Merry Christmas!

From our family to yours... have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy 2010!

Christmas Pet Portraits

I have a friend, Jackie Curts, who is offering pet portrait sittings on a SLEIGH for Christmas! She took this adorable portrait (left). She will be shooting at November 21st at another friend of mine, Sandra Wire's, dog training facility. A sitting time can be scheduled with Sandra at 317 347-0035. K9 FunTime is located near 38th and High School Road. The address is 6401 Westhaven Dr ,Indianapolis, IN 46254

Jackie Curts says, "Your photos will be in CD form, as I am not set up for prints at this time. Pricing will be $25 sitting fee and $25 for a CD with 3 poses. We are looking at 30 minute sessions with single pets or 45 minutes with multiple pets. "

I will post Sensible K9 friends and clients' pictures here for all to see!

Baby Elephant Rescued!

What intelligence, compassion, altruism and love seen here. God made something special, when He made elephants.

November Puppy Field Trip

Deb Konkol will be leading the November 14th Sensible Puppy Field Trip. Please meet at 9am at Hazel Landing Park (106th Street & Hazel Dell Parkway). If you are heading east on 106th, the entrance to the park is just across Hazel Dell. It doesn't look like much; in fact, it's quite bumpy! But, no fear, the gravel road opens to a nice little parking lot. There is open space for training, a creek for stomping and a nice hike. Deb will be happy to answer your adolescent-dog questions and discuss any puppy problems you are having! Please RSVP to Deb at: dlkonkol@embarqmail.com. Have a great time!

Treats from Barak Obama?

Puppy Field Trip!

Sensible Puppy Field Trip is scheduled for this coming Saturday at 3pm at West Park in Carmel.http://www.carmelclayparks.com/index.asp?action=parksgrnways_west

We will have the AKC STAR Puppy test available. Please let me know asap if you want to be tested. Please review the requirements in your Student Guide.

Hope to see you there!

Sweet Puppy Needs a Home

This little darling is in need of an immediate new home due to an unexpected illness of her owner. Know anyone interested in a (now 11-week old) Cavalier/Bichon puppy? Zip me an email and I will put them in touch. This puppy is up to date on her vaccinations and comes with a spay certificate.

Guide Dog Story

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-07-28-guide-dog-holocaust_N.htm

I used to raise puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind, in California. I have heard lots of life-changing stories of blind people getting dogs. This one made me choke up. What a story. What a survivor! I would like to hear this man speak.

Name that Breed(s)!

http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2008-06-24-dog-dna-quiz_N.htm

A favorite pasttime of mine is now an interactive, online quiz. Take a peek. See if you score better than I did! ( I got two wrong.)

Snack Time for Bowser

http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/slideshow-foods-your-dog-should-never-eat?ecd=wn

Here's a nice slide show of what NOT to give your dog... as well as some tips for treats that are healthy. I learned a few... who knew nutmeg was toxic to dogs?

Dogs Talk!

Are you interested in what dogs have to say? Here's a fun quiz and some very informative videos. Not all dogs who wag their tails are happy to be petted... Check this out!

http://corporate.petsmart.com/public-relations/if-your-pet-could-talk/welcome.php

I have been a huge fan of Suzanne Hetts since first hearing her speak at a very early APDT seminar - Pheonix, AZ circa 1996. I am thrilled she's gotten into such a public position as this educational venture with PetSmart!

Take the quiz, and let me know how you do!
Email me at Catherine@SensibleK9.com

Sunny July Puppy Field Trip!

Sensible Puppy class members and friends joined together last Saturday afternoon for a gorgeous day at Coxhall Gardens. After a lovely stroll to the Children's Garden, where we worked on leash manners and formal heeling, we played in the buildings, put puppies up on wooden benches and even met a few Dachshunds, passing by. We wandered over to the lake and startled a few dozen geese, and even a heron!

