Bear - Tustin's Tucked-Butt Lab!

Bear the Lab is a Tustin long-time client. He has been coming here on a weekly basis for years! The front office staff has kind of developed a "go-home" ritual for Bear over the years. When no one else is in the lobby, we cheer him on and he starts doing zoomies around our front lobby while tucking his butt! The first time we saw this, we all could not stop laughing! Today, I finally got it on video with my Iphone to share with the rest of the Wags family! We love you Bear! If you need a good laugh, watch the video below! I guarantee it will make you Laugh Out Loud!...or at least put a smile on your face :)

-Romi

Wags Glossary -- aka "What the heck is a Gentle Leader?"

Frequently at Wags we will recommend a secret weapon to our clients to help them better manage or work with their dogs. Our "secrets" may involve unique treats, a walking tool, or another piece of equipment that we have had great experience with. Unfortunately, sometimes for our clients, we may be speaking a different language! We thought it would be nice to explain some of our most frequently recommended items in one place for our clients to peruse. Even if you don't need any extras for your dog, you can be the "canine fountain of knowledge" at your next cocktail party or family gathering!

Gentle Leader - The Gentle Leader is an essential piece of equipment for the trainers here at Wags. The Gentle Leader is a specific brand of "head halter". That is exactly what it sounds like--a horse halter-like piece of nylon that is fitted to the dog's head. It has two loops, one behind the ears and one over the snout, along with a ring under the chin where the leash is attached. The Gentle Leader (or "GL") has two main functions. The first is that it gives the handler much better control over the dog. Just as in leading a 1000lb horse, where the head goes, the body must follow. This is great for walking powerful pullers--when they pull ahead, they don't get far. The head turns and the body follows, quickly giving the message that the only way to go forward is politely! The secondary use for the GL is that it can serve as a calming tool for many dogs as well. A properly fitted GL works on pressure points behind the ears and over the snout and can help settle barking or rambunctious dogs.

A few notes on the Gentle Leader; the GL is a tool, not a solution. Proper walking etiquette should still be trained with the goal of graduating to a flat martingale or buckle collar. The GL should never, ever be used with a leash correction. The head and neck are very sensitive parts of your dogs anatomy and improper use could cause injuries. Lastly, the GL should never be left on an unsupervised dog.

Thundershirt - The Thundershirt is an ingenious piece of canine gear that was developed for sensitive, anxious dogs. Based on theories about touch and pressure by leading animal experts such as Temple Grandin and Linda Tellington-Jones, this "shirt-meets-body-wrap" exerts a gentle, constant pressure which works to calm a dog. Using pressure to relieve anxiety has been a common practice for years. While it is not a magic bullet and should be used in conjunction with other training methods, we have seen firsthand how the Thundershirt can help anxious dogs settle down, relieve car sickness, assist with noise phobias and more.

Tie Down and Martingale Collar - A Tie Down is a 3-4' leash or cable that is affixed to a stationary point that your dog cannot move. We use Tie Downs to keep our dogs out of trouble, but still involved in general activities. Tie Downs are indispensable tools for puppies and young dogs who are learning the rules of the house. They can be used to keep a puppy confined to a small area during house breaking, or for a 5 minute time out with a rambunctious teen age dog. They can be used when visitors come over to the house--keeping Rex on the tie down allows him to see Grandma as she comes in, but prevents him from rushing over and knocking her over in his excitement. Or, if you just need to make dinner without tripping over your dog, she can be lying on her bed, secured by a tie down. She is still included in the family happenings, but kept out from underfoot.

The martingale collar mimics the action of a choke collar, yet in a more gentle and humane manner. The collar is very similar to a traditional flat collar, but has an additional loop with a leash attachment in place of a buckle or clasp.
When the leash is pulled, the small loop tightens while also allowing a stop mechanism so that the choking action is halted. A properly fit martingale collar does not have the ability to contract to a size smaller than that of the dog’s neck, and the dog should not be able to pull out of the collar.



Tools to Keep Them Busy!

Marrow Bones - Frozen Marrow Bones, usually beef, but also bison or another variety, can be found at your local upscale pet stores in the freezer section. These are delicious and healthy treats for your dogs that can keep them occupied for hours. If you have more than one dog and plan to feed them extremely high value items such as marrow bones, be sure that you crate the dogs individually or otherwise confine them separately so no one is tempted to steal the spoils from each other!


Nylabone - They may not look all that exciting, but for some dogs, Nylabones are at the top of the list. These are durable nylon bones that keep aggressive chewers busy for hours. They come in different flavors and sizes.






Food Dispensing Toys - There are a wide variety of food dispensing toys currently available on the market. Most everyone is familiar with the old standby--the Kong. But there are also other options for the dogs that need a new challenge! Some of our favorites are the Tug-a-Jug, the Twist-n-Treat, the Everlasting Fun Ball, the Kong Wobbler, and the Buster Cube. These toys can be loaded with your dogs meals and left around your home. They will keep your dog mentally and physically occupied, which is great for both of you!

One great tip for Kongs is to fill them with something such as peanut butter or your dog's favorite canned dog food flavor, and freeze them. This slows down the time in which it takes your dog to get out all the goods! If you are worried about the extra calories, you can always mix peanut butter with non-fat plain yogurt, or if you're really cutting calories, you could even fill it with chicken broth (plug the small hole with a dab of something gooey and placing it large hole side up in a cup in the freezer to prevent frozen chicken broth catastrophe!).

