photo of happy dog
Lucky Dog Sports Club in Jupiter
Positive, rewards-based
dog training
 
June 2009
Greetings!
Dog Behavior Seminar Series
Do you want to understand your dog better? Do you want better performance, fewer annoying behaviors, and a deeper relationship? It's possible! Read more about these awesome seminars, below.
 
Register before you miss the class you want!
Don't know how to sign up for that fun class you want to take? Drop on over to the schedule page, find the class you want and click on the "Sign Up" button. 
Be sure to get your registration form in before the class fills so you will be guaranteed a spot.  
Reactive Dog Class
 
Do you feel lost and upset when your dog barks, growls or lunges at other dogs or people? This very special class is for fight!all dogs that overreact in new situations or with new people or other dogs. They may become very stressed, anxious or shy, or they may become over excited and aggressive. This aggression is fear based and this behavior is appropriately called reactivity. If your dog can't calm down within a few seconds, he or she is probably a reactive dog.
 
The Reactive Dog class is about your dog learning relaxation and trust and overcoming fear and anxiety. The training methods used are based on the development of a working relationship with your dog. Understand what your reactive dog is doing, why he's doing it, and how to change it. Learn the tools to decrease the stress in your dog and teach him or her confidence and focus. Come work with your dog in a controlled, supportive environment with a small group of dog owners who understand your issues because they share them. Instill a conditioned emotional response, learn calming and management techniques, coping responses, and emergency escape exercises.

In class, the dogs will be separated from each other by the use of visual barriers. Slowly, as you gain skills and your dog gains confidence and starts to shed fears, the individual dogs will begin to work together from a decreasing distance. The counter-conditioning and desensitization training and handling is personalized for each dog's emotional readiness and needs.  
These are 6-week classes, held primarily indoors in a controlled environment, and then partially outdoors in a fenced area for the last two weeks. This class usually fills up quickly so please submit your registration form soon for a working spot (with your dog). There are auditing (without dog) spots also available.
 
Instructor: Dr. Lisa Radosta, a board certified veterinary behaviorist.
 
Schedule: Two classes are scheduled and both begin on Wednesday, July 22nd. The first one is from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. and the second is from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Class ends on August 26th.

The initial class (week one) is for owners only (no dogs) and begins at 7:00 for both groups.
In This Issue
Reactive Dog Class
Dog Behavior Seminar Series
Agility Class Schedule
Obedience Classes
Puppy Socialization & Training
News and Special Events
Article: Who is Training Who?
Quick Links
Directions
Articles- Training and Behavior
Membership Info- Join the Club and use Lucky Dog on your schedule
Rent Lucky Dog for your dog event 
Register for Class (print the forms)
Contact Information:
 
Mindy Cox, Training Director
Phone:
561-427-6700
Email: [email protected] Web: www.luckydogsportsclub.com
Address: 300 S. Central Blvd., Suite B, Jupiter, FL 33458
 
Any suggestions or comments? Please email. I value your feedback.
 
 Lucky Dog logo
Join Our Mailing List!
Dog Behavior Seminar Series
 
This summer our dog obedience seminar series is a great opportunity to learn what makes your dog tick! We have four great topics that are scheduled one a month from June through September. Find better ways to communicate in different situations and develop a more meaningful relationship with your dog. Once you understand your dog more clearly you can create a happier, more contented pet and develop better ways to train your dog. Lots of photos and videos will enhance the learning experience. Sign up now to reserve your spot in these valuable seminars. Come to as many as you like, but the more you attend, the greater the savings!
 
The speaker is Dr. Lisa Radosta, Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorist. She will have lots of photos and videos to enhance the learning experience and help you understand and mange your dog in different situations.
 
These seminars are for humans only.

Scaredy Dog: What To Do When Fido Is Scared Stiff.
Friday, June 19th 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Scared Dog PhotoIs your dog afraid of thunderstorms, fireworks or people? Does she jump when you make a sudden movement? Is she afraid to go to the veterinarian's office? Fear is the most common cause of behavior problems in dogs. Learn the basics of handling fearful situations to help your dog be more relaxed and happy.