The puppies got to meet several children in our group, including two boys on bicycles. On the bridge over the lake, we met another dog, a pug, who was very curious about our group! The puppies got treats from bronze people-statues and splashed in the cascading water. We ended on the centerpiece, where we discussed strategies for overcoming typical and not-so-typical adolescent issues.

Don't miss out on next month's field trip, where we will visit an agility trial! See you soon!

Dogs Understand Pointing

Fun new research shows that a dog can understand certain pointing gestures as well as a two-year old child. No surprise to any of us who have tried directing our dogs that way through the thicket after a mis-thrown ball! Here's a short video clip about the research - my favorite line is the researcher's closing observations. Enjoy!

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/news-dogs-read-gestures-like-toddlers.html

Report Cards

As part of my emphasis on good communication with my clients' veterinarians, I have developed a Sensible Puppy Class report card. Each week after class, I will make notations about your puppy's progress on all class assignments. When your 6-week course is completed, I will forward the report card to your veterinarian for your puppy's file. In this way, I hope to convey how well your puppy does in class and areas which may need further work. Not a client of Michigan Road Animal Hospital? No worries! I will happily mail your puppy's report card to your veterinarian. If you would like to view your puppy's report card, just ask.

NEW AKC STAR PUPPY CERTIFICATES!

Congratulations to the following puppies (and owners!) for passing the AKC STAR Puppy test: Annie -Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Bailey - Coton de Tulear, Dyce -Doodle, Gallant - French Bulldog, Hickory -All-American, Seagram - Weimaraner. As part of our June Field Trip last weekend, we held a STAR Puppy test, and these great little guys (and gals) were proud to show off their skills! Good job, everyone, for continuing the work that began in puppy class! You are walking examples of Sensible Puppy training!!

Mark your calendars for the fourth Saturday of every month and join us for upcoming field trips! Much fun is had by all!

Clicker Sheep Video

This fabulous video shows a wonderful progression of time. The trainer begins with very simple targetting exercises... and, well, I won't ruin it for you. Suffice to say, it's worth 6 minutes of your life. Enjoy!

Sensible Puppies at Hoosier Village!

What a win-win day we had! Great socialization for our four-legged friends and great interactions for our resident hosts. Thank you, Hoosier Village!

Tricky Puppy Training

Looking for something to do with your puppy? Try some of these great tricks from a puppy pre-agility class in Italy! These little guys can do a whole lot more than most people expect. Here's proof!

Puppy in the House!

We are puppy-sitting for a friend, and loving every minute of it. Seagram is a 9-week old Weimaraner boy. He is the epitome of good breeding and early socialization. His breeder and his owner have gotten this puppy off to a great start already! He is a nice blend of cautious and curious, confident and careful. Yesterday, he was a little overwhelmed at first, meeting my two big dogs. (See detailed photo journal below blog entries.) But, after a while, he rallied and decided he just might play with them. Seagram will be coming to puppy class next week with his owner, and I know he's going to be one of the stars!!

Heartbreaking Decisions: Aggressive Dog in the Family

It happens fairly often – “We got the dog before children… and now the dog has bitten our child.”

When I get the phone call for training, I have to ask the difficult questions, like, “Is it okay with you if your dog bites your child again?” Because, let’s face it, accidents happen. I can never guarantee that a dog that has bitten will not do it again. In fact, my money’s on a repeat offense, and, double or nothing, that it will be a worse bite, the next time.

Dr. Ian Dunbar, veterinarian and highly regarded dog training expert, has created this scale for discussing dog bites:

Ian Dunbar's Bite Assessment Scale

Level 1- Dog growls, lunges, snarls-no teeth touch skin. Mostly intimidation behavior.

Level 2- Teeth touch skin but no puncture. May have red mark/minor bruise from dog’s head or snout, may have minor scratches from paws/nails. Minor surface abrasions acceptable.

Level 3- Punctures ½ the length of a canine tooth, one to four holes, single bite. No tearing or slashes. Victim not shaken side to side. Bruising.

