For The Dogs Training & Behavior Modification

2012-02-06T14:04:00.000-08:00

Maris
ABC/CDT
(630) 885-0691
ForTheDogsTraining@gmail.com

Now accepting credit cards thanks to SquareUp.com

looking for some help training your new puppy? Or even your adult dog?
Whoever said "old dogs cant learn new tricks" was kidding themselves.
Need help fixing an unwanted behavior such as excessive barking, unwarranted aggression, disrespectful behavior?
Let me help you become the pack leader of your dog and get the respect you so rightfully deserve!

Offering you a great training experience in the comfort of your home!

Training is a great bonding experience for you and your dog, and should always be kept fun for the both of you. Training is also a lifelong commitment between the owner and dog. I can help you achieve the relationship you wish for with your dog. Whether that be helping you curb and solve behavior problems, or as simple as showing you how to teach your dog a trick. I'd love to help!
I love all sizes and breeds of dogs!

Using Positive Reinforcement and Dog Psychology together to achieve the ultimate training and rehabilitation method
Check out my Private In-Home Lessons
& Behavior Modification
To the right for more information

Proudly Serving these areas in Kansas & Missouri:
Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Merriam, Lenexa, Mission, Leawood, Spring Hill, Gardner, Kansas City MO & KS, prairie village, Lee's Summit, Independence, Leavenworth, Lansing

Any areas outside of this are subject to be charged a little more for a longer drive for me, Thank you for understanding.

I am an experienced trainer and I am now a Certified Dog Trainer from Animal Behavior College.

2012-02-05T20:29:00.000-08:00

Contact Maris

I love hearing back from customers to know if I'm doing a good job.So please feel free to contact me anytime with any questions, comments, concerns or advice! If I am unavailable please leave a voicemail and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

630-885-0691
ForTheDogsTraining@gmail.com
Also see contact form at bottom

"I used to look at my dog and think,
'If you were a little smarter you could tell me what you were thinking,'
and she'd look at me like she was saying,
'If you were a little smarter, I wouldn't have to.'"
- Fred Jungclaus
I grew up with animals and loved every minute of it. I was constantly self educating about them and was so interested to get to know more. I have always been inspired by the way they have this forgiving and never ending love they have to share. I am an Animal Behavior College certified dog trainer. I recently moved to Kansas from Illinois and I am looking to help out people in the area with dog training. Its a huge task to take on all of Kansas cities dogs and owners, But I am in this For The Dogs and I have no greater joy than to see an owner and dog with a beautiful relationship. I love working with animals and I would love to continue doing so for the rest of my life. I would like to help animals and owners better understand each other by sharing my knowledge.

Name *
Subject: *
E-mail Address: *
Phone Number *
Physical Address *
Behaviors Struggling with *	Nipping (biting at heels, short quick bite, doesnt draw any or much blood) Biting (clamping down, intended to hurt, drawing blood) Resource Guarding (guarding toys, food, items with snarl and growl) Barking Running away (escapes home, leashes, fences etc.) Chewing Puppy Biting Digging Begging (for food) Leash Pulling Leash Reactivity (pulling, barking, lunging at dogs, cars, cats etc.) Potty Training Issues Marking (raising leg to mark) Separation Anxiety Fence Barking Jumping Dog Aggression Human Aggression Obsessive Behavior (chasing reflections, shadows, lights) Other
How Can I Help you? *


* Required

The importance of Exercising & Stimulating your Dog

2012-02-02T13:26:00.000-08:00

The benefits of exercise and stimulation are underestimated for both humans and dogs. But most of us don't realize that while we humans have Books, TV's, Day jobs, Intellectual conversations, etc. If we don't have a ready supply of things for our dogs to outlet into, your dog is left to fend for themselves. Most humans do not appreciate the jobs dogs assign themselves to in their homes.Your dog depends on you to exercise their bodies and stimulate their minds. Bringing dogs into our families is nothing new for us, however through modern technology and changes in environments, cities and suburbs making downsizing properties, desk jobs instead of labor jobs, etc. The breeds we often sought out help for on our farms, are now expected to behave quietly and calmly while we are away for 8+ hours at work and school, then again while we come home and try to relax. Often times owners are met by exuberant dogs ready to take on anything while the owners try to wind down after a long day. This is where most homes run into behavioral issues with their dogs. Chewing, digging, barking, increased aggression, hyperactivity, lack of focus etc. are just a few of the many side effects. Not only do dogs benefit greatly from regular exercise, but we as their owners benefit greatly with a balanced pet, who we can now enjoy the small things with. Exercise helps prevent boredom and channels the dog's energy in a productive and acceptable direction.

Physical benefits of exercise
Dogs who exercise regularly are not only healthier than those who don’t; they also live healthier, longer lives. One of the main benefits I find in exercised and stimulated dogs is you find a balance in their temperament. Dogs who previously bounced off the walls, jumped out of control on guests, family members, and had rude greetings with other dogs, calm down significantly into a well adjusted dog. A well stimulated and exercised dog will sleep for longer periods of time, and while awake will have better self control. A tired dog is a happy dog. Exercise helps them utilize more calories even when they are at rest, controlling their weight and muscle tone while keeping obesity at bay. Obesity in dogs is at an all time high in America. Often times Veterinarians are forced to confront pet owners about their pets obesity, leading owners to switch to a low fat, low calorie diet. In humans, saturated fats have been associated with clogged arteries and heart attacks. Fat is essential in a dogs diet and is actually a fantastic source of providing a concentrated source of energy, as well as supplying the Essential Fatty Acids that dogs cannot produce themselves. Dogs as well as other carnivores require a relatively high amount of animal fat in their diets. Looking at the percentages on your dog food bag, the optimum level of fat should be between 15-18%.
Removing fat from a dogs diet to compensate for the weight gain from lack of exercise, will only do more harm than good to your companions body. Finding time to offer these outlets for our dogs should be one of the top priorities along with food and water. Quick spurts of 10 minutes per day 2-3 times per day, or 2 hours a day of low impact exercise is enough to keep an average working breed satisfied. But physical exercise is only the beginning. Stimulating your dog can be anything from playing with a toy, obedience, agility, puzzle toys, to a simple game of fetch in the yard. Anything that can challenge your dogs mind will fulfill their needs. Hiking in the woods over unstable, new, and bizarre surfaces your dog has never been exposed to is a great form of both physical and mental exercise.

Psychological benefits of exercise
Exercise causes the brain to release endorphins, which create a sense of euphoria and well-being. Dogs, like humans feel this euphoric feeling after a good work out, making positive associations with whatever they are involved with during and after the fact. As adult humans we can get by without exercise, but have you noticed how hyper active children get without enough exercise and stimulation? We humans often convince ourselves that small increments of walking from one end of the office to the other is enough in our adult lives. For dogs, exercise is crucial to maintain healthy behavior and keep destructive impulses in check. For dogs with behavioral problems, the first treatment I recommend is increased exercise. Remember: "A tired dog is a happy dog."
I often find my clients surprised that after just one session of brief obedience teaching a dog minor behaviors, leaves their dog in a deep sleep before I leave their homes. This is the perfect example of a dog who has been stimulated and fulfilled for the day. Exercise and stimulation go hand in hand and even those that regularly exercise their pets, forget the value of stimulation. I get calls very regularly with clients who exercise their pets a great amount, yet still find their dogs out letting energy into destructive and undesirable behaviors.

Problems caused by lack of exercise
The benefits of exercise are astronomical, but the consequences of the lack there of are enough to make anybody reconsider their exercise schedule. Regular and age-appropriate exercise is especially important for young impressionable dogs. Stimulation helps the brain grow and develop properly to help the brain remain intelligent. Studies have shown that lack of stimulation for drives like Herding, Hunting, and Retrieving animals, will loose a significant amount of that drive because the brain grows to accommodate to its life style. Obesity is one of the leading causes of canine deaths. Overweight dogs can suffer from numerous ailments such as bone and joint disorders, weakness, poor muscle tone and heart problems. Overweight dogs are at greater risk for cancer, diabetes, joint disorders and respiratory problems.
Physical problems aside, lack of exercise and stimulation can lead to psychological problems such as sores caused by excessive licking or chewing of the skin, boredom and restlessness.
Your dog’s everyday physical and emotional health is a direct indicator of its exercise levels.

Dogs are not self motivating to exercise themselves sufficiently if they are stuck indoors or in a backyard all day. Often times they let their energy reach an all time high before you begin to notice severe changes in behavior. Leaving your pet in your backyard for hours at a time will not ensure proper exercise and often leads to a destroyed back yard.

Take the time to find out what motivates your dog to exercise. Bike Rides, Hiking, Fetch, long walks, Jogging, whatever your dog and you enjoy the most together. Be creative and don't feel obligated to stick to the same exercise your neighbor or family member uses. Your dogs individual size, temperament, personality, and your daily schedule will be the deciding factors in what works best for your exercise regimen.

Some Dogs Won't Work For Food

2011-12-22T06:08:00.000-08:00

A fantastic article going over the reasons dogs are no longer motivated by food after living with humans and how we accidentally taught them that among many other things.

Some dogs won't work for food -By Eric Brad

Two Minds, One Heart -Dog Sports

2011-11-14T14:35:00.000-08:00

My Dog Is Friendly!

2011-11-13T15:45:00.000-08:00

A fantastic article about common courtesy with dog owners

My Dog is Friendly! A public service announcement

German Shepherds

2011-10-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

Please E-mail for interest in German Shepherd Puppies

Behavior Adjustment Training (B.A.T.) Exercises

2011-08-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

About B.A.T. and how it works

Group Class Training

2011-06-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

NEW GROUP CLASS

LifeTime Pet
1030 E Sante Fe st. Olathe, KS 66061

CLASS DATES
Thursdays & Saturdays
Lasts 8 weeks
Please call or E-mail with current class dates

Current Class
Basic Obedience
Starts Saturday January 21st / Ends Saturday March 10th
Every Saturday @ 12:30am <---FULL

Click for Class Syllabus
Click for Class Agreement

Visit www.lifetimepetnet. for any other information

Humane Society Pretending to Help

2010-07-09T20:49:00.000-07:00

http://humanewatch.org/

Check out this site for more information!

Train and Board

2009-11-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

For The Dogs Training Board and Train

-Basic Obedience
-Advanced Obedience
-Rehabilitation
-Socialization
-Manners
-Leash walking
etc.

When scheduling for a board and train please let me know exactly what sort of training you would like to see your dog achieve, I will then get back to you with an amount of time this will be accomplished as well as an individual price quote for what you are looking for. You are welcome to schedule a board and train during a trip you already have your dog planned to board. I do recommend scheduling in advance to make sure there is availability for a board and train at that time.

-Due to the level of variations in dog behavior no guarantees can be made that your dog will be 100% with behaviors asked to be worked on after the board and train, unless specifically told otherwise.

Boarding

2009-11-02T20:43:00.000-08:00

Boarding & Training

due to the level of personal attention each dog gets at my kennel, I ask that you call me or email for a quote with instructions and requests that you would like met while your dog stays in my care. Special requests are my specialty, let me know what your dog needs and I am there for you.

Boarding Reservation Form

While your dog stays with
For The Dogs Training your dog will get:
- aLarge private kennel

-Individual attention, play time and exercise everyday
-Socialization with other dogs (if your dog is not friendly with other dogs it can be requested that your dog is taught how to properly socialize, or simply socialized with only humans)
-A pond that your dog can have the option of swimming in

-15 acres of land for your dog to run and play
-Raw feeding capable with a large chest freezer and small fridge to freeze and thaw meats for your raw fed dogs!
-Flexible schedule to ensure your dog sticks to the eating, exercise, and potty routine its used to!
-Lots of exercise and interaction, your dog spends less time in a kennel and more time out having fun! The kennels are for resting and eating in!
-An option to have your dog board and conveniently trained at the same time.
CLICK HERE for more information about Board and Train
-Have your dog Board and be Rehabilitated from Behavioral issues during its stay
CLICK HERE for more information about the Rehabilitation Program

Pricing
Regular Boarding-$25/day
Includes regular exercise daily, Socialization, Individual attention, a tasty treat for bedtime (if owner so chooses), lots of play time with other dogs, and a comfortable bed to sleep in at night in an individual kennel.
Train and board
Board and Train-pricing can vary depending on the training, please contact me for more information
Board and Rehabilitation-Pricing can vary depending on the behavioral issue being worked on, please contact me for more information
Location: Spring Hill, KS

FREE Pick up and Drop off: for stays at the kennel equaling a total cost of $150 or greater are offered a free pick up and drop off service directly to and from your home to the kennel.
Please call for details!

Call or E-mail now to find out availability for a date. Times and dates limited so schedule ahead of time to ensure you get a spot!

The Dog Commandments

2009-11-01T11:23:00.000-08:00

1) My life is likely to last 10-15 years, any separation from you will be painful for me. Remember that before you buy me.

2) Give me time to understand what you want from me, don't be impatient, short-tempered, or irritable.

3) Place your trust in me and I will always trust you back. Respect is earned not given as an inalieable right.

4) Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment, I am not capable of understanding why? I only know I have been rejected, you have your work entertainment and friends I only have you.

5) Talk to me sometimes, even if I don't understand your words I understand your voice and your tone, "you only have to look at my tail".

6) Be aware that however you treat me I'll never forget it, and if it's cruel it may affect me forever.

7) Please don't hit me I can't hit back, but I can bite and scratch and I really don't ever want to do that.

8) Before you scold me for being uncooperative, obstinate, or lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right foods or I've been out in the sun too long, or my heart is getting old and weak, I may be just dog tired.

9) Take care of me when I get old. You too will grow old and may also need love, care, comfort, and attention.

10) Go with me on difficult journeys, never say, "I can't bear to watch" or "Let it happen in my absence". Everything is easier for me if you are there. Remember, irrespective of what you do I will always love you.

Personal Collars By Maris

2009-10-30T17:43:00.000-07:00

Inspired by my addiction to many cute dog collars, I've decided to begin making my own and making them for others! I understand the pain in trying to find an original cute dog collar for my dog. The local dog shops don't have the girly type of collars I am on the look out for.

