Not Just About The Dog

Not Just About The Dog Not Just About the dog helps owners train their own dogs and establish a bond between dog and owner based on understanding and trust

01/22/2022

When I was a child I always wanted a horse. When I was 15 I saved enough money to buy a large pony. She was what was called "green broke" which meant that she had learned to accept a rider. The extent of my riding skill was what I had learned in a 10 day horsemanship camp.
I learned how to ride on that pony. I fell off many times before I learned how to stay on. I learned how to adapt to the actions of the pony. I learned what methods worked to get the results I wanted. She wasn't an easy pony. But I think a trainer learns more by working a difficult animal.
Many people give up on an animal that presents a training challenge rather than trying to work through the problem. I volunteered with a dog rescue and trained many dogs that had been discarded by their owners due to behavior. Sometimes the most difficult dogs become the best companions

01/05/2022

I haven't posted much since I closed my dog training business in 2020. But I have noticed that this page still gets some views so I thought that I would share some of my past experiences.

I called my business "Not Just About The Dog" because a large part of successful training depends on the skill of the handler. I learned this first when riding horses. Before I developed riding skills the horse would know as soon as I was in the saddle and would take advantage, often running back to the stable. After I became a better rider, the same horse would go where I wanted to go.
The same is true about training dogs. You have to develop you training skill before you become successful.

09/10/2021

I started training dogs in 1974. I had purchased my first purebred dog and had hopes of showing him. He was an Akita and at 6 months old he weighed 90 pounds, almost as much as I did. I needed to find a way to control him if I wanted to show so we enrolled in a group obedience class.

He wasn't an easy dog. He would bark at me when I tried to get him to sit. This was before the use of food rewards was accepted in training, so I had to try to physically put him into a sit. We spent a lot of time in this class working off to the side while I struggled. The instructor asked me one night if I was afraid of the dog and I said no, I wasn't. He said "That's good, because he is you dog and you have to train him". And that is the best lesson. You can't train a dog if you are afraid.

08/20/2021

I haven't posted anything in quite a while. I had to close my dog training business in 2020 due to the pandemic. In 2021 I made the decision not to reopen. My business relied on my going to other people's homes to help them train their dog. The success of my training program depended on the owner following through with the weekly lessons on a daily basis. Dogs learn best when given multiple short training sessions. I found that few owners put in the time to work with their dogs. Some owners couldn't even manage to show up for a scheduled training appointment.
There are many online dog training programs available that owners can study at their convenience.

01/20/2021

Yesterday we had to say good-bye to our elderly cocker spaniel Topper. His loss has brought back memories of all the years we had together.
I adopted Topper in 2009. He was rescued after being found as a stray in Alabama and sent to a shelter in Massachusetts. He was my faithful companion for many years. He stayed by my side when I was ill in 2011 and he was with me during a difficult time in 2013.
I remember sitting with him on a New Years Eve when he was sick and I was worried he wouldn't make it. But he did, for 8 more years. He was more than just a dog, he was a part of my life.
RIP Topper.

01/04/2021

Happy New Year from Not Just About The Dog! Here's hoping 2021 will bring good things. While 2020 was a difficult year there were a few positive outcomes. With more people forced to stay at home the pleasure of sharing your life with a companion animal was rediscovered. Animal shelters had record adoptions and for the first time many shelters were empty. With fewer people driving, the air became cleaner and many species of wild animal thrived.

We found new ways of working remotely. There were record online sales last year. I found many online dog training programs that were probably better than a lot of in person training. In fact, the quality of many of these programs was a deciding factor in my decision to close my in person dog training business. It all comes down to the time the owner invests in training.

10/14/2020

Planning. One important part of training is planning your training session. What do you want to accomplish? For any training session you need a minimum of equipment. A collar that is appropriate for the dog considering the size of the dog and its level of training, a leash to keep the dog with you and yummy treats to reward the dog. Ideally, keep your sessions short. For example, if you are teaching a dog the "sit" command hold the treat in your hand, wait for the dog to offer a sit and then reward the dog. Repeat several times and then end the training session with a game of fetch or tug.

09/06/2020

One thing that is stressed in the book "With Winning In Mind" is how much your thoughts affect the outcome of you training. When you plan a training session you should have an image in your mind of what a perfect session would look like. If you have a chance, it is good to watch well trained dogs work. Keep that picture in your mind while you work with your dog. Keep a positive attitude and believe that your dog is the best he can be.

09/04/2020

Wow! Where did summer go? I realized when September came that I hadn't accomplished all I had hoped to with my puppy's training. The good news is that fall is really the best time to train. I have been reading a book titled "With Winning In Mind" and although I have no plans to compete with my dogs I hope to use some of the ideas in this book to help with my training. I will be setting more goals for my training and planning training sessions.

07/26/2020

Are we in the "dog days of summer"? It has been so hot lately. I always try to limit my training to the early morning or evening hours when the air is cooler. Dogs don't sweat and they can't tolerate extreme heat for any length of time. Every year we hear tragic stories of dogs dying when left in hot cars. It only takes a few minutes inside a parked car for the situation to become life threatening. If it is hot outside it is best to leave the dog at home. And be sure the dog is protected from the sun and extreme heat when he is at home.

07/24/2020

Training classes usually teach basic obedience. And teaching a dog obedience is am important start. But what most people need is good dog management. They want the dog to stop destroying the furniture, jumping on guests, bolting out the door or peeing and pooping in the house. These are problems that take a bit of time and consistency on the part of the owner. They won't be fixed in a 1 hour training class.

07/23/2020

One thing to remember, where ever you go for dog training, the majority of the training is up to you. Most classes are limited to one hour a week, for 6 to 8 weeks. The results depend on how well you understand the instruction and follow through with training on a daily basis. Ideally each training session should be no more than 10 to 15 minutes.

Address

78 Miner Road
Hardwick, MA
01082

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 7pm
Tuesday 9am - 7pm
Wednesday 9am - 7pm
Thursday 9am - 7pm
Friday 9am - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 9am - 7pm

Telephone

(413) 967-6680

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