Stella’s owners did a really smart thing. They had an annual appointment set up for Stella to receive vaccinations and a routine check up. Stella goes to VCA Total Care Animal Hospital in Richmond VA. Unfortunately for Stella, her last visit to the vet was less then pleasant for everyone involved and Stella had a special mark on her file.
I love that her owners decided to be proactive and give me a call to help them with Stella’s problems at the vet. Before she would enter the office, already worked up. Panting heavily, barking, bulling, growling at everyone and every dog she met, not sitting still on the scale and making it known that a small Boston Terrier with a big attitude had arrived. All her craziness, as you can imagine, had her owners a bit nervous and high strung as well. Energy affects energy and we needed to calm everyone down so the trip to the vet was something to be looked forward to.
We spent a couple lessons working on a routine for going to the vet:
we worked for calmness getting into the car at home and getting out of the car at the vet’s parking lot.
We worked for a chance to walk calmly to a potty spot and empty out.
We worked for a solid sit while the owner opened the door and saw who or what was in the waiting room.
We worked for a calm entrance into the hospital and a sit stay while the owner talked to the person at the front desk.
We worked for a good “place” command on the scale so we could see a weight.
We worked on Stella being calm and in a down at the owner’s feet while we waited for an exam room to be ready.
We worked on calm heeling to the exam room.
We worked on being picked up and relaxing on the exam table.
We worked on having the Animal Hospital staff understand that for Stella, her owner could hold her and Stella would be calmer and they would be able to take temperature and give shots.
We worked on looking in her ears, eyes and mouth and touching her all over to prepare her for a physical exam
We worked on praising and talking to her at the right moments to help keep her calm while she was being examined.
We worked on leaving the exam room calmly and sitting while the bill was taken care of.
The Vet and the Tech helping her out were awesome and loved that Stella’s owners had done some prep work to make Stella’s visit to the vet less chaotic. Stella’s owner did fantastic in keeping calm and focused on Stella. Stella did amazing! I am very proud of Stella and her owner for a successful visit to the vet, it was fun and enjoyable. Stella deserved the treat and the loving at the end of her visit!
Do you dread going to the vet with your dog? Training helps! If you check out all the things we worked on with Stella, you’ll see that they all have a foundation in the commands Follow Me Dog Training LLC teaches in the Successful Living Program and our Board and Train Program. Please contact us for a FREE evaluation if you need help getting your dog to the vet!
Posted 5 months, 2 weeks ago at 10:56 am. Add a comment
Follow Me Dog Training LLC held AKC Canine Good Citizen testing on 6 March 2010. We want to congratulate the 5 dogs and their owners that passed the testing and were awarded a certificate. Well done!
Blaze
Spenser
Penny
Loki
Emma
Follow Me Dog Training LLC will keep you updated on when we will do CGC testing in the Richmond VA area again! Contact us for a free evaluation if you are interested in doing more training with your dog!
Posted 5 months, 2 weeks ago at 10:04 pm. Add a comment
There are alot of things to take care of when you bring a dog into your home. Lucky for me I already know a good trainer and Frappy has already started to do some work for me. I have a check list of things that I need to take care of for Frappy and I to start our life together.
I started off by establishing the house rules for her. Here are some of them: she has to work for her food, be kenneled/crated when I can not directly supervise her, drag a leash around the house and sit before going out the back door with the other dogs.
Until her Primo Pad comes in she gets a bed only at night!
I made sure she has a kennel that is the best size for her and I decided that she only gets a dog bed in there at night when she is conked out. I don’t want to come home to this:
Daisy the destroyer
So I am going online to order a kennel pad for Frappy. I buy these great pads from a company called Primo Pads. They are awesome, easy to clean, hard to destroy and make a comfortable bottom of the crate so I don’t have to worry should Frappy decide to start chewing on a blanket or bed I put in with her. Plus Leinie and Pepper love theirs!
We went for a vet visit and Frappy is now up to date on all her boosters and healthy as a dog should be. Now that we have a current rabies certificate, next week I will head over to Fin & Feather on Lakeside Ave to get her dog license.
She also needs an id tag for her collar. I like to have Boomerang Tags make all my id tags! They make a kind that fits onto the collar…so no noise, and it is easy to move to another collar if needed. I always put my cell/mobile phone number on this tag.
So those are a few of the things I have been working on getting organized and i would encourage you if you are bringing a new dog into the house to make yourself a checklist of things to do. I was lucky I already have a wonderful vet and know a good trainer!
If you are getting a first dog for the family and aren’t sure what you might need: contact Follow Me Dog Training LLC and we would be happy to help you with your checklist!
Posted 5 months, 3 weeks ago at 3:42 pm. Add a comment
Follow Me Dog Training LLC would like to introduce Frappuccino AKA Frappy to the Richmond VA area! Frappy was rescued from a shelter by our friends at the Georgia Dog Gym. She has been on our mind since July and we had the chance to go visit and see how she would do with Leinie and Pepper. We are really excited to have our very own Etowah River Dog…and that is what we are calling her because we really don’t know what she is or care…she’s just our dog! We do know that she is about a year old and has some very basic training, will come and sit a bit, loves her kennel/crate and enjoys a long car ride. Best of all though she is a very social dog both with people and animals!