So For The Dogs is proud to offer Home made and custom Dog collars. Offering a wide variety of fabrics from girlie girl pink to tough stuff for the boys.
From Martingales to buckle collars, You pick out each individual part of your collar to make it completely personal for you and your dog!

you can order a premade collar or customize your own.

CLICK HERE TO CUSTOMIZE YOUR OWN!
Follow the easy steps to customize your own collar today!

already know what you want? just go straight to the ORDER FORM

Collar Pricing Guide

Read the Payment Information page to learn how to pay for your collar

Pick your Fabric Type

2009-10-29T15:55:00.000-07:00

Ribbon Overlay

Fabric Sleeve

Silk & Satin Fabrics

Pricing Guide

customers are always welcome to email me, the artist for any special requests. You are always welcome to send me your own fabric you found and I will use it to make your collar at your request.

Step #3

2009-10-16T14:54:00.000-07:00

Collar Pricing Guide
read the Payment Information page to finalize your order

Step #2

2009-10-15T14:42:00.000-07:00

fill out the form for specifics on your collar

once you have filled out the order form read the Payment Information page to learn how to pay

Subject: *
E-mail Address: *
Collar Size *
Exact Neck Size *
Fabric/Ribbon Choice *
Buckle Type *
D Ring Weight *
Additional Design Information or Questions	here you can specify if you want your nylon webbing to be covered by a matching color fabric or the same color as the ribbon.
Breed of Dog *
Sex Of Dog *
Address *
City *
State *
Zip Code *


* Required

once you have filled out the order form read the Payment Information page to learn how to pay

Step #1

2009-10-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

Step 1

CLICK HERE to pick out a fabric to get started
Write down your fabric ID (ex; greencamo1)

NEXT--->

Satin/ Silk fabrics

2009-10-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

These are classic brocaded Chinese designs on a silky smooth rayon base.

BlkButterfly01

BlkColorfulFloral01

GreenFloral02

Picked out your fabric??
CLICK HERE to go to the form to create your collar!

Due to the quality of these fabrics the prices may be higher than the standard ribbons and fabrics.

Collar Prices

2009-10-11T16:24:00.000-07:00

Ribbon Overlay Collars
1"-1.5" collar width
Small 10"-14"-$18 Martingale-$19
Medium 15"-18"-$23 Martingale-$24
Large 19"-22"-$25 Martingale-$26

Fabric Sleeve Collar
1"-2" collar width
Small 10"-14"-$19 Martingale-$20
Medium 15"-18"-$24 Martingale-$25
Large 19"-22"-$26 Martingale-$27

Fabric Designs

2009-10-10T15:41:00.000-07:00

LightPinkDot1

PinkGreenDot1

GreenFloral01

Picked out you fabric??
CLICK HERE to go to the form to create your collar!

Payment Information

2009-10-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

Once your request for your personal dog collar has been received, I will send you an invoice via e-mail. This e-mail will contain a PayPal link for you to pay for your collar.

When payment is received I will get started on your dog collar. Please allow up to 4 weeks for this process to be completed.

Pre-Made Collars

2009-10-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

Green Dots with Green lining 1 inch plastic buckle 16"-24"

$15

Colorful Polka dots 1.5 inch martingale 17"-24"

$23

Pink with blue polka dot 1.5 inch Martingale 17"-24"

~~$23~~ SOLD

Black with multicolor polka dots 12"-16"

~~$12~~ SOLD

Ribbon Fabric Designs

2009-10-01T21:53:00.000-07:00

Ribbon Fabric Designs only come in 1.5" and 1"

GreenDot1_________PinkDot1

GreenDot2____________PinkDot2
*PinkDot2 only available in 1"

BluePinkDot1________________PinkBlueDot2

GreenDot3_____________ColorDot1
*GreenDot3 only available in 1"

ColorDot2________PinkDesign1

BlueDesign1_________ZebraPink1

Leopard1_________Leopard2

LeopardPink3_________America1

RedPaisley1_________PinkPaisley2

GreenCamo1_________BlueCamo2

HeartRed1_________BlueStripe1

Picked out you fabric??
CLICK HERE to go to the form to create your collar!

Dogs in need of Home

2009-10-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

-CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE-

Orijen Senior

2009-09-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

Feeding guideline
A 50lb dog should be fed about 2 - 2.5 cups

CALORIE CONTENT
ORIJEN SENIOR has a Metabolizable Energy (ME) of 3750 kcal/kg or 395 kcal per 250ml cup (105g).

INGREDIENTS
Fresh deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, russet potato, fresh deboned salmon (a natural source of DHA and EPA), herring meal, sweet potato, peas, fresh deboned lake whitefish, salmon meal, fresh deboned walleye, chicken liver, fresh deboned turkey, chicken fat (naturally preserved with vitamin E and citric acid), whole eggs, fresh deboned herring, sun-cured alfalfa, salmon oil, chicory root, dehydrated organic kelp, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, apples, cranberries, saskatoon berries, black currants, choline chloride, psyllium, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile flowers, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, sea salt, vitamin supplements (vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, vitamin C, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12), mineral supplements (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, selenium), Lactobacillus acidophilus and Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein (min.) 40.0%
Crude Fat (min.) 15.0%
Crude Fiber (max.) 6.0%
Moisture (max.) 10.0%
Calcium (min.) 1.6%
Calcium (max.) 1.8%
Phosphorus (min.) 1.1%
Phosphorus (max.) 1.3%
Omega-6 (min.) 2.5%
Omega-3 (min.) 1.0%
DHA 0.6%
EPA 0.3%
Carbohydrate (max.) 20.0%
Glucosamine (min.) 1400 mg/kg
Chondroitin (min.) 1200 mg/kg
Microorganisms (min.) 120M cfu/kg

BOTANICAL INCLUSIONS
Chicory root 700 mg/kg
Licorice root 500 mg/kg
Angelica root 350 mg/kg
Fenugreek 350 mg/kg
Marigold flowers 350 mg/kg
Sweet Fennel 350 mg/kg
Peppermint leaf 300 mg/kg
Chamomile flowers 300 mg/kg
Dandelion root 150 mg/kg
Summer savory 150 mg/kg

VITAMINS
Vitamin A 15 kIU/kg
Vitamin D3 2000 kIU/kg
Vitamin E 200 IU/kg
Vitamin B12 0.22 mg/kg
Thiamine 50 mg/kg
Riboflavin 40 mg/kg
Niacin 200 mg/kg
Pan. Acid 32 mg/kg
Pyridoxine 26 mg/kg
Biotin 0.83 mg/kg
Folic Acid 3 mg/kg
Choline 2700 mg/kg
Ascorbic Acid 55 mg/kg
Beta carotene 0.40 mg/kg

AMINO ACIDS
Taurine 0.3 mg/kg
T. Lysine 2.7%
T. Threonine 1.65%
T. Methionine 0.87%
T. Isoleucine 1.60%
T. Leucine 2.9%
T. Valine 1.9%
T. Arginine 2.9%
T. Phen. 1.6%
T. Histidine 0.85%
T. Cystine 0.5%

MINERALS
Sodium 0.4%
Chloride 0.6%
Potassium 0.65%
Magnesium 0.10%
Sulphur 0.4%
Manganese 27 mg/kg
Cobalt 0.47 mg/kg
Iodine 3.5 mg/kg
Selenium 0.35 mg/kg
Iron 300 mg/kg
Zinc 204 mg/kg
Copper 21 mg/kg

Nutritional Statement
ORIJEN SENIOR DOG is formulated to meet nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for ALL LIFE STAGES.
______________________________________________________________________

The first three ingredients of this food are all named meat products, two of which are in meal form. There are further meat ingredients fifth, sixth, nineth-thirteenth and sixtennthon the ingredient list (11 in total). We can thus have a high level of confidence in the meat content of this food, which the manufacturer states to be 70% of the total.

This is an entirely grainless dog food. The major carbohydrate source is potatoes, which are also a good source of B vitamins and other minerals. There is a good range of fruits/vegetables in the food, whole eggs and a good range of probiotics.

This food is outstanding in that it contains no grains whatsoever. Grains are not a natural part of a canine diet and it is pleasing to see dog foods on the market that exclude grains completely from the diet. This is a far more natural food concept and combined with a complete lack of any low quality or controversial ingredients is the reason this food is placed in a class above the more conventional form dry dog foods.

The only caution we would make on this food is that the high protein content makes it suitable for adult dogs only, particularly in the case of large breeds.

The manufacturer has provided the following statement in regards to the use of Ethoxyquin (a chemical preservative often found in fish ingredients): "All ingredients are purchased ethoxyquin free and we maintain written quality protocols and supplier agreements to this effect. All ORIJEN fish meals are preserved exclusively with NATUR-OX (a blend of rosemary and mixed tocopherals), and our fresh fish are truly FRESH -arriving without any preservatives what-so-ever."

Information Courtesy of www.dogfoodanalysis.com

Orijen Adult

2009-09-27T13:42:00.000-07:00

Feeding guideline:
A 50lb dog should be fed about 2-3 cups

CALORIE CONTENT
ORIJEN ADULT DOG has a Metabolizable Energy (ME) of 3900 kcal/kg or 450 kcal/250ml cup

INGREDIENTS
Fresh boneless chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, russet potato, fresh pacific salmon (a natural source of DHA and EPA), herring meal, sweet potato, peas, fresh lake whitefish, fresh northern walleye, chicken fat (naturally preserved with vitamin E and citric acid), chicken liver, salmon meal, fresh turkey, fresh whole eggs, fresh deboned herring, sun-cured alfalfa, salmon oil, chicory root, dehydrated organic kelp, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, apples, cranberries, saskatoon berries, black currants, choline chloride, psyllium, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile flowers, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, sea salt, vitamin supplements (vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, vitamin C, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12), mineral supplements (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, selenium), dried Lactobacillus acidophilus, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein (min.) 40.0%
Crude Fat (min.) 16.0%
Crude Fiber (max.) 2.5%
Moisture (max.) 10.0%
Calcium (min.) 1.5%
Calcium (max.) 1.7%
Phosphorus (min.) 1.2%
Phosphorus (max.) 1.4%
Omega-6 (min.) 3.0%
Omega-3 (min.) 1.1%
DHA 0.6%
EPA 0.3%
Carbohydrate (max.) 20.0%
Glucosamine (min.) 1200 mg/kg
Chondroitin (min.) 900 mg/kg
Microorganisms (min.) 120M cfu/kg

BOTANICAL INCLUSIONS
Chicory root 700 mg/kg
Licorice root 500 mg/kg
Angelica root 350 mg/kg
Fenugreek 350 mg/kg
Marigold flowers 350 mg/kg
Sweet Fennel 350 mg/kg
Peppermint leaf 300 mg/kg
Chamomile flowers 300 mg/kg
Dandelion root 150 mg/kg
Summer savory 150 mg/kg

VITAMINS
Vitamin A 15 kIU/kg
Vitamin D3 2000 kIU/kg
Vitamin E 200 IU/kg
Vitamin B12 0.22 mg/kg
Thiamine 50 mg/kg
Riboflavin 40 mg/kg
Niacin 200 mg/kg
Pan. Acid 32 mg/kg
Pyridoxine 26 mg/kg
Biotin 0.83 mg/kg
Folic Acid 3 mg/kg
Choline 2700 mg/kg
Ascorbic Acid 55 mg/kg
Beta carotene 0.40 mg/kg

AMINO ACIDS
Taurine 0.3 mg/kg
T. Lysine 2.7%
T. Threonine 1.65%
T. Methionine 0.87%
T. Isoleucine 1.60%
T. Leucine 2.9%
T. Valine 1.9%
T. Arginine 2.9%
T. Phen. 1.6%
T. Histidine 0.85%
T. Cystine 0.5%

MINERALS
Sodium 0.4%
Chloride 0.6%
Potassium 0.65%
Magnesium 0.10%
Sulphur 0.4%
Manganese 27 mg/kg
Cobalt 0.47 mg/kg
Iodine 3.5 mg/kg
Selenium 0.35 mg/kg
Iron 300 mg/kg
Zinc 204 mg/kg
Copper 21 mg/kg

Nutritional Statement
ORIJEN ADULT DOG is formulated to meet nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for ALL LIFE STAGES.
____________________________________________________________________

The first three ingredients of this food are all named meat products, two of which are in meal form. There are further meat ingredients fifth, sixth, ninth, tenth, twelth, thirteenth and fourteenth (10 in total) on the ingredient list. We can thus have a high level of confidence in the meat content of this food, which the manufacturer states to be 70% of the total.

This is an entirely grainless dog food. The major carbohydrate source is potatoes, which are also a good source of B vitamins and other minerals. There is a good range of fruits/vegetables in the food, whole eggs and a good range of probiotics.

This food is outstanding in that it contains no grains whatsoever. Grains are not a natural part of a canine diet and it is pleasing to see dog foods on the market that exclude grains completely from the diet. This is a far more natural food concept and combined with a complete lack of any low quality or controversial ingredients is the reason this food is placed in a class above the more conventional form dry dog foods.

The only caution we would make on this food is that the high protein content may make it suitable for adult dogs only, particularly in the case of large breeds.

The manufacturer has provided the following statement in regards to the use of Ethoxyquin (a chemical preservative often found in fish ingredients): "All ingredients are purchased ethoxyquin free and we maintain written quality protocols and supplier agreements to this effect. All ORIJEN fish meals are preserved exclusively with NATUR-OX (a blend of rosemary and mixed tocopherals), and our fresh fish are truly FRESH -arriving without any preservatives what-so-ever."

Information Courtesy of www.dogfoodanalysis.com

Orijen 6 Fish

2009-09-26T13:39:00.000-07:00

Feeding guideline:
A 50lb dog should be fed about 2-3 cups

CALORIE CONTENT
ORIJEN 6 FISH for DOGS has a Metabolizable Energy (ME) of 4020 kcal/kg or 460 kcal per 250ml cup (115g).

