !!!

Precision Canine offers classes in basic dog obedience, beyond basic obedience, puppy obedience and puppy socialization, and many more great classes to keep your dog focused, physically and mentally exercised and to assist you in Phoenix dog training.

Sat 1 Oct 2011

Phoenix Dog Training – Class Schedule

Posted by phoenix dog training under canine behavior, Canine Conditioning, canine services, Dog Training Classes, exercise your dog, Phoenix Dog Training, puppy classes
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Dog Training Class Schedule:

Monday:

@ AZ Dog Sports

11:00am to 12:00 pm Puppy Obedience Trainer: Marilee Cole

12:00pm to 1:00 pm Puppy Pointers Trainer: Marilee Cole

Tuesday:

@ AZ Dog Sports
11:30   am - 12:30 pm          Competitive Obedience II                      Trainer: Debby Boehm
12:30 pm - 1:30   pm          Competitive Obedience III                     Trainer: Debby Boehm
1:30   pm - 2:30   pm          Conformation/Drop ins Welcome        Trainer: Debby Boehm

Wednesday:

@Az Dog Sports
12:30    pm - 1:30    pm         Beyond Pet Obedience                            Trainer: Debby Boehm and Marilee Cole
1:30    pm - 2:30    pm          Basic Pet Obedience                                 Trainers: Debby Boehm and Marilee Cole
2:30   pm – 3:30   pm            Canine Conditioning Workout Group    Trainer: Marilee Cole

(drop-ins welcome)
6:00pm – 7:00 pm 8 Ball Class (Building Core Strength with Physioballs) w/ Julie Mayer, DVM and Trainer :
Marilee Cole

Thursday:

@ AZ Dog Sports
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Basic Pet Obedience Trainer: Debby Boehm
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Ultimate Pet Obedience Trainers: Debby Boehm and Marilee Cole

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm Resilient Rescue Class Trainers: Debby Boehm and Marilee Cole
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Puppy Obedience Trainer: Marilee Cole

6:00 pm - 6:30 pm Recall Class (Coming when called) Trainer: Marilee Cole

Thu 7 Apr 2011

T-Touch Seminar

Posted by phoenix dog training under canine behavior, Dog Training Classes, Phoenix dog training seminars
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T-Touch Seminar w/ Certified Trainer: Rita Nixon

This phenomenal technique has helped countless animals around the world.

Tellington TTouch, is a unique approach to animal training and care developed by internationally known trainer, teacher, and author, Linda Tellington-Jones. Based on understanding and respect for our animal friends, this gentle method promotes well-being and adaptive behavior through an integrated approach that helps to reduce stress and build confidence. The foundation of the Tellington Method is a specific form of light touch known as TTouch^®, which induces a state of relaxation and increased body awareness in animals and people alike. The combination of the TTouch body work with unique movement exercises improves focus and attention, allowing optimal learning to take place. By using a variety of other tools that also assist the animal to experience a sense of confidence in previously frightening or challenging situations, even the most difficult problems are often eliminated with just a few sessions. The Tellington Method also provides people with a wonderful means of deepening the bond they share with their animal companions.

This Seminar will cover:

Groundwork
Massage/Touch
Bodywork
Wraps
Communication

Certified T-Touch Trainer: Rita Nixon

Wed 16 Mar 2011

Phoenix Dog Training – 3 Critical Tips to Keep Your Dog Safe While Training in Phoenix, Arizona

Posted by phoenix dog training under canine services, Dog Training Classes, exercise your dog
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Phoenix dog training allows you and your pet to experience a variety of training environments. You can hit the mountain reserve for scent work, go into the desert for retrieval or agility work, or even work on basic heel, stay, and come commands right outside your own front door.

While being outside and working on these training aspects can be very enjoyable for both you and your canine, there are some aspects to training your dog in Phoenix that can be quite dangerous.

3 things you should be aware of when doing any type of Phoenix dog training are provided below.

Heat – this for many folks you would think would be a no-brainer. Unfortunately, if this were the case, there would be no reports of dog related death due to heat stroke.

Yet, in Phoenix there are several reported instances where dogs have died resulting from heat related injuries. (And those are just the ones that have been reported.)

When temperatures start climbing, it’s important to take into account your dog’s health and ability to handle the heat. Depending on the length of the training and intensity, in the majority of cases it is advisable to avoid training outside when the temperature read 100 degrees or above. Caution should even be taken when the temperature starts getting into the 90s.

Also remember to have plenty of water on hand as well. Your pet will require more than you.

Just think, if it’s hot for you, it is twice as hot for your dog.

Burning the pads of your dog’s paws – In association with the heat, Phoenix dog training also requires you to give consideration to the surface on which your dog will be standing on while training.

One of the most misunderstood aspects of outdoor dog training in Phoenix is the effect of surface heat on a dog’s paws. And while air temperatures may only feel warm…the cement, asphalt, and even dirt are absorbing that heat and the temperature on the ground is much hotter than what you feel in the air.

Remember the saying it’s so hot outside I could fry an egg on the sidewalk? Well, the same heat that cooks that egg is what burns the pads on your beloved pet’s paws.

