December Graduates! STEP ONE Training Foundations

What a smart group of dogs in class this month! Luckily the owners were all just as smart! Great to see the effort they all put into doing their homework. Now to get ready for the Next Step.....

"Charlie"

 "Louis"

 "Berman"

"Ru"

GREAT JOB ALL!

TOYS FOR DOGS!!!

There is such a confusing array of toys available for purchase today. Which ones are worthwhile for you to purchase and safe for your dog? Each individual dog’s chewing style and play preferences must be considered. There is no one type of indestructible toy for all dogs. What one dog shreds in minutes can last another a lifetime. Homemade toys can be used if proper precautions are taken. Size of toy must be large enough so there is no risk of getting lodged in your dog’s throat. When pieces are at risk of breaking off  they must be discarded. The material that toys are made of must obviously be non-toxic. Sturdy soft toys are available but even those should be watched as they are not to be digested.

There are three main types of toys. Alone busy toys that most dogs can be left safely alone with, toys that need supervision to ensure safety and special interactive toys that are reserved for play-training with the owner. Rotating your dogs’ toys weekly can help keep their interest.


Alone Busy Toys
* Depending on your dogs chewing style some may be supervised toys
Kong and similar toys - stuffed with food and maybe even frozen!
Nylabone type chews
Marrow bones, antlers, hooves
Rope toys
Planet Dog makes excellent products
Busy food puzzle toys (Buster Cube, Tricky Treat ball, etc.)

Supervised Toys
Inspect toys regularly and discard when damaged and if pieces get chewed off
Squeakies - Good Cuz toys,
Chewies especially “Bully Sticks”, depending on your dogs’ chewing style tendons, rawhides, etc. (check with your vet, pigs ears usually not recommended)
Soft stuffies
Be creative! Cardboard box, towels, magazines, tubes, ball in a sock,

Interactive Toys
Play with your dog and always leave him wanting more. Put the toy away between sessions and your dog will look forward to more play training!
Frisbee - dog safe plastic or soft ones
Tug toys - skineez, braided fleece,
Balls
squirrel on a string type lure toys

A good source for unique toys is http://www.cleanrun.com/

Graduates! STEP ONE Training Foundations Class November 2013

The November STEP ONE was a very unique mix of learning styles and levels of dogs and their people!

Echo - blind from birth but knows no limits!
Bramble - Big sensitive guy!
Tess - Ultra work ethic!
Rufus - Bird brain but an A+ student!

Excellent job all! You have the skills to go places!


ECHO

 TESS

RUFUS

BRAMBLE

FREEDOM No-Pull Harness

There are many different types of front attachment no-pull harnesses on the market but we think these are by far the best for many different reasons!

Owners find them EFFECTIVE!
No more pulling! A choice of two different points of attachment and a double ended leash.

Dogs find them COMFORTABLE!
No pressure on the sensitive neck area, fits higher up so no restriction to shoulder movement and even a velvet strap under the tummy. They fit most dogs better than other no-pull harnesses.

Freedom plus safety and control! 
Using a long-line and a harness is a great way of allowing your dog more freedom on the trails while still maintaining safety and control. We describe it as power steering for your dog. The human at the other end of the leash has an important role to fulfill in the partnership and has to maintain some training but some dogs seem to magically no longer even feel the need to pull. Either way it is the best solution we have found!

New puppy? 
We wouldn't raise a puppy without one! Paw in Hand has a trade up offer for when your puppy grows out of the harness!

Veterinarian recommended
Veterinarians suggest harnesses to prevent trachea, spinal cord and optical injuries.

Quality, handmade in the USA, secure, adjust to fit, comfortable (velvet lining!), and come in a range of great COLOURS too!!!

Matching double ended leash included.

Measurement for Harness

5/8" XSmall (Chest 14" - 20")

5/8" Small (Chest 20" - 24")

5/8" Medium (Chest 24" - 28")

1" Medium (Chest 24" - 28")

1" Large (Chest 28" - 32")

1" XLarge (Chest 32" - 38")

1" 2XLarge (Chest 38" - 44")

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TO ORDER:

email info@pawinhand.com

Harness AND Leash set

We stock black and Paw in Hand green in all sizes
Custom COLOURS ordered every few months

Total $45.00
(Price includes applicable taxes) 


*Delivery to clients in the Squamish area at no extra charge.

