Blog

Automatic finishes can be a frustrating issue, especially when they only seem to happen in the ring and not during training. 

In this video, I’ll discuss common reasons why dogs default...

Matches are valuable, but often scarce - let’s make the most of every opportunity! In today’s video, I’ll discuss strategies to use match time effectively, whether you’re...

The "Stand for Exam" might seem like one of the simpler exercises, but as many handlers know, it can present some unique challenges! Two common issues I often hear about are: “My dog...

The rule book says that a judge should “hold a picture of a perfect performance.” When it comes to heeling, do you hold such a picture?

For me, perfection involves rhythm and...

We spend a lot of time talking about Reward Markers. Do you use a "no-Reward Marker?" That is, can you communicate to your dog that a behavior will not make reward happen?

Especially when your...

You spend hours teaching your dog the exercises. This won’t take hours!

Commit to practicing how to maintain your dog’s attention as you enter the ring!  

When your dog will...

If you enjoy training your dog, it comes as no surprise that you are participating in multiple venues. Add the complexity of multiple dogs to multiple venues, and it’s easy to become...

Competing in obedience for a weekend implied two trials, one Saturday and one Sunday. Each trial had 6 classes: Novice A & B, Open A & B and Utility A & B.

Now we’re faced with far...

When my dog has a disappointing performance on Saturday, I am almost always willing to try again on Sunday. However, I absolutely train between the shows, addressing both the exercise(s) that my...

It certainly seems that after you teach your dog to perform the obedience exercises, you should be able to go to an obedience trial, and earn your title.  Unfortunately, simply learning the...

Do you have a dog that whines when setting up for a retrieve, or barks when sent on a go-out?

Noise in the ring can be a difficult problem to tackle!

How can you clearly communicate to your dog...

Becoming a proficient obedience team requires repetition and rehearsing, but dogs are at their best, that is engaged and attentive, when they are learning new skills.

Inexperienced Dogs are always...

In my last message, I addressed the importance of Randomizing Rewards. Today I am sharing a piece of a webinar that I gave to the Obedience Road Members titled Certainty and Mystery.

Are you...

Last week, I gave a webinar titled, “What Makes Obedience Hard?”

We all know how challenging it is to teach our dogs to love Obedience exercises that are not naturally motivating....

There are only three ways that your dog can fail the recall. He can:

1. Not come,
2. Come too soon
3. Get lost on the way.

Using simple proofing (intentionally adding distractions), you can cause your dog...

Have you ever struggled with a dog that starts going straight to heel in competition instead of coming to front? It can be a frustrating problem, especially if you allow it to happen in the...

Recently, I hosted a webinar- Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Your Goals. 

The first question in this video involved a dog that is sniffing the ground on his way to the scent...

Recently, I hosted a webinar- Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Your Goals.

Together, we brainstormed and addressed several training challenges. The above video includes two of the questions...

Last week, I hosted a webinar to help obedience enthusiasts develop strategies to overcome training challenges encountered on the way to achieving their goals. 

The above video includes a...

Have you ever had a dog that headed for the jump when told to “Go-out?” I often get questions about this issue, as it is a fairly common problem. Why dogs do this can be explained in a...