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CONNIE'S CORNER

Choose Your Puppy's Future! Sep 08, 2022

The following blog post was written by my husband, Pat Nolan. Pat spent 30 years training retrievers for hunt test and field trial competition. He is currently a consultant and trainer to special...

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Improving Scent Articles scent articles Jul 24, 2022

I get a lot of questions about the Scent Article exercise. Many problems are solved by helping the dog become more confident in his ability to perform.

Today’s video discusses several drills...

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Stop Mouthing – Teaching “Hold” retrieve problems Jul 18, 2022

Do you have a dog that mouths the dumbbell, gloves or scent articles?

Previously, I produced a series of videos demonstrating skills we can practice in the house when the weather has us confined...

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Are You 100% Prepared to Compete? preparing to show proofing Jul 12, 2022

It is extremely disappointing to be in the ring and have something unusual occur that derails your performance.

I teach seminars all over the country, and I hear the word “proofing” a...

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Choreographing Your Performance preparing to show Jul 05, 2022

As a child, I did a lot of acting so I know that every movement on a stage is planned. The same can be true for your obedience performance. 

In last week's blog post I suggested that...

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Creating a Warm-Up that Works! preparing to show warm-up Jun 27, 2022

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

However, simply learning the exercises...

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Disappointing Ring Performance? Utilize the Fix n’ Go! fix n' go preparing to show proofing Jun 02, 2022


There is nothing more frustrating than a mistake your dog only makes in the ring.

The AKC recently amended the Obedience Regulations to include the Fix n’ Go.
Do you have the tools to...

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The Perfect Performance- Animated and Accurate! inspirational preparing to show May 17, 2022

When we are competing in obedience, our dog's mindset should be both, animated and accurate.

I don't think our dogs can be in that perfect balance at all times. If training has been...

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Creeping Forward on the Drop Signal command discrimination down drop on recall signals Jan 28, 2022

When giving the down command, does your dog creep forward as he drops? This annoying problem can occur on the Signal Exercise in Utility or the Command Discrimination Exercise in Open. This...

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Herrnstein's Matching Law preparing to show reward markers Jan 20, 2022

Last fall, M and I made our Utility debut. In this video, she failed, and this performance offers me a great way to bring up and explain Herrnstein's Matching Law, which says;

"When there are...

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Meet "Pan" deMonium! My Thoughts on Raising a Performance Puppy foundation puppy Nov 17, 2021

Meet "Pan" deMonium! He's a 7-week old Border Terrier that I've agreed to raise for a family member. Pan will be with me until he is 16-weeks-old. His owner has expressed an interest in exploring...

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Raising a Performance Puppy - Pan deMonium at 9 weeks foundation puppy Nov 09, 2021

This post is a continuation of "Raising a Performance Puppy". If you missed part one, check it out HERE.

Pan, the Border Terrier that I am raising for a family member, is now 9-weeks-old! Each...

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Raising a Performance Puppy - Pan at 10 weeks foundation puppy retrieve Nov 08, 2021

Socialization is introducing your puppy to sights, sounds, and surfaces. In this video, I use some boxes that arrived to expose him to the skills of tunneling and climbing. Add to that, the...

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Raising a Performance Puppy - Pan at 11 weeks foundation puppy Nov 04, 2021

Pan has left infancy behind and become a toddler. His coordination is improving, his attention span is growing, and his boldness and intensity are increasing. 
I am continuing to work on...

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