Comments on: Stuff About Susan

By: Bethany Crawford

Bethany Crawford — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:08:45 +0000

Hi Susan,
I thought that with your love of red dogs I thought you might get a kick out my new border collie puppy from working stockdog parents. He is partial split with mismatched eyes. A photo says a thousand words and there are some at http://www.freewebs.com/bethiejean/loki.htm
Feel free to laugh!

By: Marge Rogers

Marge Rogers — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:47:28 +0000

So happy to find you as a resource! Thank you for so generously sharing your knowledge and lessons with us. My goal is competitive obedience without corrections (using R+ and P- only). I am odd man out at our local competitive obedience club. So nice to find support, ideas and insights from you. Thank you for showing it can be done without prong collars and corrections. You inspire me.

By: Bethany

Bethany — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:21:34 +0000

I’m thinking about subscribing to Clean Run for the 2010 year- but only if you are going to have some articles in it. Do you plan to have articles in the 2010 Clean Run? Thanks!

By: Karen Sanders

Karen Sanders — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:47:19 +0000

Susan, I have a question. I have watched your Crate Games DVD and just love it. I have been in dogs for years and love your method of teachig them self control. My previous dogs have all been papiilons and they fit nicely in a crate with tons of room. My current dogs is a WILD Belgian Tervuren and she is hesitant to sit at the back of her crate or sit anywhere in it PERIOD,. She doesnt have alot of head room when she sits and doenst like her head touching the top and her ears out. She prefers to stand. Do I need to insist she sit even though she is crowded. And she is in a very large crate, just not one that is comfortable to her while sitting. Would it be advisable to let her stand instead of sit? How do you handle this with larger dogs?

By: Neil Lowndes

Neil Lowndes — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:11:08 +0000

Dear Susan,

I am wondering about the breeding of your Border Collies? They are quite handsome looking and have great working ability. I would be interested to look at the web-site, if the breeder(s) have one?

Thanks,
Neil – Ireland.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:55:32 +0000

Hi Susan. I first laid my eyes on you way back at the 2002 Agility Nationals held in Palgrave, Ontario, and I must admit I was very intimidated. I had my “wild child”, Sandy. You and Buzz were either directly before or after me in the running order. I had heard your name, but had not known the great insight you had into dog training & behavior shaping. If only I’d know then……She has left me, across the Rainbow Bridge. But I have some new friend now. Terriers.
I would love to read more about how to deal with dog:dog aggression, for instance what to do when your dog, on lead with head halter is being assaulted by a much larger, younger pup who is running loose and being rude but wants to play.. .let’s say is Weim-sized. I try to put myself between the two, but the terrier wants to protect me and is trying to lunge. Now I find he wants to go after any larger dogs without being provoked. What is the best way to work him thru this, keeping in mind that avoiding this type of situation is always my first step.

By: Laura

Laura — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:52:23 +0000

Just wanted to thank you for opening up my eyes to the value of the Gentle Leader head halter. Previous to attending one of your camps, I had thought of head halters as solely a tool to prevent pulling on leash. When I purchased your articles in the store at camp, that is when I read your article about why head halters are essential if you want to teach your puppy to focus on you in the face of distractions, and do this in a reasonably quick time. I never thought I’d use one, as I taught my previous dog to walk nicely without one, but you’re so right – the straining at the end of the collar is just continuing the reinforcement for them, whereas with the halter, you can very easily and quickly turn their heads to focus on you, and THEN (the important part) give them the choice of whether to continue to focus on you or back on the distraction. I’m in the process of shaping my puppy to accept the GL and it’s going really well. It’s definitely a love-hate thing for her. She wants it on to earn reinforcement, but she doesn’t like the feeling of it on.

We went through a point where, when I started putting it all the way on and buckling it up, she’d drop and start to roll and rub it before I could get the clip done up (darn floppy Vizsla ears get in the way sometimes, but I’m getting better with the mechanics). Once, just to see what would happen, I let go when she did this (which I knew would probably be reinforcing for her). Much to my shock (and delight), she stopped trying to rub it off as soon as I let go of it, and she still kept it on her nose, and she shoved herself towards me, as if to say, “hey, you haven’t done it up yet – I don’t get my treat until you’ve done it up!” So I went to buckle it up again and she again dropped and started to roll. So I start to think, okay, she WANTS me to continue buckling it and fighting to get it done up as she rolls – for some reason that’s reinforcing to her. So every time she started to drop, I let go of the buckle ends, until she realized her rolling was delaying the buckling and subsequent treat delivery. Now she stands patiently. Amazing. For the first time today, I attached a leash to it and used it to walk around a bit. We had the inevitable ‘get this thing off me’ moments, but worked through it and she is learning very quickly how to earn reinforcement.

Thank you once again for the way you share your knowledge and experience. It has made a world of difference to how I raise and train this pup, who is quickly becoming ‘super pup’!

By: Jody

Jody — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 01:11:46 +0000

I have just discovered your blog tonight. I have been training in agility for three years and have much to learn. This site is very informative and I hope to learn how to get my 3yr old, sheltie, who is ready to compete, comfortable with new areas and venues. He is a reactive dog and easily distracted, yet where we train every week he is great.

By: Misa

Misa — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:19:20 +0000

Yet another Aha! moment. To reach Trigger’s inner weavin’ demons, I have been pushing back on her chest before letting her rip through the 2×2 poles. Gotta be careful about that canine pairing thing! Great new blog btw Susan….

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:12:02 +0000

Thanks Chantal, but I have to admit I had my french checked before I posted it:) What you are describing is a dog that goes into arousal. All animals including us will perform better if we are aroused first. There is nothing wrong with it, as a matter of fact that is why I tug with Trendi and Feature on the 2×2 DVD in order to get them aroused. I could caution you though not to always grab her collar as that may become a contingency for the behaviour. In that she may expect you to do it before every set of poles. Try other ways to get her excited and mix in the collar grab.