10-Month Long Outdoor Instructor Course Sends Students on World-Spanning Adventure

If you've always wanted to be an outdoor guide or instructor, I have some news that you might find interesting. Sharks Lodge, a Portugal-based adventure travel company, is launching a new program that will train students to work in the outdoor and travel industry in a 10-month long course designed to give them all of the skills they need, while sending them off on a global adventure.

The new program is scheduled to get underway on March 1, 2018 in Portugal. That course has been specifically built to prepare those who take part both mentally and physically for the challenges they face while working in the outdoor industry. It also has been padded with plenty of time to allow entrants to learn a moderate, but steady, pace while working in a group environment.

Completion of the course will offer official qualifications in a wide variety of areas, including canoe and kayak safety and rescue, mountain training, mountain bike guiding, first aid skills, lifeguard skills, surf instructor, VHF Radio Operator, and much more.

According to an email I received announcing this course, students will work on their skills (See below) for five months, with a break coming in August. At that time, they can choose to take a holiday or do a month-long internship. In September, they'll then work on earning their certifications in preparation for the big adventure to come. From October to December the enrollees will put their new-found skills and knowledge to the test by organizing expeditions and adventure travel itineraries across the globe, with the Shark Lodge staff helping to get them organized and off the ground.


The course will be held in Portugal not only because it is the home of Sharks Lodge, but also because it creates a unique base camp for operations. The cost of living is very affordable, there is plenty of good weather, and there are a number of great options for hiking, surfing, swimming, and climbing within easy striking distance.

The price for the course is set at €14800 ($17,550) per person. That includes all training and assessment fees, insurance while training, accommodations and meals, transportation, equipment, budget for flights and actives, and more.

According to the course overview website, students who enter the program will learn the following skills:

Hard Skills

• Backpacking
• Mountain Biking
• Rock Climbing
• Sea Kayaking
• Canoe and Whitewater kayak
• Rafting
• Surfing
• Kite surfing
• Scuba Diving
• Ski and Snowboard
• Expedition Planning
• Expedition Video and Photography
• Survival Training
• Power boat, VHF
• Beach Lifeguard
• 1st Aid in remote areas
• Cross fit training
• surfboard and kayak building

Soft Skills

• Leadership
• Problem Solving
• Selfconfidence
• Team Building
• Team Work
• Team Management
• Foundations of Adventure Programming
• Practical and Organisational Skills for Outdoor Leaders
• Instruction and Facilitation in Adventure Programming
• Metaskills for Outdoor Leaders

To find out more about this opportunity, visit the Sharks Lodge website. 

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Video: How to Train Like Kilian Jornet

Want to know how to train like the best mountain runner in the world? This video can help! It gives us an intimate look at how Kilian Jornet trains for the events and expeditions that he takes part in, providing some insights into how he is able to accomplish the things he does. As Kilian himself says at the beginning of the clip, he is 30 years old and has essentially been training for 30 years. That's because he was born in the mountains and they have always been his playground. Still, there is plenty of dedication, determination, and hard work that goes into his preparation and planning too. Find out more below.

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Want to Become a Polar Explorer? Apply for this Scholarship to Learn From Eric Larsen!

Over the past month or so, I've been writing extensively about the unfolding expedition season down in Antarctica. As I write this, adventurous men and women are making their way across the frozen continent on skis while pulling sleds filled with supplies and gear behind them as they go. Some are headed to the South Pole, other are traversing to different places, but they are all crossing one of the most dramatic, demanding, and spectacular wildernesses on the planet. If you've ever dreamed of doing that same thing, then I definitely have a tip for you.

In January of 2018, polar explorer Eric Larsen will be conducting a Level 1 Polar Training course to help others follow in his footsteps. The course will be held on Lake Winnipeg in Canada and will consist of a week of intense training that will help you to become more adept at winter travel or even prepare you for your own journey to the North or South Pole.

The course will consist of three days of indoor training, which in turn leads to four days of practical experience out in the field. Students will actually embark on a traverse around Lake Winnipeg in conditions that will replicate those found near the poles. They'll travel on skis, pull their sleds, sleep in tents, and learn every aspect of what it is like to survive in arctic conditions.