INGREDIENTS
Fresh deboned salmon, salmon meal, herring meal, russet potato, fresh deboned lake whitefish, sweet potato, peas, salmon oil (preserved with vitamin E), fresh deboned walleye, fresh deboned herring, sun-cured alfalfa, fresh deboned flounder, fresh deboned lake trout, dehydrated organic kelp, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, apples, cranberries, saskatoon berries, black currants, choline chloride, psyllium, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile flowers, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, sea salt, vitamin supplements (vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, vitamin C, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12), mineral supplements (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, selenium), dried Lactobacillus acidophilus product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein (min.) 40.0%
Crude Fat (min.) 18.0%
Crude Fiber (max.) 3.0%
Moisture (max.) 10.0%
Calcium (min.) 1.5%
Calcium (max.) 1.7%
Phosphorus (min.) 1.2%
Phosphorus (max.) 1.4%
*Omega-6 (min.) 3.0%
*Omega-3 (min.) 1.2%
*DHA 0.7%
*EPA 0.3%
*Carbohydrate (max.) 20.0%
*Glucosamine (min.) 1200 mg/kg
*Chondroitin (min.) 900 mg/kg
Microorganisms (min.) 120M cfu/kg

BOTANICAL INCLUSIONS
Chicory root 700 mg/kg
Licorice root 500 mg/kg
Angelica root 350 mg/kg
Fenugreek 350 mg/kg
Marigold flowers 350 mg/kg
Sweet Fennel 350 mg/kg
Peppermint leaf 300 mg/kg
Chamomile flowers 300 mg/kg
Dandelion root 150 mg/kg
Summer savory 150 mg/kg

VITAMINS
Vitamin A 15 kIU/kg
Vitamin D3 2.0 kIU/kg
Vitamin E 400 IU/kg
Vitamin K 2.5 IU/kg
Vitamin B12 0.5 mg/kg
Thiamine 50 mg/kg
Riboflavin 50 mg/kg
Niacin 250 mg/kg
Pan. Acid 40 mg/kg
Pyridoxine 26 mg/kg
Biotin 1 mg/kg
Folic Acid 3 mg/kg
Choline 3550 mg/kg
Ascorbic Acid 65 mg/kg
Beta carotene 0.6 mg/kg

AMINO ACIDS
Taurine 0.5 mg/kg
T. Lysine 1.9%
T. Threonine 1.8%
T. Methionine 1.0%
T. Isoleucine 1.8%
T. Leucine 2.0%
T. Valine 2.0%
T. Arginine 3.2%
T. Phen. 1.6%
T. Histidine 1.1%
T. Cystine 0.5%

MINERALS
Sodium 0.3%
Chloride 0.5%
Potassium 0.6%
Magnesium 0.09%
Sulphur 0.4%
Manganese 14 mg/kg
Cobalt 0.55 mg/kg
Iodine 4 mg/kg
Selenium 0.5 mg/kg
Iron 40 mg/kg
Zinc 150 mg/kg
Copper 13 mg/kg

Nutritional Statement
ORIJEN 6 FISH for DOGS is formulated to meet nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for ALL LIFE STAGES.
______________________________________________________________________________

The first three ingredients of this food are named meat products, the latter two of which are in meal form. The first ingredient is meat inclusive of water content (about 80%) and once that is removed it is likely that this ingredient would be more accurately placed somewhat further down the ingredient list (ingredients are listed in order of weight). However, since it is followed by two meat meal ingredients ahead of the carbohydrate content and thereafter by a further meat meal and fresh meat ingredinet, we can have high confidence in the level of meat content of the food. There are further meat (fish) ingredients 5th, 9th, 10th, 12th and 13th on the ingredient list which, although not contributing significantly to the overall meat content, further increases our confidence in the food, as does the macronutrient breakdown.

The food uses salmon oil rather than fat, providing a good source of omega 3 and 6 OFAs.

There are no grains in this food. Potato is the starch content holding it together. There is a range of fruits/vegetables in the food, and a good range of probiotics.

This food is outstanding in that it contains no grains whatsoever. Grains are not a natural part of a canine diet and it is pleasing to see dog foods on the market that exclude grains completely from the diet.

The protein and calcium content of this food may be more suitable for adult dogs, particularly in the case of large breeds.

Information Courtesy of www.dogfoodanalysis.com

Orijen Formulas

2009-09-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

Click any of the formulas below to read the ingredients and descriptions

Orijen Adult

Orijen 6 Fish

Orijen Senior

Dogs that have found balance

2009-09-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

These are some of the dogs who have found balance. These dogs have found balance through fulfillment with exercise, discipline, and joining a pack. These dogs are regular members of a doggy daycare I work at and are assistants in rehabilitating new members of the pack.

Spirit

Timmy

Sophie

Phoenix

Loki

Veda

Nina

Abby

Bugsy

My Training Philosophy

2009-09-12T15:54:00.000-07:00

Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace. - Milan Kundera

"God, grant me the serenity, to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

I believe Proper Leadership is the most important part of a canine and human relationship.
A leader to a dog must always be calm, assertive, fair, respectful, and understanding.
It doesn't take a dog psychologist to be a good leader. A good leader simply sets rules, boundaries, and limitations with expectations of those to be followed through. If these are not followed through discipline needs to happen. If a dog is not given a consequence they will continue with the behavior.

If your "leadership" consist of putting out fires, you are following the fire starters. True leadership is being an example, setting expectations, and minimizing opportunities for conflict.

With that said, My philosophy is using both Dog Psychology methods with dog friendly, positive reward training. I believe in building trusting and respectful relationships between you and your dog and treating dogs as companions and family members. Dogs have a pack mentality and I use that and the methods dogs use with each other, to communicate with the dogs. I use a method that is humane, not harmful, and something the dogs understand.

"Dog are not less than us because they dont understand us, Dogs are just as full of life as us. Just because we dont understand what they are saying doesnt mean they don't have a lot to say." -Maris

"A good dog is made, and maintained throughout its whole life... Not born"

My Mission
* Educate dog owners, enthusiasts, public about dogs, so our community can better understand how to handle them and work with them to improve things instead of throw them away.
* Reduce surrender of pets for behavior issues
* Increase adoption numbers from shelters after rehabilitating problem dogs.
* Clarify and educate dog language to owners
* Enhance canine and human relationships
____________________________________________

From time to time, people tell me, “lighten up, it’s just a dog”, or, “that’s a lot of money for just a dog”. They don’t understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for “just a dog”. Some of my proudest moments have come about with “just a dog”. Many hours have passed and my only company was “just a dog”, but I did not once feel slighted. Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by “just a dog” and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of “just a dog” gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day. If you, too, think it’s “just a dog”, then you will probably understand phases like “just a friend”, “just a sunrise”, or “just a promise”. “Just a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. “Just a dog” brings out the compassion and patience that makes me a better person. Because of “just a dog” I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future. So for me and folks like me, it’s not “just a dog” but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment. “Just a dog” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day. I hope that someday they can understand that it’s not “just a dog” but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “just a human.” So the next time you hear the phrase “just a dog”, just smile, because they “just don’t understand”.

Rehabilitation Program

2009-09-11T19:32:00.000-07:00

This is a program for dogs to find balance. This is a 2 week minimum program the qualified dog must go through. During this 2 weeks the dog will be boarded with me and socialized daily as well as taught structure, respect, discipline, and balance from my very own pack and myself.

The dog will build a bond with me and from there the possibilities are endless.
The dog will be introduced into a pack of balanced dogs to learn how to socialize, play, trust, and be a part of a pack. This rehabilitation program can work on a variety of behavioral issues such as Aggression, Dog Aggression, Leash pulling, Fearful behaviors etc.
Please contact me about what you would like your dog to be rehabilitated with and we can discuss the details.

Happy Stories

This program can be requested but a dog must first be evaluated to ensure the dog can handle and will benefit from this program. The dog must then by request get a full medical check up from their veterinarian to ensure the dog has no health issues that can cause the behaviors being experienced.

If you are interested in this program please fill out a Contact form and you will be contacted via email or you can call or email to confirm you have filled out the form and we can go forward with discussing enrolling your dog.

Please understand, Due to the intensity and level of involvement it takes from me to rehabilitate a dog, I can only do a few at a time.

Boarding Reservation Form

2009-08-11T15:26:00.000-07:00

Contact Form

2009-08-03T15:54:00.000-07:00

Name *
Subject: *
E-mail Address: *
Phone Number *
Physical Address *
Behaviors Struggling with *	Nipping (biting at heels, short quick bite, doesnt draw any or much blood) Biting (clamping down, intended to hurt, drawing blood) Resource Guarding (guarding toys, food, items with snarl and growl) Barking Running away (escapes home, leashes, fences etc.) Chewing Puppy Biting Digging Begging (for food) Leash Pulling Leash Reactivity (pulling, barking, lunging at dogs, cars, cats etc.) Potty Training Issues Marking (raising leg to mark) Separation Anxiety Fence Barking Jumping Dog Aggression Human Aggression Obsessive Behavior (chasing reflections, shadows, lights) Other
How Can I Help you? *


* Required

Amazing Dog Tricks

2009-08-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

this was such a treat to watch, hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Pay ahead of Time

2009-08-01T21:14:00.000-07:00

In Order to pay ahead of time you must have a scheduled appointment to go with your payment. If you have scheduled an appointment with me you will know prior to coming to this payment section what your quoted price is for your service.

By paying ahead of time you agree that you have a scheduled appointment you are paying specifically for. By clicking this you agree and understand that there are no refunds after you finish this payment even if your appointment is canceled.

HomeMade Dog Treats

2009-04-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

This is something that had never crossed my mind until recently. After discovering Veda's allergy to Chicken I was so worried the treats I was offering her had some chicken in it that would cause her to begin itching again. Because of this I ended up reading through the tons of weird and unusual ingredients in dog food. After starting the raw diet, learning more about canine diets and health I was concerned with not only the diet my dogs were eating, but I started thinking I should pay more attention to the treats I give too.

After researching on the internet I quickly learned that making dog treats is VERY simple. A quick Google search comes up with tons of websites with interchangeable ways to make tasty dog treats.

I specifically used this website:

I liked their simple and all natural recipes that were easy to make. The kicker to all of this is that when all said and done and cookies are in the cookie jar.... My dogs wouldn't take their eyes off of me

They were drooling over the smell of these treats and that did it for me. They loved the smell of these treats and gobbled them down. Usually its hard to find a good training treat at you have to buy very smelly and greasy treats to get a dog really interested in a treat. Well I am thankful that not only have I found a treat my dogs go bananas for, I found a treat that's healthy for them and made with love by me!

Different Dog Training Collars

2009-04-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

This Page Is Under Construction! Check Back Soon When Its Finished!
There are many different types of dog collars and training tools to use with dogs of all sizes. I do not recommend any ONE collar because each and every dog varies completely in its temperament, hardness, drive, etc. To find the right collar for your dog I recommend consulting a local trainer or myself to find what will work best for your dog.
Below I will post pictures and information about different dog collars, their purposes, advantages and disadvantages.

Choke Chain AKA "Slip collar"

Martingale AKA "no-slip collar"

Prong Collar AKA "pinch"

Electric Shock Collar

Vibration Collar

No Bark Collar

Dog Fighting 5/21/09

2009-04-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

Everybody knows about dogfighting, and the evils thereof, but not everyone is familiar with an even sicker — if that’s possible — version of the practice known as “trunking.”

As this video report shows, it involves placing two fighting dogs in the trunk of a car, closing it, turning the music up to avoid detection and letting them go at it — either while the car is parked or on a ride. The dog that survives is the winner. The loser’s body is sometimes tossed on the side of the road.

Meet My Dogs

2009-04-15T16:22:00.000-07:00

Veda

Every dog in this world is an inspiration to me but Veda is the one that put it all together for me and created this sense of understanding. She puts everything I know into place and teaches me something new everyday. Without this dog I would be no where close to where I am today. She has shown me a new light to life and brought me out of a darkness I thought would never end. She is the one constant thing in my life. She is there waiting for me when I wake up. She always smiles at me and looks up to me. She thinks I am the best person alive. She would jump through a brick wall just to get to me. She loves me endlessly. She follows me content as ever. She never ditches me, or influences me into unhealthy things. She gets me out of the house. She makes me laugh EVERY day. Shes always willing to give "high fives", or sit at my side and get pets. She is always there to comfort me when I'm feeling down. She truly knows how to appreciate everything. She lives in, for, and about this exact moment and best of all taught me how to do the same.

Loki CGC, TDI, TT

Loki has this presence about him that I find hard to describe to those who haven't met him. He is one of the best dogs I know simply because he knows how to make anyone smile. His life revolves around making others happy, smile, and relax and I adore that about him. He wants nothing more than to give you kisses and get some sort of affection back. He is a true friend and I feel blessed to have him as a part of me. Loki makes rehabilitating dogs all that much easier because his presence is so calming. He is my companion and soul mate when working with aggressive dogs to help get them back to balance. He is a gifted dog with a huge heart, a whole lot of soul, and never ending loyalty. I just wish I could share more of him with the world because he is just that wonderful. Loki is certified as a therapy dog to continue bringing smiles to peoples faces. Loki has helped teach me so much about other dogs I really cannot thank him enough and wish he understood the words "thank you". But I know somewhere in there he knows hes doing a great job and he loves what he does.

Nina BH, CGC, TDI, TT

Nina is the newest addition to my pack. She was adopted from one of my clients who is starting her own rescue. Nina feels like a long lost friend to me. She has the most versatile personality I've ever come across. She can match the energy of most dogs and knows how to act appropriate in all the situations she is faced with. She has this confidence and way of carrying herself that makes everyone feel better about themselves. She has this outgoing and loving personality and everyone falls in love with her when they meet her. She absolutely adores children most of all but loves everyone and thinks everyone loves her too. She really knows how to make someone smile and I just love that about her.

Havoc BH, HIC, CGC

My dogs are amazing teachers and I thank god for them everyday. They are amazing friends, faithful, loyal and loving. I feel so privileged to have them in my life. They are my everything.