See http://2houndswholesale.com/No-Pull-Harness/ for more details.

TREATS FOR DOGS!!!

The selection of “treats” on store shelves is overwhelming. Many of these treats are of questionable quality and unnecessary ingredients. Look for ones that are made mostly of a pure source of animal protein. We all succumb to some jumk food once in a while but use good judgement and consider the source. Food sensitivities can be an issue for many dogs and the culprit ingredient can be hard to identify. Using food treats as training rewards can be very effective but remember that different dogs like different things at different times and sometimes just like something new or presented in a different way!


LOW Level Rewards

• Your dogs’ regular dry kibble food can be used for a reward in many low distraction situations.
• Daily kibble can be turned into a more powerful motivator by measuring out your dog’s daily allotment of dry dog food and putting it into a container or zip type bag and then tossing it with a few morsels of strong smelling treats such as cheese, roast beef, chicken, etc.

MID Level Rewards

• Cat Food Crunchies
• Packaged store bought treats
• Breakfast cereal such as Cheerios
• Cut up vegetables such as carrots, lettuce...
• Cut up fruit such as apples, bananas, blueberries, pears ... especially watermelon on a hot summer day :0)
• Snack foods such as popcorn, crackers, corn chips, goldfish crackers, etc.
• Cooked pasta, tortellini
• Roll type soft dog food cut up into small cubes (Rollover, Natural Balance)

HIGH Level Rewards

• Roasted chicken, roast beef, steak.
• Boiled or baked organ meats such as chicken hearts, livers, beef tongue or heart
• Homemade liver or tuna “brownies” made with pureed meat, eggs and minimal binding ingredient such as rice flour. See http://pawinhand.com/pages/sniff/yummy-things.php for recipes
• Homemade peanut butter or pumpkin cookies
• Cheese - the stinkier the better!
• Hot dogs cut up and microwaved on paper towels
• Pepperoni (natural variety) cut into teeny tiny smidgin sized pieces (it’s the smell that counts!
• Egg omelet cut up
• Peanut butter or liverpaste in a squeeze tube (new  baby food product on the market too!)
• Spoonful of yogurt, cream cheese, etc.
• Raw meaty bones such as lamb shank, bison knuckle
• Kong type toys stuffed with mixture of soft dog food and tasty tidbits. Also try frozen into a pupsicle! (www.kongcompany.com)

The way that you present your dog with his treat can change how rewarding it is as well. Try tossing it into the air. Try rolling it ahead of your dog on the ground. Try wiggling it around erratically before giving it. Try hiding or burying it slightly.

Jackpots! If your dog made a particularly good effort then reward him with multiple treats given in succession and spread out over a longer period of time while chanting “oooo ... yeah ... wow ... what a good dog you are .... good good good good dog!”

Be aware that some foods are poisonous to dogs such as chocolate, onions, grapes... Check out http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/foods_poisonous_to_pets.html

October STEP ONE Graduating class!

Two lucky dogs and their owners shared in a semi-private class and learned the usual STEP ONE class skills and some spin offs as well!

Abstract and Fianna ... you both came so far in 4 weeks! Amazing dogs you are and amazing owners you have that took the time to do training with you and brought out your best!

ABSTRACT 

with Megan

 
FIANNA

with Patrick and Holly  

 

.... and now kiss time! xoxo

 

Fun with hula hoops!

Looks like I need to get better lighting for action shots ...

STEP ONE Foundations Class is held most months. 

For details and to register - click here

Step One Training Foundation Class - September Gradutes!

September's class was such a unique group of dogs!
All four dogs had very different personalities and backgrounds but all made progress in only 4 short weeks!
Well done human and dog partners!

"Bodi" 

"Cooper"

"Bella"

"Gemma"

Step One Graduates!

Indy

What a star! Super focused and super smart! His owner really worked hard on the homework and it showed!

Blue

Each class he showed incredible progress ... from worried and distracted to attentive and interactive! Way to go! 

Cayoosh

Proof that training can (and should) be fun! What a team! So many skills and tricks and silliness. 







Thank you so much to Auntie Kim for the special packages of Better Bickies that you put together for our training class students on graduation night! The dogs no doubt think they are lip licking, tail wagging scrumptious!

