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For today’s Camp Adventure we took the dogs to an off leash dog park, to burn some energy, socialize and romp with their fellow campers, and then do some much needed one-on-one training.  We let all six campers roam free, and they quickly went into a fast paced game of chase and tag.  It was great to see how some of our shier campers are starting to enjoy their play times and socializing with the pack.  That’s what camp is all about!  We worked with each dog on some of their basic behaviors like sits and downs, and some of our more advanced campers got to practice their stays, and go to mats.  We also did some one-on-one work on their loose leash walking – rewarding them for walking on our left side, keeping a loose leash, and encouraging them to sit at our left when we stopped moving.

From there, we took the dogs to a playground so they could practice what they had worked last week with Liane out in the real world with kids who weren’t necessarily doggie-savvy.  It went WONDERFULLY!  The playground came to a complete stop as all the parents brought the toddlers to meet and socialized with the Campers.  The dogs took it all in very well, and we were very happy to see their polite responses and how even those who had been a bit unsure or shy last week, were happy to take in all the attention.  A great experience for both kids and dogs!!!

For lunch break, we took the dogs to Miami Squeeze Juice Bar, where they got to hang out at the terrace and experience the sounds of traffic and people nearby .  They did great and even took a potty break near the adjacent railroad tracks.  We are making sure the younger Campers, get lots of potty opportunities, and so far, everyone has been clean in the crates in the car, and have been happy to use the grass areas for their business.  We also try to consistently give them a group cue to “Go Potty” when we stop at a good spot, and reward and praise those that do their business, so they learn that will be their command to “use the facilities” 🙂

Our last stop of the day was out at the Hollywood strip mall.  We walked around the shops and restaurants with the Campers, getting lots of compliments from the people there.  We made a longer stop at a playground area for a final training session, so we could take some footage for your homework videos.  We worked on the different stages of the “Sit” and “Down” according to the level each Camper could work at.  Please take a look at these Homework Videos, and try and experiment with your dog and practice these two commands.  Keep training sessions short, 5 minutes at the most, and always end in a positive note.  And don’t forget to send us feedback on how your training is going and how the Campers are doing at home!