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Lucky Dog Sports Club in Jupiter
Positive, rewards-based
dog training

March 2011
In This Issue (click the title)
Article: Myth Busting Your Dog's Behavior
Article: Backyard Fun
Article: Aggression: Should I Worry?
Fun Class! Nose Work Games
Article: Follow the Leader
Pet CPR/First Aid Class
Agility Fun Run Schedule
Upcoming Classes: Obedience, Agility, Rally, Reactive & Puppy
Cartoons for Fun
Events Around Town
FAQs
Join Our Mailing List!

Just The Facts, Ma'am 

 

Myth-busting Your Dog's Behavior

Let's get rid of these old wives tales for good! 

 

Hang with dog folks long enough and you're sure to hear some pretty interesting theories about dog behavior. Some are, of course, useful and accurate, but the dog training world is littered with myths, many of which are at least several generations old.  Some of them are just silly; some have the potential for causing serious damage to the dog-human

relationship; and still others are downright dangerous. It's time to get past the myths.

 

Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Lore Haug of Sugar Land, Texas, recently compiled a comprehensive list of dog behavior myths. With her blessing, we're sharing our top ten "favorites" here with you:

 

Myth #1: "Puppies should not go to puppy classes/the mall/friends' houses until they have had all their vaccinations at 16 weeks/6 months of age."   

This one lands squarely at the top of the "dangerous myth" category. It's generally perceived as credible by new puppy owners because it's often offered by the pup's veterinarian. While it appears scientifically sound on its face (unvaccinated puppy at risk for contracting deadly diseases!), puppies who aren't properly socialized are at a much greater risk for developing behavior problems, including aggression, that are likely to shorten their lives. The vet is right on one hand - the best way to ensure that your pup isn't exposed to dog germs is to avoid other dogs. However, while it's certainly true that you want to prevent your pup's exposure to unknown and/or possibly unhealthy dogs (and their waste), it is critically important that your pup get lots of exposure to the rest of

the world, including healthy puppies in a controlled environment, before the critical socialization period ends at 12-16 weeks - or risk serious, sometimes deadly, behavior problems. 

 

In addition, during the period leading up to 4-6 months, your pup has protection from his mother's immunities, and is receiving "puppy shots" to cover that period of time when his mother's protection starts to decrease. Not only is it "okay" to take your pup places while exercising reasonable caution, you have an obligation to provide him with extensive socialization in order to maximize his chances of leading a long and happy life.

 

Myth #2: "Dogs pull on leash, jump up on people, (add your own) because they are dominant."

This one can be dangerous too, as is encourages dog owners to use forceful methods to assert their own status over their "dominant" dogs. No one disputes that dogs living in a group understand and respond to the concepts and dictates of a social hierarchy. The fact that canine social structure jumping upshares elements with human social structure is probably one of the reasons they make such wonderful companions for us. However, current thinking in behavior communities is that social hierarchies are much more based on deference than dominance, and that most canine behavior that many misguided humans attribute to dominance - isn't. 

 

A dog's goal in life is to make good stuff happen. Behaviors often labeled "dominant" because they are perceived as pushy and assertive - like pulling on leash and jumping up - simply persist because the dog has learned that the behaviors are reinforced; they make good stuff happen. Pulling on leash gets her where she wants to go. Jumping up gets attention. They have nothing to do with social status. Behaviors that are reinforced continue, and even increase. If you remove all reinforcement for the unwelcome

behaviors (pulling makes us stop; jumping up makes attention go away) and reinforce more appropriate behaviors in their place, the behaviors will change. 

 

Myth #3: "If you let your dog sleep on the bed/eat first/go through doors first/win at tug-o-war, he will become the alpha."

This one is mostly just silly. Some sources even suggest that the entire family must gather in the kitchen and each person butter and eat a cracker before the dog can be fed. And spit on the dog's food to "claim" it. Seriously.