As always if you have any questions on these items or any other dog products, please let us know! Our primary goal is always to help you and your dog co-exist happily.

IS THAT PEE!

"Gansta Rodent"

It's 11:30pm, I'm finally turning off my computer.  Rodie is looking at me wagging his tail.  I stand up and I feel liquid!  He has lifted his leg on my desk.  That's it!  This little guy is gonna pay!  I'm tired of cleaning up pee in my house.  Usually it's the rug in front of the door but tonight he actually dared to lift his leg.....a very small 6 inches from my leg!

I know I'm a dog trainer and my little Rodent should be potty trained, he's 8 months already.  Little dogs really are harder to potty train though.  They go more often.  They get cold or distracted outside and forget to go.  I forget to put him out as often as the older dogs.  I'm still tired of cleaning up pee though.

Then I see the Wags December Newsletter that I just sent out.  Liz wrote an article about the poochie bells.  Then it hit me!  I'm moving into our new dream home next week and the Rodent is not going to go pee in the new house.  I'm gonna use the bells in the new house for all the dogs.  Guess a good training plan wins out over corporal punishment again.  I'll keep you posted!

Laurie Zurborg, CPDT
Founder Wags & Wiggles

My Dirty Little Secret To Dog Training

Yes, my dirty little secret is the Bite Me Game.  My whole career as a dog trainer has been based on finding ways to motivate dogs to do the things I want them to do.  Dogs who are motivated respond quickly to cues and pay very good attention to their owners.

Here is one of my motivation games for my own dog.  Gator, my 5 yr old pyrenean shepherd, struggles with the concentration and drive required to do agility.  I call it "his work" which is probably the problem.  Maybe it's work for me to make him happy enough to play my agility games.  Wonder what he calls it?  Play?  Hm, maybe.

Anyway, we get Gator in the mood with the Bite Me Game (Confession #1). Some dogs like to tug before agility, not Gator.  Most dogs at least look excited to do it.   Not Gator.  Why?  That's the million dollar question.  It certainly hasn't been from a lack of effort on my part to make it as fun as possible.  It's just hard for him to concentrate and he gets nervous with any pressure (even the pressure to have a good time).  

My friend Meha invented the Bite Me Game.  I was sold.  Gator did not have to do anything except eat food and do it enthusiastically.  How do we know when he's primed and enthusiast, he's biting her fingers to get the food.  I know, I know.....no dogs should nip when taking treats right?  Not in the world of Gator.  Meha, says Bite Me, and those words are magical to him.  He is eager to play.  I have even transferred some of the biting to a toy which makes training easier obviously.

So before it gets around that I teach dogs to bite people, let's look at it.  Gator hardly ever does anything wrong, except destroy crates and xpens to be with me.  I don't mind that so much (confession #2).  Okay, he's barks a little but I use that to pump him up.  He's never aggressive, towards anyone or anything.  That's the main reasion we can play the Bite Me Game safely.  

Having a warm up game for agility that involves no rules, just biting for food, and me running my butt off to direct him, we just make actually get our Perf ADCH sometime this year.  For you non-agility peeps, this would be like winning the lottery, or maybe paying off your mortgage, or winning a new car.  Yeah, that amazing.

So the next time you see Gator, be his pal and give him a free treat that he doesn't have to work for.  It's money in his bank of happiness.  Be creative in the ways you motivate your dog to do their training.  Dogs were put on this earth to make us happy, let's give a little back.  They will teach you how to play the games they like.

Laurie Zurborg, CPDT, Founder

Our Favorite Dog Treats--Homemade, Quick and Easy. Promise!!!

We have quite a few dog nutrition sticklers around here at Wags, who go above and beyond to make sure their dogs only are eating the best possible foods.

At agility trials where there are lots of Wags "family" in attendance, the dogs can often be found crowding around Romi and myself for the tastiest rewards for their efforts! Specifically, a favorite treat recipe known as "Tuna Fudge" really makes the pups go crazy! I have also had great success with some of our pickier training dogs really going gaga over these treats when they would not touch anything else.

This is the version I have more-or-less perfected. I have also used a 15oz can of Salmon that worked great as well. You also could probably substitute rice flour if your dog has wheat issues, but you may have to play with the consistency a bit. Let us know how it turns out for you!

TUNA FUDGE
2 6oz. cans of tuna in water (do not drain)
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups all purpose/whole wheat flour
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Put ingredients in food processor and process lightly to break up big chunks of tuna and even out ingredients. If you don't have a food processor, just first break up the tuna with a fork, then add other ingredients.

The consistency should be thick, but moist... like cookie dough. If it looks too dry, you can add a little bit of water at a time to moisten it.

Spray or lightly wipe pan with olive oil. Pour in 9x9 square or pie pan and spread evenly with spatula.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Let sit until cool - then take out of pan and cut into bite size treats! They keep in the fridge for about a week. Or, you can freeze them to extend their life. This makes about 1.5--2 cups of 1/4 inch cubed treats.

Happy cooking!!!

~Liz

Agility & The Importance of Understanding Distance

Can you just look at a piece of wood and immediately know how long it is?  What about if I asked you the distance driving from your house to your work?  Would you be accurate?  I should probably would not be.  I can be directionally challenged.  In agility, this can be a problem for dogs and humans that don't naturally calculate distance well.

