Eastern Shore Dog

Five dogs graduated from the AKC STAR Puppy program at the Barrier Islands Center this weekend – plus Sam who was older than a year when he started class. Nice work everyone! I’m especially proud of the way the handlers worked “wait” on the last day of class, one of the most useful commands in my dogs’ daily life. More than courtesy, “wait” (or a modified “stay”) can be life-saving for your dog.

We graduated a class of Intro to Nose Work dogs and Chumbley, Charlie Brown, Harley and Lola rocked it. Special congrats out to Pete who kept up with the fast moving Charlie. We missed Michelle but Peter worked it out.

Finally – four dogs completed Intro to Odor – and this week Hoppe and Blondie rocked their first vehicle searches. This is something new and particularly challenging to dogs – and they did a great job. Why? Because their handlers pay attention, work with their dogs often, and love the problem-solving abilities of their dogs. Kudos and kudogs to all!

BA

I have no idea how to put in a “find us on FB link” so here’s our FB link: More information at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eastern-Shore-Dog/187679051266077.

Hoo boy – March flew by and here it is half way through April. Classes at the Barrier Islands Center are rocking – 8 in Basic Obedience, 7 in Intro to Nose Work, and 4 in Intro to Odor. And everyone is doing just dandy!

So – here’s what’s coming up:

• April 18, Thursday, 630p. Mind Your (Veterinary) Manners, Atlantic Animal Hospital. Free – limited to 6 dogs, one hour. Your veterinarian is your dog’s friend – why not teach your dog to be friendly and comfortable when visiting his doctor’s office? Spend an hour with me, and we’ll work on positive reinforcement techniques and proper manners while in the office. Please contact Atlantic Animal Hospital directly for participation, 757-302-0345. Get on the waiting list if there’s no room this month, it is WELL worth your time. 

• NW1/Nose Work Travel Class - Practice nose work skills with us up and down the Shore at locations and times posted weekly; you join us for the ones that work for you. Great if you are practicing in preparation for an ORT or NW1 trial, or just want to hang out and have fun with your dog. Cost $20/session. Pre-requisite: Introduction to Odor. Please contact Beth Ann for more information.

May brings several events:

• Saturday, May 11 (rain date May 18): Dogs on the Farm 11a – 3p, Barrier Islands Center. This is an all-inclusive event for your family and your dog. $30/dog, and associated people are free. We’ll have participant gift bags for all dogs, a mini-greetings workshop, obedience point-to-point, nose work demo, vendors, Island Creamery ice cream and wraps (served up by Machipongo Trading Company), a kissing booth for photography of you and your dog – and more. This event will benefit the Eastern Shore SPCA, and is hosted by the BIC, Eastern Shore SPCA and Eastern Shore Dog.

• Saturday, May 25: Art and Music on the Farm, Barrier Islands Center. Although not strictly a dog event, this is a dog friendly facility, so well-behaved dogs are welcome. Let your dog spend time with you as you shop the art, enjoy the music, and socialize with friends.

Lots to do – must go and prepare!

This is the time of year when I assure I’m meeting the standards to be recertified as a Professional Dog Trainer, so I thought I’d share a little about this process with you, and how I feel about my certifications.

I’m certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) as a “knowledge-assessed” dog trainer.  Certification is a form of credentialing, and means I’ve met the criteria and standards to be designated as having professional-level competence in dog training. Many professions require certifications (or licenses) – including veterinarians, adult literacy tutors, government auditors, airplane mechanics, public school teachers, and architects.

To get certified, I met a minimum number of dog training hours, took and passed a (3 hour, grueling) written test, and completed an application process that included my education, experience, and references from another dog trainer, a veterinarian, and a client. To stay certified, I continue to train dogs, continue my education through approved classwork, and periodically re-apply to demonstrate I’m still meeting the standards set by CCPDT.

In the last year or so, I’ve also completed the classwork, dog training hours, and written test to become certified as a K9 Nose Work Instructor, through the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW). If you and your dog attended nose work classes with me, you’ve probably filled out a class evaluation form, and your dog might have been videotaped. To meet certification requirements for this specialized designation, I also trained my own dog to recognize birch and pass an Odor Recognition Test. (Go Bodhi!)

