Dog Training with Cindy Noland

02/07/2026

Learn to recognize what you want to see. When training a behavior, do you know what, exactly, you want it to look like? Details matter. Don't overlook ALL of the little details in each behavior, split it down to the smallest ones and work on those, one at a time, until you get them to your desired level of accuracy before putting them together. That includes the right mental state as well as the correct physical mechanics. For example, the front position after a recall. Most people focus mainly on whether the dog is sitting perfectly straight, centered on the persons body because that is how points are earned or lost. But what, exactly, is the dog doing when they are there? Are they confident, eager, happy and expecting a reward or even eagerly anticipating what they will do next? What does that look like? Ears should be forward, listening for feedback or instructions. Eyes intense, steady and staring at wherever you taught them to look, usually our face. I want to see the dog so focused it almost freezes, holding it's breath, mouth starts to close, body perfectly still. This shows me the state of mind that I want in my dogs. Posture should be upright and rigid; feet placed squarely under their body and leaning slightly toward you. You should be able to look right from their nose, thru the ears and down the spine to the base of their tail in a straight line. Learning to recognize this picture will help you to be timely with your feedback, be it marking with verbal praise or releasing to a reward. Being consistent with this picture will develop a habit in the dog of driving to acquire and maintain this rewarding position. Communication is key in teaching dogs and you have to know what you are looking for in order to see it. (photo of a young Cseze showing me the signs of the mental state I want.)

12/31/2025

MACH3 Nova, owned by Gretchen Meyer

12/28/2025

Dates for agility practice in Erie at Countryside! Jan 25, Feb 15, Mar 15, April 19. Times will be 11-4:00. (We are restricted to using one ring, if you want to use the other ring it will be $20 per hour payable to the facility that day.) Put these dates on your calendars and let me know before each date who is coming and with which dog so I can make a schedule and prices. Mostly groups, maybe a couple privates available.

11/18/2025

Sometimes I see dog training photos and videos that people share to show something they think is good, when it really is not. I dont comment, unless they are asking for advice. Sometimes people have to learn in their own way and time line, and experience failures that will help them gather knowledge on their own. We have all been there, although people my age were not sharing our progress to the world on social media. There is always something to learn, good or bad, and growth comes from both. Don't be afraid to look for answers or progress from sources outside of your comfort zone. A wide range of perspectives can shed new light on your situation.
I started competitive dog sports when there was only obedience and conformation, and obedience was taught the same everywhere. I remember all.of the points in my training life that were game changers for me, people and experiences that led me down new paths that shaped how I work dogs today. Some were by chance, others were the result of the desire for something better than what I currently had. I always looked toward things I admired and then followed that to see how it was achieved. Pillars of the sports and breeds who inspired me with their skills and performances. The agility Goddess Linda Mecklenberg, of course, for that sport. Just thinking of her fantastic run with Awesome at Cleveland that left ringside in awe still gives me goosebumps and I wanted THAT for me and my dogs. Dobermans who could do it all, from good looks to a variety of sports. Discovering bitesports was a huge change of direction for me, dogs that LOVED their work! And then the journey of that sport, mostly what I learned from training. And then finding the Malinois breed and starting with a dog from the best breeder in the country, inspired by the fabulous L'Simba Loups du Soleil that I had seen at a Championship.
At my age i am getting to the "been there, done that" stage but I still like learning. Flowers are a bit easier to handle than a high energy dog, but not as thrilling. :)

11/12/2025

And in the summers Mindless Activity events Cseze finished her DCAT coursing title with some great, fast runs. The best being her runs at the Conewango KC event in NY. Her time for a 100 yard dash was 6.88, which is 29.73 mph! Maybe next year we will condition and train more and try to get into the 30 mph times. Coursing is just a fun pass time that requires no real training so I like to let her do that occasionally for relaxation, although holding her while waiting her turn is certainly NOT relaxing. lol

11/12/2025

Cseze finished her Rally Master title at the Beauceron trial in Sept 2025. She decided that the totebag she won makes a good toy too!

11/12/2025

Earning the Rally championship title is next on Cseze's list and she won High Triple score and High Double score at the Butler DTC trial in Oct. And also High Double in the Butler trial in April.

11/10/2025

At 12 1/2 yrs of age my most handsome Stark finished his Rally Master title and is officially retired from competitions. He qualified in every rally trial he was entered in and earned placements in most of them. I'm looking forward to many more years of relaxed companionship with my Cuddles.

11/10/2025

Updating what we have been doing over the summer, starting out with Cseze finishing her MACH in June! That is Master Agility Championship. At the end of last year I decided to make a push to finish this title and she earned 10 double Qs from Nov to June, 5 of them in March alone! I don't trial much usually, so this was a marathon. :) Good job, Ted! (her nickname)

11/10/2025

MACH Cseze and Cindy Noland. Title earned on June 7, 2025.

07/27/2025

The next day of lessons at Duke's K9 Dash N' Splash will be Aug 24, Sunday, and registration is open now! Get your spot quick if interested as they have been filling up fast! Live for 8/24 w this link

Schedule your appointment online Duke's K9 Dash N' Splash

06/22/2025

Yesterday was a good day to spend in the pool at Duke's K9 Dash N' Splash helping some dogs and humans learning how to dock dive or hone some skills with experienced dogs. Each team got helpful information related to each level of skill and we saw nice improvements for most of them. Knowing your dog is key, so you can make the right decisions on whether to push for more or quit while ahead so the dog has a favorable impression of the activity. Dock diving is just for fun, so the dogs are encouraged to enjoy water and swimming while building desire and value for their toy of choice. Most dogs prefer one more than the other, a few just really liked to swim and the toy was secondary. With these dogs the value of the toy should be built so they will put more effort into their jumps. On the other end of the spectrum, the dog who is frantic for the toy benefits from some impulse control so they can focus and channel their energy into their jumping performance. A good balance between swimming and toy desire will get you the best performance your dog has to offer.
I will be teaching again at Duke's K9 Dash N' Splash on July 26th! I've heard the morning spots are already grabbed and 3-7pm had some openings as of yesterday. If you want a spot, don't delay and visit their website for further info and to sign up.