This post originally appeared as a part of Puppy Elementary and was password-protected. For more posts like this, join now!    Ahhh, that elusive skill! Shaping by successive approximation aka “shaping” or “free shaping” is really just training in my book. I don’t follow any rules about not luring or prompting, I use targets and … More Shaping, a Puppy Elementary Post

Well, we did it. Somehow my little idea grew into a great big event with 30 people, my amazing assistant coach, and a gorgeous location not terribly far from home. What happens when 20 working spots are occupied by compassionate trainer-handlers and their supremely talented dogs? What happens when two coaches who not only get … More Worked Up Camp 2018 Wrap-Up

In progressive teaching and training circles it is taught that rather than worry about what to do if things go wrong, we should worry about what we are going to do to be certain things go right.  This is how I operate. This is how I train. Yet, things can and do go wrong. And … More When Things Go Wrong

The word priority has not always been pluralized. Think about that a second. Ok, good. Now, realize that initially a priority was a singular thing; one item that was held to the highest regard. Not a list, not a hierarchy, just one thing. And then ask yourself, what is my priority in dog training? I … More Priority One