Friendly Links

2009-03-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

These are the friendly people and/or businesses who have helped me stand up on my feet with my business Or just links to local places I want to show my appreciation to.

Great place to buy the best dog food in the Kansas City Area! Selling some of my all time favorite brands!
Located at 1030 E. Santa Fe st. Olathe, KS 66061
Visit www.LifeTimePet.Net

Dog Food Analysis
offering dog food reviews, ratings, ingredients, descriptions, and more!

Point Graphics
Clients of mine who I have turned around and become a client of theirs. They have created beautiful work for me making Magnets for my car. I will soon be purchasing some beautiful business cards from them also. They make beautiful work, for affordable prices. Located here in Kansas City.

Good Behavior Dog Training
A dog trainer from Florida and a friend who has helped me with getting started as well as being a mentor

Giggle Bug Boutique
The owners of "Happy Stories" Odo! This site is a great place to find fun hip accessories for you, your family and even your dog!

Missouri German Shepherd Rescue

Dog Information

2009-03-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

The Key to A Happy Dog
An article by me about how to fulfill your dogs needs and have a happy dog and a beautiful relationship

Highly Recommended Dog Diets
Diets I have fed, or do feed that I recommend

Truth About Pet Food
A great website that goes in detail and takes the time to find out the truth and spread the word about the dog food brands we trust with our dogs lives. Visit here to check your dog food and how good it is for your dog, and find out the latest dog food recalls to make sure your dog doesn't get sick!

How to Choose your dog food
Courtesy of a friend who has taken the time to write all about dog foods and how to choose

A Very Informative Video
A Cesar Millan seminar video on Google teaching all the things I teach

A Not So Gentle Leader
An Article about the Gentle Leader and why it shouldn't be used

Have a dog with Allergies?
Different things you can do and try to help your allergy dog find relief!

Periods of Development in Dogs
Information on dogs as they age from birth to 4 years, things to keep in mind when training, as well as proper ways to raise them through these stages.

Different Dog Training Collars
Not all, but most of the dog training collars used by today's trainers.

Long Term Health Effects of Spay and Neutering

The Dog Commandments

Bad Breeders Red Flags
I highly recommend ANYONE and EVERYONE to read this article. It is very important as any dog fanciers, dog lovers, potential puppy buyers etc. To familiarize ourselves with red flags of breeders.
In American we are accidentally supporting the breeding of unhealthy, poor examples of our favorite breeds.
Please read this, to learn more about puppy mills and Back yard breeders to know when to say no to a puppy because you refuse to support their poor morals.

NEWS

2009-03-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

11/12/11 CONGRATULATIONS to Havoc earning his BH and his SG rating!

04/10/11 Havoc Earned his CGC (Canine Good Citizen) & HIC (Herding Instinct Certification)

10/16/10 DOGTOBER FEST

For The Dogs Training will be at the Lawrence Dogtober fest with our own booth holding Canine Good Citizen testing for the event

09/04/2010Congratulations to Maris and Nina earning their BH!!

02/19/2010- CONGRATULATIONS to Loki and Nina with For The Dogs Training on their new certification as Therapy Dogs!

11/01/09 Launching For The Dogs Collars by Maris
check out collars by Maris to customize and order your own collar today!
http://www.forthedogstraining.com/2009/10/personal-collars-by-maris.html

10/18/09 Congratulations Nina!!
Nina passed her Canine Good Citizen test and got her CGC Certification 4 months after her adoption day! I am so proud of Miss Nina! She passed with flying colors and stole the hearts of everyone there!

10/17/09
For The Dogs Training will be at Dogtober fest assisting the Missouri German Shepherd Rescue with their tent set up, socializing the dogs in need of homes and giving information.

6/06/09
For The Dogs will be building private kennels on private property to help board dogs for local rescues. I am super excited to get this started and I will be able to offer boarding and training for a limited amount of dogs. I also just purchased an SUV for lugging the dogs around in the car since I will be adopting a dog soon and need more room! Lots of new additions and exciting things for "For The Dogs Training"!

ATTENTION Clients!
I will be out of town for my Birthday June 4th-11th So I will not be scheduling any clients between those dates. Before and after are okay! Just a heads up!

5/20 - 5/21
Enjoyed working with No More Homeless Pets KC with Kate Quigley. We caught a stray pregnant lab and got her spayed and aborted the puppies. Catching her was a HUGE hassle but we finally got her!
Kate under the porch of a house trying to retrieve the stray!

Its sad to see the conditions some of the animals are kept in, in that neighborhood. Its also sad that some people need to babysat to make sure their animals get sufficient care. NMHPKC is working hard and I commend them for what they do. Its not only physically draining but emotionally draining too!

5/18/09
Onto the "Externship" program of my Animal Behavior College curriculum. I have a trainer in my area who graduated from Animal Behavior College. I am exited to work with him. I will be shadowing him during two of his classes and volunteering at Wayside Waifs!
Can't wait to finish college and get my certificate and continue helping all these great dogs and families!

5/16/09 The site might get changed around a little bit as far as color coordination and such. I am currently editing things to get the best look possible for it. Also check out my new header! Courtesy of a friend who turned Veda into a cartoon! I am super excited about that I really like the way it turned out!

4/5/09 Congratulations Loki!

Loki, just a day past 8 months, passed his Canine Good Citizen test on the 4th of April at the AKC dog show in Wichita, KS. I am so proud of my little man!

Cuz I'm a Pitbull 4/22

2009-03-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

Found this video on youtube.com I loved it so I figured I would share it with all of you!

Maggie The Pit Bull

2009-03-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

Fall in love with Maggie, like me and everyone else in her life have.
This is the dog Kansas Kiss-a-bull threatened to euthanize because she is "human and dog aggressive"

Maggie the pit bull struggles with some dog aggression. She gets over excited and when another dog is excited she tries to correct them and starts a fight because she corrects them with unbalanced energy. She does fantastic with dogs when everything is calm or when they energy level is playful and matches hers exactly. She doesn't exactly know how to be a dog, and is insecure about things. I am now rehabilitating her and I will try to continue to upload videos of Maggie's progress as I work with her. Kansas Kiss a Bull got a hold of Maggie briefly and claims she is human aggressive and threatened to euthanize her despite the promises to Maggie's owners, no harm would come to her. Maggie's owners are now waiting for the right time to enlist Maggie in my boarding program to have her learn how to be a dog again with a calm submissive pack of mine.

you can visit and check out real time updates about her and other dogs I am rehabilitating here: http://twitter.com/Forthedogsrehab
Maggie is already doing beautifully with the training every week with Jane. She has become best buds with a puppy named Jilly.

With sufficient exercise everyday Maggie's aggression completely disappears because it stems from frustration, not dislike of dogs.
After walks a whole level of energy is taken off of her and she relaxes and turns into a much more enjoyable and HAPPY dog. Really all she needs is a structured exercise plan and someone who knows how to handle her.
When her owners come to visit they practice all of the methods I have taught them and Maggie is finally understanding that life needs to stay calm now :)

The ultimate goal with Maggie is to make her an ambassador for the breed if she is willing to go that far. We would like to get her a Canine Good Citizen certification and have her help prove to the world that pit bulls and ALL dogs can be rehabilitated from aggression.

Maggie touches the hearts of everyone around her and she has taught us all so much. She continues to have this presence about her that we all are drawn too.

Maggie playing with Nina another pitbull
you can see how well Maggie is coming along with her behavior modification. this play would have been impossible without the huge obstacles we have overcome with her. I had a HUGE smile on this whole time they were playing. this is just such a beautiful thing to see after knowing what Maggie was like previously

Discipline VS. Punishment 4/19

2009-03-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

These two are constantly mistaken for one another and misused with dogs. When owning a dog you must set rules, boundaries, and limitations with discipline.
But more often than not people decide to use punishment as a way to discipline the dog.
For example: slapping the dog on the rear end, shoving its face into its own feces when it potties in the house etc.

These are not proper ways to deal with a dog. One thing you must understand about dogs in order to properly handle them is they live in the moment. This means that when a dog potties in the house, if you do not catch the dog in the act and correct it or redirect it outside the dog will not understand what its being punished for. So then the argument comes up "My dog knows when he did something wrong, he lowers his head and crawls to me begging for mercy or runs away"
This is a HUGE sign of submission in dogs. This is a way to gain approval from a dog or show it means no threat. This is the only way dogs have to communicate so they continue to use this language with us. The dog may begin to associate eating in the garbage means I need to lower my head because my owner gets very angry and wacks me. When hitting a dog, or punishing a dog when in this submissive posture and state of mind you are essentially ruining the spirit of your dog and teaching it that submission is wrong. This is one of the most important communication tools a dog needs, to be dominant or submissive, to take that away is like taking away a spoken language from a child. That child will eventually become confused, and have absolutely no way to relate to any of its kind. The dog will stop trusting you and listen and cooperate with you out of fear. The dog will develop negative associations and possibly begin aggression with you, or other humans, or even other dogs because it has no way to relate anymore and has negative associations with many many things.
A being cooperating out of fear is one of the worst ways to get what you want. It is also not a relationship. The dog will never connect with you on a primal level because it cannot trust your being.
Proper ways to discipline your dog is by using the same language dogs use with one another. There is no pain involved in this simply calm assertive energy and small tactics to gain what you want from the dog as well as keeping the dogs trust and respect in you. Please consult a professional for proper ways to discipline your dog and keep a trusting and loving relationship with your dog.

Woofs & Wags my friends
Stay calm and assertive!
-Maris

The Stable

2009-03-17T17:12:00.000-07:00

One with my German shepherds in there to see the size of the stall

Nothing In Life Is Free Explanation

2009-03-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

The NILIF program is remarkable because it's effective for such a wide variety of problems. A shy, timid dog becomes more relaxed knowing that he has nothing to worry about, his owner is in charge of all things. A dog that's pushing too hard to become "top dog" learns that the position is not available and that his life is far more enjoyable without the title.

It is equally successful with dogs that fall anywhere between those two extremes. The program is not difficult to put into effect and it's not time consuming if the dog already knows a few basic obedience commands. I've never seen this technique fail to bring about a positive change in behavior, however, the change can be more profound in some dogs than others. Most owners use this program in conjunction with other behavior modification techniques such as coping with fear or treatment for aggression. It is a perfectly suitable technique for the dog with no major behavior problems that just needs some fine tuning.

I personally recommend NILIF to ALL dogs, behavior problems or not, I think this is how dogs should be treated to give them a sense of purpose and a place to be in the pack with your family. This is a great way to PREVENT behavioral issues.

Where to start?

ATTENTION ON DEMAND
The program begins by eliminating attention on demand. When your dog comes to you and nudges your hand, saying "pet me! pet me!" ignore her. Don't tell her "no", don't push her away. Simply pretend you don't notice her. This has worked for your dog before, so don't be surprised if she tries harder to get your attention. When she figures out that this no longer works, she'll stop. In a pack situation, the top ranking dogs can demand attention from the lower ranking ones, not the other way around. When you give your dog attention on demand you're telling them that they have more status in the pack than you do. Timid dogs become stressed by having this power and may become clingy. They're never sure when you'll be in charge so they can't relax. What if something scary happens, like a stranger coming in the house? Who will handle that? The timid dog that is demanding of attention can be on edge a lot of the time because he has more responsibility than he can handle. When a timid, or dog clearly not meant to be leader is forced to be leader by your lack of involvement, your dog will handle it themselves. If this happens to be a fearful dog this can end up as a behavioral issue while your dog handles it in an inappropriate way.

Some dogs see their ability to demand attention as confirmation that they are the "alpha", then become difficult to handle when told to "sit" or "down" or some other demand is placed on them. It is not their leadership status that stresses them out, it's the lack of consistency. They may or may not actually be alpha material, but having no one in the pack that is clearly the leader is a bigger problem than having the dog assume that role full time. Dogs are happiest when the pack order is stable. Tension is created by a constant fluctuation of pack leadership.

EXTINCTION BURSTS
Your dog already knows that he can demand your attention and he knows what works to get that to happen. As of today, it no longer works, but he doesn't know that yet. We all try harder at something we know works when it stops working. If I gave you a twenty dollar bill every time you clapped your hands together, you'd clap a lot. But, if I suddenly stopped handing you money, even though you were still clapping, you'd clap more and clap louder. You might even get closer to me to make sure I was noticing that you were clapping. You might even shout at me "Hey! I'm clapping like crazy over here, where's the money?". If I didn't respond at all, in any way, you'd stop. It wasn't working anymore. That last try -- that loud, frequent clapping is an extinction burst. If, however, during that extinction burst, I gave you another twenty dollar bill you'd be right back in it. It would take a lot longer to get you to stop clapping because you just learned that if you try hard enough, it will work.

When your dog learns that the behaviors that used to get him your attention don't work any more he's going to try harder and he's going to have an extinction burst. If you give him attention during that time you will have to work that much harder to get him turned around again. Telling him "no" or pushing him away is not the kind of attention he's after, but it's still attention. Completely ignoring him will work faster and better.

YOU HAVE THE POWER
As the human and as his owner you have control of all things that are wonderful in his life. This is the backbone of the NILIF program. You control all of the resources. Playing, attention, food, walks, going in and out of the door, going for a ride in the car, going to the dog park. Anything and everything that your dog wants comes from you. If he's been getting most of these things for free there is no real reason for him to respect your leadership or your ownership of these things. Again, a timid dog is going to be stressed by this situation, a pushy dog is going to be difficult to handle. Both of them would prefer to have you in charge.

To implement the NILIF program you simply have to have your dog earn his use of your resources. He's hungry? No problem, he simply has to sit before his bowl is put down. He wants to play fetch? Great! He has to "down" before you throw the ball. Want to go for a walk or a ride? He has to sit to get his lead snapped on and has to sit while the front door is opened. He has to sit and wait while the car door is opened and listen for the word (I use "OK") that means "get into the car". When you return he has to wait for the word that means "get out of the car" even if the door is wide open. Don't be too hard on him. He's already learned that he can make all of these decisions on his own. He has a strong history of being in control of when he gets these resources. Enforce the new rules, but keep in mind that he's only doing what he's been taught to do and he's going to need some time to get the hang of it all.