 

play tugSee Myth #2 for the mythbusting response to this one. If you don't want your dog on the furniture that's your lifestyle choice, but you don't need to defend it with the alpha-garbage argument. I feed my dogs before I eat so I don't have to feel guilty about them being hungry while I fill my own belly. I teach my dogs to sit-and-wait for permission to go through the door ("say please!") because it's a polite, safe behavior and reinforces deference, but not because I'm terrified that they'll take over the house. And I like to win

tug-o-war a lot because it reinforces polite behavior. You can quit worrying about your dog becoming alpha just because you don't rule with an iron first.

 

Myth #4: "Dogs can't learn from positive reinforcement. You have to punish them so they know when they are wrong."  

This myth has good potential for causing serious harm to the canine-human relationship. Research confirms what positive trainers hold dear: that positive reinforcement training  is more effective and has far fewer risks than positive reinforcement training combined with positive punishment. One study was conducted by scientists at the University of Southampton in the UK and the University of Life Sciences in Norway. This study evaluated whether punishment was a contributor to behavior problems, and the affects of reward, punishment, and rule structure (permissiveness/strictness and consistency) on training and behavior problems. Information was collected via questionnaires from 217 dog guardians. Those who used strong and/or frequent punishment had a significantly higher level of training problems and lower obedience in their dogs. A similar study, conducted at the University of Bristol, in the UK, also found that dogs trained only with positive reinforcement exhibited fewer problem behaviors.

 

For most humans, this makes sense. Do you learn better if someone acknowledges (and rewards) you when you do it right, or slaps you upside-the-head when you do it wrong? Even if you get rewarded for doing it right, if you also get slapped for doing it wrong, your fear of getting slapped will likely impede your learning and make you more reluctant to try things.

 

Of course, a good positive training program makes use of management to avoid giving the dog opportunities to be reinforced for unwanted behaviors, and will also make judicious use of negative punishment (dog's behavior makes a good thing go away) to let him know he made an unrewarding behavior choice. 

 

Myth #5: "If you use treats to train, you will always need them."

This one's silly. It just ain't so. A good positive training program will quickly fade the use of food as a constant reinforcer while moving to a schedule of intermittent reinforcement and expanding the repertoire of reinforcers to include things like toys, play, petting, praise and the opportunity to perform some other highly reinforcing behavior. Treats can be a very high-value reinforcer and quite useful in training a wide variety of behaviors, so it's plain silly to turn your back on them. Just be sure to fade food lures quickly in a training program, move to an intermittent schedule of reinforcement when your dog will perform a behavior on cue 8 out of 10 times, and incorporate a variety of reinforcers so you're never dependent on any one particular reward choice.

 

Myth #6: "He urinates inside/destroys the house/barks when we leave him alone because he is spiteful."

This myth definitely causes harm to the dog-human relationship. Dogs don't do things out of spite, and to think so gives owners a negative perspective on their relationship with their canine family member. Dogs do things because they feel good, they work to make good stuff happen (or to make bad stuff go away) and they do things because they are reacting to events that occur in their environment. While our dogs share much the same range of emotions as we humans, they don't seem to indulge in all the same motives. Spite requires a certain amount of premeditation and cognitive thinking that science doesn't support as being very present in the canine behavior repertoire. 

 

There are two rational explanations for the behaviors described in this myth. The first is that the dog isn't fully housetrained and hasn't yet learned house manners. In the absence of direct supervision, the dog urinates when he has a full bladder (an empty bladder feels good) and becomes destructive because playing with/chewing sofa cushions, shoes, ripping down curtains, tipping over the garbage and barking are fun and rewarding activities. 

 

The other is that the dog suffers from some degree of isolation distress. These behaviors are often a manifestation of stress and the dog's attempt to relieve his anxiety over being left alone. 

 

Myth #7: "If you feed a dog human food, he will learn to beg at the table."

Silly, silly, silly. One dog owner's "begging" is another's "attention" behavior, eagerly sought after and highly valued. Behaviors that are reinforced continue/increase. If you don't want your dog to beg at the table, don't feed your dog from the table. If you fed your dog his own dog food from the table, he would learn to beg at the table.