For more info see: http://www.betterbickies.com/

Graduates of STEP ONE Training Foundation Class!

January was a great start to 2013! 6 dogs and their owners graduated from STEP ONE class.

Congratulations on the great job you all did with your dogs!

The foundation behaviours we teach in STEP ONE class are a solid foundation to having a great companion dog and member of the community!

FINN!

Special mention to Finn's amazing junior handler BEN!

YAMATO!

Smartie pants of the class :0)

LUNA!

Youngest in the class but great progress!

NICO!

Some great ah-ha moments!

WALTER!

Very impressed with how well he has done overall!

LINUS!

Newly adopted and learning the right behaviours from the start! Good job!

For all your efforts you get a graduation certificate and a special box of Auntie Kim's Better Bickies! Thank you so much to Auntie Kim for the special packages you put together for our training class students on graduation night! The dogs no doubt think they are lip licking, tail wagging scrumptious!

 

For more info see: http://www.betterbickies.com/

Friday night dog and owner movie night!

No big deal not having a movie theater in town anymore because you couldn't bring your dogs to it anyhow!!!

Friday night movie night! For dog owners and their dogs ... to learn about training and behaviour and socialize too!

We will start the evening with a bit of a social, then we will watch all or part of a dog training video (approximately 30 minutes). After the video we will have a Q and A session and then work on a couple of exercises with the participating dogs.  Then maybe a bit more chit chat about stuff ... probably dogs, dogs, dogs!!!

If you would like your dog to attend please contact us. Dogs must be social with people and other dogs, healthy, well mannered and be able to settle on a mat for the duration of the video.

FRIDAY EVENINGS
6:30 - 8:30 pm
$12.00
*snacks and light refreshments provided
*Couch and chairs available or bring your own comfy spot

TOPICS:

February 1st - Coming when called 

REGISTRATION:
*Dog spots are limited and must be registered in advance*
maren@pawinhand.com
604.892.4278

FREE Talk with a Trainer at Bosley's!

FREE Special Event
Talk with a Trainer
Maren from Paw in Hand
at Bosley's Squamish

Great ideas on how to help turn your problem pooch into a polite partner!

3rd Monday of every month
6:30 - 7:30

Appointments suggested
Drop in's welcome

Schedule an appointment
Contact Bosley's 604-892-5537
or
For more information
Contact Maren at Paw in Hand 604-892-4278

NEW Training location and OPEN HOUSE!

We are excited to announce our

 New Training Location!

You are invited to our

OPEN HOUSE

Friday January 18th 

From 4 - 7 pm
38134 Cleveland Avenue

Humans Only *

New training offerings!

• Step One Training Foundation class
• Puppy's First Steps class
• Friday night dog owner movie social and learn
• Semi-private sessions
• Out and About town
• Out and About the trails
• Foundations for fun (agility, flyball and Rally-0 skills)

Family Paws Parent Education Presentations:

• Dogs and Storks
• Dog and Baby Connection
• Doggone Safe Be a Tree program

* Please leave your dogs at home or in the car.

We would be happy to arrange to meet them some other time for sure!

For more details contact:

maren@pawinhand.com
604.892.4278

Educating Families with Children and Dogs

Maren is the only Sea to Sky area licensed presenter of the international Dogs & Storks™ and The Dog & Baby Connection™ programs.

These programs are great for:

• Expectant and adoptive parents
• Parents of young children
• Extended family members
• Childcare and Foster care providers
• Doulas and Midwives
• Anyone else who wants to learn how wonderful life with kids and dogs can be!

We specialize in increasing awareness and improving dynamics between children, family members and dog.
Maren’s diverse background in dog training, her knowledge of dog behaviour and first-hand experience having a family of her own - all while caring for other people’s dogs – means she can help. Insights and expertise are passed on to you to support your new family dynamics. Maren helps you identify behaviours that cause stress in your home and provides practical solutions to common dog/baby challenges that you can fit into your daily family life with ease. As your children grow they can learn about dog language and safety through programs that teach bite prevention.

Private consultations, group workshops, presentations and on-going support are available. Learn which service suits your family's needs best.

 

The Be a Tree  program™ by Doggone Safe™  is also offered to help school age children learn how to interact safely with dogs.

 

See our website for more details
 http://www.pawinhand.com/pages/before-baby.php
or contact maren@pawinhand.com