I wonder about this question - to move or not to move? Every other blog I am ever able to view, is in a different country. Now I have nothing against other countries, in and of themselves but I would also like to view blogs from here in the U.S. Also, when I am viewing (or should I say attempting to view other blogs like it says I can do - sometimes yes and sometimes no. I don't have a whole lot of free time to just waste away on this.
Besides, time to get bak to work..........................
Added @ 10:56pm - Ok, think I'll stay put for a while longer. Gotta remember to use the connections I have with other blogs here to find blogs of people in the U.S. or blogs by people with similar interests or both - that's how I found the blog for "dogwalkmusings". I will have to explore that when I am awake.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Evaluation time for Shasta...........
Well, Shasta's evaluation did not happen last month as I had hoped it would - it will be this Saturday, 10/3/09, instead. She will be evaluated for both her Delta Society Pet Partner therapy dog and her Canine Good Citizen test.
Darn - I need to get to work now - will try to make it bak later today sometime.
Darn - I need to get to work now - will try to make it bak later today sometime.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
And once again ............
...it is late and work tomorrow so will keep this short. Shasta Beaglebrat has graduated from her intermediate level obedience class - they had no one teaching advanced so we did intermediate - again, graduated both times but now I am more interested in developing her socialization skills. She will be evaluated for her therapy dog work in September, 2009 where the socialization is pretty important - she has got several of the obedience commands down pat so now it is onward and upward. I hope that when she is evaluated for her therapy work that she can also be evaluated for her AKC Canine Good Citizen title too.
Meanwhile, back at the homestead - Shiloh Beaglebrat seems to have reclaimed his fenced backyard. He kept getting fixated on the pet rabbit next door (hmmmmmm - Beagles do that doncha know). In order for me to get him away from that corner - Mr. Rabbit lives in a small wire cage outside by the wall of the other half of the duplex - by the kitchen window which is maybe a foot from my fence - I HAD to keep him on a leash with his no-slip collar. After some time spent in the far corner of the fenced yard, plus having to go immediately inside if he barks much, I am happy to report that Shiloh Beaglebrat can once again roam his own fenced backyard off leash (the way he always should have) - bad neighbors.
Ok - we are off to bed now.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Labels
I have recently come to the conclusion that what we humans call stubborn and bull headed in a dog - the dog is just acting true to his nature. There are a lot of people out there who vehemently refuse to have a Beagle simply because of their nature. They take life on THEIR terms - the Beagle does. Once we humans accept that then we can accept them into our lives in harmony. I don't mean that we need to change our lifestyle - rather look at Beagles for what they can become with proper & responsible training from the owner - intelligent but challenging & loving companions.
Monday, June 8, 2009
A few thoughts about dog trainers
Ok - so this blog isn't just about MY Beagles or MY dogs or even dogs. Who knows what all I will write about here. Tonight I am writing about how I feel about certain dog trainers - not just about specific trainers either. I have a problem with one dog trainer bashing another.
First a little background - I am fairly new to training my dogs, especially when I have a certain goal in mind when I am doing it. I have been around dogs most of my life - most were family pets when I was growing up - they were trained to be good, family pets and considering what I know now - we were really lucky they turned out as well as they did. Oh there was no abuse or physical harm but by today's standards, our family method was a bit archaic. Even when I moved out and had my own, I admit that I was somewhat ignorant of just what the dogs could learn and at that time, I felt that there was really no need for formal obedience training.
More background - then, when I got my first Beagle - Shiloh Beaglebrat - a little over 6 years ago, all that changed. Of course by that time the Internet played a role in my life as I started doing some research on the breed. Then I joined a couple of online groups about Beagles as well as a couple of groups for people with any breed - purebred or mixed. The MAJOR theme in raising Beagles I was told, Beagles NEED obedience training - a class or with a trainer 1:1. The class was preferred because of the socialization your Beagle gets and if you can start when the dog is still a fairly young pup, that is even better. So a couple of months after I got Shiloh, we were off to our first obedience class. It was ok but there were only a couple of other members in the class and 1 of those dropped out after a couple of classes - we completed the session and Shiloh learned a handfull of basic commands. Since that time, he has completed 3 additional levels of obedience training, has earned his Canine Good Citizen standing from the American Kennel Club, is now into his 4th year as a Delta Society Pet Partner (we visit places like nursing homes and a hospice as well as he has gone to a shelter for victims of domestic violence) and he is a Reading Education Assistance Dog (R.E.A.D.) where we go to our local library where children can read to him. When I heard that the breeder I got Shiloh from was now breeding(responsibly) his sister, I decided at that time I would love to have one of those pups if at all possible. So that is how Shasta Beaglebrat joined our little family in November of 2006. From the very beginning I decided that I wanted Shasta to follow in her uncle's pawprints - we are beginning what I hope will be our final level of obedience training tomorrow and then she will be evaluated for her CGC and therapy dog standing this fall (2009).