You will learn how to recognize fear and a stress response in your dog. You will also learn what to do and what not to do when your dog is scared. Techniques to help lessen fear will be discussed in detail with photos and videos to demonstrate many important techniques in this information packed seminar. Thunderstorm season and fireworks displays are on their way!

What Is Your Dog Really Saying? The "Secret" Language of Dogs.
Friday, July 31st 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Do you think that you know what your dog is saying? Do you think that you are really in tune with your dog? You might be surprised to learn that your dog is communicating information to you about how they are feeling all the time. When you learn what your dog is really saying, you can start to understand her and deepen your relationship like you never thought was possible!

You will learn how to read your dog's body language and interpret common behaviors. In addition, you will learn how to communicate with your dog through the basics of learning theory. The development of unruly behaviors, aggression, fears and phobias will be discussed. The lecture is packed with pictures and videos. The skills learned in this seminar will help you communicate with, understand and teach your dog more effectively leading to a more trusting and deep relationship.
 
dog body language 1  dog body language 2  dog body language 3
 
Which of the dogs above is happy and content? Only the middle one! What are the other dogs saying and what signs are they showing to inform us of their mental state? You'll learn this and much more at this amazing seminar.

Keeping Your Kids Safe: Will Your Dog Bite? (The Answer May Surprise You.)
Friday, Aug 28th 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Kid & Dog photo
Did you know that children are the most common victims of dog bites? Most of the time, they know the dog and are on the dog owner's property. If you have not considered that your dog could bite your child or someone else's, now is the time to start thinking about it! Dogs don't suddenly bite. They give us subtle clues that they are uncomfortable, anxious or stressed and their human has not understood. Learn to read and understand your dog.
 
You will learn how to understand basic dog communication signals so you can know when your dog is stressed, anxious and likely to bite, prepare your dog for the entry of a baby into the family, know if your dog has a high likelihood of biting a child, and how to keep a safe home for your child or visiting children of friends and family.
 
Is the dog in the photo happy about the child hugging him? The answer is no. Learn how you can read and understand the signs in this fascinating and important seminar.

My Dog Is Driving Me Crazy! How To Deal With Unruly & Annoying Behaviors. 
Friday, Sept 18th 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

You love your dog, but he barks constantly, digs holes in your yard and jumps on yourBad Pup Photo visitors. Barking, destructive chewing, jumping, digging holes, pawing, counter surfing...you name it. You will learn the common causes and how to fix them. You will learn the reasons behind your dog's unruly and annoying behaviors and what to do about them. A better mannered dog is a pleasure to live with!
 
Fees:
One seminar- $40
Two seminars-$70 total (save $10)
Three seminars- $90 total (save $30)
All four seminars- $120 (save $40)

To sign up, go to our website or click here for the registration form. 
Agility Class Schedule
 
Puppy Agility Fun! Calling all Ideal Puppy class graduates! The next puppy agility class puppy in tunnelbegins Tuesday, August 4th at 7:30 p.m. Ends July 7th.  This class is for puppies between the ages of 6 to 12 months. In this class you will begin to work on agility skills to give your puppy better balance and confidence, while you also improve your obedience and handling skills and your relationship with your full-of-energy adolescent. This class is held indoors in our training room. It's perfect for graduates of Ideal Puppy class! Check out the complete info at our website or use this handy link to sign up.
 
Masters/Advanced Agility Handling & Skills
Next classes:
Monday, June 22nd at 6:00 p.m., 7:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Ends July 27th. Download the
registration form to sign up.

This is an ongoing Monday class (when one session ends another begins). A new session begins today. If you can't make the 6-week session but would like to drop in with your dog from time to time, you are welcome to do that if there's room Please email to find out. 
 