One good rule of thumb to follow is, “If it’s too hot for you to stand barefoot on a surface outside, it’s too hot for your dog as well.”

Snakes – Although not as common a threat as the two items listed above, snakes are still a danger to any Phoenix dog training you take part in. This holds especially true during the hotter months of the year. That’s because the snakes come out for a little sun on occasion, but usually lurk in the coolness of the shade during the day.

Your unsuspecting pet can come upon a rattler unknowingly and out of the blue comes a venomous strike. If the snake hits his mark, that could severely maim your pet or even cause death.

Arizona Dog Sports is an indoor Phoenix dog training facility that can help remove some of the risks that come with training your dog in the Valley of the Sun. Learn more about us by clicking here.

Mon 21 Feb 2011

Training a Dog to Come-Recall (Coming when called) can save your dog’s life !!!

Posted by phoenix dog training under Dog Training Classes, Phoenix Dog Training, puppy classes
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Training a Dog to Come – How Recall Training Can Save Your Canine’s Life

Is the bunny, the ball, the kid on the bike or even worse the busy street ahead more interesting than you ? Training a dog to come (or recall) may be the most important behavior you teach your dog. NEVER punish your dog for coming to you. You want to be the most important thing in the world to your dog, so coming when called should always be positive. Use an upbeat tone when you call your dog and make your dog the most awesome dog there ever was when he does come to you !!

Let’s think about this… you are running around having a great time and you are being called to come in. You know the fun will end. Would you want to go? Hmmm, probably not… entice your dog with a squeaky toy, or a bouncing ball or try running and have your dog chase you – make it a game.

Basic dog obedience is very important but training a dog to come could save your dog’s life. When you train your dog to come, teach him in a way so that he learns that coming to you is the most important and enjoyable thing to do.

Phoenix Dog Training with Precision Canine has classes in obedience and special classes in recall and how to teach your dog to come when called. Call (602)237-6775 and ask about classes that Debby or Marilee offer or check our class schedule for dates and times when you can learn about training a dog to come.

Thu 17 Feb 2011

Phoenix Dog Training and all the Advantages to an Indoor Training Facility

Posted by phoenix dog training under canine services, Dog Training Classes, exercise your dog, Phoenix dog training seminars, puppy classes
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Welcome to a great concept in Phoenix dog training that is not new but not common in the Southwest. Indoor dog training… that means when it is 110 degrees outside or 32 degrees outside or raining outside or windy outside… well you get the idea. At Arizona Dog Sports come into our indoor dog training facility and train your dog in obedience, agility, rally, nosework, conformation,behavior, puppy classes in obedience and socialization,disc dog, games, canine conditioning programs for overweight dogs, senior dogs and general conditioning and much more.

We offer small group classes to our students (see the class schedule)in over 5,000 sq ft of air conditioned/heated, padded floor space. We have a large variety of classes( class schedule link),agility equipment, water for your dogs, we have indoor bathrooms (the small pleasures in life ), we have a small retail store that sells training equipment,collars and leads, treats and toys. We have health services – nail trimming, and vet supervised anesthesia free placque removal. Our staff is knowledgable and friendly. We also have gym memberships for drop in time, when you can rent the floor space to practice with your dog in agility, obedience, conformation, have a private lesson with your instructor or just exercise and play with your dog in a safe and comfortable environment.

We offer seminars in nutrition, health, conditioning, ways to improve your handling and performance, Dartfish, T-Touch, Canine Cognition, Behavior and so much more.

At dog training in Phoenix with Precision Canine, Phoenix dog training has never been so much fun!

Call us at (602)237-6775 with any questions you may have or come by meet the staff and check us out ! We would enjoy meeting you.

Wed 9 Feb 2011

Overweight Dogs- Canine Conditioning Program

Posted by phoenix dog training under canine behavior, canine services, Dog Training Classes, dog training videos, exercise your dog
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Tue 18 Jan 2011

Understanding Canine Behavior with the “Cognitive Canine Social Interaction” Seminar

Posted by phoenix dog training under canine behavior, dog training videos, Phoenix dog training seminars
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Your dog’s “canine behavior” is commonly blamed for many of the problems you have with your pet. However, with a little help from Lisa Lit, we are learning that animal behavior is dependent on several factors, one specifically being how we interact with our four-legged friend in order to help him know how to respond in various situations.

Lisa helps us to understand a little about her background regarding research of the canine cognitive mind. She also offers insight into some of the issues we deal with on a daily basis with our canine family member. And understanding the humans’…that means us, role in the process of training our pups.

While success in training a dog is often measured by positive changes in dog behaviors, owner behavior and the interactions between dog and owner can have dramatic effects on these successes. Cognitive processes, such as attention, motivation, and memory, impact learning in both dogs and their owners. Both performance and everyday living environments require flexibility and decision-making, thereby necessarily activating these cognitive processes. Because responses cannot always be optimally learned through traditional conditioning methods, understanding how cognition affects dog/owner interactions is important for anyone interested in the best results with their dogs.

This talk introduced cognitive processes; discussed their potential effects on dogs, owners, and the dog/owner dyad; and presented simple training techniques to effectively utilize cognitive abilities of dogs. Snippets from the talk are provided in the videos.

Phoenix Dog Training