You're going to have to pay attention to things that you probably haven't noticed before. If you feed your dog from your plate do you just toss him a green bean? No more. He has to earn it. You don't have to use standard obedience commands, any kind of action will do. If your dog knows "shake" or "spin around" or "speak" use those commands. Does your dog sleep on your bed? Teach him that he has to wait for you to say "OK" to get on the bed and he has to get down when you say "off". Teach him to go to his bed, or other designated spot, on command. When he goes to his spot and lays down tell him "stay" and then release him with a treat reward. Having a particular spot where he stays is very helpful for when you have guests or otherwise need him out of the way for a while. It also teaches him that free run of the house is a resource that you control. There are probably many things that your dog sees as valuable resources that I haven't mentioned here.

The NILIF program should not be a long, drawn out process. All you need to do is enforce a simple command before allowing him access to what he wants. Dinner, for example, should be a two or three second encounter that consists of nothing more than saying "sit", then "good dog!", then putting the bowl down and walking away.

ATTENTION AND PLAY
Now that your dog is no longer calling the shots you will have to make an extra effort to provide him with attention and play time. Call him to you, have him "sit" and then lavish him with as much attention as you want. Have him go get his favorite toy and play as long as you both have the energy. The difference is that now you will be the one initiating the attention and beginning the play time. He's going to depend on you now, a lot more than before, to see that he gets what he needs. What he needs most is quality time with you. This would be a good time to enroll in a group obedience class. If his basic obedience is top notch, see about joining an agility class or fly ball team.

NILIF DOES *NOT* MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO RESTRICT THE AMOUNT OF ATTENTION YOU GIVE TO YOUR DOG. The NILIF concept speaks to who initiates the attention (you!), not the amount of attention. Go ahead and call your dog to you 100 times a day for hugs and kisses!! You can demand his attention, he can no longer demand yours!

Within a day or two your dog will see you in a whole new light and will be eager to learn more. Use this time to teach new things, such as 'roll over' or learn the specific names of different toys.

If you have a shy dog, you'll see a more relaxed dog. There is no longer any reason to worry about much of anything. He now has complete faith in you as his protector and guide. If you have a pushy dog he'll be glad that the fight for leadership is over and his new role is that of devoted and adored pet.

Petsitting / Dog Walking/ Boarding

2009-03-09T20:20:00.000-07:00

Services & Prices:
Pet services
(Prices can increase when multiple animals are included in visits)
15 minute visit -$10 - This can be personalized to your liking. It can be a quick potty break, quick feeding then some quick attention to your pet, or a quick administering of medication.
30 minute visit -$15 - This can be personalized to your liking. I can spend 30 minutes playing in your back yard with your pup, letting him/her out to potty, or feeding him his breakfast/lunch/dinner and then spend some time keeping him company. It is totally up to you.
30-60 minute walk -$18 - This is a good way to exercise your dog while you are expecting a long day at work or just want some regular exercise while you are away. you can request just a nice walk, or a fast paced or even jog with the dog to wear it out a little more. You must specify how long you want the walk for.
Administration of medicine -this can be included in the price with the "15 or 30 minute visit"
Litter box cleaning - this can be included in the prices with the "15 or 30 minute visit"
Overnight -staying at your house with your pets in the environment they are comfortable with. They get the most individual attention, as well as make sure your house is supervised and taken care of while you are away.
(please call for a price quote)

House services
Other services I can include in a visit to help care for your animals while you are out of town or even just at work
-Carrying trash in/out
-Personal updates and notes
-Bringing in newspapers/mail
-Watering plants or flowers
-Alternating lights
-Opening/closing blinds

Call or E-mail now to find out availability for a date. Times and dates limited so schedule ahead of time to ensure you get a spot!

Behind The Breed 3/23

2009-03-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

In the '70s they blamed Dobermans, in the '80s they blamed German shepherds, in the '90s they blamed the Rottweiler. Now they blame the pit bull.

There is absolutely nothing more inaccurate then the assumption and blaming of a particular breed for a specific behavior. More often than not, its blaming a breed for having aggressive tendencies. To put it simply, aggression is not a behavior occurring naturally in the wild. It does appear, but not for the same reason it does when a dog is with humans, and certainly not to the level it reaches with humans. When viewing a pack of wolves, a common observation is lots of teeth and biting and everyone thinks that is aggression. To label that as aggression is like labeling a mother and father telling their kid to behave is abusive. Dogs have a different way of dealing with things and that is manipulating things with their mouth. Some of these actions can appear vicious and it would obviously hurt a human if practiced with them. But in reality that is the way the dog deals with things and makes rules known.
Aggression occurs when dogs live with humans and their needs are not fulfilled. When the dog is improperly socialized it becomes fearful of unknown things and will defend its self and its pack against these new things. When us humans take dogs into our homes we are accepting a huge responsibility and with that we need to learn what all of that requires.
One of the most important parts of acquiring a puppy is socialization. This is EXTREMELY important because you are the dogs gateway to this world. Puppies should be exposed to everything you can possibly expose them too, and it must be handled in the most appropriate way so the dog learns how to properly deal with situations.
One of the biggest mistakes us humans make, is sharing affection at the wrong time.
When your dog acts fearful you must react the way you expect your dog to react. If your dog runs from the bag on the ground just act like its nothing. If we coddle the dog, pet it and hug it the dog will feel this state of mind (being scared of this item) is the way to deal with this situation and will continue to react the same way. Creating a fearful dog.
This can happen with ANY breed. It often happens to the smaller breeds but because of their size, the aggression is not addressed properly and not worked on as seriously as you would HAVE to with a large breed.

Dogs can also become aggressive because lack of proper leadership. When a dog is living with humans, is never exercised, never practices calm submissive personality, and is always allowed to dominate its humans, it will become neurotic.
Having a dog means another being to fulfill. Although its easy to humanize our dogs, add human emotions and human thoughts to them, and treat them like a child, they still have their doggie needs. We can easily ignore these but some breeds and even just some personality types in dogs NEED this exercise. Dogs will find their own way to exercise themselves and we humans usually don't appreciate the ways they do this.
-Digging -Barking -Acting crazy in the house etc.

The dog will begin to get frustrated and it will build up. So then when you DO decide to take your dog for a walk, lack of exercise coupled with lack of handling will lead to a dog yanking you around your neighborhood until YOU'RE tired.

Once you start respecting your dog and its needs the dog will respect you.
With that respect you can achieve anything with your dog.
This will also avoid any aggression possibilities with your dog. Larger more powerful breeds, and more wolf like breeds can obviously do the most damage. When a person doesn't properly fulfill their dogs needs these large breeds doing the most damage when unbalanced make the news. Its VERY important you practice calm assertive energy with your dog and return asking your dog to practice calm submissive energy while also fulfilling all of your dogs needs. With that you will receive RESPECT from your dog. To ban a breed is ignorant. What we should focus on is more ethical treatment of dogs, including education on how to properly handle dogs and better understanding of dogs behavior to achieve a better relationship with our dogs.

The important thing to remember here, is that its not the breed, its how YOU raise it.
How your dog ends up is YOUR doing.

Woofs & Wags
Maris

Critical Periods Of Development

2009-03-08T08:40:00.000-07:00

Keep in mind all dogs are different and these age periods can vary between each individual dog

Birth to 7 weeks- It is essential that a puppy remain with its mother and litter mates during this period. The puppy learns many lessons from its mother and siblings that humans cannot duplicate. He/she learns that they are a dog. He/she learns body language while playing with litter mates and learns to accept authority and leadership from his mother. Puppies removed too early from this environment may be more prone to biting, display fearful behavior, and may be less responsive to discipline. They may also have greater difficulty in communicating and getting along with other dogs.

7 to 12 weeks- This is an ideal time to bring a puppy to its new home. This is the "Period of Socialization". A puppy should be introduced to as many things as possible during this period that will be important to his/her future. For example, introduce him/her to horses if you expect him/her to someday run along with you while you ride. Other items to consider include; the vacuum cleaner, a hair dryer, and the lawn mower. Let him/her first inspect these items while they are turned off! Also let your puppy meet all kinds of people wearing different types of clothes, uniforms, floppy hats, suits, dresses, sunglasses, etc. Parks are a good place to do this type of socialization.

8 to 11 weeks- This is your puppy’s "Fear Imprint Period". Traumatic events he/she experiences now will have a more lasting effect than at any other age in life. Make a trip to the veterinarian at this age a pleasant experience. Offer puppy treats, let the doctor offer him treats, and take along a favorite toy. Be sure the puppy is not frightened by other animals in the clinic and be sure he does not fall from the examination table. Offer lots of praise and petting for desirable behavior, but avoid sympathizing when your puppy shows fear. Avoid ELECTIVE surgical procedures at this time.

In general, try to avoid any situations that your puppy finds stressful or frightening during this period, but continue to train and socialize in a stress-free, fun manner.

12 to 16 weeks- At this age, He/she will begin losing teeth, testing your leadership, and chewing more intensely. Any test of your authority at this age should be settled immediately to your satisfaction. Structured training, if not already in progress, should begin now.

These first three stages of development are usually the same for all puppies, regardless of breed or size. The ages of the next periods may vary according to breed size. Larger breeds develop more slowly during the first year, so they may experience the various stages later than a small breed.

4 to 6 months- Your puppy will really test the waters at this age. He/she will venture farther away from you, and may not come when called. In fact, he/she may run the opposite direction! This period is often called the "Flight Instinct Period". Taking your puppy away from home without a leash attached could be pure folly now. Without a leash, you put your puppy in a position of authority. How you handle your puppy’s "flight instinct" at this age will determine to a great extent how the puppy responds to your commands in the future.

6 to 14 months- This period is known as the "Second Fear Period", but is not as well defined as the prior fear period. During this teenage time, your puppy will show fear of familiar things for no known reason. Be patient through your puppy’s teenage time, don’t force him to do something that he finds frightening. Continue training, as your leadership can be a source of reassurance to him/her now.

1 to 4 years- This period is most often marked by a renewed testing of your leadership and an increase in aggression. A dog that has been overly friendly may become a good watchdog, barking when people approach the door. Two dogs who were once best friends, may fight now whenever they are together.

Continued training will help keep you in the leadership spot. If you find strong behavior problems do develop, do some reading or get in touch with an experienced trainer for help.

Introducing A new dog to the pack

2009-03-07T12:53:00.000-08:00

Thinking of adding a new pack member to your family?

Before doing this you have to think about how you will affect the pack. Although many people accomplish bringing a new pack member home very easily with no issues, this is not always the case. When a dog in your home must re assert itself over the new pack member to establish where they both stand in the pack, this can lead to fights. You must also understand that some of the ways dogs establish themselves in the pack is through some things that don't look so friendly to us humans.
Bringing a professional along when picking out a family member to help find the best dog right for your home is a very smart choice when picking out a new family member.
Also Bringing a professional to your home to explain the odd behaviors your dog and new member will exhibit when getting used to each other. Its important to know what is normal behaviors and what is unacceptable in dog language and should be corrected.

I offer this service of coming to your home or joining you at the shelter to help you pick out the dog that is right for your family and pack.
An evaluation of your current dog or dogs is required in order to find the best fit for your family

Consultation: $20 -This is to ask you and your family what kind of dog you are expecting and what energy level your dog is so we can best match it
Depending on your location prices can vary. So e-mail me and tell me the service you are looking for and location and I would be glad to send you a quote.

PetLand Faces Lawsuits!!

2009-03-07T10:25:00.000-08:00

Petland Faces Class Action Lawsuit for Peddling Unhealthy Puppy Mill Dogs in at Least 20 states
PHOENIX (March 17, 2009) — Members of The Humane Society of the United States and other consumers filed a class action lawsuit alleging that Petland, Inc. and the Hunte Corporation are conspiring to sell unhealthy puppy mill puppies to unsuspecting consumers in numerous states. Petland is the nation’s largest chain of pet stores that sells puppy mill dogs and Hunte is one of the country’s largest distributors of factory-produced puppies.
The lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Phoenix late Monday, alleges that Petland and Hunte violated federal law and numerous state consumer protection laws by misleading thousands of consumers across the country into believing that the puppies sold in Petland stores are healthy and come from high-quality breeders. Many of the puppies sold by Petland come either directly from puppy mills or puppy brokers such as Hunte, which operates as a middleman between the mills and Petland’s retail stores.
“Unscrupulous dog dealers like Petland and Hunte reap massive profits by pushing unhealthy puppies on well-intentioned dog-lovers who would never knowingly buy a puppy mill dog,” said Jonathan Lovvorn, vice president & chief counsel for Animal Protection Litigation at The HSUS. “Families often bear the great expense of veterinary treatment for sick and unhealthy dogs, or the terrible anguish of losing a beloved family pet. This industry has been systematically lying to consumers for years about the source of the dogs they sell, and it’s long past time for a reckoning.”
The class action lawsuit is the result of many months of investigative and legal research, and comes after an eight-month investigation into Petland stores by The HSUS that demonstrated a direct link between multiple Petland stores and unscrupulous puppy mills. Numerous other reports have also surfaced of Petland’s allegedly deceptive sales practices, including the marketing and sale of puppies with life-threatening genetic defects and highly contagious parasitic and viral infections.
The 34-page complaint includes numerous examples of sick or dying puppies that Petland sold, including:
Mainerd, a Boston terrier, was diagnosed with a congenital spinal condition. Some of her vertebrae have not formed completely while others have fused together causing tissue to grow underneath along with possible nerve damage. Mainerd is now receiving steroid treatments for her ailments and may require expensive surgery.
Minchy, a miniature pinscher, was sold by Petland at 10 weeks old. He was immediately diagnosed with coccidian, an intestinal parasite that causes diarrhea and weight loss. Minchy was also diagnosed with an inherited disorder, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, which will ultimately lead to permanent blindness.
Tucker was sold at four months old. The bloodhound puppy experienced severe separation anxiety and various health problems before developing orbital cancer at only 7 months of age.
Patrick, a Pomeranian puppy, was sold at three months old. He suffered from diarrhea and vomiting shortly after arriving at his new home. At 11 months old, Patrick was diagnosed with a genetic disorder, dual luxating patellas, which will require expensive surgery on both of his knees to correct.
Puppy mills are mass breeding operations where the health of dogs is disregarded in order to maintain a low overhead and maximize profits. The dogs are often kept in wire cages, stacked on top of each other, with no exercise, socialization, veterinary care, or loving human interaction. They are treated not like family pets, but like a cash crop. Petland denies it supports these substandard breeding facilities, and claims to follow “Humane Care Guidelines” developed in conjunction with the USDA. However, USDA recently informed HSUS in writing that it has no record of any such guidelines.
The class plaintiffs are being represented in the case by Saltz Mongeluzzi Barrett & Bendesky, PC; Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, LLC; Garen Meguerian, Esq. and lawyers in The HSUS’s Animal Protection Litigation section. The suit requests a jury trial on behalf of the consumer class plaintiffs, and seeks reimbursement of the puppies’ purchase price along with compensation for all related monetary damages for the class members.
To learn more about puppy mills, visit humanesociety.org/stoppuppymills. A multi-media release is also available.
Media Contacts:
Loraine Miscavage: 301-258-1483; lmiscavage@humanesociety.org
Heather Sullivan: 301-548-7778; hsullivan@humanesociety.org
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization — backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.
The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20037
humanesociety.org
Celebrating Animals, Confronting Cruelty