 

Myth #8: "He knows he was bad/did wrong because he looks guilty."

This myth is damaging to the relationship, as it leads owners to hold dogs to a moral standard that they aren't capable of possessing. When a dog looks "guilty," he is most likely responding to a human's tense or angry body language with appeasement behaviors. He's probably thinking something like, "I don't know Guilty look?why, but my human looks pretty upset right now. I'd better offer some appeasement behaviors so her anger isn't directed at me!" Even when the "guilty" expression is a direct and immediate result of your dog's behavior because your punishment was timely - "Hey! Get out of the garbage!" - your dog's turned head, lowered body posture, averted eyes - are simply an acknowledgement of your anger and his attempt to reconcile with you. 

 

Myth #9: The prong collar works by mimicking a mother dog's teeth and her corrections.

It's a little daunting to think that people actually believe this. It would be silly if itweren't so potentially damaging to the relationship, and potentially dangerous as well.The prong collar works because the prongs pressing into the dog's neck areuncomfortable at best, painful at worst. Because dogs will work to avoid pain anddiscomfort, the prong collar does work to stop a dog from pulling on the leash, and canshut down other undesirable behaviors as well, at least temporarily. However, like all training tools and techniques that are based on pain and intimidation, there is a significant risk of unintended consequences. 

 

In the case of the prong collar, the primary risk is that the dog will associate the pain with something in his environment at the time he feels it, and this can lead to aggressiontoward the mistakenly identified cause. A dog's unmannerly, "I want to greet you" lunge toward another dog or person can turn into, "I want to eat you," if he decides that the object of his attentions is hurting him.

 

Myth #10: "Aggressive/hand-shy/fearful dogs must have been abused at some point in their lives." 

This is a very widespread myth - I hear it so often it makes my brain hurt. Fortunately,while the behaviors described in this myth are problematic, the myth itself may be themost benign of our top ten. 

 

There are many reasons a dog may be aggressive, hand-shy or fearful. Lack of propersocialization tops the list, especially for fearfulness: if a pup doesn't get a wide variety of positive social exposures and experiences during the first 12-14 weeks of his life, he's likely to be neophobic - afraid of new things - for the rest of his life (See Myth #1). This neophobia manifests as fear, and for some dogs, as fear-related aggression. 

Widely accepted categories of aggression include:

 

·  Defensive (fear-related) aggression

·  Possession aggression (resource guarding)

·  Maternal aggression

·  Territorial aggression

·  Status-related aggression

·  Pain-related aggression

·  Protection aggression ·  Predatory aggression

·  Play aggression

·  Idiopathic (we don't know what causes it) aggression

 

Note that there's no category for "abuse-related" aggression. Abuse can be one of several causes of fear-related/defensive aggression, but is much less common than the fear-related aggression that results from undersocialization. 

 

Regardless of the cause of a dog's fearful or aggressive behavior, a myth-corollary to our Myth #10 is that love alone will be enough to "fix" the problem. While love is a vitalingredient for the most successful dog-human relationships, it takes far more than that to help a fearful dog to become confident, or an aggressive one to become friendly.

 

Thanks to Pat Miller at

www.peaceablepaws.com  

for this great article!

 

Interested in training articles and videos?

Check them out on our website 

.

Playtime!

Backyard Fun 

 

You throw the ball over and over again, and your dog happily retrieves it. But wouldn't it be more fun to play with your dog in ways that bring out his special talents? Borrowing a few ideas from canine sports, use these tips to make backyard playtime more fun.

 

Jumping. Make your own agility or flyball hurdle by placing a broom or PVC pipe across two plastic buckets. Hold a treat on one side, and encourage your dog to jump over.  

 

Jump, sit, stay. Create an agility pause table by placing a bench, ottoman, or piece of carpeted plywood on four cement blocks. Teach your dog to jump onto the low table, then sit or lie down for five seconds, then jump off. Ta-da!

