Thanks to everyone for your feedback on the recall survey. I closed it down last night. Your comments have been invaluable. It makes no sense for me to design an e-course for you all based on what I think you need without finding out from you what you think you want!

Often times what we want as a student isn’t always what we need to progress our skills. Having never done anything like this in the past I am creating the curriculum of this e-course in much the same way I design a seminar.

My experience will direct me to what students need to progress their dog training in the long run but if I don’t satisfy your wants in the short term it is unlikely the process will be reinforcing enough for you to stick with it.

What I have learned during my years as an educator is that if I give you only what you want (not my style) I am retarding your potential growth as a dog trainer. On the other hand, if I ignore what you want and give you just what I believe you need (a past limitation of mine as an instructor), you will likely ignore me as a presenter!

The key to education, as I see it, is to balance what I think you need with what you know you want. That, in my opinion, is the ideal learning environment. Thanks to all of your comments on the survey the e-course is coming together to be just that. A blend of both your wants and needs.

A few highlights from the survey; more than half of you had 2-3 dogs at home and 66% of you turn your dogs out in a group all at once. Fenced in yards are popular with 91% of you having one but less than 15% have a dog door.  55% live alone or with just one other person in the house.

Of the  42% of you with brilliant recalls 68% of you never use a flexi and 60% of you routinely have your dog play with other dogs.

I say that last line as if it is significant but funny enoough those of you that don’t have brilliant recalls 68% of you never use a flexi and 60% of you routinely have your dog play with other dogs. Exactly the same numbers!

So my conclusions from the survey are I continue to suck at picking the questions to ask that will produce any usable statistics BUT you guys continue to bail me out and make the whole process so worthwhile by the awesome feedback you give me in the comments section of the questions.

Bravo for you. Well done, thank you, I appreciate both the support and the extra time and effort you took expressing your feelings.

Next week I roll out the program. Very exciting. Thanks for all of the wonderful encouraging comments about the instruction so far, I am glad you are as encouraged about the program as I am.

We have a CKC world team practice today. The entire team got together yesterday for an awesome classroom session lead by Mental Prep Coaching specialist John Cullen. It was way fun. Each of us revealed a nickname. I think they will be posted on our CKC World Team website at a later date.


No there are no spouses just my siblings and I with my two step sistas and my late step-mom in the middle.

Today I am grateful that all of my brothers and sisters will start rolling into town later today. We have a family reunion organized by my mom’s side of the family this weekend. My sister Vicki from Atlanta, sister Mary-Lynn from Vancouver, brother Rob from Ottawa, brother Dave from Kingston and of course the rest of my siblings that are local will all be there.  Will be a blast I am sure.