Also see this article

ITS ABOUT TIME WE SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PLACE

Nothing In Life Is Free

2009-03-06T21:14:00.000-08:00

This training lesson is used for dogs with dominance issues. But I recommend this practice with EVERY dog. I use this lesson for owners who are looking to gain control of their dog.
I use this as a BASE for rehabilitating out of control dogs with severe issues.
Please review the Are YOU the pack leader? questionnaire to find out if you need to use the nothing in life is free training with you and your pup. Becoming a pack leader is a 24 hours a day 7 days a week job you need to practice.

How It Works :
This is a minimum two lesson class. This is taught privately in your home where I personalize all of the methods and routines to you and your dogs lives. I will teach you how to gain control of your home again. This method is basically making the dog WORK for everything it receives.

Dogs get bored without a job and sometimes become neurotic and obsessive and find their own jobs. Often times these jobs are not pleasant for the owners. A part of responsible dog ownership is fulfilling the dogs needs. All a dog asks for is leadership, exercise, and food to eat. When a dog receives this the dog can practice a calm submissive personality which is a balanced dog. To give you an example of a calm submissive dog, look at a service dog for the disabled. That state of mind is not achieved through training per say, as much as it is through fulfilling the dogs needs.
Check out my page "The Key To A Happy Dog" to learn more about creating a happy dog and fulfilling their needs.
Things that pack leadership training helps with:
-Leash Pulling
-Jumping
-Bolting out the door
-Disrespecting your space (begging for food, pushing on you)
-Demanding things (barking at you for play, biting at you for attention)
-Aggressive behaviors
-Resource Guarding (growling at you, another human or another dog when approaching while the dog has a possession)

This is totally applicable to EVERY dog as EVERY dog is eager to be a calm submissive pack member.

Price:
Call or e-mail me to get a quote for your area. Prices can vary depending on the behaviors your are dealing with. Obviously a more severe case can take more time then the expected 2 sessions for pack leader training.

Have a dog with Allergies?

2009-03-06T20:07:00.000-08:00

Are you dealing with excessive itching? Hot spots? ripping out fur?
Is it getting SO bad that your dogs ears have scratches in them and your dog is loosing fur?

Here are some different products worth checking out for your allergy dog.

Neem Products

Homemade Dog Treats

Are you the pack leader?

2009-03-05T19:35:00.000-08:00

"True leadership is being an example, setting expectations (with rules, boundaries and limitations), and minimizing opportunities for conflict."

We often read articles, watch shows, read books and everything talks about being the pack leader of your dog. Sometimes they never go into full explanation on how to tell if you really are the pack leader. So here is a little questionnaire for you to see if you are the pack leader.

______________________________________________________________

Are YOU the pack leader? » Quiz School

_______________________________________________________________

If you answered yes to ANY of these questions and if you answered yes to more than one then you are probably not in charge of your house hold. It is Never too late to change things around. The best thing about dogs is they are always willing to take leadership and go back to balance. That is why its so much easier to rehabilitate them.

Dogs are always willing to take leadership, in fact they prefer it. When a dog gives up leadership to another dog or a human, you can see a whole level of tension off their shoulders and they can FINALLY relax. A calm submissive dog is a well balanced and HAPPY dog
Being the pack leader requires fulfilling the dog in all of their lives. A pack leader keeps a consistent schedule and asks the dog to work for everything.

Check out my Pack Leader Training lesson!

If you would like to be the leader of your dog give me a call or drop an e-mail and let me know and we can work out a plan to help you regain control of your home!
Learn how to finally control your dog and talk to your dog in ways THEY understand.
Using Dog Psychology not Human Psycology

Neem Products

2009-03-04T07:09:00.000-08:00

My dog has bad allergies. We have recently discovered she is allergic to chicken and possibly an environment allergy. I have done lots of research on allergies in hopes of finding a quick one time cure to help Veda with her itchies. Sadly there is no quick fix to this. Because of her chicken allergy its very likely she is also allergic to all fowl; Duck, Turkey etc.
Anyone who has a dog with allergies understands my frustration in dealing with this.
A wonderful client who also experienced these allergy problems with their dog recommended a product called "Neem".

Here is an article on it.
Neem Skin Care Products

I received this product and have begun giving it to my dogs daily. I have noticed less itching, fur growing back, and shedding. I mention shedding because my dog stopped shedding since she was already itching out all the fur she would have been shedding. So to see shedding, as weird as it is to say, is a good thing.

If you have used this product or just tried it and have had good or bad experiences PLEASE send me an e-mail of your experience with it so I can post it on this page to help inform others.

Volunteering & Rescue

2009-03-01T20:26:00.000-08:00

Please before considering re homing your dog for undesirable behaviors, consider the option of rehabilitation and training to give it the structure and leadership its begging for.

I am working on my own rescuing an occasional dog, rehabilitating it, then finding the perfect forever home for them. If you are interested in a dog being fostered by me contact me to find out more about the dog. I will post personal pages for each dog I have rescued and is currently looking for a home as well as dogs who are now with their forever home to see happy stories.
If you have a dog that you would like me to foster or even come to your facility to work with there daily as volunteer please e-mail me the story of this dog and the issues its having. Then we can set up a meeting for me to meet the dog and see if it fits the criteria for me to work with it on my own and find it a home.

My Foster Dog
See who I am volunteering to rehabilitate and find a home for now!

Happy Stories!
Dogs I have found a home for and/or rehabilitated, and their happy stories!

Why Choose a Personal Training Lesson?

2009-03-01T16:00:00.000-08:00

An obedience class with more than one student and dog is a fantastic way to socialize your dog and teach you great information on your dog as well as teaching obedience.
Although this is a great learning environment, some people need a more personalized experience. Some dogs may have unusual behavioral issues that need to be directly addressed and a class environment cannot provide that.
Personal training is an alternative to class training. The advantages of it are; personalized class to fit the goals of you in your home, using your home environment to establish all the great training and positive reinforcement in your home where your dog is comfortable, curtailing any bad behaviors your dog is exhibiting at home. In the home a private trainer can explain and answer all of your questions specific to you and work out plans for your dog. Private trainers are flexible and work with you around your work schedule to ensure you are always available for class. Although rescheduling at short notice isn't encouraged, when given a proper amount of notice the trainer is always willing to make sure you are available and open to rescheduling. With a set time and date for a class, unexpected changes can happen, and missing out on a class is never good. It can set back the training with your dog and the class isn't willing to wait for you to catch up. You end up paying for a class you never attended and loose out on your money.
Private training helps avoid that for you. If your concern is the lack of socialization without a class environment, have no worries. There are many opportunities for you to socialize your dog with different situations. Any good trainer is always pushing tons of positive socialization at parks, stores, car rides, walks etc. Now there are even day cares dedicated to the socialization of dogs, Focusing on dogs being dogs with each other.

If private Training sounds like the direction to go with your dog, check out my Private In-home Lessons
Basic Obedience
Advanced Obedience
Canine Good Citizen Preparation (must be a public setting)

My Foster Dog

2009-02-28T20:35:00.000-08:00

I am currently rehabilitating:

no foster rehabilitation at the moment

Please contact me if you have a dog you would like me to foster and rehabilitate
___________________________________________________________________________________
I truely take each and every case personally and try my best to make everything work between the owner and dog. I care about these dogs and I am commited to sharing my knowledge for a better understanding of responsible dog ownership.

If you have a dog you would like to give to me to rehabilitate and/or find a new home for, please e-mail me with each and every detail you know about the dog. I will get back to you ASAP and we can work out something for the dog

Happy Stories

2009-02-27T20:45:00.000-08:00

Rubin now Odo

Rubin a beautiful 9 month old giant schnauzer, was a regular member of a local doggie day care I worked at. He was a little trouble maker but when he came to the doggie day care and spent a few hours with me he was more than willing to take the guidance of a pack leader. I found out that the owners were moving and could no longer keep Rubin. I took this into personal interest and found Rubin a wonderful and loving forever home with the Hodges family. The owners of Giggle Bug Boutique. I am so happy to hear Rubin, now Odo is enjoying his new family, and taking kindly to proper leadership. I am so happy to hear updates from his family and love getting pictures from them with how happy they are!

We love him…he’s definitely family now! We honestly can’t imagine not having this big booger in our lives. We just love him so much! And we are eternally grateful to you for finding us for him!!!!
-The Hodges Pack

Gypsy & Shadow

Gypsy and Shadow struggled with some minor aggression issues with strangers coming on their property and dogs passing by, They also barked excessively at passing loud vehicles. Gypsy got himself into some trouble when he acted aggressively towards a child who bothered him. After "doggy jail" being quarantined, his mommy & daddy had quite the change waiting for him back home. The Stanfield's got some pack leader training and learned how to better control their dogs and prevent the negative behaviors their dogs were exhibiting. He took beautifully to proper leadership, him and Shadow are now balanced calm submissive pack members! A very happy ending for this loving family!

yup; the the kind of radical we love associating with, you are a wonderful dog trainer, your love of animals, and common sense of direction, are and should be accepted by ALL! we thank you. love and peace.
-The Stanfield Pack

Valentino AKA Valley

Valley's owners adopted Valley after he was hit by a car. They quickly discovered an odd behavior issue Valley had. They aren't sure whether it was brought on by the accident with the car, or if the accident with the car was caused because of his obsession. Valley had an issue with lunging, snarling and barking at any car that passed by on a walk. His owners struggled to keep control of him while he tried to attack the cars. He would viciously bark and smash himself at the window in the house to get to them, and even bark at them while he was riding in the car.
After working with Valley and his owners and showing them how to give corrections and show him that behavior was unacceptable and that they had it under control, Vally began to relax around cars. Valley has shown HUGE improvements using my techniques and doesn't respond to cars on walks anymore.

Maggie
click Maggie's name to go to her page and learn more

Maggie the pitbull struggles with some dog aggression. She gets over excited and when another dog is excited she tries to correct them and starts a fight because she corrects them with unbalanced energy. She does fantasic with dogs when everything is calm or when they energy level is playful and matches hers exactly. She doesnt exactly know how to be a dog, and is insecure about things. I am now rehabilitating her and I will try to continue to upload videos of Maggies progress as I work with her. I must say so far she is coming along BEAUTIFULLY and I am so proud of her!

I just want to thank you for being willing to teach me what you know. It has helped me tremendously both with the dogs and in my personal life, and that is a credit to your skills as a trainer.
-Jane

Ally

With just the few things we went over, I am starting to get Ally back. She is calmer around me and is paying more attention. I am no longer arguing with her over sit and wait. She knows the commands and is now giving them when asked. Maybe it is me who has changed or Ally or both, either way thank you.
My boyfriend thinks I'm crazy but is willing to see what happens. Hey, he can't complain. Ally came back with one come at the park today.. I'm very happy.
-Melinda, Ally and JaJa (the Maltese)

Fozzie Bear

Fozzie was the typical case of over excited puppy and overwhelmed owners. He would demand to be let out in the middle of the night and couldn't let his owners out of sight due to separation anxiety. He took over the kitchen and stole his best friend Parker, their 2 year sons food! After his owners went through Basic Obedience lessons, they now know how to communicate with Fozzie, and have better control over his actions. Fozzie now gets to sleep in bed with them because he is such a good boy, he stays out of the kitchen while his owners eat, and walks like an ANGEL on his leash! I am so proud of all of them!

We can't even begin to thank Maris for all she has done for us. Fozzie Bear has become part of our family. He is now happier and we are happy to have the BEST dog ever. A month ago we were at our wits end, and we knew we couldn't continue on the same path with him. I was lucky enough to find Maris and she came and taught us all the essential tools. We always thought - Oh Fozzie is such a bad dog.... well that was not the case at all... we were the ones that needed training!! It is truly about changing how you communicate with your dog. Well I could go on and on.... Thank you Maris, and if you (tired and overwhelmed dog owner) are wondering if Maris can help your dog - I fully believe she can! Good luck!
-The Thompsons

Beamer

Beamer an American Bulldog who grew up with no rules, boundaries and limitations and had taken over his house hold. Beamer was fearful of a lot of things he wasn't exposed to as a pup and used inappropriate ways to cope with them. Beamer had fear aggression issues with humans and would use his big body and dominant attitude to control situations he was uncomfortable with. This was an uncomfortable situation for his owners, new strangers, and himself. Beamer was not meant to be a leader, he just wanted to be a big goofy guy. He has now been taught a positive way to deal with new situations. Now that we have worked on him, built his confidence, gained his respect and trust, he now shows his true personality.
Beamer is now social with others (dogs and humans) and has a very open minded attitude about things. His owners report hes like a new and improved dog!