On course do you notice the distance between jumps changes?  Sometimes they are closer together and sometimes farther away.  When you walk a course, notice when the course has been designed to collect or extend your dog.  Dogs will need to learn the skills of shortening their stride, expanding their stride, and going back and forth.  Do you know what is the largest distance your dog can 1 stride?  Can you clearly describe what cue you give your dog to shorten their stride and what cue you give your dog to extend their stride? 

Shouldn't your dog do this on their own? 
My personal view is that agility is team sport and handlers should

assist their dogs in every way possible.  Handling is more than directing your dog around the course.

Like humans, some dogs are not naturals at this.  This is one of the most missed skills in dogs that knock bars.  They can turn, they can jump, they can go, but they can't read the distance without handler assistance.  This is where you can learn to help your dog.  Notice in advance on walk through places you will need to run or slow down to aid your dog's jumping through a course.  You may need to adjust your handling plan to assist your dog.

Here is a great video showing a dog's mastery of changing its stride when necessary on course.  When the spaces get wider, he jumps longer/harder.  When the distance shrinks, he shortens his stride.

Laurie Zurborg, CPDT Wags & Wiggles Founder.

Doing the Chicken Dance!

Recently I had the pleasure of attending the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Conference in San Diego. This annual conference hosts the leading positive reinforcement animal trainers, behaviorists, and scientists. It is always such a pleasure to attend these conferences to learn the latest and greatest positive reinforcement techniques, reinforce what I know, and to network with other trainers.

This year I decided to attend the much talked about Click-A-Chick seminar held by Terry Ryan. This seminar is a hands on workshop clicker training, yes you guessed it, CHICKENS! Real live chickens. The purpose of this experience is to sharpen up the mechanical skills of the trainer (improving the timing of the click and the criteria designation for the behavior). Chickens move extremely fast so capturing the behavior that you are looking for with a precise "click" of a clicker takes some skill. (see information on clicker training here http://www.wagsandwiggles.com/clickertraining.pdf)

I have avoided this workshop for years because I have a bizarre phobia of flying birds. When Wags was first in operation in our little 3000 square foot building in Rancho Santa Margarita, the Wags birds "Wiggles" and "Giggles" used to fly around the office and freak me out. So, sitting in this seminar before the chickens came out, I was a nervous wreck. Nicole and Liz, trainers at Wags & Wiggles, were with me and helped me remain calm every time the chickens moved. During demonstration Terry Ryan had a chicken who was wildly flapping its wings. It made me very scared to start training one myself.

Then we got started. Once I laid my hands on that sweet Chick, I was calm and excited to train. We worked on teaching the chickens to peck a target at first. The timing of the click was very important. There were a few people in the room that did not have good timing, therefore their chickens walked to another trainer, pecked their hands, or flew away. Luckly none of us from Wags had that happen. We were amazing and our chickens were stellar. The chickens not only learned to peck the targets, but also to peck the small dot in the center of the target. Precision was what we worked up to and conquered!
We then taught the chickens to distinguish between targets by having them peck a red poker chip. After she was pecking the red one, we introduced a blue poker chip that we wanted her to ignore. If she pecked the blue one we just removed the red one (removed the opportunity for reward) until she stopped. Then the red poker chip came back as did the opportunity for more clicks/treats. She was pecking the red poker chip so hard she was flinging it off the table! Smart girl knew exactly what I wanted and was going for it with gusto!

This was such a great experience for me. I got to practice my mechanical skills and add Chickens the species of animal I have trained. It also helped me with my fear of flying birds.

I now have an obession with Chickens. Now I'll have to have those too. My husband is so thrilled.

~Lysa

Nationals Wrap Up

The trip to Kentucky for the USDAA 2011 Nationals was a good trip but not a great trip.  We didn't come back with any wins or trophies this year.  While I was proud of what we did, we just had an off trial.  Gumbo, my steady Catahoula, and I were just not in sync.  After close examination of video, there wasn't anything obvious I did most of the time, we were just off.  He was paying attention and trying hard.  It just figures we won almost every event all year long and then not do well at nationals.  Luckily, my long time agility partner and friend Shelley Permann won Performance Grand Prix and Performance Speed Jumping with her 10 yr old Cardigan Corgi, so at least I got to celebrate with her.  Gem, my 2 yr old border collie, was just fabulous for her age.  And Gator, my Pyrenean Shepherd, actually was the most consistent of all my dogs which is quite the shocker considering we joke that "he's got issues".

We had other lessons to learn apparently and the one thing I took away from my trip is that training your dog to handle the real world, come when called, and be social makes traveling much more enjoyable.  The best time we had was finding a river for the dogs to swim.  Then other agility competitors showed up with their pack and it was game on. 

Gumbo's most memorable moment was at the river.  Gumbo disappeared for awhile unnoticed. He dug up a mole, tossed it around and about to swallow! Shelley yells "he's eating something, laurie". I yell "well stop him". She yells "no way he's growling at me" and I get into a muddy wrestling match to save the mole. Guess who won, yes Gumbo got the prize.

Rodent, my new agility chihuahua, was adored by all at the event.  He learned to be handled by strangers, get measured, sit in the stands, and beg for food.  He also was a frequent visitor of the FitPaws booth where he wobbled, jumped, tumbled, and learned about his body. He even kept his anger management in check and made some new doggie friends.  That's not easy for him. 