If this sounds like your kind of adventure, you can actually apply for a scholarship to attend the program. Allied Feather & Down and Helly Hansen have teamed up to give one lucky recipient the chance to travel to Lake Winnipeg to take part in the course, which is taught by Eric himself. The scholarship covers all the costs, including required gear, travel expenses, course fees, and more.

You can find out a lot more about the training program – including a full itinerary – by clicking here. And if this sounds like something you'd like to take part in, you can apply for the scholarship by clicking here.

If you've ever had dreams of skiing to the South Pole but weren't sure how to get your expedition off the ground, this course will certainly put you on track. You'll not only come away with some valuable skills for use in polar conditions, you'll also get the chance to learn from a guy who has spent a lot of time in very cold places. This will be the chance of a lifetime for some lucky adventurer and I'll definitely be jealous of whomever gets the opportunity.

Find out more here.

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Video: How to Train for the Ski Season

With fall officially here, the ski season can't be that far off. Of course, if you want to make the most of those months on the slopes and in the backcountry, you need to be training now. So what exactly should you do to get ready? Legendary skiers Chris Rubens and Greg Hill share their training regimen in this video, helping mere mortals like us to get ready. Check it out below.

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Tricky Jedi

I told you about the AKC's new Trick Dog titles way back in March. Well on Saturday my other dog club hosted a trick title test. Long story short: Jedi earned his Novice Trick Dog (TKN) title! Since he has already earned his Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title, he only needed to perform five tricks (instead of ten) for the evaluator. I chose the five tricks I thought he knew best:

• Speak
• Shake
• Sit and Down (hand signals only)
• Paws Up (2 paws on a step)
• and Touch

He did them . . . and nobody thought to take a picture! I was able to pull a picture off the K-9 Obedience Club FB that someone took while we were waiting. (I cropped out our faces. I've got a bad case of "Resting Bitch Face.")

Jedi earned the title, but it wasn't an easy gimme like I had thought. First of all, these are tricks that we've only done in the living room. Performing them outside surrounded by a bunch of other dogs proved to be quite the distraction. Both Hubby and RK were there to cheer us on. I think Jedi was distracted by them add well.

The tricks become more complicated as the titles progress. Some over-achieving members tested for multiple titles on Saturday. We're not that ambitious and only tried for Novice. (Good thing too, Jedi was not at his best on Saturday.) I'd like to test for Intermediate Trick Dog eventually, but it'll take a little work. We'll have to perfect 10 new tricks from a list of 20 and I think he's only solid in about four of them. Apparently we'll also have to practice with distractions.

But Tricks will he to wait for now.  We've got our plate full with Rally, Nosework and Barn Hunt. In fact, I need to cut this short and go practice some Rally moves. Silly me, I signed up for a Fun Run (practice under test-like conditions) on Saturday, despite the fact that Tuesday Training has been rained out for a month. Am I glutton for punishment? YOU BET! -- K

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Let's Shake on It

People are always asking to pet my dog. I get it. Jedi is gorgeous. His thick, luscious coat begs to be caressed. However, Jedi doesn't really care for strangers touching him. He's not a lab who wants to be everybody's friend. He's a German shepherd -- wary, aloof and very judgmental.

Jedi's feelings towards strangers causes some anxiety for me. I want him to be friendly, but at the same time I want him to trust me, believing that I've got his best interests in mind. That means sometimes I tell people "No" when they ask. You'd be surprised how many people get ugly when I say it too. (Even worse are the people who just walk up and stick their hands in his face without asking. They're lucky *I* don't bite them!) Articles like this one from Dr. Jen's Dog Blog make me feel better about saying no.

We have found a happy compromise to stranger interactions -- The Shake. I'll ask Jedi "Would you like to say hello?" and then ask him to sit. Sometimes he'll look at me and refuse to sit. I'll tell the greeter "I guess right now is not a good time" and give Jedi a scratch behind the ear, telling him it's OK. I think it's important that Jedi has the choice to interact with strangers. If he sits (and most of the time he does) I'll tell the greeter "His name is Jedi. Ask him to shake." Greeters always squeal when he does. I then tell the greeters "Scratch his shoulder. He really likes it there." They comply, we'll chat and then everybody leaves happy.

