California K-9 Boarding School

07/12/2025

Best common sense dog training resource on the planet. For example: If your dog checks in with you unprompted, reward the hell out of it 🐾🐾

Check them out!

https://www.facebook.com/share/1ALNmutKpv/

Mantrailing, Tracking and Scent Work offer your dog a fun way to use their natural talents.
We cover Obedience training from puppies up. All breeds welcome. Specialise in Reactive dogs and dogs with issues.
We train the dog in front of us.

11/03/2023

My Belle app. 5 years ago.

22/06/2020

Something to ponder: Attention EVKC (Eastern Visayas Kennel Club) 1,000 Strong! Please join the cultural revolution where we proudly call ourselves Responsible Dog Lovers. By designating yourself as such, we know in our hearts that you are giving your beloved fur baby the best care possible and utmost respect. They deserve it!

Our proud pups receive updated vaccinations and de-worming, regular Vet visits, eat healthy food, and feel especially safe at all times. We also ensure the finest care by giving them regular exercise, mental stimulation, and proper training. I’m willing to bet the vast majority of you are already accomplishing these loving tasks.

We know that caging or crating or putting them on short tethers for long periods leads to serious behavioral and physical problems. Allowing dogs to run and sleep in the streets leads to tragic accidents and dogs getting maimed or killed. Strays spread diseases, terrorize young children, and lead to more dogs getting pregnant with unplanned puppies.

The first challenge for Responsible Dog Lovers is so easy. All you need to do is call yourself a RDL and show it through your actions. How? Seek out your Friends and Family, your neighbors, and folks in the community. Lead by example. Talk to them about what it means to you that you’re a Responsible Dog Lover.

Here’s the next challenge. I hope you’ll agree that it’s pretty simple. STOP posting pictures of your pups and dogs in cages! It’s just a start. I know folks will keep crating and locking their dogs to short chains. It’s got to stop.

Let’s take this next giant step in the cultural revolution. Better yet, let’s praise those beautiful pictures of fur babies running free or posing with their parent!

Or, if you find that’s not so easy to do, may I suggest that you climb into the cage with your poopy puppy or drooling dog to snap a silly selfie! 😝

21/01/2020

Cholo the Siberian Husky
California K-9 Boarding School’s
“Tip of the Tail”
1-21-20/20

“Prescription for Successful Training for Cholo the Siberian Husky”

First, groom and inspect Cholo everyday. This will build upon your relationship. It’s also helpful to discover problems early on and it Conditions him to remain calm and trust you in the event of a scary emergency.

Another way to enhance your relationship is through hand feeding. Give Cholo every kibble or bite of food from hand. Hand feeding teaches the dog that he must rely upon you.

Create engagement. Engagement occurs when your dog watches your every move. You become connected. It’s simple to develop. First, whenever you observe your dog watching you closely, praise and reward him. When Cholo looks away, become silent and still. When he looks back, lavishly praise and reward him. You can also attract and gain his attention with a toy or food held chest to head high; sudden movement with your hands; appealing and loving words; as well as soothing and comforting sounds such as clicks, kisses, or whistles; even jingling some keys or squeezing a squeaky toy. Reward Cholo’s interest by giving him his favorite toy, some food, and/or lots of love. The tricks to successful engagement are that you need to be mindful of catching him looking at you and consistently reward the desired behavior.

Obedience is an important component. You can always teach your dog more, teach him to obey better, and improve all facets of obedience. If you don’t want or need a robot, I fully understand. I seldom care about perfecting my dog’s obedience unless it involves safety. But increasing obedience stimulates the dog’s ability to think and behave. It’s crucial to his happiness.

Socialization is another component that will help ensure your success. As previously stated, you can build the bond through each of the above recommendations. You can also add to the relationship by giving him new tasks, work, activities. Like today, we used a fun Recall exercise that taught Cholo to come to you. Use your imagination. Encourage tolerance. Do not over-Socialize. Less is better.

Lastly, Conditioning — or new situations — is another component. I like to add Agility, Swimming, Advanced off-leash Obedience, Retrieving, Scent and Sight Discrimination games, ‘Speaking’, Guarding and any sort of challenge to build and enhance our relationship. Every dog is different. Huskies learn to “speak” and “sing” easily, whereas Rottweilers and Bully breeds like to carry heavy objects, and most Retrievers, Shepherd and Malinois breeds will Retrieve. Find what stimulates your dog. Start slowly, ensure he feels safe, build confidence by starting where he feels most comfortable, make it pleasurable, and always end on a positive.