 

Backyard tunneling. Using a nylon pipe tunnel, coax your dog inside it with food. Run alongside the tunnel or sit at the other end to persuade him through. Reward your dog with toys or food at the end.

 

Enthusiastic fetching. Flyball dogs are rapid fetchers. To build your dog's dog playexcitement, throw the ball, hold him back for 10 seconds, and then let him sprint after it.

 

Hide and seek. Teach tracking skills by showing your dog a toy and hiding it in an easy to find location. Once he gets the hang of the game, ask friends to walk away from your dog to a hiding place in the yard. Ready or not, here he comes. As your dog's skills improve, have your dog sit with his back turned while everyone else hides.

 

Simon says. In rally obedience, you instruct your dog to perform skills printed on directional signs. Make your own obedience signs, such as "right turn," and place them around the yard to create a mini-course for you and your dog.


 

It Pays To Be Watchful 

Aggression: When Should I Worry?

 

We often value protection (aggression) against intruders, and expect our dogs to make judgments beyond their experience, training or innate ability. Since a dog who bites humans may go months between bites, people tend to downplay the significance of aggression. The fear of losing your dog can also contribute to denial and failure to deal with the problem.

 

Risk Factors

It's impossible to list every behavior or situation that may be reason for concern, and if something does arise that makes you wonder, be sure to consult your veterinarian. When indicated, your veterinarian can help you find a veterinary behavior specialist for an expert evaluation of the dog and the situation.  

 

This precaution can save lives, and should be taken sooner rather than later whenever there are questions of safety. Do not wait for someone to be bitten. If your dog does any of the following, it's time to look for expert help in person:

 

1. Growls, barks, snarls, snaps or lunges at people on walks

2. Shows aggression toward visitors to your home.

3. Shows aggressive behaviors in your back yard, including aggression toward children or adults on the other side of the fence or the meter reader.

4. Has killed one or more cats.

5. Has been kept on a tie out as a means of confinement, and is showing signs of aggression. (A tie-out is not a safe method for confinement-aggression is a common result.)

6. Aggressively guards food or toys.

7. Shows aggression toward people who approach the crate when the dog is in it.

8. Shows aggression toward veterinarian, groomer, or family members when they groom or otherwise handle the dog.

9. Shows any aggressive behavior toward a member of the household.

10. Fighting among household dogs to the point of injuries.

 

Much of the time you can save your dog by early intervention. Sometimes you'll save a human from a serious injury. Either way, it's essential to act on the warning signals of aggression by getting the right help in a timely manner.  

 

Times to be Watchful

Experts are aware of several risk factors for dog aggression that most people don't know to watch for. Knowing when to be careful can prevent a good dog from getting caught in a bad situation.

 

A female dog with young puppies goes through a hormonal stage of seriousKid & Dog photo protectiveness. One day the family children handle the puppies in the nest, and suddenly the next day the mother dog cannot tolerate this intrusion. Do not allow children free access to a mother with pups.    

 

Dogs need human help to learn to inhibit their bite with people. Normal play between two dogs involves mouthing that will injure a person. Dogs have no hands, so it's normal for them to grasp and otherwise act with their teeth. It's up to humans to teach dogs to inhibit the bite with people, and this training needs to start in puppyhood.  

 

When raising a puppy, get expert help with bite inhibition training-puppy classes are essential for all pups. If you're adopting an adult dog, get expert help to evaluate the dog's bite inhibition. Do not adopt a dog who shows a lack of this essential conditioning, especially if your dog will be around children.  

 

A puppy removed from the mother and littermates misses some of the bite inhibition training from other dogs at a critical development stage. This experience is essential for a puppy to grow into a dog who will be safe around humans. Do not adopt a puppy removed from the litter prior to 7 weeks of age (8 weeks or older is preferred, but 7 weeks is the minimum age), especially if your dog will ever be around children.  

 

A dog new to the home can pose special risks. It's impossible to thoroughly evaluate a dog's temperament in one test, or even over a period of a couple of weeks in foster care. The dog's behavior will change with maturity and also will be different with your family than in some other situation. Be observant and careful with any new dog.  