Mickey and Maggie
Mickey (rat terrier) and Maggie (german shepherd) struggled with each other after introducing Maggie into the pack. Mickey hadn't been properly socialized so he didn't like new dogs and Maggie wanted to be the pack leader. Because of this it caused some dog fights in the home and eventually led to worse fights. After working with Maggie, Mickey and their owners we were able to get them to finally see each other as a pack and like each other!

to see more videos of Mickey and Maggie's rehabilitation as well as other things For The Dogs Training is up to visit http://www.youtube.com/user/forthedogstraining

"All of your hard work is paying off!
Thanks so much for all you've done for our family! We have all our animals home in a stress-free environment. A month ago this was not even in the realm of possibility. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
-The Appleberry Family

Gracie

A Jack Russel Terrier who grew up in a drain pipe in the Ozarks with no human contact. She would defecate upon sight of a human. Gracie now after rehabilitation has a happier than ever enthusiasm for life! She bounces around and gets excited when she sees humans now and allows us to interact with her and she engages us.
Gracie has been adopted after her rehabilitation and has come leaps and bounds from when we first met. She now lives with a wonderful loving pack who will give her a forever home.

Video of Gracie when she first started coming around, still will barely allow me to touch her but she is showing excitement for humans and bouncing around!

Athena

Maddie & Seymour

Maddie is much better with people. She is so much calmer and will even approach people without being coached to be petted. She is much better on the leash as far as aggressiveness towards other dogs. Now we can pass dogs while we are walking. I would say that Maddie is a completely different dog than she was last year at this time. It really is an amazing transformation. I like to think she is happier. I know she is less stressed. I just don't think it would have happened without you Maris. Maddie is different dog and I am a different dog owner. All the training I got is really helping with Seymour, who isn't aggressive or dangerous, but can be quite stubborn as I said before. I can never thank you enough for all your help. I will continue to recommend you highly whenever I have an opportunity.

-The Coffman Family

Sukie
Hey Maris!
Just wanted to let you know that since your visit yesterday Sukie has already made some HUGE improvements. She is no longer terrified of the metal slip collar noise! She is wearing it around the house now and has no problem getting it on or off. (She even sticks her face in it on her own!) Also after you left yesterday, I decided to take advantage of her mental exhaustion and worked on nail clipping. With a TON of positive reinforcement and some awesome advice from you she let me clip her nails no problem. She was actually falling asleep while I was clipping! Mike and I have had some great opportunities to work on her barking at noises and door knocking and we will continue to be consistent with this. Although we have only completed two sessions we are ecstatic at the progress you've allowed us to make. We look forward to learning new ways to be pack leaders! Thank you so much for all your help so far-we are beyond encouraged and certain we made the perfect choice in choosing a trainer!

-Courtney & Mike

Maddox

Bear, Carmen & Zing

Rosie and Lucy

Jax

More Happy Stories To Come!

The Key to a Happy Dog

2009-02-04T11:48:00.000-08:00

When choosing a dog as a pet in your home, you must take into consideration that you will need to fit all of this dogs needs. The main part of a dogs life, personality, routine, etc. is based upon one thing: Pack Dynamics. We must fulfill every part of a dogs needs when welcoming them into our families. To do this we must establish leadership over the dog and be the leader of your dog 100% of the time. We need to make sure we are telling the dog when to eat, sleep, play, and exercise. This can be an intimidating thing to hear but really this is what responsible dog ownership is all about. We must apply rules, boundaries, and limitations to dogs and be the leader of the pack just as you would with your children. We must always display a calm assertive personality and even if we don't feel this way we must continue to act this way. We would never display fear or uncertainty to a child because they would feel uncomfortable and we would have no way to gain their trust if we never know where we are going. This also applies to a dog, a dog will never follow an unstable leader so we must always portray ourselves to them as in control of everything they are in contact with.

The Picture I would like you to envision with you and your dog is the harmonious, respectful, trustworthy relationship you see between a disabled person and their service dog
That beautiful relaxed state of mind that dog is in, THAT is what we want all of our dogs to be like right? Well through fulfilling your dog with exercise & leadership your dog will be able to practice that same state of mind. Dogs LOVE to have jobs and it can be something as simple as a good game of fetch everyday in the back yard, to as complex as being your hands, or eyes.

This is not achieved through excessive love and affection, although this is nice to have, this is not the ultimate thing your dog is asking of you.
Think of it this way: Your dog does not have a TV, book, Video games, long in-depth conversations to have with friends... All they have is exercise and their doggy play. To ask a dog to sit all day in a house with nothing to do is really boring.

Give your dog something to do... They will thank you for it, and in return respect you.

Doggy Day Care Photos

2009-02-02T20:32:00.000-08:00

For The Dogs Training

2009-02-01T23:39:00.000-08:00

I am currently attending Animal Behavior College. Take a look at their website here!
If you are looking for an affordable dog trainer I would love to help.

I can help with basic obedience (on leash) such as:
-Sit, Stay, Come, Down, Sit Stay, Down Stay,
-heeling, loose leash walking
-crate training
-potty training
-The "Leave it" Command
-"watch me" command for focus

Advaned obedience (off leash) such as:
-Stay, Sit, Sit Stay, Come, Down, Down Stay, No & Okay

I am willing to come to your home and do personal training with you and your dog. I can either teach you how to train your dog yourself or train your dog myself. Whichever you prefer.

I can also help with behavior issues such as:
-Jumping
-food aggression
-leash pulling
- biting/nipping
-barking along fence at passers

I can help you and your dog acheive the relationship you would like. Which requires showing your dog you are the pack leader.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

My dogs and their friends!

2009-02-01T20:24:00.000-08:00

Trying for a family portrait of the dogs

My first dog Lickerish <3

Veda & Lickerish

HUGS!

Living the life in a nice hotel posing for me :)

Nina<3

Training Pictures

2009-01-31T16:08:00.000-08:00

Ally loose leash walking

Ally is such a pretty girl! She is going to continue training and be a canine good citizen and therapy dog!

HIGH five!

Working on our "Stand Stay" command

Buddy Loose leash walking!

Kati passed her CGC!

Loki passed his CGC!

Lu Lu says exercising on the treadmill is tons of fun!

Zola loose leash walking!

pretty Zola

Ally <3

Buddy says Basic Obedience was a cinch!

Fozzie Bear graduated Basic Obedience with FLYING colors. His humans like to say it was all them, but we know who the real genius is! ;)

Sammy ...

& Laika

Maggie after a good 35 minute walk. Big Smiles!

Pictures

2009-01-29T08:39:00.000-08:00

Training pictures

My dogs and their friends

Public Seminar

2009-01-11T11:28:00.000-08:00

I am available to teach a seminar or small class.
This class will cover the Basics but you can ask me to speak specifically about one or another thing.
Classes will generally teach but not limited to:
-Learning methods in dogs
-Basics of Dog Psychology and understanding behaviors
-Living with dogs
-Dog needs
-Establishing yourself as a pack leader
-Dog training tools and how to properly use them

Depending on the length of the class and the amount of information you would like me to teach prices can vary
If you have a different offer for me please e-mail me and we will discuss it privatly.

Behavior Modification

2009-01-03T18:20:00.000-08:00

Put an End to the Stress and Annoyance of Your Dog Behavior Problems!
A problem dog is the accumulation of missed opportunities to correct bad behaviors.
Dogs are ALWAYS willing to go back to balance and rehabilitation is ALWAYS possible for your dog.

A dog’s bark may be worse than his bite, but most of us would rather not find out one way or the other. Growling, baring teeth, snarling, snapping, and biting are all aggressive behaviors. (dog aggression includes any behavior meant to intimidate or harm a person or another animal) Although these messages are among the normal handful of communication tools available to dogs, they’re unacceptable to humans. Because humans and dogs have different communication systems, misunderstandings can occur between the two species.

From a dog’s perspective, there’s always a reason for this "aggressive" behavior. A person may intend to be friendly, but a dog may perceive that person’s behavior as threatening or dominating. Dogs aren’t being crazy, unrealistic, or necessarily “vicious” when displaying aggressive behavior. They have very real reasons for acting out the way they do.
Because aggression is so complex, and because the potential consequences are so serious, A professional is always highly recommended to work with you and your dog.
That is where I come in

How The process works

Upon calling me to ask for my help I will set up a consultation with you to evaluate the dog and the behavior you are having trouble dealing with. I will take a thorough history of your dogs development, diet, exercise, daily routine, and behaviors. I will then from there set up a plan for how to deal with the dogs behavior and we can go from there. I will use my core training method to help rehabilitate your dog with pack leadership training. With behavior issues, sessions usually go from at least an hour to up to a few hours depending on the behavior. I will come to your home daily if not every other day for a few sessions to teach you how to curve the behavior and give you an example by doing it myself and showing you exactly how to do it.
Throughout my time working with the dog I will be constantly explaining to you the dogs behavior, why the dog is doing this, and exactly what you must do to stop this behavior, and why its important you do this.
Curbing and eliminating an unwanted behavior in a dog can differ in the amount of work needed from me. So prices can vary. Amount of sessions with the dog can also vary.

Examples of behaviors I can help with (but not limited to)
-Fence barking
-Leash pulling
-Excessive barking
-Jumping
-Dog aggression
-Chewing
-Biting
-Begging
-digging
-Stealing food
-Bolting out the door
-Separation anxiety
-Coprophagia (stool eating)
-Jealousy (with other dogs, of humans etc.)
-Food Aggression
-Guarding possessions
-Dominant Behavior
-Potty Training Issues
-Marking territory in HOME!
etc.

PRICE (prices can vary depending on behavior)
Consultation (lasts up to an hour): $25
Behavior Modification: $30-$150 an hour
Give me a call or an e-mail for a quote on a price since each and every lesson differs between each and every dog.
Prices subject to change if you are not within my driving range
*Discounted packages available.

Payment is accepted in full amount for all sessions expected or individually for each session. Payment is required (full amount or one session) before or after training session, but must pay the day of training session if paying individually.

Advanced Obedience (off leash)

2009-01-02T17:42:00.000-08:00

Using Positive Reinforcement methods
During an Advanced Obedience private lession you & your dog will learn
OFF LEASH
- Stay
- Sit
- Sit Stay
- Come
- Down
- Down Stay
- Auto Sit
-Focus
-Heeling

This as well as the Basic Obedience is interchangeable depending on the goals and expectations of each individual student. This is the advantage of private lessons, I can work with you individually to fit your needs versus a set class lesson.

After your dog has completed the Basic Obedience (on leash) private lesson, you can then continue on to the Advanced Obedience level. Your dog must first succeed with these commands on leash with distractions in order to continue on to Advanced Obedience.

During the Advanced Obedience Private Lesson I will continue the vocabulary and comands to help you establish yourself as the leader of the pack. Some examples of these helpful commands are: "Home" or "Bed", "leave it", "off", "wait"

How the class works
You and your dog will meet with me weekly in your home. I will instruct you what the lesson plan is, show you an example with your own dog, then have you repeat the training with your dog. I will go over things with you to improve on and help you perfect your training methods. I will then give you homework to work on during the week until our next training session. During the next session I will ask you to show me how you and your dog are coming along with the first lesson. I will then help you if you are making any mistakes and have you work on it. I will then also start you on the next phase of the training and give you homework for the coming week. Training can last anywhere from 4-8 weeks depending on the learning rate of you and your dog. During the Advanced Obedience I will expect you to understand the basics of teaching working with your dog and you will be working alot more independantly with your dog. I will continue to set an example first or may use one of my own dogs to help you understand what we are trying to acheive.

PRICE
Give me a call or an e-mail for a quote on a price since each and every lesson differs between each and every dog.
If you are not within my driving range prices are subject to raise depending on your distance from me.

Payment is accepted in full amount for all training sessions expected or individually for each session. Payment is required (full amount or one session) before training session.

After having a session with me you are always welcome to e-mail or call me with any questions about your homework or the behavior of the dog for the week. I am always willing to share advice and help the dogs and their owners succeed.

Basic Obedience (on leash)

2009-01-02T17:30:00.000-08:00

Using Positive Reinforcement methods
During Basic Obedience Session you & your dog will learn:
- Loose Leash Walking
- Stay
- Sit
- Sit stay
- Come
- Down
- Down Stay
- Auto Sit

This as well as the Advanced Obedience is interchangeable depending on the goals and expectations of each individual student. This is the advantage of private lessons, I can work with you individually to fit your needs versus a set class lesson.

During the training of the Basic Obedience they will also learn an array of vocabulary or Commands. I think some commands are very important to the raising and living with dogs. By using the commands I include in my Private Lessons this will help you establish yourself as the pack leader along with having to control over your dog you've always wanted.
Some examples of these helpful commands are: "free", "Home" or "Bed", "leave it", "off", "wait"

How the private lesson works
You and your dog will meet with me weekly in your home. I will instruct you what the lesson plan is, show you an example with your own dog, then have you repeat the training with your dog. I will go over things with you to improve on and help you perfect your training methods. I will then give you homework to work on during the week until our next training session. During the next session I will ask you to show me how you and your dog are coming along with the first lesson. I will then help you if you are making any mistakes and have you work on it. I will then also start you on the next phase of the training and give you homework for the coming week. Training can last anywhere from 4-8 weeks depending on the learning rate of you and your dog.

PRICES
Give me a call or an e-mail for a quote on a price since each and every lesson differs between each and every dog.
If you are not within my driving range prices are subject to raise depending on your distance from me.

Unbeatable discounts for purchasing sessions of 5 or more sessions in advance!

Payment upfront of full amount for all expected training sessions is accepted as well as payment during each session individually.
Payment is required (full amount or one session) before training session.

After having a session with me you are always welcome to e-mail or call me with any questions about your homework or the behavior of the dog for the week. I am always willing to share advice and help the dogs and their owners succeed.

