Holiday Drop-Ins

Happy November!  It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is barely 3 weeks away!  With the busy holiday season rapidly approaching, it's important to keep your dog's brain and energy engaged in a positive direction.  That way, your pup can be on his best behavior when the in-laws come to visit and you have one less thing to worry about!  

Don't have the time to commit to one of our 6 week classes?  No problem!  Come take advantage of one of our four holiday drop in classes:

Family Dog - This one hour class focuses on good behavior in the home and getting ready to get out in the community for your dog or older puppy!  You and your dog will learn specific skills like sit, down, stay, come, loose leash walking, greeting people and dogs calmly, and more!  For dogs and puppies over 6 months of age.  Class dates are Thursdays, November 17, December 1, December 8, and December 15 at 10:30am.  Click here to register.

Leave It! & Park It! Games -  Come practice your dog's recall, leave it, and settle skills in an hour of fun and good practice for your dog!  What better way to burn off some puppy energy before your holiday party than with this hour-long class!  No prerequisites - great for dogs over 6 months of age.  Class dates are Wednesdays, December 7 and 14 at 5:30pm.  Click here to register.

Fun/Foundation Agility -  Are you and your dog interested in getting started in the fun dog sport of Agility?  This hour-long drop-in class is a great way to give it a try - and to give your dog a fun activity during the busy holiday season!  Prerequisites:  Dogs must have basic skills such as heel, sit, down, stay, and come.  Class dates are Mondays, December 12 and 19 at 6:45pm.  Click here to register.  NOTE: Must have a minimum of 4 students registered to hold these drop-ins.

Rally -  During the holiday season, come in for an hour and learn new skills with your dog!  This class is more than just practice time, and your instructor will be teaching a different Rally lesson each week.  Great for new or more experienced students.  Preregistration is REQUIRED so that the instructor can design an appropriate lesson/course for all participants!  Class dates are Mondays, November 28, December 5, and December 12 at 5:30pm.  Click here to register.  

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us!  Or if you are interested in starting off the New Year on the right paw, check out our January schedule.  We look forward to seeing you soon!

Harnesses are the New SEXY

This just in: trend-setting pit bulls everywhere have declared 2017 to be the "Year of the Harness".

Forget those metal collars that any-ole-dog can wear; the four-pawed fashion-conscious have determined that if one wants to be truly IN this year, then one must be sporting a jazzy harness.  And if you can pull it off with a bow tie, even better.   

Photo credit: Jasmine Beabien.  Used with permission.  All rights reserved.

Harnesses come in all styles and colors.  The four-legged fashion experts interviewed for this fashion extra raved about the Freedom Harness from 2 Hounds Design.  Their favorite feature? The variety of colors allowed them to pair the harness with their favorite flat collars, providing endless outfit combinations in order to best coordinate with their fashionable hoo-man counterparts.  

Photo credit: Jasmine Beaubien.  Used with permission.  All rights reserved.

Photo credit: Jasmine Beaubien.  Used with permission.  All rights reserved.

When asked whether harnesses diminished their "tough guy" images (traditionally promoted in the pit bull demographic by metal prong and choke collars), our fashion trend-setters practically laughed in our faces (with an excessive amount of happy tongue and drool).  

"We're lovers, not fighters," one bully pup quipped.  "Personally, I love that this harness allows me to look both tough and sexy - I mean, just look at how this shows off my pecs! - and like I know how to turn on the charm when the moment is right."  

Photo credit: Jasmine Beaubien.  Used with permission.  All rights reserved.

Of course, there are pitties who prefer other types of harnesses too.  Look how these PetSAFE Easy Walk harnesses show off the muscles, brawn, and sweet, sweet faces of these sexy beasts!  

Easy Walk Photos credit: Jordan Flagg.  Used with permission.  All rights reserved.

And there are lots of other reasons to love the front-clipping harnesses besides their good looks! We wrote all about that here and here.  

