Getting a new puppy is so exciting! All the planning, waiting and preparing come to a head with the bringing home of the puppy. And, while the human family members are excited and prepared, the resident dog(s) in the family may view it differently. Depending on the individual dogs living Read more…
Little puppies are so much fun. Before 5 or 6 months puppies tend to be dependent and connected. They are like little sponges who are hungry for more information and this is a great time for learning. When I taught puppy classes people would bring their puppies to class and Read more…
Those of you who breed know, like me, how challenging it can be to teach a new puppy owner who is not in your immediate area. How do you help them prepare for the show ring and raise their puppies to be good show dogs when they aren’t nearby? This Read more…
After taking an almost 14 year break in breeding, I began again last year with a new breed. I have moved from Dachshunds to Lowchen and bred my first Lowchen litter last year. I take the job of breeder very seriously. I recognize the huge responsibility to produce and create Read more…
5 Ways to Exercise Your Dog on Rainy Days 1. Food search games – Food search games are a great way to burn some energy in your active dog. Scent work of any kind is tiring for dogs. Hide food around the house and allow your dog to search and Read more…
RETIREMENT HOMES FOR SHOW DOGS If you have been around the dog show scene for any length of time you know that show dogs are frequently “retired” after they have finished their show careers. Some people take offense to this and question why or how someone could rehome their dog Read more…
PULLING ON THE LEAD -PART ONE Last month my new puppy arrived from Australia. He is co owned by me and my good friend and lives with me and will be trained and shown by me. Jager (pronounced YAY-ger) is six months old and has won several Best Baby Puppy Read more…
If you know me at all, you know my answer is YES! I have spent the last 14 years of my dog training career focusing on behavior consultations. For years I have gone into people’s homes to help them with their dog’s behavior issues. I have listened to them cry, Read more…
SAFE PUPPY EVALUATIONS Many breeders, such as myself, grade our puppies at around 8 weeks old. The official “puppy grading” is when the breeder and the breeder’s friends, mentors and peers get together to look at each puppy as a group and as individuals and decide which puppies are show Read more…
BIG PUPPIES AND SMALL COLLARS Despite the title of this blog post, I am really talking about all puppies and small collars. Frequently, people show up to classes or I see them at shows with puppies on choke chains. I actually don’t use choke chains unless I am showing a Read more…