So why is this so great? Jedi REALLY doesn't like it when people lean over him or get in his face. Shaking keeps people out of Jedi's personal space. It teaches him that interaction with people can be pleasant. An unexpected bonus: He trusts me more in other unpleasant situations too (i.e. the vet's office and ear cleaning).

Does your dog have ambivalent feelings towards strangers too? See if The Shake works for you! This training tip is part of the Positive Pet Training blog hop hosted by Wag ‘N Woof Pets, Tenacious Little Terrier, and Travels with Barley. Click around below and see what others have to share as well. TTFN, -- K

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Training Epiphany

Confession time: I'm an All or Nothing kind of girl. If I can't do something perfectly or all at once then I often just don't do it. Because of this, I've ditched countless diets and exercise programs after a bad cheat day or a few missed workouts. In school I got As or Fs, never Cs. I refuse to play Pokémon because "You gotta catch 'em all" -- and that's too much pressure.

Yeah, it's stupid when you say it aloud, but the struggle is real. This unreasonable perfectionism affects my dog training as well. I continually put off training because I don't have a solid block of time or something else isn't perfect. Yes, stupid. (Did I mention the negative self talk that goes along with this? Seriously, I've got issues!)

When I saw this article from Victoria Stillwell a couple things she said hit me hard. For example #6 says "Train little and often." And then there's #9 that says to "Quit while you’re ahead and the dog wants more." What?! I was so surprised by the article that I shared it with my Tuesday Training Crew. Then my trainer shared her Rule of Five:

Training sessions are no more than five minutes or five repetitions long, a maximum of five times a day.

So, I've stashed bags of training treats all over the house. When I think of it, I'll grab a small handful of treats and ask Jedi to do something sit in heel position, come to front position, puppy push-ups, whatever. When I run out of treats . . . I stop. Seriously. Just. Like. That. In a happy voice I tell Jedi "All done" give him some love and move on with my day.

Here's the kicker: I've been doing this for few weeks and Jedi is doing great. His fronts are close; his sits in heel position are straight. He's enthusiastic. I love it. His progress encourages me to train more, which improves progress. It's a win/win for everybody. Even Hubby -- who has seen so many of my unfinished projects over the past 30 years -- is shocked by our progress.

I need to cut this short and head to Petsmart. We're running low on treats. The only negative aspect of our training epiphany is that we go through a lot of treats. BTW, Jedi's not complaining! Later, --K

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Video: Trail Fighter - From Mixed Martial Arts to Ultrarunning

The subject of this video is a man named Kyle Dietz, who was once a professional mixed martial arts fighter, but has now transitioned into becoming an ultrarunner instead. The clip gives us insights into what drives Kyle as he trains for the RUT50k, an ultramarathon held in Big Sky, Montana. As he prepares you get a sense that the same traits that helped him succeed in the ring – dedication, determination, and focus – will also prove valuable in his new endeavor as well. Beautifully shot, and compelling to watch, this is a fantastic short film for anyone looking for inspiration.

Thanks to the Gear Junkie for sharing.

Trail Fighter Official Video from Fitsok on Vimeo.

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CGC Woes

I mentioned last week that Jedi and I are working towards his AKC Canine Good Citizenship certification. This is a ten item test that is proving to be more difficult than it should be! Logan took it and passed with flying colors. He was a very easy going, good natured dog that knew how to walk nicely on a leash. Jedi, not so much.

 

If you aren't familiar with the CGC, here's a brief summary of the 10 test items. For more details look on the AKC website here.