 

Children under 2 months of age are at increased risk when left alone with dogs. No child under school age should ever be left alone with any dog, but dogs show a more dangerous perception of children under the age of 2 months, and some babies have been killed. Babies, preschool children, and senior citizens are the humans at highest risk of death from dog attacks.  

 

Dogs in pain are at increased risk of injuring someone when the person approaches in a way that causes the dog to fear being hurt. Dogs tend to hide signs of pain as a survival instinct (showing weakness in the wild could get an animal killed), so it's essential to be watchful for pain. Protect your dog from being hurt so the dog will not feel the need to self-protect.

 

Dogs are often labeled "fear biters." This is an unfair label that makes it seem fearfulness automatically makes a dog dangerous. It is true, though, that people acting in ways that frighten dogs frequently get themselves bitten. Most of the time it's the dog who pays the price, but it's not the dog's fault. In managing our dogs, we need to avoid handling that frightens them. No one thinks straight when scared, including a dog.  

 

When in Doubt...

 

Thankfully fatalities from dog attacks are rare, but injuries are common. Everyone with a dog must take seriously the responsibility of protecting people from being hurt by the dog. Whenever there is reason for concern, pick up the phone and make the appointment, starting with your veterinarian and then following through on veterinary advice. It's the best way to protect your dog as well as the people you love.


No Special Training Necessary!  Great for Dog-Reactive Dogs.  
Nose Work Games

Dogs have an amazing sense of smell. The sport of K9 Nose Work is dog's nosesdesigned to develop your dog's natural scenting abilities by using their desire to hunt and search, and their love of toys, food and exercise. It's a great way for your dog to have fun, build confidence, and burn lots of mental and physical energy. In this class we take your dog's instinctual skill and teach them to use it to play games with their noses!

This is a great class for dogs of all ages (12 weeks to adult), and all physical abilities. No special training is necessary to do Nose Work! Since each dog goes one at a time, even dog-reactive dogs can participate.

This 6-week indoor class
begins:
Monday, April 4th from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Instructors: Cheryl Vanvoorhies and Mindy Cox, CPDT-KA

More Information
Register

Nosework video image
Can your pooch become a super-sniffer?
Click here to watch a fun video.

Become the Person Your Dog Needs 

 

Follow the Leader

 

Becoming worth listening to is the key and magic to leadership involving dogs. In dog training, the word leadership has developed negative connotations because it has been used to indicate pack leader or confrontational training techniques or control. On the other end of the spectrum is the dog owner who is too lenient, or one treating a dog like a human being, as well as those who think a dog will just train themselves eventually. There needs to be a guide, someone the dog looks up to providing all needs, creating rules, boundaries and activities.  


Leadership or guidance exercises show the family dog what you want them to do. The exercises provide a learning environment and meets all the dog's needs. Good leadership creates and builds a cooperative team atmosphere and doesn't instill a fear of punishment.

 

Teaching and reinforcing what your dog is doing right, instead of punishingrewarding him for what he is doing wrong is the key to becoming a leader instead of a controller. The end result is a confident, happy and eager to please canine companion who is not fearful, worried, anxious or nervous.

 

Dogs should never be left unsupervised during early training, and should be given freedom later as relates to each dog as a unique individual. Dogs will get into trouble of their own if not properly supervised. If a new puppy or new dog has entered the family, teach them immediately to respect household rules and boundaries by not allowing full access to the home or yard. Always supervise a dog outdoors and indoors.  

 

Create a dog-friendly environment. This environment will prevent and manage household activities, set rules and boundaries and give dog appropriate training opportunities.  

 

A dog should have a place to call his own, a safe zone free of distraction where he can go to enjoy restful sleep, or a chew toy or just to relax and keep him from becoming over-excited and over-stimulated.

