Just because it’s National Train Your Dog Month doesn’t mean that dogs get to have all the fun! KPA Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP) Jacob Hollingsworth and his rescue cat Kitty not only refute the myth that cats can’t be trained, but demonstrate just how many fun and useful behaviors a cat can learn! From simple behaviors such as sitting and targeting to more complex tricks such as ringing a bell or playing a piano, Kitty proves that cats can do anything a dog can do.
During the winter you may be searching for activities that you can do with your dog to keep you both entertained and active. Why not try dancing with your dog? Canine Freestyle, also known as musical freestyle, is a modern sport where dogs and handlers perform dazzling choreographed routines set to music. The sport combines heelwork with other moves such as leg weaving, leg kicks, and more dramatic tricks. What skills do you need to get started in Canine Freestyle? In this video, international freestyle champion Michele Pouliot and six-month-old Keiko demonstrate the key building blocks for stunning Canine Freestyle routines!
What types of useful behaviors can you teach with targeting? In last week’s blog Teaching Your Dog to Hand Target, we explored the many useful applications of teaching your dog to target the palm of your hand with his nose. Once you have a solid hand target, you can build on it by teaching your dog to target other body parts, such as his cheek. Cheek targeting can be useful for husbandry care and veterinary visits, particularly when administering eye or ear drops.
Eva Berginc, KPA CTP, completed the World format of the KPA Dog Trainer Professional (DTP) program in 2018, with Terry Ryan. A helicopter pilot in the Austrian military, her other calling is as a professional dog trainer.
Trainers are often asked, “What behaviors should I begin teaching my dog?” Teaching your dog to touch the palm of your hand is not only very easy for beginner clicker trainers to teach, but it is also a valuable skill that has many applications.
If you and your dog find nail trimming stressful, you are not alone. Nail trimming is one of those necessary but dreaded tasks that many pet owners prefer to hand over to professionals. However, with a little patience and a lot of positive reinforcement, trimming your dog’s nails is not only possible, but enjoyable! The key is to introduce each step gradually and offer lots of positive reinforcement.
A fundamental skill for canine freestyle is the dog backing around the handler. It’s also a fun trick that will impress your friends! Before you begin teaching this behavior, make sure your dog knows how to back up in a straight line (see Teach Your Dog to Back Up to a Target). Once your dog is backing up reliably at least 4 feet on cue, you can begin teaching your dog to back around you.
Waltham, MA, December 16, 2019—Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) will be the first private education institution to join forces with three leading industry associations in the effort to raise professional standards for dog trainers. The standards require trainers to commit to comprehensive education and skill proficiency, prioritize positive training solutions, and follow clear ethical practices in all aspects of their client work.
Karen Pryor Academy’s Dog Trainer Foundation course offers dogs and their humans what they really crave: fun together! When you build a solid foundation of positive reinforcement skills, your dog will transform into an excited and enthusiastic learner and you will have created a new level of partnership that will last a lifetime. In this video, Dog Trainer Foundations student Alison Shore and her Boston terrier, Alfie, demonstrate what is possible!
Erin Kidd, KPA CTP, came to positive-reinforcement training with a sigh of relief 15 years ago. Since she bought her first clicker years ago she has enjoyed training her own dogs, working with client dogs through her business Happy Bark Dog Training, and launching the training side of Brook-Falls Veterinary Hospital & Exotic Care Luxury Pet Resort, where she will offer group classes beginning in January 2020 in her role of dog trainer and training program designer.