1. Accept a friendly stranger. While sitting, the dog allows a friendly stranger to approach the handler. The dog must not show resentment or shyness.
2. Sitting politely for petting. The dog must sit for the test to begin. The dog allows a friendly stranger to touch it without showing shyness or resentment.
3. Appearance and grooming. This one also starts with a sit. Dog allows the evaluator to brush/comb him as well as examine his ears and feet.
4. Walk on a loose leash. The dog and handler make a series of turns and stops at the evaluator's command. Dog must walk on a loose leash the entire time.
5. Walk through a crowd. Dog and handler walk around and closely pass by several people. Dog must be calm without showing any shyness or resentment.
6. Sit/down and stay on command. The dog must sit or lie down and stay in position for an extended period of time.
7. Come when called. The handler puts dog in a sit then walks 10 feet from the dog, turns and call the dog. Dog must come when called.
8. Favorable reaction to another dog. Two handlers and their dogs approach each other from a distance, and stop to shake hands and exchange pleasantries before continuing on. Dogs should remain calm and ignore both the other handler and dog.
9. Favorable reaction to distraction. The evaluator will set up a series of distractions both physical and auditory. (passing by on crutches or in a wheelchair, opening an umbrella, dropping a metal dog food dish, etc.) The dog should not panic, try to run away or show aggressiveness.
10. Supervised separation. The handler leaves her dog with a trusted person and walks out of the dog's line of sight for three minutes. The dog must remain calm until the owner returns.

"How many times are we going to sit?"

As you can see, there's a lot of sitting. Jedi knows how to sit, but gets tired of doing it all the time. I guess he just doesn't see the purpose behind it -- and I don't know how to explain it to him either. There's also a lot of loose leash walking. I know that Jedi knows how to walk on a loose leash as well -- I've seen him do it! -- he just chooses not to do it when people are looking. He gets excited and pulls. Or he smells were something else has peed and pulls. Or he feels that we should be going in a different direction -- and he pulls. See a pattern?

 

I'm glad that we're taking a CGC prep class. I'm hoping that'll help. The class -- as well as the test -- is being held at the Humane Society after hours. The Humane Society is right next to a major road. All during class we can hear cars zooming by as well as ambulances on their way to the hospital only a few miles to the west. Unfortunately, that's not the only distraction. Thousands of dogs come through the Humane Society every year. Even if only 10% of them left their mark that's still a lot of pee mail to compete with. The Humane Society also has a feral cat colony living on the property. These cats aren't afraid of dogs and like to come out during class to see what's going on. There are seven dog/handler teams taking the class, and it's a wonder any of us can get our dogs' attention.

 

"Wouldn't you rather play ball?"

Last Wednesday was our first class with the dogs. Except maybe for a very stately golden retriever, all of the dogs were idiots. I was near tears when I got home. Did I just waste a $100? The head trainer is breaking the test up into tiny pieces. Last week we worked on test items 1, 2 and 3. Jedi has decided that he doesn't like having his ears touched anymore. Great. There goes test item number 3! We also worked on test items 4, 6 and 10. He would have failed the loose leash walking part of item 4. On a happier note, he killed the down stay (item 6). And when we practiced item 10, we got a full minute before he became anxious.

 

Our next class is tomorrow night. I hope it goes better. I've been practicing. I try to walk him a little bit every day, having him sit every 25 feet or so. (He gets annoyed pretty quickly.) And I've been taking Jedi to strange places. The Humane Society's thrift store allows dogs. That was definitely a challenge for him! I also took him to the Humane Society during the day, hoping to get him used to the smells so maybe next time won't be so overwhelming.

 

Sorry to be such a whiner. I really didn't expect this to be so difficult. Does anyone have any ideas? I'm desperate here! Anyway, I'll keep you posted. -- K

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How Do You Train a Tiger?

Answer: Very Carefully!


Thanks to my friend for such a great photo. I was too busy gawking to break out the camera.

I went to the zoo last month and happened to be at the tiger exhibit when the zookeeper was working with the tigers. I watched intently, and then afterwards asked a hundred questions. (Yes, I am THAT person.) What I discovered is that training a tiger is very similar to (properly) training a dog. How, you ask?

• First of all, it's all positive reinforcement. The keeper will ask a tiger to do something. If the tiger does what's asked, he gets a treat. If the tiger doesn't, then no treat. There is no forcing, no manipulating, no physical punishment -- because unlike a dog, if you hit a tiger there's a good chance he'll rip your arm off.

• Hand signals are taught first, followed by a verbal command once the tigers "get it." Tigers are taught to offer different body parts (feet, teeth, belly) for inspection. Not only is this good mental stimulation, it develops a rapport between the tigers and their keepers. No, the tigers will never curl up on the couch with their keepers, but a trusting relationship will make it easier to medicate a sick tiger.