 

A well-socialized dog is able to cope with real life. Well-known dog and puppy training expert, Dr. Ian Dunbar recommends socializing a puppy to 100 different types of people by the time they are 12 weeks old, and multiple experiences with dogs outside the household by the time they are 16 weeks old. The reality is some dogs miss these important, informative socialization opportunities for varying reasons. If this is the case, start where the dog is at and start at the dog's pace keeping in mind proper distance and duration especially for fearful or reactive dogs. For most dogs, allow daily socialization with people from the start, in the home, outside the home and with dogs who are neutral and able to communicate properly.  Socializing with household dogs and people is not enough! 

 

From the beginning to be a good leader, let the dog see you as keeping them safe. You should be an anchor in a scary environment. To do this, treat them for the right interactions with visitors and people on-the-road. Make sure you don't allow even a friendly dog to race up to your dog, or allow your dog racing up to another dog or person. The recipe for success should be a sit with you controlling whether the dog meets and greets a new person, or a dog. Teach a solid sit stay and a have a cue for "go visit" or "say hello". Explain to people that your dog is in training and would they like to help. Most people are very helpful. If not, there is no reason to allow a meet and greet.  Keep interactions positive with other people and other dogs and watch confidence grow.

 

attentionSkill training helps a dog cope with real life. The essentials are attention or eye contact, touching a hand, stick, or lid, and of course, sit, down, stay and coming when called. These skills are the minimum a dog should have for communication with their people and strangers. If their training involves positive reward-based techniques there will be no need for loud nos, yelling or reprimands as the dog will be taught what is expected and rewarded for successes.  Any behavior that is reinforced will increase in frequency. (Remember that for the good behaviors, as well as the bad behaviors that you may be accidentally reinforcing.) 

 

The goal is to become a leader, a guide the dog will eagerly listen and respond to happily, and to acclimate the dog to household rules, boundaries and expectations. Praise the dog for what they are doing right and bad behavior will become extinct. Socializing makes life easier for the dog and for the family and years of companionship in their forever home is the reward for their human and teaching what you want becomes very important so the dog doesn't develop or practice bad habits.


A Must For Any Pet Lover
Pet CPR/First Aid Class

When you take this important class, veterinarian Dr. David Cox will teach CPR dogyou many important skills that could help save the life of your pet in an emergency. You will practice cardiopulmonary resuscitation and check the pulse on a life-like CPR dog mannequin and learn to apply first aid techniques to pets who are ill or injured until professional veterinarian help can be obtained.

This class is for human participants only!

Reserve your spot today!

Click Here to Learn More


Class Date
: Friday, June 17, 2011


Class Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

 

Jumping for Joy! Sign Up Today.

Agility Fun Runs

This is a great opportunity to practice your agility in a different atmosphere and have some FUN with your dog. There will be two courses to challenge all levels. Do all or part of the course and practice important handling skills, whether you are at the novice level or higher. Toys and treats are allowed. NO harsh methods will be accepted. Bring your chairs, crates and water bowl for your dog (we have a hose and water fountain). Please only flat buckle collars.

2011 DATES & TIMES

 

Register now for a spot!

--Friday, March 18th. First run at  6:30 p.m. (Gates open at 5:30 p.m.) Running big to little.

--Friday, April 15th. First run at  6:30 p.m. (Gates open at 5:30 p.m.) Running little to big.

 

(These dates subject to change.)

CRATING: Indoors in climate-controlled comfort (or outdoors if you prefer).

EXPERIENCE: All levels (Novice class students and up if training at Lucky Dog) are welcome to practice this nested course (novice/open and excellent). After everyone runs the first course we will reverse it and run again after walking the new course. The lighting and footing are great. Toys and treats are welcome and encouraged to reward your dog.

FEE: $10 per dog (2nd dog $8). Please try to bring exact change or a check made payable to Lucky Dog Sports Club. Credit cards are also welcome. There is a 10% discount for members of Lucky Dog. Please try to bring exact change. You can also pay by check or credit card.

REGISTRATION: To sign up, click here and email us your name, and your pet's name, breed, jump height, and level (novice/open or excellent). You must sign up in advance.