Want to Start Your Dog in Agility?
The Intro to Agility class is your first agility class at Lucky Dog. But before you begin, you need to aks yourself if you and your dog are ready. Does your dog have a solid sit/stay and down/stay? Does your dog come when called? Does he or she work well and pay attention to you when there are other dogs around? If you cannot answer yes to these questions, then your first stop is the Focus Foundation class. Good obedience skills are the backbone of any dog sport. In the Focus Foundation class your dog will learn attention, focus, better obedience, and impulse control. And you will learn how to be a better trainer and handler. If, however, you happily answered yes to those questions, congratulations! You have been working diligently. Drop us an email with your interest in starting agility. The next Intro class will be held toward the end of the summer.
 
Still Don't Know What Agility Is?
Don't know what agility is but would like to find out? There's a video that I think explains it well. Check it out.
Obedience Schedule
For complete description, fees and registration form click on the class name or 
click here to go to our website.
 
Focus Foundation is one of our most popular classes. This class teaches or improves obedience skills such as sit, down, stay, come, loose leash walking, leave it, and no jumping. It photo- reactingalso improves attention, focus and impulse control.
 
 This is also a great class if you want to move on the fun sport of agility.

New class scheduled (6-week session):
Monday, July 27th at 6:15 p.m.

This class fills fast, so sign up now to ensure a place in class.
 
Obedience Performance Dog Tuesday, June 16th at 7:30. Ends July 21th.
This is an intermediate/advanced obedience class for dogs and their handlers who have completed Focus Foundation, or Obedience II, or equivalent. Obedience Performance Dog is for those wanting to build even greater communication and obedience skills or compete with their dog. This class will benefit those at the Novice and Open levels. Blase will work with students of different levels to improve their handling and increase proficiency using positive reinforcement. For advanced family dogs, this class will also help to improve your communication and sharpen your obedience skills. 
 
Taught by Blase Pfefferkorn, a well known and successful handler and trainer with a great easy going and positive attitude.
 
Puppy Classes
Adorable!For complete descriptions, fees and registration form click here to go to our website.

Ideal Puppy I is your puppy's first class, almost like Kindergarten. Your puppy must be between 9 and 19 weeks at the start of class.

Why should all puppies go to school? By five months of age much of your puppy's personality has been determined, so it is very important to begin a class prior to this age. Early puppyhood is a critical time for socialization and learning. This time will set the stage for the rest of your puppy's life. You will train and socialize your growing puppy. It is never too early to start them off on the right paw.

Next 4-week session-
Thursday, July 2nd at 7:15 p.m. Ends July 23rd (followed immediately by Ideal Puppy II).

Ideal Puppy II  Immediately follows corresponding Ideal Puppy I, above:
Thursday, July 30th at 7:15  p.m. and ends on August 20th.
 
Most people sign up for both Ideal Puppy I and II for 8 weeks of great training and socialization, and $50 in savings.

Puppy Agility Fun!
Just graduated from Ideal Puppy class and want more fun, leaning, and bonding time with your growing, energetic bundle of fur? Puppy agility teaches confidence and helps build your partnership with your dog. You will continue to work on obedience as your pup begins to learn the skills and balance required for agility. You'll love this fun class!
This indoor/outdoor class begins Tuesday, August 4th at 7:30 p.m. and ends September 8th.
 
This wonderful agility class is for your dog 6-12 months of age. Please go to our website for
more information.

Special Events and News You Can Use

 
Canine Good Citizen
CGC is a certification program that is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. All dogs who pass the 10-step CGC test may receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club. Mindy Cox, Trainng Director, is now an AKC CGC evaluator, so CGC testing will scheduled for later this summer. Keep watching the newsletters for more information. Also, let me know if you are interested and I will keep in touch when it's available. For more information about the CGC program, click here.
 
AKC S.T.A.R Puppy Program 
A natural lead in to the CGC and for puppies younger than a year of age, the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy is an exciting new program designed to get dog owners and their puppies off to a good start. The AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Program is an incentive program for loving dog owners who have taken the time to take their puppies through a basic training class. Once your puppy has completed Ideal Puppy I and II at Lucky Dog, your pup is eligible for the 10 step S.T.A.R test. All puppies, purebred and mixed breed, can participate.
Upon passing the test, you'll get an application to send to AKC� for enrollment in the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Program.
 