USDAA did a really great job this year and really listened to the competitor complaints from last year.  The running surface was much better, the competitor result area was much better, and the dust was virtually non-existent.  I applaud USDAA for their efforts.  Not to mention the courses were perfectly tough yet fun.  The best news is that next year the event will be in Colorado.  So excited not to drive to Kentucky again.  Lastly, the IFCS 2012 World Team was announced at nationals.  Sadly, Gem will not be on the team but it wasn't expected since she was the youngest dog to try out.  It was a great learning experience for us all and we hope to be selected for a future world team.  Rachel Sanders, the World Team Coach, will be coming to Wags & Wiggles to share her expertise with us in December. 

Laurie Zurborg, CPDT, Founder

Mayhem has her big surgery!

Having a young dog can be the most fun and the most frustrating experience. I’ve had my fair share of puppies, and being the “crazy Lab lady” most of them have been high energy verging on psychosis. I love it though and get puppy fever more often than is normal.

My most recent Puppy, Mayhem, was born in February and recently it was time for her to get spayed. One of the hardest parts of having a dog, on top of the crazy puppy stages, is the part where they need to undergo a major surgery. They cannot speak to tell you that the doctors and nurses treated them well, they cannot tell you how much it hurts, or how much the medications affect them. Because of that, I am always a nervous wreck with my furry children’s medical care and am always looking for the least invasive way to treat them.

With what I do I am lucky enough to know many different people in the animal business and talk about and explore options for the care of the dogs, both my own and the client dogs. Enter Veterinary Surgical Specialists (VSS) in Tustin. I was able to discuss with them the option of the Laparoscopic Ovariectomy. With this procedure, the surgeon goes in Laparoscopically and removes the ovaries versus the traditional method of cutting the dog open and removing the ovaries and uterus. I was told there is practically no down time for the dog after and much less painful. I was sold!

Dr. Cambridge and his staff at VSS were amazing with my questions and general anxiety about my baby. I really am a lunatic when it comes to this stuff. Mayhem came out and was sleepy that first night from the anesthetic, but was back in action the next day as if nothing happened!! I have had dogs spayed in the past in the traditional way and they were down for a week with some pretty significant pain. My husband and I were both thrilled at the difference and I am certain I won’t ever have a dog spayed or neutered any other way.

I was so impressed with VSS, of course, but over the moon about how great it was for Mayhem I had to share the information.

I was told too that for dogs that are prone to bloat/Gastric Dilatation Volvulus or "GDV" (large breed, or deep chested dogs are most prone, but are not the only breeds) the surgeon can tack the stomach internally (Gastropexy) while performing this surgery laparoscopically so to minimize the likelihood of the dogs bloating. (If you are unfamiliar with dog bloat and have a large breed dog, please do look it up) They can also do a laparoscopic Gastropexy for prevention on dogs that have already been spayed/neutered with a fast recovery and tiny incision. Pretty amazing stuff.

Mayhem still continues to show off her puppyness and gives me a run for my money…I look forward to many years to come.

~Lysa Knight, CPDT, Co-Owner Tustin

New Fecal Policy - REQUIRED by 11/01/11!

Have you recently received this flyer from your Wags & Wiggles Facility? If not, Wags & Wiggles is now REQUIRING yearly fecal & parasite testing. As of November 1st, all current and new clients will need to show proof of a Negative fecal testing done within 90 days.

As of September 2011 we have decided to add fecal (poop) and parasite testing to our daycare requirements. We have not had a big issue with the spread of parasites at our facilities due to our extensive cleaning and supervision, however we feel this new policy will only make our daycares and the community better. Some parasites can go undetected in dogs without symptoms of illness. There may always be a chance that your dog can get sick being around other dogs despite current vaccinations and fecal tests, but we want you to know that we love your dogs and want to implement everything possible to keep them happy and healthy.

This is what you need to know about this policy:

• We recommend two tests: Ova/Parasite Test and Giardia Elisa Test. The Ova/Parasite test is MANDATORY. The Giardia Test is optional but is strongly suggested especially for Giardia prone areas like Irvine. Giardia is notoriously hard to detect in a standard flotation fecal test. This is why we suggest the Elisa Test. The Ova/Parasite test will check for all other parasites such as Roundworms, Tapeworms, Hookworms, Pinworms, Coccidia & other parasites. We anticipate that if you have current status with your veterinarian there will be no office charge. Contact your own veterinarian regarding their own policies.

• If you are a new client, you must present confirmation from your veterinarian that your dog had a fecal and the results came back Negative. The test must have been done within 90 days prior to starting daycare or puppy class.

• If you are an existing client, you will have until November 1st to present verification of a clean fecal. The fecal must have been done in the last 90 days.

• All clients will be required to present proof of a clean fecal on a yearly basis. Hopefully you can tie this into your vaccination schedule. We will keep track of your fecal status in our computer and will remind you when your yearly due date comes around.

• If your dogs fecal shows a parasite, you must seek treatment, and present a clean fecal result to us at the end of the treatment.

We know that asking you to get this test done may be difficult for your busy schedule. However, we are confident that our clients will respond positively to keeping their dogs in the safest daycare possible. We recommend that you get this fecal testing done through your own veterinarian. However, in the case of immediate need (such as emergency boarding), we have made arrangements with a local veterinarian to be able to do the fecal testing through W&W. Please contact either the RSM or the Tustin Facility for details.

Any dog that shows up for boarding or daycare after November 1st without proof of a clean fecal will not be allowed in the play area until this testing is done.