Resource Guarding

2008-12-31T16:06:00.000-08:00

Does your dog growl, bare teeth, lunge, bark, or nip at you when you approach his food bowl, toys rawhides, or any specific item? The technical term for this behavior is Resource Guarding. It’s a normal form of dog communication. However, it’s not something we humans appreciate, nor should allow to continue or escalate. Fortunately, resource guarding is also a behavior that we can change with behavior modification.

If your dog does not demonstrate these behaviors, fantastic! Contact me now and start working with your puppy or dog now, to continue a positive attitude of your approach to your dogs prized possessions. It is important to not only fix the issues when they arise, but also set your dog up to succeed and prevent these behaviors from coming out.

Canine Good Citizen Preparation

2008-12-14T20:02:00.000-08:00

I am a certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator for the American Kennel Club.
Badge #:40133

The Canine Good Citizen is a program created by the American Kennel Club.
It is a certification program that is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. The Canine Good Citizen Program is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs. All dogs who pass the 10-step CGC test may receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club.

The CGC test is sometimes a required certification before moving on to the TDI (Therapy Dog International) test.

I can help prepare you and your dog for the Canine Good Citizen test by going through step by step to ensure your dog is ready for the CGC. We would be working daily or weekly with your dog to accept some of the situations they will be tested on.

You can visit the canine good citizen website HERE and view the test items and look for a local evaluator to test you once you feel you are ready for the test.

PRICE:
Testing Price is $20

For preparation of the Canine Good Citizen We would meet once or twice weekly (your choice) for a set amount of 4 sessions.
The total price for this is $80. (you can choose to pay per session or for all the sessions at the beginning of the first session.) Payment Must be made in full for one session or all sessions before session begins.
* If you plan to test with me after the preparation your testing price is reduced to $10
*Discounts apply for dogs in rescues up for adoption or a breed under media scrutiny. Ask about details
prices are subject to change if you are out of my range

Dog Diets

2008-12-13T16:58:00.000-08:00

check out Truth About Pet Food

Click the name of the food and it will take you directly to their website!

Raw Meat Diet
RAW Feeding FAQ
Prey Model Diet
Raw Fed.com
I feed my dogs the RAW meat diet, specifically the prey model diet. I completely support and am willing to give any advice to anyone needing it when looking into feeding this diet. I believe it is the healthiest way to feed your dog because it is not processed and doesn't have any weird & unnecessary ingredients like most dog foods. This is the most natural, healthy, and stimulating diet for your dogs.
The rule of thumb for the prey model diet is 10% bone/ 10% organ/ 80% meat.
Your dog should eat approximatly 2-3% of it's body weight a day.
Bone firms the feces up while rich meat and organ can soften it. Keep this in mind when working out a diet for your dog. Each dog is different and some need more or less than the usual 2-3% and some need more bone or organ meat.
Be sure to watch your dog to ensure the proper proportions for an accurate weight, energy level, and waste disposal.

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When feeding kibble keep in mind:
USE CAUTION IN FEEDING GRAIN FREE FOODS TO GROWING DOGS! Many grain free foods (for instance, EVO) have calcium and phosphorus levels that are too high for growing giant pups. Feeding those foods can harm your puppy. So the general rule is steer clear of those foods until your dog's growth plates have closed (usually around 2 years of age).

Calcium to phosphorous ratios should be 1.2-1.4:1 and max calcium for giant breed pups under a year of age should be no more than 1.4 to 1.6%.
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Individual Formulas and ingredients

their focus is providing biologically appropriate foods that provide dogs and cats the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
‘Biologically Appropriate’ means mirroring the foods that Mother Nature evolved the animal to eat – in other words, matching the digestive anatomy of the target animal.

our foods start with fresh, never-frozen, local meats such as free-run chicken, turkey or duck, wild caught freshwater and saltwater fish, whole eggs, and free-range wild boar, lamb or bison, to name a few. To preserve their natural goodness and taste, we steam-cook our fresh ingredients at low-temperature (90C/195F) in small batches, usually on the same the day they arrive.
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#1 Recommended

Acana is made by the same company as Orijen, Champion pet foods. Champion pet foods does not use commodity ingredients without knowing the source. They focus on ingredients raised or fished within their region by people they know and trust, and deliver fresh to them. They are truly dedicated to quality pet food and I can appreciate their loyalty and devotion to their products.

This is my ultimate favorite kibble diet to feed to a dog. Especially a growing puppy. I raised my most recent puppy from day one with a rotational Acana diet. Coat condition, development, stool, eye clearness, ear build up etc. are all important factors that I take in when considering a diet. I feel that Acana raised my puppy to his full potential while maintaining the best of everything he could offer.

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Innova Evo

I understand that in some situations with time, or space, that raw feeding can be a little harder to do. Although Feeding Raw can either be slightly cheaper, slightly more expensive, or the exact price of feeding kibble some people don't have the refrigerator space, or the time to prepare the food. I believe Natura Pet is doing a good job in creating a natural food for our dogs.
I especially like their "INNOVA EVO" brand. An alternative to Raw Feeding.
EVO is formulated to allow for up to 20% raw meat added to the diet.
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The Honest Kitchen

Their food bridges the gap between raw, homemade and commercial, ‘kibbled’ pet foods. With fresh, raw ingredients and gently dehydrated so that almost all the valuable vitamins, minerals and enzymes remain. Dehydration makes food completely safe even for pups, and senior pets with compromised immune systems.
This healthy, dehydrated pet food let you create fresh, natural meals for your pet in the comfort of your home. Simply add warm water and serve - No cooking or freezers required!

The recipes are made with 100% organic grains, plus hormone/ antibiotic-free meats and non-GMO produce. All ingredients are guaranteed 100% Human Food Grade.
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Taste of the Wild

Taste of the wild is a fantastic grain free diet. Most of the contributors to dog allergies are fillers in dog foods like grains. This diet is affordable and very healthy for dogs and I highly recommend it.

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Eagle Pack Holistic

With Eagle Packs large selection of formulas you will have no problem finding a kibble diet that you can feed an allergy dog. Which is very important to me since I have an allergy dog and find it nearly impossible to find a diet for her.
Eagle Pack Pet Foods pioneered holistic nutrition in the 1980’s, by engineering a way to make a meat meal based food, removing soy from the formulas and meat meals to replace corn as the first ingredient. Our Chicken Meal for example has no added hormones and is antibiotic free. Grains are herbicide free. We were the first to add nutritional supplements.
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For Other Recommended diets check out this list

Happy Endings

2008-11-13T21:52:00.000-08:00

These are stories of dogs in need of homes who have found their forever homes and dogs who were about to loose their homes and won their owners over through good behavior and learning how to be well behaved pack members.

RUBIN now ODO

Thanks!

2008-07-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

Thank you!
For Contacting
For The Dogs Training
&
Behavior Modification

I will get back to you as soon as possible!

Response time is usually 24 to 48 hours at most.

Marking Territory IN HOME

2008-03-05T09:29:00.000-08:00

This is a common issue with in-tact males although it does appear with neutered males. The dog simply walks up to an object in the home (furnature, wall, carpet etc.) and pees (marking) on it.
This is obviously very undesirable and alot of people are left scratching their heads as to what to do about this. I can help you with this issue. E-mail or call me to get a quote on how much it will cost for me to come out to your place soon! I can promise you this is kept cheap as this is a very simple behavior to fix.

Leash Pulling

2008-01-06T09:54:00.000-08:00

Leash Pulling is something us humans have just begun to agree with. I'm not sure where it started that people felt it was okay for a dog to drag you down the street, but it isnt. This is completely disrespectful to you and shouldnt be worked around. Some people even stop walking their dog because it risks injury to walk their dog.
Walking your dog should be a really enjoyable thing, you want a dog to walk at your side and share your time together. Wouldnt you feel disrespected if your boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife or even friend walked ahead of you everywhere and just completely ignored you? of course!
Not only is it painful to have a 40+ lb dog trying to drag you, but to the dog, your are saying "I accept you as my leader and I will follow you every where you go and listen to your commands"
Some of you may laugh but this is true, a dog walking ahead of another dog is claiming dominance over the other, and if the other dog does not resist that dominant gesture then they are saying they submit. This one thing can lead to MANY other issues that develop in the long run. When a dog thinks its in control it may choose to visit with another dog. If your dog thinks you are holding it back from that it will not only intensify the want to get at that other dog, but it may turn into aggression.

The key to walking a dog is a calm assertive energy from your part. Relaxing the leash while your dog is at your side, and giving corrections (the right way) to show the dog what you expect of it using dog language and psychology. This is not necessarily training the dog as much as it is training the person. Creating a calm walk with a loose leash is ALWAYS achievable for EVERY dog. With proper and sufficient exercise coupled with proper leadership your dog will gladly be your BEST friend and respect you. I can help you learn how to speak to your dog using dog psychology to achieve the harmonious human/dog relationship you would like.

Some people choose to use the "gentle leader" to avoid your dog pulling on a walk. Basically just all together avoiding communication with your dog and using a tool to just "over power" the dog.

I do not like these tools due to personal opinions on why it works and why it shouldn't be used. Your dog looks miserable and tries to take these off of them for a reason. As you can see here my own dog, a very confident female, feels insecure and negative about the gentle leader. The gentle leader uses a form of control considered "gentle" to some. The real truth is, its taking advantage of a form of dominance in dogs, (a dog placing its mouth over another dog) is where the idea stemmed from. This much dominance and weird feeling is uncomfortable and confusing to the dog. Not only that but if used improperly with a dog that really pulls, the dog can severely injure itself. This is simply a tool to avoid the problem of the dog pulling. A dog who walks normal on a gentle leader won't necessarily walk normal and gentle on a flat collar.
Check out this article "A Not So Gentle Leader" to find out why I don't like this tool. This article does a great job explaining my feelings on the "gentle leader"

This issue can be easily solved with proper walking techniques that I can teach you in a day. It may take more than a day for your dog to finally give up its leadership role, but that is normal. With consistency your dog will gladly follow your lead and finally enjoy walking instead of worrying about leading his pack. Your dog wants your leadership, and he will thank you for it!

Food Aggression

2008-01-05T09:45:00.000-08:00

Food aggression can turn into a serious issue with some dogs, and with others they get over it quickly. Some dogs only turn food aggressive with really valuable food such as real chicken, or table scraps.
Reguardless of the issue, this type of aggression can be stemed from a few things. One being the dog feels it is dominant over you. A dog that beleives it is the alpha may ALWAYS be food aggressive towards its owners. It may also consider itself above any guests who enter its territory and only feel it must guard against them. Either way there is a serious problem and you need to work out an extensive plan to eliminate this dominant thinking.
Another way is fear aggression, the dog may feel it will never get a meal this good again, or it has to defend its food against other pack members because its not eating enough. This is a lack of confidence in the dog and this too is no quick easy fix. We must work together to build the dogs confidence to feel comfortable with other beings around the food.

If your dog is exhibiting food aggression I highly recommend you consult a profession, be it me or another to work with this issue. The longer you wait the longer this issue could inbed itself in the dogs brain and the harder it can be to fix.

My Inspiration

2007-12-08T08:53:00.000-08:00

For all the Success I acheive in my life with dog training, Dog behavior, and helping owners and their animals acheive a harmonious relationship, I'd like to thank my dog Veda.

Veda blessed my life when she was 7 weeks old. But even before then knowing she was coming into my life was enough to keep me on my toes. Because of her she helped me realize that although I've loved dogs all of my life, she gave me the push I needed to finally understand working with gods creatures and specifically dogs, was meant for me. I have worked professionally with dogs since I was 16 and have enjoyed every moment of it. I have been training my own dogs and family members dogs since I could remember.

Ever since day one I have been doing everything I can to understand every part of what its like to be a dog. To understand the behavior and through that help dogs and their owners better understand each other. I am still learning everyday from my very own Veda who is teaching me the wonders of this world we take for granted. I am never finished learning about dogs because My dogs teach me new things everyday. Veda keeps me on my toes everyday and constantly makes me find new approaches to learn more than I thought I would.

Veda is my world and has taught me so much. Without her I wouldnt be where I am today and would continue on confused as to why I felt so out of place in the other careers.
I'm not in this for anything other that the simple satisfaction I feel when an owner and dog finally understand one another. I love every minute I spend with dogs and working with them is a priveledge to me.
I call my training business "For The Dogs" because everything I do really is for the dogs.

"Dog are not less than us because they dont understand us, Dogs are just as full of life as us. Just because we dont understand what they are saying doesnt mean they dont have a lot to say." -Maris

"If dogs were our teachers

Always run to greet loved ones when they come home.

Never pass the opportunity to go for a joy ride.

Recognize the ecstasy of fresh air and wind in your face.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, lie on your back in the grass. On hot days, drink lots of water and find the shade.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Enjoy long walks.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want is buried, dig deep until you find it.

And, when someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

We'd be better off, better people . . . if we acted more like dogs. "

Thank you Veda

Excessive Barking

2007-02-21T13:24:00.000-08:00

Excessive barking can also be turned back around into the Fence Barking. Excessive barking can be anything from constantly barking at a person walking through the door to just barking constantly outside etc. It is usually the dogs frustration of lack of communication but there are other reasons for a dog to continuously bark like that. Generally barking is the dogs way of expending energy because it does not get enough exercise. A consultation would need to be performed to figure out when and why the dog is barking and to work out a plan to stop YOUR dog from barking. Each and every consultation is performed because everything is personalized to you and your dog.

Dog Aggression

2007-02-21T13:16:00.000-08:00

There are many different forms of Dog Aggression. In order to find out what kind of aggression you are dealing with (fear based, dominance based) a professional MUST come to your home and evaluate your dog. To put it simply your dog is dog aggressive if it is lunging towards another dog with intention to attack. But you must know the difference between wanting to play or wanting to attack to interpret this properly. There are so many varieties and different reasons for different attacks that the only way to tell the actual cause of attack is to have a professional evaluate your dogs behavior with another dog.
If you are having this issue with your dog PLEASE immediately call a professional for help on the behavior as this can become a severe problem and eventually turn to aggression towards handler and other humans.