• A marker is used. When training Jedi, I use a clicker to mark a correct behavior. The zookeepers use a whistle, much like the dolphin trainers at Sea World. A cue is given (i.e. "up" in the photo) the tiger performs the behavior, the behavior is marked and then a treat is given. Apparently the tigers picked up on it very quickly.

• High value treats are used -- in this case, raw meat. If you're going to ask a tiger to do something, you need to make it worth his while. I've discovered this with Jedi as well. The harder the trick, the more valuable the treat needs to be. He'll sit and shake (easy tasks) for cheese, but nose work and perch work (more difficult) require hot dogs or chicken. When we're in the show ring (very difficult) he gets steak.

• There's consistency. All zookeepers use the same verbal/hand cues. The command for presenting a foot is always "paw" -- Not "paw" today, "foot" tomorrow and "hand" the following day. Also, the interaction area is opened up the same time every day. The tigers know when it's training time. (Interestingly though, the tigers have the choice to participate or not. The tigers are also free to leave at anytime.)

I've said before that I'm not the best trainer. In fact, sometimes I'm a horrible trainer (slow to mark, inconsistent, sporadic training) but I'm trying really, really hard to improve. I've noticed that Jedi is doing better -- so maybe I am too. Or maybe he's just really smart and is figuring things out despite his trainer's abilities. He is a German shepherd after all. How about you? Do you have any training insight you'd like to share? Jedi and I would be most appreciative! -- K

 

P.S. Jedi's latest trick: Paws Up. He'll put his front paws on everything now! See:

 

We're using the barrel for pedestal work

A large, plastic bowl is great for perch work

 

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Rear End Awareness

Breeder and I took a day off of work last week to attend a clicker confirmation workshop in Osteen, Florida. It was great! We learned so much. It was definitely worth the 2 1/2 hour drive. At one point I was working with Jedi to try to get him to free stack. (Free Stack: Jedi puts himself into the proper stance for the show ring. As opposed to Hand Stack, where I move his feet where I want them.) Here's what we're going for:



This is Jedi's father -- not my dog -- stacking beautifully.
Let's hope the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

I spent about 15 minutes of slowly luring Jedi into position with steak while trying to remember to click the second he was where I wanted. I quit before we were frustrated. Then I switched dogs. (Breeder was tired from the heat and the long drive.) I was surprised at how much easier it was to get Chili (Jedi's brother) into the proper position. Chili has a nice muscular rear end and was much more aware of what his back legs were doing. I could see that Jedi and I had some work to do!

As soon as we got home I Googled "rear end awareness exercises for dogs." There are hundreds of videos on YouTube on this subject. Most of them recommend pivoting training. Here's one that I really liked: Key to Complex Tricks -- Rear End Awareness. (I tried to link it right to the post, but there's some anti-embedding thing going on. Sorry.)

Apparently pivot training is useful for lots of things. Not only does it help the dog notice where is rear end is (and what it's doing!), but it's great for clean turns during obedience trials. And there's lots of fun tricks you can do with it too. Yep, Jedi and I are now pivot training in earnest.

Meanwhile, I'm still trying to lure him into the proper show stance (Stack). Once he "gets it" we'll work on the front feet. Eventually we'll name it. I'm thinking "Strike a pose!" BTW, this show ring stuff is a lot harder than it looks on TV. I'll keep you posted on our progress. -- K

Guess what! It's Training Tips Tuesday! Hop around and see what people have to share today.

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Temperament Testing

Hey, how do I get
one of these?!

This Saturday Jedi and I are taking a temperament test. The German Shepherd Dog Club of North Florida is flying an official German Shepherd Dog Club of America evaluator in from Virginia to test our dogs. Passing dogs get a title (TC); failing dogs just make a nice donation to the club. I've only seen this test done once in the 9 years I've been with the club, and that was at another club's show in Orlando. I don't know when the test will be offered again so I went ahead and signed Jedi up. The test assesses a dog's reactions to certain situations. Jedi's tests will include:

