Recipe for dog training success!

When it comes to dog training, I've noticed that most humans focus on the final product, and not how to get there. Similar to going out to eat a meal - we focus on the finished yummy meal brought to our table, not how it was prepared. Why should we when someone else is doing the work? We may inquire how something is made in order to give us a better idea of what the meal might taste like - but do we really care how hot the grill was? If the meat was marinated first? The actual steps of the recipe? Not really - unless it was so great we'd want to duplicate it at home... but even then, it's usually somewhat different.

So why is it most dog folks tend to focus intently on the final product of what they want their dogs behavior to be? As opposed to figuring out the simplest way to get there...with little strain and stress on themselves and their dogs.

It's high time we as humans take the time to learn a "recipe for success" for educating and training our dogs. That is what I like to focus on in the classes I offer at The Inquisitive Canine - the "how to get the behaviors", not just the behaviors themselves. Sure, the dogs learn the behaviors that owners want, but that's just the side effect of actually learning how to get the behaviors in the first place... As the chinese proverb goes: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Or in this case: Push the dogs butt to the ground and he sits for that moment - teach the human to teach the dog to sit, and he sits when you ask.

So, come join us at the inquisitive canine to learn about, and develop the tools and techniques to create your own recipe for success for getting the behaviors you want out of your dog.

Dog Trainer in Ventura Hits YouTube!

Well folks I've made onto YouTube! Thanks to Nathan Weiner and Tree in a Box Productions (gotta love the name!) I am on film! very exciting indeed...just click on the link and check it out for yourself!

Dog Trainers Dream Team!

What a great day! Michelle, Lorrie, Anne, Amber, & Nathan...thanks to you all for heading south on a Sunday afternoon to "play" at the inquisitive canine. And thank you to family and friends for hanging out too! I know this dog trainer had a great time! My DREAM TEAM came for a visit! Who you ask? Well, I'll tell you. The folks that make up the team that is going to send my business soaring to new heights!

There was the wonderful and talented Michelle Shapiro of Ipso Facto Creative Group - owner, founder, website designer extraordinaire. She has been taking care of me since I opened the studio last year - so patient, so caring, and oh so skillful! The ever so fabulous Lorrie Thomas (who actually organized the whole dream team road trip) of Lorrie Thomas Website Marketing was there with her hubby Will...kind, considerate, and a great supportive hubby (like mine!) Lorrie has taken the inquisitive canine on an adventurous trip through the world of web marketing... She doesn't call herself a business coach, but to me she is that too... Watching out for me, guiding this dog trainer down the right path, and on the road to success! --- The gracious and cheerful Anne Ofilia, who works with Lorrie, was there as well - Anne took to the idea of clicker training immediately! She "got it" and is all ready to try it on her own family...hey, it works with all animals right? Not just dogs... Between playing with the clicker, Anne is going to help me get some of the surveys and evaluations out - teaching me to use specific website marketing tools...Maybe if I play my cards right, Anne will give me a "click-treat" --- Amber Wallace of Dowitcher Designs and her friend Jill (also of Dowitcher Designs) were also at the puppy party! Amber is another fantastic website designer and builder! (all that confusing html stuff is so easy for her...) Plus, Amber is a great tutor...very patient, and a great communicator...I know because I was one of her students :-) She is going to take charge of building some additional elements to my great site! Nathan, Michelle's son was there working today - he is a fabulous videographer - on the road to being a director - and will soon get some great dog play video up on You Tube for me! (how exciting!)

Then of course there was the Puppy Social itself! Lots of wonderful visitors - canine and human alike. There was Nancy with Kona- a lovely owner, and darling blonde lab pup! Then some new folks stopped in...Brenda and her daughter Maureen, with their newly adopted pooch Lulu! Lulu was a bit shy at first, but she warmed up pretty quickly, and within a few minutes into play both were romping about...So much fun to watch...learning how to socialize, communicate in their own doggy language and play style, teaching each other how to "just be dogs" in our crazy human world...all while building self-confidence! Plus, for the rest of the day they'll nap because they're so tired! And you know, a tired dog is a happy dog...and happy owner :-)

My friends the Lopiano's stopped in as well - mom and dad (Bridgette and Phil) brought their kids Sophia and Charles - they all love puppies, but aren't able to have one themselves at this time - so they get their "puppy fix" here at the inquisitive canine studio - how great for everyone! Kids get puppy time, plus the puppies learn how to be well-mannered around the little ones...a win-win for all!

It wrapped up with my own hubby and pooch Poncho stopping in to say "hello"... So supportive and caring...both real troopers! Thanks to everyone for making this dog trainers day!