Level 4- One to four holes from a single bite, one hole deeper than ½ the length of a canine tooth, typically contact/punctures from more than canines only. Black bruising, tears and/or slashing wounds. Dog clamped down and shook or slashed victim.

Level 5- Multiple bites at Level 4 or above. A concerted, repeated attack.

Level 6- Any bite resulting in death of a human.


This scale is a useful tool when communicating with parents whose dog has bitten their child. The thing to point out, though, is that the next time – that next bite, when it happens - will not usually be a lower-level bite. In other words, it’s all downhill from here.

Some dog behavior counselors set their clients on a protocol for training and management that borders on the ridiculous: Supervision of all interactions between the child and the dog. Step-by-step desensitization to teach the dog to accept handling from the child. Response substitution to teach the dog to be relaxed and comfortable, rather than predacious when the child is at play. Meanwhile, the dog-owning parent is often holding down at least one job, caring for the family and involved in other obligations in and outside the home.

What’s the sensible answer? Is it reasonable to ask my clients to put their lives on hold while they train the family dog for a few months? If we do that, can I guarantee the dog will not bite the child again? Not likely. In the end, after they have done the work, they still are going to have a dog that bites at least at the level he did the last time. Some time, some where, some one will be bitten by that dog. Especially if that some one is going to be a child, I have a moral responsibility to sternly warn the parents of the risk.

But, it isn’t any fun. Today, I told a family they should consider re-homing their beloved pet because any amount of training we do will not prevent him from biting their two sons if surprised or provoked. It breaks my heart.

Several years ago, I had to make that tough decision. I re-homed a fearful Sheltie girl that I had owned for 8 years because my active sons terrified her and she had begun biting. Her bites were “only” Level 1 and 2 on the above scale, but I wasn’t willing to see if the theory held true – that her bites might become worse. I agonized over it for a year and cried about it for months later. In the end, it was a great thing for her, though. She lived out her retirement years as queen in a household with no children. She was one happy dog, and never showed the kind of anxiety she had in our home once the boys came along. (Meanwhile, I continued training my “bomb-proof” golden retriever, that barely looks up when a boy accidentally falls on top of him while he’s sleeping.)

Not every dog is a good candidate for re-homing. Some aggressive dogs should simply be euthanized due to their dangerous nature – another heartbreakingly difficult decision. But, for the dog whose aggression is specific to one stimulus, in this case, children, it is easier to think about re-homing as an option that can bring peace to the family and the dog. It’s still tough to come to that decision, and my heart goes out to my clients tonight while they discuss their options.

Field Trip Fun!

What do two Coton de Tulears, a Brittany Spaniel, an Afghan Hound, a Labrador, a German Shepherd Dog, three mixed breeds, a Golden Retriever and a Boxer all have in common? They all had a great outing at the Sensible Puppy Field Trip this past weekend. Eleven puppies aged 14 weeks through 6 months enjoyed the warm spring weather at Holliday Park, along with several hundred other Hoosiers and their dogs, bicycles, boom boxes, strollers, picnic baskets and more.

(You can view the slide show to the right)

We taught the puppies to greet people politely, to climb a rock wall, to navigate playground equipment and to be comfortable in the hubbub of a busy park. Those in attendance were able to check off many socialization contacts in their Sensible Puppy Notebook.

Our current STAR award puppies led the way. Ava, the German Shepherd Dog, looked gorgeous, confident and under control. Sammie, the pretty black Lab-cross, was friendly and relaxed around the noises, too. Lady, a lovely a Brittany Spaniel, seemed to relish taking the lead, showing everyone “her” park.

Other puppy class grads seemed happy to be out and about with their owners as well. Bailey, a Coton de Tulear, looked great, walking nicely and sporting his new red Gentle Leader. Bella the aristocratic Afghan made several new friends, and I was thrilled to see her confidence! Sophie, a Coton de Tulear, learned that even little dogs can climb rock walls with alacrity.

