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CONNIE'S CORNER

The Obedience Road is Open!! Jan 18, 2023

Recently, I hosted a free webinar and received some questions about the Obedience Road membership program. I created the video above to answer a few questions and give you a look into the...

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Taking a Jump on the Go-Out Command directed jumping how dogs learn proofing Jan 08, 2023

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...

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Creating SMART Goals inspirational Jan 04, 2023

If you’re like me, January offers time to pause and think about the things I hope to accomplish in the new year.

For those of us competing in dog sports, we typically dream about...

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Signal Exercise: Addressing a Failure to Drop signals Dec 20, 2022

We have all seen it, many of us have experienced it. The Utility team completes the heeling pattern, the handler leaves the dog, walks to the opposite end of the ring, turns and gives the drop...

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Help For Common Heeling Problems heeling Dec 13, 2022

Most of the questions that I receive are about heeling. Four of the most common problems are discussed in this article and in the video! 

What if a leash correction does not get my...

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Heeling with Attention heeling Dec 01, 2022
 

It is clear that teaching a dog to pay attention while heeling remains the most frustrating aspect of obedience competition.  A dog that doesn’t pay attention is unable to...

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Scent Articles - Tied Down to Tied Together scent articles Nov 17, 2022

Hi there- 

I’ve received lots of questions about the Scent Article exercise- let’s tackle them!

In this blog, I reference several additional articles. I've included links to those...

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Electric Collars – A Forthright Discussion Nov 02, 2022

It’s time for a forthright discussion about the use and misuse of electric collars (e-collars). 

The general public has accepted and embraced their use with underground fence systems,...

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Scent Articles: Turn & Sit or Send Directly? scent articles Oct 19, 2022

On the Scent Article exercise, you have a choice. You can turn and sit and then send for the article, or you can send your dog directly to the article pile.

Pros and Cons
The turn and sit offers...

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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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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 Matching Law, which says;

"When there are multiple...

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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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