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At Dog Connection, we find ourselves as usual feeling conflicting emotions on this our last day of this Camp Series. We feel happy because the dogs had so much fun, proud that they have all learned so much and improved so notably, but we also feel a little sad because we know we’ll miss our outings and seeing them on a regular basis. It really is a lot of work planning and putting into practice each Camp session, but the rewards we get from each and every one far outweigh it. So this is not really a goodbye but a see you later, as we’re already starting plans for our next series – after a short break for the Holidays!

Since this was our final camp session, we decided to challenge our young campers with some “real life” experiences. The idea was to give them some positive experiences in situations that they might normally encounter, to create some positive associations with these scenarios. We decided we would take them to a Cafe and the Vet, two fairly common scenarios for today’s urban dog. But first, we took them to Haulover Park for some off leash social time.

It was a beautiful day for the park, with a nice cool breeze coming from the ocean and the bright sun overhead. Just PERFECT! The small dog off leash area is HUGE – it’s actually larger than most dog parks. The big dog area is even bigger and could easily fit a soccer game so the dogs had lots of space to romp and play, with no need for fence fighting between the parks. The Campers played chase games to their hearts content and got to meet some strange dogs and people, which is always a nice benefit of dog park visits.

From there, on to our first “real life” experience. We figured the Campers and Counselors could use a break so we stopped at Starbucks for a nice Cafe experience. The place was packed so the Campers got LOTS of exposure. From there we did a nice potty walk in the grassy areas of the parking lot then a stroll along some storefronts for a bit more socializing. There were lots of strange new sounds, lots of carts and equipment, strangers and even a few dogs. The dogs got lots of attention and belly rubs from the shoppers and got to demonstrate some of their manners and greetings. Definitely positive experiences all!

From there we headed to our second “real life” challenge. We visited Dr. Tenzer & Dr. Moreno at Sky Lake Animal Hospital for some training time and positive exposure to the vet and equipment. The clinic is wonderful and Dr. Tenzer, Dr. Moreno and their entire staff truly went out of their way to make sure the pups all had a perfect experience. They took the time to greet each camper, offer treats and give some ear scruffs. We knew they were EXELLENT veterinarians, but this went above and beyond. The Campers got one on one training time, got some treats and practice in different areas of the clinic, and some rides on the equipment at the exam rooms. Truly a marvelous opportunity for a positive association with the vet clinic during a visit that had nothing to do with being pinched and prodded!

As you’ll see from the pictures, it was a very full and busy day for our Campers and we are sure they went home tired. We hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed spending the day with your dogs.

We’d like to once again give a big thank you to Dr. Tenzer, Dr. Moreno, and the whole staff for Sky Lake Animal Clinic. Thank you for your generous help and for making this visit so perfect and positive for our Campers. Your commitment to animals and their well-being is truly phenomenal!

Finally, we would like to thank all of our Campers for joining us in this journey, for all the laughs and their antics, and of course to you, their families, for taking such good care of them and, of course, for trusting us with their care and training.

Please remember the Holidays can be a very dangerous and stressful time for your dog: lots of people coming in and out of the house raise the risk of escaping, and dogs can get a bit nervous with the unusual going ons. Gifts and decorations present new hazards for dogs who can become destructive or curious with the unexpected “surprises”. Holiday candy and food, as well as some of the more traditional plants can be poisonous to your dog, so make sure your pup isn’t chewing on your beautiful poinsetta as it can be very dangerous!

Remember to give your dogs a break from all the celebrating and enjoy this wonderful time with your family!!!!

See you soon for our next Camp!

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We were very gratified with the response we had to this extra Camp session! Out of 17 campers, 16 came to celebrate in our Encore Session. #17, Ms. Tiny the Great Dane wanted to come but had a previous engagement.

As usual, the dogs got their morning meet and greet, and we were very happy to finally be able to have all 16 together playing at once! Such a large and diverse group of dogs, yet they all play well together and enjoy their romp time.

We gave ourselves a challenge after the play session. We decided to work on a group stay will all 16 dogs together and photograph them all at once. The kiddos came through for us with flying colors and I hope you guys can appreciate the enormity of this accomplishment! Just to give you guys a quick reminder: some of these dogs did not know Stay, were dog reactive or aggressive, and one of them had no previous training before camp!!! Quite a difference!

After a wonderful morning, we headed out on our fieldtrip. On the way there, we picked up some sandwiches for our lunch. We decided to head out to the gorgeous South Pointe Park at South Beach. We challenged the dogs with a “real life” scenario: a picnic! We divided up the dogs in small teams, and assigned them to one of our Camp Counselors for the day. “Dennis’s Big Girls” were Sadie, Peta and Kitty. “Sheyla’s A-Team” were Straya, Bella and Scout. “Ludo’s Posse” were Pancho, Endy and Branson. “Gus’s Designer Dogs” were Diva, Dude, Casper and Sassy. “Paulina’s Pooch Patrol” were Bo, Sofia and Delilah. The dogs were expected to relax together while we ate, then walk with us in those same Teams.

It was amazing to walk the Teams along the Beach path and see people’s reactions! There were strangers with dogs, bikes, skate boards, even surf boards and segways! If that weren’t enough, the landscaper crews were out so lots of golf carts, tractors, noises and equipment. All in all, great exposure for the pups. We didn’t quite make it to Ocean Drive but it was a nice, educational, long walk for the Campers anyway!

We again want to thank you for trusting us with your furry family! Stay tuned for details on our future camp sessions – we’d love to see everyone there again! Please keep practicing their basic behaviors and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Happy Holidays from the Dog Connection Team!

Food Bowl Manners

featuring Sky

Have dog in a light line at first if you think they’ll get distracted or if they get too excited by their bowl.

1. Teach your dog to “Sit” when you offer their bowl

After a few repetitions, put a few pieces of kibble in the bowl and try again.  With bowl in hand, say “sit” and reward by releasing with your “ok” to the bowl.

Slowly increase the time your dog must wait in a “sit” position to be release to the bowl.

Be patient, if your dog loves his food, start with the empty bowl so he gets the idea, if he loves food it will be hard for him to control himself at first, so as soon as he sits, bring the bowl down and release with your “ok” simultaneously.

2. Teach your dog that you approaching the bowl is a good thing.

Set the bowl of food down, and drop a very yummy treat in the bowl. After a few repetitions, she should start anticipating the treat as you reach in and might actually look up. At this point, you are ready to move to the next stage.

Set the bowl down, as she eats, move away, and return to drop a yummy treat in the bowl, then move away again.  Return, drop a treat, move away, etc. You are looking for your dog to WANT you to approach while they eat!

3. Teach your dog that good things happen when you take the bowl away.

Once your dog is happy with you approaching and reaching for the bowl, its time to take it away.  Pick up the bowl, drop a very yummy treat and put it back down.  You can do a few repetitions of this, and also move away after giving the bowl back, so your dog gets used to the idea that he might get a “surprise” when you remove the bowl.

Another technique, is to only put a handful of their meal in the bowl at a time, wait for them to eat it and look to you for more.  Basically you are teaching your dog to ASK you to approach the bowl and pick it up. Set their bowl down with a handful of kibble, after they finish eating wait for them to look at you, as soon as they do approach and pick up the bowl, place another handful and repeat the exercise until you finish the meal.

If you follow these simple guidelines, you’ll end up with a dog that waits patiently for their food and that loves it when you take the bowl away!

Copyright Dog Connection 2011