Class Schedule - Obedience, Puppy, Reactive, and Agility Classes.

SUMMARY OF UPCOMING CLASSES:
Obedience, Agility, Reactive, Rally and Puppy Classes


For detailed info, descriptions, fees, instructors, and to register, click on the More Info link or go to our Schedule Page.  Interested in a class you do not see listed? Please let us know. If there is enough interest we will organize one. Know you want to take a class? Sign up early before your are closed out of a filled class!

 

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Reactive Dog Class: Help for Your Feisty Fido
Begins Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Choose either the 6-7 p.m. class or the 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. class. 

  

Got a feisty Fido when it comes to certain interactions? Do you feel lost or embarrassed when your dogphoto- reacting barks, growls, lunges or generally becomes difficult to control around other dogs or people? This class is about your dog learning relaxation and trust and overcoming fear and anxiety. We understand your problems and we are here to help! Find out more.   

This class is taught by expert Dr. Lisa Radosta, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist.         

 Sign Up     

Check out the article in this issue, "Aggression. When Should I Worry?"    

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Rally-O Advanced/Excellent class upcoming.

Saturday, April 2nd at 10 a.m.     

This class is for those that have graduated from Rally I and want to keep learning and exploring this fun sport.

 

Rally-O (also know as Rally Obedience)

emphasizes fun and excitement for the dog/handler team while providing an interactive approach to obedience. Rally is about the most fun you can have doing obedience exercises with your dog! The exercises involved in the course will help build your skills as a handler and increase your dog's repertoire of behaviors. Praise, encouragement, and continuous communication are encouraged in this enjoyable dog sport.

 

Taught by Robin Billings. 

 

More info 

Sign Up       

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Focus Foundation  


Obedience, Attention, Focus, and Impulse Control

-- everything you've
always wanted for your dog!
Kaya on the a-frame

Focus Foundation is also the prerequisite for Intro to Agility and it's a great class before Rally.

This popular 6-week class fills quickly so sign up today!

Taught by Mindy Cox, B.S., CPDT-KA

 
Next Class: Wednesday, April 6th at 6:15 p.m.
  

      

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Ideal Puppy I & Ideal Puppy II

This is an important socialization and training class for puppies 9 to 20 weeks of age. Don't miss out on these important behavioral milestones that will help your pup grow into a more confident, well-adjusted dog. Your dog will only be a puppy once!

 

Ideal Puppy I and II are each 4 weeks long for a full and wonderful

8 weeks of learning and play. Sign up for 8 weeks and save.

pug pup

UPCOMING CLASS:
 

Session A from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Ideal Puppy I begins Thursday,March 24, 2011.

(Ends April 14th)

Ideal Puppy II begins Thursday, April 21, 2011.

(Ends May 12th)


 Instructor: Stacey Curcio

Sign Up

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Intro to Agility

Fun for you and your dog! Begin to learn the foundation skills of this super sport. Dogtire jump agility is an obstacle course that includes things such as jumps, weaves, and tunnels, that you and your dog have to successfully navigate within a specified time period. If you've always wanted to try this sport, now is your chance!

Prerequisite: Focus Foundation or other obedience class. For dogs over a year of age.

Instructor: Cynthia Kean

Begins Monday, April 11th at 7:30 p.m.

More Info
Sign Up
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Intermediate Agility

This class continues into April. Email to see if there is space to drop in.
Marley(Class dates may change due to delays of current class due to weather.)

This class is designed to advance you and your dog's agility skills and to prepare you and your dog for competition, if desired. The class will build on jumping skills, obstacle discrimination, and distance handling skills.
 
Sign Up    
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Advanced/Masters Agility

The class will include complex sequences found in Excellent and/or World Team level courses photo- Nellie in weavesdesigned to build the skills necessary to successfully compete at the highest levels. In the class you will continue to perfect skills that are needed to be successful and get the most out of a performance. This class is ideal for anyone who wants to improve their communication with their dog and increase speed and reliability.