• Unusual footing: Jedi will be asked to walk across a tarp and a piece of chain link fencing on the ground. Will he balk?
• Unusual noises: Someone will rattle a can behind a blind. Another will fire a starter pistol. Will Jedi check it out? Will he cower?
• Scary umbrella: A large umbrella will be opened at Jedi and then dropped to the ground. Will he spook? Will he recover and investigate the umbrella?
• Neutral stranger: Someone Jedi doesn't know will walk up to me and have a conversation, ignoring the dog. This one doesn't worry me.
• Friendly stranger: Another person Jedi doesn't know will come up to us and touch Jedi. THIS one worries me! (Sometimes he's an ass.)
• Aggressive stranger: Wearing a floppy hat, sunglasses and trench coat, a bat wielding stranger will come up and make "threatening overtures." Will Jedi attempt to protect me?

So what is the evaluator looking for? Below is a description of the ideal GSD temperament according to the German Shepherd Dog Club of America (our parent club and keeper of the breed standard):

        "The breed has a distinct personality marked by direct and fearless, but not hostile, expression, self-confidence and a certain aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. The dog must be approachable, quietly standing its ground and showing confidence and willingness to meet overtures without itself making them. It is poised, but when the occasion demands, eager and alert; both fit and willing to serve in its capacity as companion, watchdog, blind leader, herding dog, or guardian, whichever the circumstances may demand. The dog must not be timid, shrinking behind its master or handler; it should not be nervous, looking about or upward with anxious expression or showing nervous reactions, such as tucking of tail, to strange sounds or sights. Lack of confidence under any surroundings is not typical of good character."

No pressure, right? I have NO idea how well Jedi will do. But don't worry, I'll tell you either way. I'm hoping that I can find someone to take pictures too. Anyway, wish us luck! -- K

 

P.S. Funny story about the gun shots. When I saw the test given last time (about 5 years ago) all the German shepherds turned around and looked to see where the shots came from. The labs, however, all looked up. They were hunting dogs, so they were waiting for the bird to fall.

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S.T.A.R. Puppy Grad

Two months ago Jedi and I started our S.T.A.R. Puppy class. Tonight was graduation and we passed! The "test" included the following 20 requirements:

OWNER BEHAVIORS:
 

1. Maintains puppy’s health (vaccines, exams, appears
    healthy)
2. Owner receives Responsible Dog Owner’s Pledge (below)
3. Owner describes adequate daily play and exercise plan
4. Owner and puppy attend at least 6 classes by an AKC
    Approved CGC Evaluator
5. Owner brings bags to classes for cleaning up after puppy
6. Owner has obtained some form of ID for puppy -- collar
    tag, etc.

PUPPY BEHAVIORS:
 

7.   Free of aggression toward people during at least 6 weeks of class
8.   Free of aggression toward other puppies in class
9.   Tolerates collar or body harness of owner’s choice
10. Owner can hug or hold puppy (depending on size)
11. Puppy allows owner to take away a treat or toy

PRE-CANINE GOOD CITIZEN TEST BEHAVIORS:
 

12. Allows petting by a person other than the owner
13. Allows owner handling and brief exam (ears, feet)
14. Follows owner on lead in a straight line (15 steps)
15. Walks on leash past other people 5 feet away
16. Sits on command
17. Down on command
18. Comes to owner from 5 feet when name is called
19. Normal reaction to distractions (distractions are presented 15 feet away)
20. Stays on leash with another person (owner walks 10 steps and returns)

We're going spend this evening feeling good about our accomplishment. Tomorrow we start prepping for Saturday's Fun Match. This includes a bath for Jedi and lots of packing for me! We'll have to find another obedience class soon. Jedi is getting bigger and stronger and doesn't walk on a leash nearly as nicely as I'd like. I know it's my fault. I need to be more consistent with practicing. The accountability of a class helps. Eventually I'd like to work on getting Jedi's Canine Good Citizen, especially now that it's a title! -- K

 

 

 

AKC CGC Responsible Dog Owner’s Pledge

I will be responsible for my dog’s health needs. These include:

• routine veterinary care including check-ups and vaccines
• adequate nutrition through proper diet; clean water at all times
• daily exercise and regular bathing and grooming

I will be responsible for my dog’s safety.