Making the decision to bring a third dog into the family was very well thought out and planned for. Any dog, much less a third one should be an educational decision. Things to consider are time, space, money, socialization, size, breed, and love. Anything more than one dog is a handful, your whole schedule changes and I now need to be accountable for three different personalities, energy levels and ages of dogs. Even for a dog trainer this is going to be a big shift in my life.
Lucky for Follow Me Dog Training LLC, Frappy has Leinie to show her the ropes and help her become a great member of the family and the business.
Leinie and Frappy play very well together! Frappy is also very respectful of my older Irish Terrier, Pepper. So far so good!
Frappy has a lot of learning to do, but I have a feeling that Leinie and I will have a blast teaching her. And she will have a blast getting to know all the Follow Me Dog Training LLC clients and their dogs!
Stay tuned for updates on her progress and if you have any questions about bringing a dog into your home, whether it is a first second or third, contact us for an evaluation and we’ll lead you to success!
Posted 5 months, 4 weeks ago at 9:40 pm. Add a comment
Follow Me Dog Training LLC is planning on being there to see the Flying Squirrels take on the Erie Seawolves. We would love to have a group of Follow Me Dog Training LLC dogs with us. So how about it? Who’s game? If you are interested in going as a group and purchasing tickets as a group contact Renée via email or phone and she will purchase tickets for the group and you all can reimburse her. If you want to sit with the group, contact Renée no later than 26 March 2010. If you want to get tickets on your own, make sure you go through the Richmond SPCA so that a portion of the ticket price goes towards the Richmond SPCA!
Please join the Richmond SPCA and the Richmond Flying Squirrels for Bark in the Park, a night of pet-friendly baseball at the Diamond. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the game starts at 7 p.m. There is no extra charge to bring your leashed, well-behaved dog to the game with you.Check out our Tail Wag’N adoption vehicle, our Humane Education Mascot Waggles, Skyy Dogs USA, best dressed dog contest, and other fun activities while you’re there!
The Siberian Husky was developed by the Chukchi people of northeastern Asia as an endurance sled dog, this breed has been shown via recent DNA research that it is one of the oldest breed of dogs.
In 1909, the first large numbers of these Chukchi dogs were brought to Alaska to compete in the long-distance All-Alaska Sweepstakes races, and the Alaskan dog drivers quickly recognized the ability of these huskies from Siberia.- Siberian Husky Club of America, Inc
Many people have heard of the story of a Siberian Husky named Balto who in 1925 led the sled dog team of Gunnar Kassen. Balto and his team were the last leg of a 674 mile journey to deliver diphtheria anti-toxin to Inuit children in Nome, Alaska. This journey is part of the now famous Iditarod Trail, or National Historic Trail.
This week actually marks the running of the “Last Great Race On Earth”, the Iditarod. They started in Anchorage Alaska on 6 March 2010 and have been making their way on the 1,161mile trail. Many of the sled dog teams still use Siberian Huskies.
The Siberian Husky is a working dog that loves to run! They need exercise and don’t really care what the weather is like!
They have a strong predatory instinct and they have the endurance to chase things down. On the whole they are extremely affectionate, alert and adaptable. They do however have a stubborn streak caused by their intelligence and their independent spirit. Training is highly recommended to help create an environment to keep them learning and tired!
There have been lots of movies that star Siberian Huskies: Iron Will, Snow Dogs, Eight Below and Balto are a few. One of my favorites is Eight Below. It was the first dog movie I watched really with a dog trainers “eye” and it was beautiful to see those dogs in action!
The Siberian Husky isn’t a breed for everyone. They are amazing dogs that need a job and they were bred originally for sled dog work. If you own a Husky be prepared to have a heavy duty exercise and training regime. Ultimately they can do any job, like any dog, but they are happiest being active.
Location: Tuckahoe YMCA in Richmond VA, come to the back fields and you will see us!
Time: Testing begins at 10am and we will be done by 1pm.
What to bring: A brush for your dog, a leather or nylon lead, make sure your dog is wearing a flat buckle or slip collar, bags to pick up after your dog, water.
Cost: To take the test $10. If you pass and wish to send away for your certificate, the AKC charges $8
What is the Canine Good Citizen test?: This 10 part test is structured around the foundation of good manners the American Kennel Club feels your dog should have to be a healthy part of the community.
March 2010 finds Leinie posing in a new location. Do you know where he is? Follow Me Dog Training LLC encourages you go for a walk with your dog and find Leinie’s favorite spot this month.
Here’s the challenge; find where Leinie is posing, take your dog’s picture in the same spot, or as close as they can physically get. Send the picture and the exact location to renee@followmedogtraining.com. Please send your pictures as an attachment so I can post them!
The first picture I receive with a dog in the correct spot, will win a prize from Follow Me Dog Training LLC, have their dog’s picture posted on the blog and get bragging rights for a month.
The current month’s picture will always be on our Where’s Leinie? page!
Be safe and responsible, please pick up after your dog. Now go out and explore Richmond Virginia with your dog!
Posted 6 months, 1 week ago at 6:49 pm. Add a comment
