The Smart Dog U Blog

Ask the Dog Trainer: What Goes on During Service Dog Training?

 

What goes on during a check in with the service dog agency? A lot of talk like "He's grown so much!," "Look at those feet!," and "Show us what he can do." So we try to show off all the things we've worked on over the last month. Things like coming when called, walking past food on the floor, polite walking (walking without pulling on the leash), lack of stress around crowds, ease with and acceptance of trimming nails, grooming, etc. 

 

Interested in reading more? You're in luck!  The Smart Dog Blog has a shiny, brand new home! 

Click here to read this post in its entirety.

Please update your bookmarks! Check out Blog Lovin' reader to follow Smart Dog U and all our updates! 

 

Service Dog Training: 5-Month Old Puppy Training Goals

It's hard to believe how quickly Schooner is growing up! Just a few weeks ago it seems, he was but a wee little pup! 

 

 

Interested in reading more? You're in luck!  The Smart Dog Blog has a shiny, brand new home! 

Click here to read this post in its entirety.

Please update your bookmarks! Check out Blog Lovin' reader to follow Smart Dog U and all our updates! 

Stinky Dog

 

Silly, stinky Schooner

Great Danes amuse me for so many reasons.

 

Interested in reading more? You're in luck!  The Smart Dog Blog has a shiny, brand new home! 

Click here to read this post in its entirety.

Please update your bookmarks! Check out Blog Lovin' reader to follow Smart Dog U and all our updates! 

Is There a Doggie Tooth Fairy?

Poor Schooner. He's smack in the middle of losing his baby teeth. Here's this gigantic 4.5 month old puppy (about 60 pounds) with a big head, legs the size of tree trunks, and these wee bitty baby teeth in his giant maw. 

 

Interested in reading more? You're in luck!  The Smart Dog Blog has a shiny, brand new home! 

Click here to read this post in its entirety.

Please update your bookmarks! Check out Blog Lovin' reader to follow Smart Dog U and all our updates! 

Service Dog Training: Monti's Off to College

I got the news on Wednesday when I was in Pennsylvania for a horse training clinic, that the very next day our dear Monti would be returning to Service Dogs of Virginia. 

 

Interested in reading more? You're in luck!  The Smart Dog Blog has a shiny, brand new home! 

Click here to read this post in its entirety.

 Please update your bookmarks! Check out Blog Lovin' reader to follow Smart Dog U and all our updates! 

The Life of A Service Puppy -- New Adventures for Monti

This little girl didn't stay with us nearly long enough. Asti Spumante is her official name. But around here she's Monti or Zoomie.

 

Interested in reading more? You're in luck!  The Smart Dog Blog has a shiny, brand new home! 

Click here to read this post in its entirety.

Please update your bookmarks! Check out Blog Lovin' reader to follow Smart Dog U and all our updates! 

Service Pup in Training: From Spruce to Schooner

Nemo and Schooner

We went from Spruce to Schooner late yesterday. The dog didn't change, just his name. Turns out we were the only ones who really liked Spruce Goose. 

Interested in reading more? You're in luck!  The Smart Dog Blog has a shiny, brand new home! 

Click here to read this post in its entirety.

Please update your bookmarks! Check out Blog Lovin' reader to follow Smart Dog U and all our updates! 

 

Service Dog Training: Introducing Great Dane Pup

Raising service puppies means there will be emotional highs and there will be emotional lows. The excitement of getting a new puppy is tempered by saying goodbye to a good friend as she moves onto the next stage of her training. 

 

Interested in reading more? You're in luck!  The Smart Dog Blog has a shiny, brand new home! 

Click here to read this post in its entirety.

Please update your bookmarks! Check out Blog Lovin' reader to follow Smart Dog U and all our updates! 

When the Dog Trainer Goes to Dog Training Class

I raise and train puppies for a service dog organization. I'm also a dog trainer. Yesterday, I got the pleasure of being a student in a dog training class and it was delightful! I don't live close enough to the service dog organization to go to class every week (it's a 3-hour one way drive), but my resolution for 2013 is to go to class with Monti once a month. It's important for the service dog organization to eyeball Monti and I to be sure we're on track with the other pups in the program and to ensure Monti's developing temperament is still up to the (very high) service dog standards. It's important for me because (1) it's FUN, (2) I get to be just a student, and (3) it's fun! I think I mentioned that it's fun, didn't I?

 

Interested in reading more? You're in luck!  The Smart Dog Blog has a shiny, brand new home! 

Click here to read this post in its entirety.

Please update your bookmarks! Check out Blog Lovin' reader to follow Smart Dog U and all our updates! 

 

 

Dogs in Public: Lessons Learned by Doing

If you want your dog to behave in public, you have to teach him in public. Teaching your dog at home or at obedience class is a good start, but if you expect that teaching to carry over to "real life," you're going to have to work in that situation. 

Because public work is a necessity for service dogs, we start our public training very 

Interested in reading more? You're in luck!  The Smart Dog Blog has a shiny, brand new home! 

Click here to read this post in its entirety.

Please update your bookmarks! Check out Blog Lovin' reader to follow Smart Dog U and all our updates! 

Related articles

Service Dog Training: What It Takes to Make a Good Service Dog

Are Your Expectations For Your Dog Reasonable?