• I will properly control my dog by providing fencing where appropriate, not letting my dog run loose, and using a leash in public.
• I will ensure that my dog has some form of identification when appropriate (which may include collar tags, tattoos, or microchip ID).
• I will provide adequate supervision when my dog and children are together.

I will not allow my dog to infringe on the rights of others.

• I will not allow my dog to run loose in the neighborhood.
• I will not allow my dog to be a nuisance to others by barking while in the yard, in a hotel room, etc.
• I will pick up and properly dispose of my dog’s waste in all public areas such as on the grounds of hotels, on sidewalks, parks, etc.
• I will pick up and properly dispose of my dog’s waste in wilderness areas, on hiking trails, campgrounds and in off-leash parks.

I will be responsible for my dog’s quality of life.

• I understand that basic training is beneficial to all dogs.
• I will give my dog attention and playtime.
• I understand that owning a dog is a commitment in time and caring.

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S.T.A.R. Puppy

Jedi and I are taking another class out at K9 Obedience Club for the next 6 weeks. We are tackling the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy course and I am very excited! S.T.A.R. Puppy is such a popular class that Jedi and I were on a waiting list to get in. Apparently there were so many people interested that the club opened up a 2nd class on Wednesday nights. Whoopie!

S.T.A.R. stands for Socialization, Training, Activity and Responsibility and is designed for puppies who have already completed a basic training class. This class also prepares the dog-owner team for the next step: the Canine Good Citizen title that I blogged about several months back.

I promise to share everything -- whether you care or not! And if I can get Hubby to tag along, you may even get pictures. -- K

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Puppy K Grad

We did it! Last night Jedi and I graduated from Puppy Kindergarten. We were able to sit, down and stay. We can also (sorta) walk on a loose leash and (kinda) come when called. Fortunately this was Puppy Kindergarten, not Puppy Grad School! Jedi also performed his tap light trick for everybody. After an hour of "tests" Jedi's focus was shot, so this is the best picture we could get. I cropped out my friend holding a cookie. Can you guess where she was standing? Now we're going to work in earnest on conformation training. I bought a show lead from Cherrybrook Pet Supplies and we're gearing up for The Greater Orange Park Dog Club Fun Match on March 16th. If all goes well (or at least not horribly bad) we'll sign up for our first dog show! I'm excited and nervous all at once. There will be pictures, promise. And with that, it's time to go walk the dog. Later, -- K

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Jedi's First Silly Trick

I saw a video where Dr. Sophia Yin taught her dog to get into a box using just operant conditioning techniques. I wondered if I could do something similar with Jedi. I saw a cheap Tap Light knock-off at Walgreens and thought “Why not?” I’ve wasted $4 on worse things (i.e. a creepy Sponge Bob balloon.) I grabbed the Tap Light, the clicker and a hand full of dog treats then set off to see how smart my puppy is. Hubby and Son #1 thought I was crazy.

I put the light on the floor and ignored it. In true puppy fashion, Jedi ran over and sniffed it, nosed it, licked it, chewed it and eventually stepped on it. When the light came on I clicked the clicker and gave him a treat, saying absolutely nothing. Jedi looked at me, barked at me and gave me an excellent sit, while trying to figure out how to score another treat. (Did I mention that he’s extremely food motivated?) I ignored him and he went back to the Tap Light. Soon enough he pawed at it and the light turned on. I immediately clicked and treated again, still saying nothing. Jedi grabbed the treat, gave me a funny look and went back to the Tap Light. Within five minutes he figured out that if he pawed at the light he got a treat. At one point he was stomping on it so much that I couldn’t click fast enough. To prove to Hubby and Son #1 that it wasn’t a coincidence, I moved the Tap Light 6 feet away. Jedi ran across the room, jumped on the light, and ran back to me before I could finish clicking. He's a smart puppy!

