Just out ---The Association of Pet Dog Trainers Top Tips From Top Trainers:  Practical Tips and Techniques For Successful Dog Care and Training.  Get your copy now!   The book can be purchased online at  Amazon, Dogwise and other bookstores.  Note:  This book was several years in the making and the tips I submitted a couple years ago were different than those I would submit today - however, the editors afforded me the opportunity to revise my submissions to update them to my current way of thinking about training - so they are still valid.

I have heard a number of people comment that the article that was published in the March 14 issue of the Telegraph Herald was cute.  While I appreciate the positive press for Canine Connection LLC, there were a number of errors in that piece.  I am not so much concerned with the typographical errors, misspelled names or even that the business name was wrong in several places.  I am most concerned about the errors of fact.  There was a statement, "When teaching a new skill, do it at least 10 times before you give the skill a name."  This is simply not true.  I think the reporter may have extrapolated this from a statement I made about when to add a cue. I was also misquoted in the statement, ".....Targeting makes the dog think more and results in more reliable behavior."  Positive reinforcement training, and specifically clicker training does result in a thinking dog, but this is a misquote about targeting.  Targeting is a skill I teach to help shift a dog from an emotional state to a thinking state.  Again, the positive press is appreciated, but know that there were some inaccuracies in this article.

The APDT Education Committee held its first meeting of 2010 in Manchester, New Hampshire this past week.  It was a meeting of minds to discuss the development of the profession of dog training. 

A presentation on seizure response dogs this past week in Moline, Illinois was well received.  Several of the attendees expressed an interest in applying to Paws with a Cause for seizure response dogs. As a Field Representative for Paws with a Cause I am responsible for doing the needs assessments as well as the in-home training and certification of handler-dog teams. 

I received word today that I passed all of my final assessments for certification as a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA - CTP)!  I am joining an elite group of extremely talented trainers who are equally wonderful people.  The past 6 months have been very challenging, especially the last 6 weeks with my broken right arm.  The KPA is a rigorous training program with high standards.  The program is based on the science of operant conditioning, and is taught by the best and the brightest in the business.  I am truly awed and inspired by the fact that I have been admitted into the ranks of the best dog trainers in the world.

The presentation this evening in Waterloo, Iowa on seizure response dogs went well. Participants were interested to learn about Paws with a Cause and how assistance dogs are trained to respond to seizures.

Children in the first offering of the Clicking for Kids Class sponsored by the City of Dubuque Leisure Services presented tricks and other behaviors they taught their dogs as part of their graduation exercises on Saturday.  Both kids and dogs did a great job!  Congratulations!

Introductory offer:  now through the end of April receive a FREE consultation with the purchase of a package of private lessons!