Follow this Prescription for Successful Training! Cholo will love you for it! And you’ll love Cholo even more (if that’s even possible!)

28/11/2019

Working with Blue and Rhonel from Ormoc was an absolute pleasure.

13/11/2019

“Up & Down Leash”
California K-9 Boarding School’s
“Tip of the Tail”
11-7-2019

“Up & Down Leash” is the Phrase of the Day. First introduced to me at the Department of Defense Patrol Dog Handler Course, 1981. “Up & Down Leash” is ALL about the handler taking responsibility for the dog’s poor behavior. It’s a simple concept, but one that’s all too often neglected.

Folks desperately complain that their beloved dogs are somehow badly misbehaving. Many are searching for a ‘magic’ wand or the secret tricks of the trade.

Here is a sample of the silliness I hear (names changed to protect the ignorant): “Where can I buy an extra long Prong Collar for my prized Great Pyrenees named Pyro?” “Should I withhold feeding Sushi, my Sh*tzu, before Training?” “How come Hooper, my Husky, is so hyper on Wednesday’s when we go on our weekly walk around the block?

Some folks refer to their dogs as dumb, stupid, mean, aggressive, out of control, or a demon on steroids. Please don’t get me wrong. I’m far from perfect. I’ve privately vented my own frustrations. The difference is, before I reach these or similar conclusions, I FIRST take a look at myself. Hence, the phrase “Up & Down Leash”.

When your dog is acting out of control, or frustrating all of your ‘tried and true’ training techniques, or not making the steady progress she once was, FIRST, take a good, honest, hard look at yourself. That’s the up leash part.

If you don’t, I would like to recommend a prong collar for your very own tender throat, or how about a little starvation, or getting stuffed in a crate for days on end when everyone outside is calling your name and having fun?!!

Don’t blame your Dog first! Take responsibility. Examine what you could do differently.

Now, that’s a good handler/Trainer!!!

30/10/2019

Responsible Dog Lovers
California K-9 Boarding School “Tip of the Tail”
10-31-2019

I am happy to report the culture of Responsible Dog Lovers is improving by leaps and bounds in the Province of Leyte. Just the fact you’re reading this confirms our culture is growing stronger. Here are three more sterling silver examples of responsible dog lovers:

Let’s start with my cover photo! This loving San Agustin couple (Allen & Essay) along with Bruno, their extremely well-behaved Aspin, casually sit at their personal ‘dog-friendly bistro’. They confidently include their peaceful, off-the-leash, 4-legged Family member. How refreshing he’s not incessantly barking, harassing passers-by, or dangerously darting into traffic. Please, whenever possible, show-off your well-behaved dog for your neighbors to enjoy and the community to admire.

Next, I want to share about a thoughtful man (Zenen S. Puray III from Ormoc) and his loving partner (Maria Victoria Ann Cala from Baybay). Together, they embody Gen X. They truly value their own pets and care for them in a most responsible manner. What’s more, they’ve extended their passion and strong sense of responsibility to strays desperately in need of medical care, food, and “Fur-Ever” homes. Zenen and Victoria are more than willing to educate others. They serve as advocates whenever possible; sometimes at great personal and financial sacrifice. Their altruistic Dream includes building a No-Kill rescue shelter in Ormoc. Maybe you will help by donating space, materials, time or money?

The third story is the catalyst for this blog. Tacloban’s Ray Jude suffers from a debilitating physical disability. Ray needed assistance training his puppy. So, he turned to California K-9 Boarding School in order to make his pup the perfect companion for his three young children (Aleja, Alijah and Alethea). The Dad and his children escorted Tierney, a Belgium Malinois for me to train in beautiful Baybay City. This Family travelled at great personal expense and sacrifice. And when it was time to say goodbye to their little Tierney, not a dry eye could be found. I was told that poor Alijah, the middle child and self-appointed caretaker, was in tears all the way home. I hope over the next 30-days to teach Tierney how to behave properly, along with some fun tricks, including fetch. I hope and pray that all of Alija’s suffering will payoff with a well-behaved fur-fect Family companion.

If you’re wondering why I didn’t include others, that’s perfectly okay. I’m hoping YOU will share too. Please share examples of Responsible Dog Lovers. Tell us about a Responsible Breeder. The more we read about them, the more hope ALL our many contributions are making a positive difference changing the culture. And the more we improve the culture, the less Man’s Best Friend will suffer!