It’s been a couple days since I introduced the Tap Light. I’m now adding a verbal command – TAP – and trying to shape his tapping from a frenzied stomp to a clean, deliberate tap. All in all, I think it was an interesting experiment, resulting in a silly, useless dog trick for Jedi and a check in the “New Year’s Resolutions” box for me. Keep logging in to see what he learns next! -- K

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Canine Good Citizen

The Infamous Julie’s owner sent an email the other day saying that AKC Canine Good Citizen will soon be an actual title. The official news from the AKC is:

As of January 1, 2013, Canine Good Citizen will become an official AKC title that can appear on the title records of dogs registered or listed with AKC. Dog owners who complete the CGC as a Title process may list the suffix “CGC” after the dog’s name. Since the program began in 1989, CGC has been considered an “award,” meaning that it has not been listed on a dog’s title record.

 

The Canine Good Citizen test is comprised of ten exercises. They’re not hard (Logan passed) but not overly easy either (Roxy didn’t even take the test). The dog must be able to:

1. Accept a friendly stranger
2. Sit politely for petting by a stranger
3. Allow a stranger to groom and examine it
4. Walk on a loose lead
5. Walk through a crowd 
6. Sit, lie down and stay on command
7. Come when called
8. Behave politely around other dogs
9. Tolerate distractions and loud noises
10. Remain calm during a supervised three minute separation from owner

The AKC has a brochure online with more information. There’s also an entire book about it called Citizen Canine. You know I have it!

The great thing about this news -- for me -- is now I feel confident that I’ll be able to put at least one title on the puppy. Even better, we have a club member who is an AKC CGC Approved Evaluator. She’s semi-retired, but maybe we can coax her into teaching/testing a class or two. I’m excited!

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Obedience Trials

I spent Saturday morning at K9 Obedience Club of Jacksonville. There were two rings set up: Obedience in one and Rally in the other. A GSD Club member was running her dog (the Infamous Julie) through Rally, so I spent most of the morning watching her. The big thing I learned from the day is that I still have a lot to learn about obedience trials. I've been doing a lot of reading and thought I understood the rules. Apparently I don't know bupkis. *sigh* I can build a missile, drive a stick shift and navigate the Japanese mass transit system -- so why is this so difficult?! I'd like to say that the confusion is because the club was using UKC rules (as opposed to AKC) but I have my doubts. I hope it'll make more sense when I'm actually running a dog through it. K9 Obedience Club is only about 20 minutes from the house, so Puppy and I will probably be joining the club sometime in the future.

I feel more confident about Rally. First of all, the instructions are on the course, making it easier to know what to do next. I like the fact that the handler is allowed to walk the course beforehand too -- no surprises! Best of all, you're allowed to talk to your dog the whole time. However, I have a feeling that the Infamous Julie made it look easier than it probably is. I'm not totally clueless though. Six months ago Son #1 bought me an excellent book all about Rally called The Ultimate Guide to Rally-O. I think I could actually do this!! I can't wait until Puppy gets old enough to participate in Rally with me. Of course, he needs to be born first . . .  -- K

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Modern vs. Traditional Dog Training

I found this article online: Modern vs. Traditional Dog Training: What's the Difference? It kind of goes along with last week's book critiques. I find some validity in both camps, though I tend to lean towards the modern methods. I don't believe in forcing a dog to submit, though I DO believe in using the word "no." I guess I'll take the same approach to dog training that I did with child-rearing: read all you can, keeping an open mind. Then take what works for you and dump the rest. (Thanks Mom for that sage advice 24 years ago.) I think I have awesome kids. I've had some awesome dogs too, so I guess I'm doing OK. I'll keep you posted! -- K

Pepper & Logan would do anything for a cookie, which made training pretty easy!!

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The Ultrarunner's Diet

Ever wonder how those amazingly fit ultrarunners feed the machine? Want some tips on how to approach your own nutritional needs when training? Than check out today's entry on The Ultra Distance Athlete's Diet over at Matt Hart's Coaching Endurance blog.

Matt offers up some great tips on diet and eating habits, some of which you've probably heard before, but they can't be stressed enough. For instance, he reminds us to stay hydrated, drinking plenty of water. He also notes that you should be eating six small meals a day, having something every two to three hours. Even better yet, he does a great job in explaining why we should do these things to not only aid in performance, but also in recovery.

I've mentioned Matt's blog before, but if you haven't read it in the past, it's a great source of insight into training for endurance events and performing well in ultra distance races. Matt mixes in some of his own experiences, including his recent experience with a double hernia. Yeah. Double. Ouch!

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