Here is some additional information on Giardia and Parasites: Giardia is an organism that lives in the small intestine of dogs and cats. If your dog shows symptoms, it's usually very watery diarrhea. Some dogs will lose weight (but still eat fine), have bad smelling poop with an abnormal pale color. Giardia transmits through feces. Your dog does not have to eat poop to get Giardia. They can drink infected water on walks or at dog parks, they can get Giardia on their feet and then lick their feet, and through normal nose to butt greetings with other dogs. Treatment is usually a 10-14 day long treatment of antibiotics.

Click here for more information on Giardia

Click here for more information on Common Small Animal Parasites

If you have any questions regarding this new policy - Please contact your Wags & Wiggles Facility today and we will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Tustin: 714-368-7077 RSM: 949-635-9655

-Romi

Upcoming Training Classes for October & November 2011!

Here is a schedule of our upcoming Classes at both Wags & Wiggles locations for October & November! You can also Click Here to view our class schedule on our website.

PUPPY CLASSES

Tustin

Every Monday 4:30pm - 5:30pm (Instructors: Gretchen & Nicole)

Every Saturday 8:30am-9:30am (Instructors: Gretchen & Amanda)

RSM

Every Wednesday 12pm-1pm (Instructor: Ranaye)

Every Saturday 10am-11am (Instructor: Jenny)

Puppy Class Prices: $40 per class, $130 for a pack of 4 classes, $199 for a pack of 4 class + 1 private lessons, Train for Life Prgram applies.

OBEDIENCE LEVEL 1 (5 weeks)

Tustin

Saturdays - Starting 10/29/11 - 10am-11am (Instructor: Amanda)

Mondays - Starting: 11/07/11 - 6pm-7pm (Instructor: Gretchen)

Thursdays - Starting: 11/10/11 - 11am-12pm (Instructor: Amanda)

RSM

Wednesdays - Starting: 11/02/11 - 6:15pm-7:15pm (Instructor: Ranaye)

OBEDIENCE LEVEL 2 (5 weeks)

Tustin

Saturdays - Starting: 10/29/11 - 11:30am-12:30pm (Instructor: Amanda)

Tuesdays - Starting: 11/01/11 - 4pm-5pm (Instructor: Lysa)

Mondays - Starting: 11/07/11 - 11am-12pm (Instructor: Amanda)

RSM

Wednesdays - Starting: 11/02/11 - 5pm-6pm (Instructor: Ranaye)

CANINE GOOD CITIZEN (5 weeks)

RSM

Wednesdays - Starting: 11/02/11 - 5pm-6pm (Instructor: Ranaye)

All 5 Week Obedience Classes + Canine Good Citizen Class Prices: $165 for 5 weeks, Train for Life Program applies.

SPECIALTY AGILITY CLASSES

Tustin

ONE-TIME CLASSES

Tunnelers - Tuesday - 11/08/11 - 12:30pm-1:30pm (Instructor: Lysa)

Serpentines & Threadles - Tuesday - 11/08/11 - 1:45pm-2:45pm (Instructor: Lysa)

Contacts - Tuesday - 11/15/11 - 12:30pm-1:30pm (Instructor: Lysa)

Serpentines & Threadles - Tuesday - 11/15/11 - 1:45pm-2:45pm (Instructor: Lysa)

All One-Time Agility Class Prices: $20, Train for Life Program DOES NOT apply.

Ongoing Classes

Jump Grids - Every Friday - 12:30-1:30pm (Instructor: Laurie)

Ongoing Jump Grids Class Price: $20 per class or $80 for a pack of 4, Train for Life Program DOES NOT apply.

RSM

Ongoing Classes

Contact & Weave Rehab - Every Thursday - 8:30am-9:30am (Instructor: Laurie)

Ongoing Contact & Weave Rehab Price: $20 per class or $80 for a pack of 4, Train for Life Program DOES NOT apply.

TRICKS FOR TREATS (3 weeks)

Tustin

Fridays - Starting: 11/04/11 - 5pm-6pm (Instructor: Gretchen)

Tricks for Treats Class Price: $75 for 3 weeks, Train For Life Program applies.

RALLY OBEDIENCE (3 weeks)

Tustin

Fridays - Starting: 11/04/11 - 6:30pm-7:30pm (Instructor: Gretchen)

Rally Obedience Class Price: $75 for 3 weeks, Train for Life Program DOES NOT apply.

To sign up for any classes or to get more information, please feel free to contact either facility: Tustin - 714-368-7077 RSM - 949-635-9655. You can also sign up for classes online through our online-pay. Click Here to Sign Up through Online Pay

Happy Training!

-Romi

DOGTOBERFEST is BACK!!!

Our famous DOGTOBERFEST is back for the month of OCTOBER!!! If you aren't familiar with our October Dogtoberfest Special - We offer 1 day in October to specific breeds or mixes. On your dogs day, they will receive daycare for only $20! (rolling back our prices back to 1999!) If you don't see your dogs breed or mix, the Mixed Breed day is October 26th and for any breed we missed, that day is October 31st.

(Limit 1 per dog. If your dog could be considered multiple breeds, please pick one day to come for this special. If you are on a pass, day must be paid separate. Ok for boarding use. $20 fee may not be discounted further. No coupons or additional discounts.)

Any questions about Dogtoberfest, feel free to call our RSM facility at 949-635-9655 and Tustin at 714-368-7077 and our staff will be happy to answer any questions!