Nearly all the current class members were present. Edna, a mixed-breed, paid excellent attention to her owner. Ali the Boxer was great at loose-leash walking. Clearly, he has been practicing this skill. Dyce the Doodle learned that play structures could be fun. Orion the confident black Lab puppy greeted strangers happily, and wondered about a baby in a stroller: is that a kid with wheels or a vehicle with eyeballs? Drew the golden retriever clearly loved the commotion of the busy park – he wagged his tail the entire time.

The trip was definitely worthwhile as a socialization and training opportunity. Next month will be somewhere altogether different – be sure to mark your calendars and keep those fourth Saturdays open for field trips!

Well-Trained (and Well-Socialized) Dogs Have More Fun

During Spring Break a few weeks ago, my friends Becky and Cathy invited us to join them for a hike in the Morgan-Monroe State Forest. My sons came along as did 5 dogs – Two golden retrievers, one Labrador retriever, a Brittany Spaniel and a Vizsla.

The hike was lovely. It was nice to see a bit of wild Indiana before the bugs and humidity come along! Even more wonderful, though, was the realization that our hike was pleasant because our dogs enjoyed great freedoms. They splashed in the creek, explored upturned tree-roots and raced up and down steep embankments. They tried to retrieve rocks tossed into the water by the boys. They laughed their way through the mud and rolled in the great "doggie-bliss" perfumes they found.

All of the dogs were fabulous with my boys, although only three of them live with children. All of the dogs considered the running, jumping, shrieking, climbing and splashing that the boys did to be normal behavior, and they were right. None of the dogs chased wildlife. All the dogs got multiple treats and praise for “working” so hard doing our hike. They were trustworthy enough to enjoy off-leash freedom. When they checked in on their own, they were rewarded. When they came at our calls, they were rewarded.

When another hiker and dog appeared on the trail, we asked our dogs to down-stay. All five of them did, immediately. As the elderly man passed by, his pretty little border collie growled threateningly at us, especially at the children. She glanced warily at our dogs, her tail tucked to her belly. Her pretty little face was contorted with fear. Her owner tightened up her leash, and she stuck to his leg like a burr on a sock. The kindly man, smiling and chatting to us, was unaware of his dog’s body language, which said, “I’m scared – don’t come near or I will bite.” I don’t even think he heard her growling.

Suddenly, I was jolted by the contrast. Here’s a dog who had a ton of potential, probably…but why was she so afraid of all of us? I wanted to ask the man, “Did you take her to puppy class? Has she seen children, before? Why doesn’t she trust other dogs? How is it this beautiful, sensitive girl is such a snarling, defensive-aggressive menace?

Some would cry “abuse!”, but I know that the simplest explanation is usually accurate – and this dear old man probably knew nothing of early developmental “windows” for socialization and likely never considered training his attentive little companion. The most likely reason for her behavior is a lack of positive experience with strangers, children and friendly dogs. She’s probably never seen 5 calm dogs on a down-stay. That is not normal dog behavior! I felt sorry for the old man and his dog, as they continued down the trail. She’ll never be off her leash, and he’ll never know the pleasures we were having, watching our dogs gamboling in the woods.

I look forward to a return visit to that lovely place. There are miles of trails for us to explore. It was refreshing on many levels. I am glad that my lifestyle and my friends include well-socialized and well-trained dogs. We have more fun than the other guys.

First Sensible STAR Puppy Awards!

Carmel, Indiana March 28, 2009 —Catherine Steinke, owner of Sensible K9, LLC, is proud to celebrate the graduation of three puppies and owners from the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy training program. The AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Program rewards responsible owners who take the time to train and socialize their new puppies. The program is a natural precursor to the AKC Canine Good Citizen® Test. “S.T.A.R.” stands for Socialization, Training, Activity and a Responsible owner, all of the things a puppy needs to have a good life.

“The AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy program teaches dogs and their owners the first important steps to becoming responsible members of the community,” said Catherine Steinke. We are proud to see dog owners actively seeking ways to help their puppies start life on the right paw.”

