http://susangarrettdogagility.com Agility training for all dogs of all breeds Fri, 18 May 2012 04:09:21 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/05/ifcs-2012-weekend-recap/ http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/05/ifcs-2012-weekend-recap/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 02:42:30 +0000 Susan http://susangarrettdogagility.com/?p=8311 Well another IFCS World Championships has come and gone. This one a bit different in that it was right here in North America. Unfortunately for me, a week before the event, I threw my back out and was unsure if I would even be able to compete! I missed both days of our team practice [...]]]> http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/05/ifcs-2012-weekend-recap/feed/ 33 http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/04/contact-training-for-those-with-no-interest-in-dog-agility/ http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/04/contact-training-for-those-with-no-interest-in-dog-agility/#comments Sun, 29 Apr 2012 03:09:24 +0000 Susan http://susangarrettdogagility.com/?p=8273 Weird eh? Why on earth would anyone who has no interest in dog agility want to know anything about how to train agility contact obstacles? To explain the reason let me share a story with you. Years ago John (my husband) used to travel to, and help me out at many of my seminars (he [...]]]> http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/04/contact-training-for-those-with-no-interest-in-dog-agility/feed/ 33 http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/04/improve-your-dog-training-by-playing-like-a-dog/ http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/04/improve-your-dog-training-by-playing-like-a-dog/#comments Tue, 10 Apr 2012 04:00:32 +0000 Susan http://susangarrettdogagility.com/?p=8237 I sent out a newsletter early this morning which covers all sorts of tips on tugging with your dog. As lengthy as that newsletter ended up being, I fear I only scraped the surface of what could be written on the subject. So, here I am sharing more (but again, I still feel I am [...]]]> http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/04/improve-your-dog-training-by-playing-like-a-dog/feed/ 70 http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/a-lack-of-rules-and-drive-in-dog-training/ http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/a-lack-of-rules-and-drive-in-dog-training/#comments Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:45:44 +0000 Susan http://susangarrettdogagility.com/?p=8199 While many of you are putting your life with your dogs under a microscope after my last two newsletters, I fear some of you may be drawing the wrong conclusions. As you observe your dogs’ source of reinforcement and joy you are observing that perhaps your spouses seem to be more reinforcing to your dogs [...]]]> http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/a-lack-of-rules-and-drive-in-dog-training/feed/ 39 http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/building-effective-triggers-into-your-dog-training/ http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/building-effective-triggers-into-your-dog-training/#comments Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:46:02 +0000 Susan http://susangarrettdogagility.com/?p=8191 If you have been reading my blog long, you are aware of my constant emphasis on relationship building and a solid foundation before you work on the “sexy” stuff in dog training. Although I am thrilled when I see people working at transferring the value of their dog’s rewards into things like a seesaw, contacts or [...]]]> http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/building-effective-triggers-into-your-dog-training/feed/ 56 http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/how-good-is-your-glue/ http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/how-good-is-your-glue/#comments Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:03:34 +0000 Susan http://susangarrettdogagility.com/?p=8126 What’s Missing In Our Foundation Dog Training ? The laws of science have taught us all how to use reinforcement to shape our dogs’ responses. As we train a dog we are actually building behaviour, like a little girl with her glue gun making crafts or . . . if you were a little girl with [...]]]> http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/how-good-is-your-glue/feed/ 134 http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/dogs-are-amazing-and-will-do-everything-you-want-if-you-have-cheese/ http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/dogs-are-amazing-and-will-do-everything-you-want-if-you-have-cheese/#comments Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:00:40 +0000 Susan http://susangarrettdogagility.com/?p=8080 Today’s blog post is part of a global effort from the “Dog Agility Blog Action Day” group. We are all blogging on the same topic which today is “If I knew then what I know now.” Think about that for yourself, what would be different? What would that extra knowledge mean to you? It would [...]]]> http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/dogs-are-amazing-and-will-do-everything-you-want-if-you-have-cheese/feed/ 45 http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/01/tugging-with-the-dog/ http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/01/tugging-with-the-dog/#comments Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:51:52 +0000 Susan http://susangarrettdogagility.com/?p=8001 There were some great comments on my tugging post yesterday as to why you thought long duration tugs had the potential for more focus for the environment while short bursts of tug games alternating with other responses created great attention for the handler. You pretty much hit all of the points I had prepared for [...]]]> http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/01/tugging-with-the-dog/feed/ 43 http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/01/the-duration-of-the-tug-sessions/ http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/01/the-duration-of-the-tug-sessions/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 06:49:31 +0000 Susan http://susangarrettdogagility.com/?p=7982 Tugging is a big part of my dog training, I hope it is also a big part of yours. It is a great reinforcer for most dogs. For those dogs that are not currently big fans of tugging, it is a skill that be cultivated with work on your part . . . yes I [...]]]> http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/01/the-duration-of-the-tug-sessions/feed/ 113 http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2011/12/the-success-of-the-puppy-peakers/ http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2011/12/the-success-of-the-puppy-peakers/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:45:09 +0000 Susan http://susangarrettdogagility.com/?p=7956 Today we re-open registrations for Puppy Peaks, but just for the holiday season. Over the past two months we have had many requests to re-open the program so today is your day! When I thought about what to write for the blog, I thought who can I convey what Puppy Peaks is all about to people [...]]]> http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2011/12/the-success-of-the-puppy-peakers/feed/ 8