Click here to view Wags & Wiggles Dogtoberfest Calendar

-Romi

Self Control

Most clients would like to know how to stop their dog from chasing squirrels or how not to pull on the leash.  Those questions are somewhat easy to answer with a well laid training plan.  A few days ago, I was asked a different sort of question that I found much more difficult to answer. 

This client's agility dog struggled with several issues:  separation anxiety, counter surfing, start line problems, bar knocking, and a few other things.  The underlying comment I made to her was that her dog lacked self control.  Of course then she asked how to develop self control.  As I thought about an answer, I realized how huge the answer would be.  I couldn't answer that without a lot more thought. 

In general my dogs have great self control.  They weren't born with it, it has been instilled in every fabric of their life.  Learning cues like leave it help but my dogs also know that just because they see something they want, it doesn't mean it's there for the taking.  Games like It's Your Choice by Susan Garrett and Nothing In Life in Free are also great self control ideas. 

So thanks to this smart student, I will be doing a series on implementing self control.  I will be using Rodie, my recent puppy addition, for this series since self control is what we work on day after day.

Our first lesson will be about Waiting For the Cue.  It's often the case that when we teach dogs a new behavior, that's all they want to do.  If you teach them to High Five, soon they can't respond to sit or down without doing the High Five.  Then grandma comes to visit, reaches down to pet your dog, and she gets slapped in the face with High Five. 

In our classes, this is how learning new behaviors goes:
1)  Shape behavior with click/treats (lure only if needed)
2)  Add Cue once dog can offer the full behavior
3)  Teach Dog to Wait for the Cue (no longer rewarding offered behavior)

As you will see in this video, Rodie, struggles with many concepts.  Rodie has three behaviors on cue pretty reliably:  Sit, Down, & Kennel.  Now the challenge is to get him to wait, listen, and respond to the correct cue given.  The problem is he likes Down WAY better than anything else and thinks everything should be down.  He also thinks he should throw me a Down at any given moment.

Getting dogs to understand the concept of Waiting For The Cue will create a thoughtful dog who listens to their human and has the beginnings of self control.  Take it slow, be patient, and have a sense of humor.

Laurie Zurborg, CPDT, Founder

Rewarding Behaviors

For those of you who haven't met me, my name is Liz and I am one of the staff trainers at Wags. I recently was able to assist my first foundation agility class with one of our longtime instructors Lisa McFarland and it was a really eye-opening learning experience for me.

One of the most interesting things I learned via assisting was how important it is for us as instructors to help our students learn the real value of rewards. The concept that is number one here at Wags is that we focus on learning to identify and reward your dog for appropriate behavior, and stop focusing on and being distracted by unwanted behavior. Reinforcing the right things over and over makes them become automatic over time, and letting go of the things we feel our dog shouldn't be doing will allow the "less-desirables" to fade away. Also, we need to remember that our dog determines what is valuable! We may think crunchy biscuits are the greatest, but our dog may really prefer a soft liver treat. Or, he may prefer to tug on a toy or pounce on a furry squeaky thing! Ultimately it doesn't matter what reward our dog will work for as long as we can identify ones that motivate him. We as trainers and owners need to be open to finding what excites our dog, and then once we do, be prepared to run with it!

One student in particular really stood out to me over the session. She joined us coming from a more traditional background, using corrections to train and not all that thrilled about giving her dog food rewards. But over the 6 week agility session, she has not only come to understand the "why" of positive reinforcement training, but she has began to see its awesome effects on her dog. She was fortunate that her dog was already a willing participant, but now her dog is blossoming into an enthusiastic, eager-to-please partner which is so exciting to see!

The staff trainers at Wags train dogs not only because we like to hang out with them all day, but because learning to communicate with a dog is such an amazing experience. When we can share that experience with students and open up entirely new avenues for them, it makes it twice as rewarding for us as well!

Last night is the last class of this session for Level. I hope to see you in a RSM agility or obedience class soon!

Before and After...

Hi All!

Romi here over at the Tustin Wags & Wiggles! For my first blog post, I decided to make it a cute, short one! I compiled some pictures of Wags client dogs and staff dogs that have been coming to us since wee bitty puppies and have grown into beautiful adults! I thought it would be fun to compare the before and after pictures! One of the perks of the job is watching our puppies grow! Enjoy the photos! :)

Gem the Border Collie

Cobalt the Mini Aussie

Ninja the Shiba Inu

Ruby the Cavalier

Portia the Boxer

Wink the Norrbottenspets

Mogul the Mini Aussie

Muggie the Bullmation

Stanley the GoldenDoodle

Leloo the Husky

Nala the GoldenDoodle

Kaia the Shepherd Mix

-Romi

Team Zurborg Expands: Sir Punk Rodent

Sir Punk Rodent is really his full name. Rodie for short. He just joined the pack of Team Agility Zurborg. He's a 4 1/2 mos old Chihuahua who is full of evil thoughts. He loves to bite, chase, harass, and be a total punk. He has no thoughts of self preservation and will climb any mountain, jump off any building, and wear his superman cape all day long.

I realize he's the wrong color but we will soon rectify that with a special blue merle shirt. Gator loves him which of course was a mandatory requirement.

Rodie was a client surrender. He originally was adopted from the OC Shelter at a mere 8 weeks of age. The problem is Rodie is a resource guarder and will snarl when handled. He will guard his food and toys. Sounds like he will fit in just fine at my house! That's my specialty.