Earning the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy award were Cecelia Geist with Lady Suzanne, a Brittany Spaniel from Indianapolis, West Clay Village resident Gina Prine, with Ava, a German Shepherd Dog and Jackie Randall, with Samantha, a mixed-breed, from Indianapolis

To earn their medals, the participants enrolled their puppies in the Sensible Puppy training class instructed by AKC Approved CGC Evaluator, Catherine Steinke. Weekly classes at Michigan Road Animal Hosptital on 96th Street included valuable training tips for puppy owners - such as how to housetrain and how to prevent behavior problems - and lessons on practical skills for puppies -such as coming when called, accepting veterinary examinations and bite inhibition. The program is open to all breeds of dogs. Puppies can begin training as soon as they have the necessary vaccines and they can test for the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy award at any point up until their first birthday during one of Sensible Puppy’s unique field trips, offered once a month to class members.

Upon passing the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy test, owners and their puppies are eligible to receive an AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy package which includes:

• A frameable certificate
• AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy medal
• AKC Puppy Handbook
• Discount enrollment in AKC Companion Animal Recovery
• Subscription to monthly e-mail newsletter that includes training tips

To sign up for classes visit www.SensiblePuppy.com
For more information on AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, see www.akc.org/starpuppy

Congratulations, Lady, Ava and Sammy!

Crazy Sheepherders with Too Much Time?

This is completely brilliant. Thanks to my brother Dan for passing it along! You can visit his (semi-retired) website for search and rescue dog information at

http://www.comdens.com/SAR/default.htm

Socialize Your Puppy!

http://www.akc.org/enewsletter/yourakc/2009/march/puppy.cfm

Here's a thorough article published by the AKC on the importance of early socialization. For my Sensible Puppy clients, get out those checklists and get busy!

Play With Me!!

This is delightful! Look at all the wonderful play gestures this puppy is offering! What a wonderfully confident, social puppy. Fun stuff! Thanks to Becky A. for sharing this video.

Techno-Savvy

I have never claimed to be "techno-savvy". In fact, those who know me are surprised that I carry a cell phone. (Okay, only sometimes - and I don't know how to text!) I am able to use the internet, though. And, I am happy to pass along this great website to you. It's a great source of FREE, GOOD information about everything canine. If you are currently training a dog, take a peek and spend some time surfing around. I can guarantee you will find things of interest.
www.dogstardaily.com

Snowy Puppy Field Trip!

I am so proud of all my clients and puppies who made it out this morning for our February field trip! In spite of the snow, wind and cold, all of the owners did a great job teaching leash manners to their young pets. After working on that a bit, we acclimated the puppies to some of the children's playground equipment. All the puppies had a great time, and only got a little muddy! :-)

If You're Aggressive, Your Dog Will Be Too, Says Veterinary Study

ScienceDaily (2009-02-18) -- In a new, year-long survey of dog owners who use confrontational or aversive methods to train aggressive pets, veterinary researchers have found that most of these animals will continue to be aggressive unless training techniques are modified. ... > read full article

Therapy Dogs!

I am proud to announce that my Vizsla girl, Penny, is now a Delta Pet Partner! She surprised me with her confidence and joy in greeting all the "scary" people during the intensive 20-step test last weekend. She was joyful and happy in all the social interactions and minded her manners very well for a young dog.

Sancho, my golden retriever, passed his renewal and has become a Pet Partner therapy dog for the 3rd time. He is permitted to visit "complex" environments, which means unpredictable encounters won't phase him a bit. I know this to be true - he's proven to be wise and gentle in all scenarios.

Delta dogs are great comforters to hospital and nursing home residents and staff as well as working in youth grieving programs or other post-traumatic venues. A visit from a dog can faciliate healing in ways that people cannot. I personally have seen my dogs open gateways through grief and coma and stress where traditional interventions have failed. I am proud to be involved as a Delta Pet Partner.

If you would like to know more about Pet Partners and the work they can do, please visit www.DeltaSociety.org.

