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!