If Rodie continues on to compete in agility, that means I will have run in every single jump height in my career. I'm proud of that, big or small, rescue or purchase, they can all be trained to a high level of competition. He's been to several agility trials now and agility peeps are great about socializing him. He's already started learning about turning around posts, standing on planks (even ones that move), rear end awareness, recall, stay and more.

Stay turned for updates from Sir Punk Rodent.

~Laurie Zurborg, Founder

What A Tortoise Can Teach You

The first thing you have to know about Tortoises is that they can go on a "tortoise rampage".  You never know what prompts it.  They just get angry about something.  I just spent 3 hours battling my tortoise.  Bump is a 15 year old sulcata tortoise we rescued from the LA Shelter.  He now weighs 67 pounds.

Gator as a Puppy and Bump as a
younger smaller tortoise. 
He's huge now.

Today Bump decided that he HAD to fit inside the smaller  hut for our other tortoise.  Bump can't fit through the opening, designed just so he couldn't bully the other tortoise.  He got his front half in and got stuck.  His very loud grunts got our attention from inside the house. 

We pull him out requiring a good 20 minutes of heaving.   I figured he wouldn't think it was worth a second try.  Wrong!  So I went out trying to distract him.  Gave him a treasure hunt of luscious organic carrots and zucchini.  He hunted for 45 minutes, devoured them and returned to bashing his head against the hut.  I tried rose petals in his hut, butternut squash on a stick, and a second treasure hunt.  Why is this tortoise not tired already?

I'm beginning to get battle weary.  So I move the other tortoise who is pinned to the back of the hut to another part of the yard.  An empty hut surely wouldn't be worth head trauma?  Wrong again.  I hear some more horrible grunts and Bump has now got half of his body into the hut.  This time is takes two humans to pull him out.

I'm desperate now to resolve this and getting cranky.  I pull out the hose.  You can't pick him up and move him so sometimes a little water can change his mind about a location.  Not this time!  I give him a little bonk on his nose as he approaches the hut.  I swear he has steam coming out of his ears, he's on a mission. 

Finally, I just dismantle and move the hut that is now pretty much destroyed.  Why did I not think of this 2 hours ago?  What this angry pig headed monster of a tortoise just taught me was sometimes it's just easier to remove the temptation than teach an animal not to do something.

Agility Teaches Humility

The crazy summer months at Wags is finally over and it's time to take a little vacation.  We all worked super hard taking care of everyone's dogs while all our clients jet setted from the beach to the desert.  I chose the coast in central california to play agility with great weather, great friends, and great life lessons.  My dogs were so happy, loving, and made my life complete. I even had a stow away named Rudy, a chihuahua, nicknamed the Punk Rodent who may just become the next agility star.  More on Rudy later.

Apparently, this trip was going to include an agility lesson on Humility.  There is nothing like a good fall on your ass to put any ego you had on hold.  Of course it was caught on video, hope you enjoy it. I love how Gem really wanted to make sure "I" was okay after I took a spectacular feet sliding dump on my butt on one of the most important agility runs of the weekend. 

Laurie Zurborg ~ Founder, Wags & Wiggles

Calming Ovals: A Technique Any Human Can Master

No matter what style of training you use, teaching a dog to walk nicely on a leash is often a source of frustration for the human.  When do I click?  When do I feed?  What hand do I feed from?  When do I stop?  Do I turn around?  What if the dog won't walk?  When do I yank the leash?  Well, hopefully you are coming to our class so you aren't yanking the leash.

Calming ovals is the better introduction to leash walking for the novice dog trainer.  This technique was introduced to me by Kay Laurence.  She's from England and doesn't come here often but when she does, you should run not walk to sign up.  I have used the calming oval technique in our control unleashed classes for a few months now.  It's a great warmup exercise to get the human end of the leash started with relaxing their dog.

My interpretation of calming ovals is for the dog to match the human's energy level that is holding the leash.  No, this isn't some spiritual journey I want you to go on.  If you walk slowly, and I mean slow, in the same pattern over and over, your dog will just match your energy level.  At first they may bounce all over the place, trying to pull here or there.  But then they just start to flow with you.

SIDE BAR:  There is an assumption here that your dog has had enough leash training to not be fearful of the leash.  Do not start this with young puppies, they should have lots of click/treats for wearing their leash loosely before you start this exercise.

You hold the leash firmly with two hands and clasp them to your waist.  Your hands never move.  You may have to shift your weight to stay upright but you keep your pattern going no matter what.  If they try to cut in front of you, you use big marching band feet to keep them from cutting you off.  If they lag behind, just keep walking the same pace and don't look back at them.  Check out our tutorial video.

Click Picture to Play Video

Picking Your Next Puppy/Breeder

We often find ourselves looking for a puppy when the time just feels right or we have recently lost a much-loved member of our pack and are ready for the next "one" to join our family. Buying a puppy from a breeder can be a great experience, provided you do your homework ahead of time. Once you have thoroughly researched the breeds you are considering and are ready to take the leap, as one of our favorite dog writers says; "Stop looking for a puppy; look for a BREEDER."


Well the time has come for me.  I'm looking for my next agility dog.  I'm actually not too certain what breed I want yet but I am certain about what kind of breeder I'm looking for.  Most of the dogs in my life have been rescues so I had to go through some serious education when I started looking to purchase my last dog.  Just because I was going to spend a certain sum of money didn't necessarily mean I had higher expectations in my dog, I just want to support the RIGHT kind of breeders.  Since my dog will be doing agility, I do need to make sure my puppy is as physically sound as possible so I don't risk injury or lessen their quality of life.