Ok - now back to the original theme of this writing - why does one dog trainer feel the need to bash another? So in comparison to many who train dogs especially those professional dog trainers - I am a relative newbie. But I feel like I have learned a lot in those few short years. And it's not just the classes I have been to with Shiloh or Shasta but the research I have done online or in books, seminars I have attended or even watching television shows about training dogs. I don't advocate any one certain trainer. What I do is try anything from ANY trainer that I think will work with the Beaglebratz. If one thing doesn't work then I move on and try something else, whether it be from the trainer I like or not. The one underlying theme I do insist on - that of positive reinforcement. I will not use punishment to get any dog to do what is best for BOTH of us
Ok - this installment in my blog is now way more than I first intended. Besides, it is bedtime for me and the Beaglebratz.
First a little background - I am fairly new to training my dogs, especially when I have a certain goal in mind when I am doing it. I have been around dogs most of my life - most were family pets when I was growing up - they were trained to be good, family pets and considering what I know now - we were really lucky they turned out as well as they did. Oh there was no abuse or physical harm but by today's standards, our family method was a bit archaic. Even when I moved out and had my own, I admit that I was somewhat ignorant of just what the dogs could learn and at that time, I felt that there was really no need for formal obedience training.
More background - then, when I got my first Beagle - Shiloh Beaglebrat - a little over 6 years ago, all that changed. Of course by that time the Internet played a role in my life as I started doing some research on the breed. Then I joined a couple of online groups about Beagles as well as a couple of groups for people with any breed - purebred or mixed. The MAJOR theme in raising Beagles I was told, Beagles NEED obedience training - a class or with a trainer 1:1. The class was preferred because of the socialization your Beagle gets and if you can start when the dog is still a fairly young pup, that is even better. So a couple of months after I got Shiloh, we were off to our first obedience class. It was ok but there were only a couple of other members in the class and 1 of those dropped out after a couple of classes - we completed the session and Shiloh learned a handfull of basic commands. Since that time, he has completed 3 additional levels of obedience training, has earned his Canine Good Citizen standing from the American Kennel Club, is now into his 4th year as a Delta Society Pet Partner (we visit places like nursing homes and a hospice as well as he has gone to a shelter for victims of domestic violence) and he is a Reading Education Assistance Dog (R.E.A.D.) where we go to our local library where children can read to him. When I heard that the breeder I got Shiloh from was now breeding(responsibly) his sister, I decided at that time I would love to have one of those pups if at all possible. So that is how Shasta Beaglebrat joined our little family in November of 2006. From the very beginning I decided that I wanted Shasta to follow in her uncle's pawprints - we are beginning what I hope will be our final level of obedience training tomorrow and then she will be evaluated for her CGC and therapy dog standing this fall (2009).
Ok - now back to the original theme of this writing - why does one dog trainer feel the need to bash another? So in comparison to many who train dogs especially those professional dog trainers - I am a relative newbie. But I feel like I have learned a lot in those few short years. And it's not just the classes I have been to with Shiloh or Shasta but the research I have done online or in books, seminars I have attended or even watching television shows about training dogs. I don't advocate any one certain trainer. What I do is try anything from ANY trainer that I think will work with the Beaglebratz. If one thing doesn't work then I move on and try something else, whether it be from the trainer I like or not. The one underlying theme I do insist on - that of positive reinforcement. I will not use punishment to get any dog to do what is best for BOTH of us
Ok - this installment in my blog is now way more than I first intended. Besides, it is bedtime for me and the Beaglebratz.
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