Certification is completely voluntary in the dog-training world, so why do it?

One reason is that I’m a big believer in continuing education, one of the requirements of recertification. I have a BS in Biology, MS in Biology, an MA in Leadership and Liberal Studies, 12 hours of accounting, an adult literacy tutor certificate, and am 3 hours short of a certificate in Logistics Management – in addition to the two dog certifications. Everything in that list except the biology degrees was pursued because I had things I wanted to learn and do – only the biology degrees were required for my career as a forensic ornithologist.

Another reason is that being certified puts me in contact with other certified trainers, and access to their expertise. It’s fun to learn new ways to coach you, train your dog, and have more adventures together.

Finally, my CPDT-KA and ANWI/CNWI certifications show you that I’m willing to learn new things, like you do when you sign up for a class. It’s not always comfortable to learn new things – after all, as adults we are typically competent and quick at most things we do. Subjecting ourselves to new methods and ideas can be …uncomfortable. I want you to know that I know how you feel – to stay certified, I have to learn and demonstrate new techniques, which doesn’t always feel good – until I get good at them. In other words, you can be sure I “feel your pain.” I hope this makes me a more sensitive instructor. Still a slightly flippant smart-aleck, but hopefully more sensitive to you and your needs.

Hugs and belly rubs – Still Certifiable :),

Beth Ann

Hello there – just thought I’d let you know of a few events in 2013 that might interest dog owners here on the Shore.

• Thursday, January 17, 630p: Mind Your (Veterinary) Manners, Atlantic Animal Hospital. Free – limited to 6 dogs, one hour. Your veterinarian is your dog’s friend – why not teach your dog to be friendly and comfortable when visiting his doctor’s office? Spend an hour with me, and we’ll work on positive reinforcement techniques and proper manners while in the office. Please contact Atlantic Animal Hospital directly for participation, 757-302-0345. Note: Although this class is full, additional opportunities will be added in the future. Contact AAH, check out their website, or watch this space.

• The next Eastern Shore Dog class session will start in April this year. Offerings will be at the Barrier Islands Center, and will include:
  • Intro to Nose Work
  • Continued Nose Work (no odor – this is for people who want to advance the game but aren’t ready or interested in odor – includes advanced exteriors and vehicles)
  • Intro to Odor (dogs must be strong on box work)
  • Basic Obedience

May brings several events:

• Saturday, May 11 (rain date May 18): Dogs on the Farm 11a – 3p, Barrier Islands Center. This is an all-inclusive event for your family and your dog. $30/dog, and associated people are free. We’ll have participant gift bags for all dogs, a mini-greetings workshop, obedience point-to-point, nose work demo, vendors, Island Creamery ice cream and wraps (served up by Machipongo Trading Company), a kissing booth for photography of you and your dog – and more. This event will benefit the Eastern Shore SPCA, and is hosted by the BIC, Eastern Shore SPCA and Eastern Shore Dog. Watch this space for more info!

• Saturday, May 25: Art and Music on the Farm, Barrier Islands Center. Although not strictly a dog event, this is a dog friendly facility, so well-behaved dogs are welcome. Let your dog spend time with you as you shop the art, enjoy the music, and socialize with friends.

Saturday, October 5: Plan to attend the Eastern Shore SPCA Best Friends Walk Together dog walk in Onancock. This is a wonderful event and a great chance to mingle with other dog lovers on a beautiful day in Onancock. Benefits our SPCA, the only local non-kill shelter.

Katie doesn’t want play with a ball. She’s chocolate labrador retriever that doesn’t want to retrieve.

BUT – Katie wants to please her owner. So today I saw her go and find the ball, touch the ball, and look toward her owner/handler, Alice. Alice yelled “yayyyyyy!”

That’s all it took. Katie, who was adopted and had baggage when she arrived at Alice and David’s house – she went and found the ball, touched the ball, and picked up the ball.

Your dog wants to please you. You can use this to help your dog enjoy its wonderful life and have fun. Happy Christmas, Beth Ann.