Good breeders don't make a ton of money.  Breeding the right way is expensive.  Of course any breeder that was unknown to me and not local enough to check out is out of the question.  You probably want to avoid any breeders that have multiple litters going at once.  Puppies need Early Neonatal Stimulation to be ready to handle the human world.  This takes daily care on part of the breeder.  When old enough, puppies need to moved from their whelping area to other safe places to experience grass, water, dirt, tables, things to climb over and through and most importantly for agility dogs; climbing on things that move.  Good breeders will invite adults and children over to handle the puppies as well, hopefully even with some early toy tug and chase sessions.


Here are some other basic guidelines:

• A good breeder always has a clause about taking the puppy/dog back if there is any question about the new family being able to continue care.
• A good breeder will welcome you to their facility and allow you to meet the parents (at least the mother), as well as the puppies.
• Ask about breed-specific health certifications like hips, eyes, knees (for small dogs), don't just accept a general "health certification".
• What early socialization has the breeder done? Has the breeder exposed them to toys, people, strange things to walk on, etc?  If the breeder lives out in farmlands, has the puppy been exposed to the noises a suburban life will bring? 
• Rule of thumb: Don't buy a singleton (one puppy born alone in the litter), don't buy in pairs (siblings)!
• Puppies should have had at least one deworming and their first set of vaccines before coming homes with you.
• Never, ever purchase a puppy based on price. Buying a dog from an online ad or at a pet store because the price is right is ultimately a poor decision.
• Good breeders choose buyers carefully.  They should be as careful about you as you are about them.
• Ask lots of questions.  Tell the breeder what temperament type you are looking for.  Mellow, active, etc.  If you are looking at a working stock aussie breeder or field lab breeder, you won't be getting mellow.  Perhaps they can refer you to a breeder that has more appropriate dogs for you.
• Find out the average life span of the grandparents, great grandparents, etc
• Has there been a specific toilet area in the puppy area? Is it dirty or clean? This is not just a cleanliness issue but you don't want your puppy practicing eating feces at a young age. It may be difficult to curb later on.
• Good breeders NEVER sell to pet stores.  They strive to better their breed and educate pet owners. 
• Don't buy an older puppy from a breeder that the breeder was supposedly going to keep to show and then changed their minds.  This is a red flag.

A few other factors I look at are the demeanor of the momma and pappa dog.  Do they bark aggressively at me when I arrive?  Do they mindlessly bark for more than a few seconds during my visit?  Can you tell I don't like barkers?  Do they guard their bones or toys?  These are heritable traits that you may or may not want.  I personally don't mind a dog that guards a little but if I had kids in the home, that would not be the right dog.  I'm not too concerned about getting proven repeat breedings.  First time breedings are okay with me. 

Once I get a look at the litter, there are many things I look for in choosing my puppy.  If you trust the breeder and you are not used to evaluating puppies, it's fine to let the breeder choose the puppy for you.  For me, I want to choose.

• Active, playful and well-socialized; puppy should not appear fearful
• Bright eyes, with no discharge of any sort.  No nasal discharge.
• Clean ears and skin, obviously no fleas
• Pink gums and correctly aligned teeth
• Good eyesight and hearing.  Check this by jingling your keys and seeing if the dog responds.  However remember good breeders will have these things checked by professionals before you purchase and supply you with documentation.
• With breeder permission, I always bring a soft clicker with me.  I get some kibble from the breeder and I will do a simple behavior like a hand touch with the puppy.  How eagerly do they want to learn this new game?
• Will the puppy engage with a toy?
• If you hold the puppy and they start to fuss, how long does it take for them to relax and give up the struggle?
• Does the puppy play area look like a toy box exploded?  It should.
• Does the puppy know how to sit?  They should by 8 weeks.  Don't be fooled by breeders that claim show dogs should not sit, this is a myth.
• Does the puppy want to bite me?  They should to some extent, that's normal.  It's less normal for a puppy to sit in your lap without fussing or biting.  They may be shy and need considerable training later on (which is fine if that is what you are able to do). 
• Most average pet owners should be looking for the "middleman" in the litter.  Every litter will have the shy kid, the boss, the one who wants to be boss, and ones in between.  Keep away from extremes.

If you are still unsure what type of puppy or what breed you may want.  Call a Wags Trainer to make a visit to the daycare.  We are happy to show you different types of dogs and discuss what options would be fit your household.  I hope to find my puppy in the next few months and then we can start talking puppy training!


~ Laurie Zurborg, CPDT-KA, Founder

Wags & Wiggles New Blog!

With the help of one of our newer RSM Trainers, Liz Randall, the W&W Blog is back up and running. We are going to explore this new media realm in conjunction with our facebook page & newsletter.  We will be posting stories, daycare musings, training ideas, and news on our blog.  We will post shorter links on our Facebook Page and Newsletter so you can pick and choose what you would like to read more about.  We hope you enjoy our newest adventure!

Laurie's Agility Classes

No Class this Friday 1/21 (at Tustin), No class Monday 1/24 (at RSM). I'm away playing agility with my own dogs.

Happy New Year!

Laurie's Agility Classes Restart as Follows:
Monday Night Agility RSM - restarts Jan 17th
Friday Agility Tustin - restarts Jan 14th