Doggy Discovery Zone

11/03/2026

My day off today and I'm still dog training 😁 just my own dogs.

How to get your dog to tolerate being grabbed by the collar. Sometimes it's easier to hold them for a quick second but some dogs hate it.

Rosie is always naked in the house, she has practiced wearing a collar here and there. I have never clipped a leash and walked her from the collar and I have never grabbed her by the collar.

Today we played fetch and the rules for CKC are to hold them by the collar while their wait for the toy to stop moving. On our third toss I noticed Rosie's ears went down a bit so we stopped what we were doing, celebrated and came inside to make this video. I never want any pressure on any tool to be aversive or forceful and for whatever reason Rosie just didn't love it.

This is how we help them tolerate the collar hold. Notice I'm always using 1-2 fingers 🤌 you do not want to be grabbing them with an entire first hold. That's way too much pressure, try doing this when they're in a sit instead.

11/03/2026

I may have signed Rosie up for the new CKC fetch trial in 1.5 weeks 😂 what's a little more exposure quietly watching dogs and people before the cold winter hits.

The rules are the dog has to wear a flat collar (Rosie is also currently wearing a harness with a long line to make sure she is coming back every time.) In the trial they are off leash.

You toss a 'bumper', stay tuned for my video later this week when it comes in the mail, I'm currently using a wheel for practice. You toss the toy/ball 30ft while holding your dog back by their collar. The dog has to wait until the toy is still before we release them for a retrieve.

In Novice they only need to bring it 2 feet to you, any level above that is a hand retrieval.

If your dog doesn't like being held by their collar, watch my next video.

11/01/2026

Wooohooo Christmas is only 54 days away!! 😂 Rosie is going to need to learn not to steal gifts and ornaments, I expect this year to be very entertaining 🎄

We still have some Christmas bags available for sale $99.99+hst pick up any time this month.

8" rabbit jerky
Yak chew (one of three flavors)
Bosco and Roxy snowman ☃️ Cup of cookies
Dog shampoo lathering bar
20" XL rope tug
3" soccer ⚽ jolly ball
Our personal dehydrated treat bag!
2 paw cookies
Exotic animal treat (all different animals)
SIT treat bag (either bacon/cheese/peanut butter)
XL Bosco and Roxy Bone cookie 🦴
(money for these cookies goes to shelters during crisis)

11/01/2026

What are some fun dog Guinness World Records that Rosie and I could practice?

How many hoops on a cone in a minute?
How many balls in a hoop in a minute?
Fastest 30m recall?
Most amount of toys retrieved to hand?
Pop 100 balloons in 30 seconds?

I've come very close with Penny breaking the most amount of leg weaves while walking 30m but we were still 3 weaves off. Share your fun ideas or look up some existing ones you think she can do!

10/31/2026

Happy Halloween 👻🎃

Rosie got Judge's Choice Award 🥇What a fun event for everyone. Too many of us worry too much; what will my dog do, will they be loud or hyper, will they even pass. Barn hunt is about their instinct to hunt and it's a lot of fun. Xena at 13 years old, slightly lame was even able to participate yesterday. I highly recommend this sport.

Canine Companion Club is a great facility about 40min north of Chatham. They host rat hunting lessons as well if you want to introduce your dog to this sport.

I personally love these events for pups Rosie's age (7 months old). Exposing them to a lot of dogs, happy/mad/excited, people, movement and cars. See what happens tomorrow, I know we'll have fun! 😍

10/31/2026

This is the very reason I love doing events with my personal puppies. This is why Xena and Penny were so calm at all their events. This is the perfect environment to train and desensitize them in. Lots of noise, people, dogs, movement, angry barking, excited barking, happy dogs, reactive dogs, cars moving and more.

We took the opportunity to work on the kennel threshold with the door open around people and dogs walking by.

People watching in a down stay where dogs were entering and existing.

Car watching and making sure we stay calm and collected despite the proximity of anyone walking by.

We worked on loose leash walking and her reward was a long line hike with check ins.

It's not about winning the event you're entering. It's about taking away as much as possible from every experience.

10/30/2026

Now that's what I like to see 😂 First place, for now.....hahaha thank you everyone who's helping support me in my shenanigans that we call life.

Double votes for 3.5 more hours!

https://orbiiit.com/en/participants/76dc8cfd-dbf9-4824-9143-2a0c69bb93db?contestId=9512a8b3-a38d-422e-99a0-ba247eb5820b

10/30/2026

Votes are worth double for the next 5hrs! Until 6pm tonight if you haven't clicked that vote button please do!

https://orbiiit.com/en/participants/76dc8cfd-dbf9-4824-9143-2a0c69bb93db?contestId=9512a8b3-a38d-422e-99a0-ba247eb5820b

Photos are from today's Barn Hunt 😀 it was so much fun. Xena got to act like 3 years old again, jumped up and down on the hay bales 8 times (apparently she wasn't lame today). 🫣 She did find both her rats in the Open level, did her climb however the smaller tunnel with an L turn in it was just not doable for her at 13 years old and that's perfectly okay. I will post Rosie's video for you of her shenanigans. Hahaha

10/29/2026

The time has come...second last voting round to meet Cesar Millan in California. I'm down to 18th place 😳 Share the link as much as your heart desires hahaha get those emails in for your free vote. Some of you have asked me when a good time to buy votes is, this is the time but do not feel obligated. 🎃👻

https://orbiiit.com/en/participants/76dc8cfd-dbf9-4824-9143-2a0c69bb93db?contestId=9512a8b3-a38d-422e-99a0-ba247eb5820b

10/28/2026