Upcoming Workshops
Two excellent organizations are hosting workshops at Lucky Dog. Click on the organization name to email them for more information.
On July 17th and 18th is Komitor Healing Touch for Animals Level 2. 
On August 6th -9th is Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupressure and Massage: Canine Massage Level 1 and on August 13th-16th is Level 2.
 
Class & Events Calendar
Our class calendar is now better than ever. If you are a Lucky Dog member organizing your practice times, you can now tell if a class is inside or outside. It is color coded by type of class (such as agility, obedience, puppy). The first class will have START to indicate the beginning.
 
Credit Cards are now welcome
In other news, we are now set up to take credit cards! Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover are all welcome at Lucky Dog!
 
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I register for a class or event?

A: Find the class you want on the Schedule page. For events, go to the Events page.
Click the Sign Up button beneath the class description and fill out the registration form.
Payment can be cash, check, or credit card.
You can mail your form, email it, drop it off in our secure drop box, fax it, or you can sign up by phone. Go to the Contact page to find all this info.

Q: Do I need a club membership to take a class?

A: No. Becoming a club member and taking a class are two separate things. But as a member you have access to Lucky Dog and can practice whenever you want (when there is no class scheduled).
Featured Article
 
Who is Training Who?

Training is a two-way street: Your dog, "Buddy" is just as involved in training you as you are in trying to train him. The trouble is that Buddy is already a genius at training you, a skill with which he was born. Put another way, a dog comes into the world knowing what is to his advantage and what isnt, and hell do whatever he can to get what he wants. You, on the other hand, have to discover the skills of training him, just as we had to.

One of these skills is figuring out how to recognize when youre inadvertently rewarding behaviors you may not want to reinforce. Begging at the dinner table is a good example. When Buddy begs at the table and you slip him some food, he is training you to feed him from the table. You need to ask yourself, Is this a behavior I want to encourage? If the answer is no, then stop doing it, no matter what.

Most dogs eventually ignore commands that dont lead to tangible consequences. When he responds to a command, reward him by praising him. If he chooses not to respond to a command he has been taught, correct him.

Now look at another situation: Buddy has taken himself for an unauthorized walk through the neighborhood. Youre late for an appointment but dont want to leave with Buddy out on the streets. You frantically call and call. Finally, Buddy makes an appearance, happily sauntering up to you. You, on the other hand, are fit to be tied, and you let him know your displeasure in no uncertain terms by giving him a thorough scolding. You now need to ask yourself, Is this the kind of greeting that will make Buddy want to come to me? If the answer is no, then stop doing it, no matter what.

Here are two examples of how your dog is training you:

1. Buddy drops his ball in your lap while your are watching television and you throw it for him.

2. Buddy nudges or paws your elbow when your are sitting on the couch and you pet him.

Buddy has trained you well. Is there anything wrong with that? Not at all, provided you can tell him to go lie down when you dont feel like throwing the ball or petting him.

Attitude is Everything!
 
One of the most important aspects of training is your attitude toward your dog. During training, you want to maintain a friendly and positive attitude. For many people, maintaining this attitude can be enormously difficult because frequently they dont start to think about training until Buddy has become an uncontrollable nuisance. Hes no longer cute and cuddly, he has become incredibly rambunctious, everything he does is wrong, and he certainly doesnt listen.

Don't train your dog when you're irritable or tired. You want training to be a positive experience for your dog. If you ever get frustrated during training, stop and come back to it at another time. When youre frustrated, your communications consist of no, bad dog, how could you do this, and get out and stay out. Youre unhappy and Buddy is unhappy because youre unhappy.

A better approach is to train him with firm kindness so both of you can be happy. An unfriendly or hostile approach doesnt gain you your dogs cooperation and will needlessly prolong the training process. When you become frustrated or angry, the dog becomes anxious and nervous, and is unable to learn. When you feel that youre becoming a little irritable, stop training and come back to it in a better frame of mind. You want training to be a positive experience for Buddy (and you).

This excerpt is from Dog Training for Dummies by Jack and Wendy Volhard. 

Go to the Article index for training information, including an all-about-agility video.