This class is ongoing and just restarted. Please call to see if there is room to drop in.

Instructor: Cynthia Kean, AKC agility judge and top agility handler

 

More Info

 Sign Up 

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Private Instruction and Consultations
We are available to do private agility and obedience training as well as behavior consultations on a variety of issues.  
 
Please contact us for more information.

 

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More classes are being scheduled. If you don't see the one you want,
please email
THIS INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION ABOUT CLASS DATES AND TIMES.
Just for Fun!
cartoon- choose me

Worth a chuckle. Enjoy!
candles for dogs
Upcoming Events 

Around Town 

 

More Fun Run Fun    

Treasure Coast Humane Society Sunday, March 27th. For more info contact Kathy .   

 

South Florida Pet Expo 

Pet lovers in South Florida should mark their calendars for the 2011 South Florida Pet Expo, Saturday, March 26th, 2011 at the South Florida Convention Center from 10 to 6. This free event (with free parking!) attracts thousands of pet lovers looking to enjoy a day out with their furry friend. Lucky Dog and friends will be doing agility, obedience, and nose work demos. Expo highlights include:

- Pet costume contest

- Pet fashion show

- Ask the Vet

- Grooming tips

- Training demos

- Adoptions 

- Guest speakers

- Free admission and parking

- Pets are welcome 

 

Check it out! 

 

Phone Home  

Have an iPhone? How about a dog that needs house training? Well there's an app for that! Complete with a timer, potty training log and positive tips. Check it out and let us know what you think.

 

Upcoming Agility Trials

Find the updated Florida Agility schedule. Thanks to Tracy Hanna for putting it together and keeping it updated! 


Quick Links
Directions to Lucky Dog;
 Articles- Training & Behavior;
 Membership Info- Join the Club and access Lucky Dog on your schedule;
Rent Lucky Dog for your dog event; 


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Contact Information:
Mindy Cox, Training Director
Phone: 561-427-6700 
Fax: 561-748-3699 
Email: woof@luckydogsportsclub.com
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

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do you have an at-a-glance way to see classes and events?
A: You betcha! Our class calendar will give you the schedule at a glance. 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. 

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 Register button or link and fill out the secure online registration form.  Or you can call 561-427-6700 and I will sign you up over the phone.

Payment can be cash, check, or credit card.

The fastest way to sign up, especially if you want to secure your spot in a popular class is to use the secure online registration form. You can also mail your form (very slow!), drop it off in our secure drop box to the left of our front door, fax it to 561-748-3699, or you can sign up by phone. Go to our Contact page to find all this info (or find the info in this newsletter in the above right column.

Q: What training philosophy do you use?

A: We only use positive, reward-based, dog-friendly training methods at Lucky Dog. No jerking, pulling, ear pinching or other aversive methods are used. We introduce the training clicker into many of the classes so your dog has a  quicker and clearer understanding of what you are teaching.

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).

Q: What are Lucky Dog's hours?

A: At this time there are no regular hours when you can drop by, but if you'd like a tour just give us a call and we are happy to accommodate you. Someone is always there when a class or event is scheduled.

Q: Do you only do group classes or can I schedule a private lesson?

A: We are happy to schedule a private lesson at Lucky Dog. We offer obedience and agility private lessons.

Q: Is there certification for dog trainers?

A: Thanks for asking. Yes, trainers can be certified through the CCPDT (
Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers) which is an organization respected throughout the world for maintaining high standards for certification, knowledge base, and continuing education requirements for dog trainers. Mindy Cox, Training Director at Lucky Dog is certified (CPDT-KA). Click here for more information.

My goal is to make this monthly newsletter as useful and interesting to you as possible. Which sections do you like the best? Articles? Class info? News of local events? Human interest information? What else would you like to see covered? And if you like it, please pass it along to a friend.

Please send your feedback, good and bad. It's always appreciated! You can reach me at woof@luckydogsportsclub.com.

Sincerely,
Mindy Cox, B.S., CPDT-KA
Training Director