Bridge and Target Training

This lovely, happy dog has learned a new trick with Bridge and Target training. Can you hear the trainer saying, "ggggggggggg - Good"? Well, it may not seem like much, but it's an important communicator to this eager worker that he's on track.

This is a novel concept, using an intermediate bridge between the target and the reinforcement marker. Sort of a "you are on the right track-keep up the good work" communicator. It has proven very effective in communicating difficult concepts to animals.

I first ran across the "Bridge and Target" concept a few years ago while I was researching the sport of Canine Freestyle. I found Charlene Dunlap's site, which you can view, here http://www.caninehorizons.com/Training_Clips.html .

Next week, as a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Counselors, I will begin a course taught by Kayce Cover who developed the Bridge and Target concepts over years of working with many different animal species. You can view her video clips here: http://synalia.com/videos
I look forward to teaching my own dogs some new, fun things and adding this proficiency to my bag of tricks for clients and their pets.

Sensible Puppy January Field Trip

What do you get when you bring five puppies and three adult dogs to a nursing home? A whole lotta puppy love! I was very proud of all our puppies and their great owners. Everyone was relaxed and enjoyed greeting the residents and staff. A great socialization and training outing for the puppies-and a wonderful treat for all the people. A big Thank You to Hoosier Village Health Center for allowing us to visit! Hug those puppies - I bet they are sleeping well, tonight!

The Best Trick!

Whoever trained this dog has my complete admiration! What a fun trick! And, see how happy the dog is? I only wish I could understand what the announcer is saying!

AKC STAR Puppy Program

Sensible Puppy classes are the first in Indianapolis to offer the new AKC STAR Puppy program! After attending at least 6 weeks of class and by passing a 20-point evaluation, Sensible Puppy class participants will be eligible to receive a beautiful medal and frameable certificate from AKC!

As an approved AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, I am proud to be encouraging my clients to reach for the STAR with their purebred or mixed-breed puppies!

The test items are not going to be difficult because these are all things we are already working on, in Sensible Puppy Class. The curriculum of both programs mesh nicely together. For more details, please go to http://www.akc.org/starpuppy/.

I like the emphasis that AKC STAR Puppy puts on owner awareness and participation. The idea of responsible puppy ownership is not new, but now, there's a pretty medal and certificate to show for your hard work!

The date will soon be announced for our first Sensible Puppy AKC STAR Puppy Evaluation! Will your puppy be the first STAR in Indy?

Puppy Classes at Michigan Road Animal Hospital - Off to a Great Start!

Neither snow nor slush nor freezing winds kept four puppies and thirteen people from gathering last night at MRAH 96th Street for the first Sensible Puppy group class. We have a Labrador, a German Shepherd Dog, a Brittany Spaniel and a West Highland White Terrier. We had great puppy socialization with people wearing funny hats, puppy-to-puppy play, body language interpretation, and massage time. We worked on playing "Elevator", discussed great chewing toys and learned how to help a puppy overcome a fearful experience. Additionally, there were lots of potty breaks, personalized Q&A, and different surfaces to walk on. Everyone seemed to have a great time. The weather didn't deter us, and hopefully, four families are feeling better about reaching their puppy-training goals.

Talking Dogs!

This video clip was sent to me by a friend (Thanks, Becky!) and I just had to post it. Perhaps it's the power of suggestion, but these dogs seem to mean what they say! Don't take it too seriously, though. If you really want to know what your dog is saying, check out Brenda Aloff's book, Canine Body Language.

My Mom's a Dog Trainer

There are benefits to being the son of a dog trainer, not the least of which is that you get to meet a lot of puppies! Check out the new slide show and see the fun we are having with Mr. Phifer's Basenji puppies, now 4 weeks old.

More to come as the Basenji puppies grow.

The boys are also going to get to participate in socializing puppies at my Sensible Puppy class, which begins this week with the orientation, next week with puppies in attendance. We already have 5 puppies signed up!