Is your four-pawed trend-setter ready to toss out the metal collars and don a sexy harness? We have a great chance for your pup to get their paws on the latest fashion, this Saturday, October 22nd at Pits on the Plaza in Loveland, Colorado!  Our Freedom Harness Exchange at this event allows you to trade in the outdated fashion (prong, choke, and electronic collars) for a modern tool that is effective AND sexy - the Freedom Harness!  

Is your sexy pup already sporting a trendy harness?  We want to see your pictures and bring more awareness to keep this fashion trend growing!  Find us on Instagram: @summitdogtraining & @harnessesarethenewsexy. Tag us in your pictures and use #harnessesarethenewsexy for a chance to be featured!

Thank-you to the following people and businesses who have made this movement possible so far:

Pits on the Plaza Event
Celebrating National Pit Bull Awareness Month!
Organizer: Jordan Flagg

Pit Bulls & Pin-Ups Photo Shoot
(Calendars will be available for purchase at Pits on the Plaza!)
Photography: Jasmine Beaubien
Costume Design: Charissa Beaubien
Hair & Makeup: Sam Smith & Jacque Buyck of The Parlour in Fort Collins
Human Models: Jordan, Charissa, Emma, Sydney, Kristen & Kristal
Pittie Models: Dogs available for adoption at the Humane Society of Weld County 
(Since the shoot some have been adopted! See the PitBulls & Pin-Ups calendar for more of their stories!)

Freedom Harness Exchange Sponsors
2 Hounds Design
Big Bully Sponsors: Bentley's Pet Stuff, Alpine Veterinary Hospital, Summit Dog Training,
Michael Everest & Susan Everest
Pocket PitBull Sponsors: Tailwaggers of Greeley

3 Steps to a Better Leash Walk

We’ve all been there – dog pulling us helter-skelter down the street, or stopping to sniff at every tree and bush.  Either way, uncomfortable and frustrating – for you and your dog!  Teaching polite leash walking skills is one of my favorite things to do, which is why we have a four-week class devoted to everything leash walking!  But even if you don’t have time to take a class, there are a few key things you could be doing at home to start creating a more peaceful walk for you and your dog!

1.     Check your equipment.

Sometimes a slight change of equipment can give you the extra energy you need to keep your dog checking in with you instead of charging through the environment.  For many dogs, we recommend a front-clip harness like the Freedom Harness by 2 Hounds Design (our favorite, and the only one we carry at our training facility), Easy Walk, Sense-Ation, and a few others.  For very determined pullers, a head halter (brands like PetSAFE’s Gentle Leader, Holt, etc.) is a great way to get started.  These tools serve to “take the edge off” of your dog’s pulling in a pain-free way so that you have enough energy to focus on rewarding them for the good leash walking behavior you want!  As for leashes, we recommend a 6 foot or shorter leash for the best walking experience.  Did you know that flexi-leads actually encourage pulling? 

2.     Charge up foundation behaviors inside first!

Before heading out on your walk, spend 2 minutes charging your dog’s focus behaviors on the inside of the door.  Say their name and reward with a treat when they turn their attention to you.  Repeat until your dog is defaulting to looking up to you after every reward!  Now take it outside.  In the front yard, again cue your dog’s name and wait for their correct response.  Reward (and put some extra excitement into it as well if your dog is prone to being very distracted!) and repeat.  Now that your dog’s name cue is charged up and ready to go, proceed on your walk, cueing their name and rewarding for good attention every so often.  Don’t forget to take your dog’s favorite treat with you on your walk to reward for extra great responses!

3.     Use your environment as the reward!

Do you have a dog that loves to sniff the grass, or chase squirrels up trees?  You can use these things as very powerful reinforcement for good focus behavior on walks.  Find the distraction you want to reward with (maybe your dog lets you know, “Hey, I would really, really like to go check out that mailbox over there!!!”), cue your dog to give a good behavior (like their name cue, or another self-control cue that they know REALLY well.  This isn’t the time to be teaching a new behavior.), then release your dog with a clear release word (“OK!”) and take them over to the distraction they were so eager to reach.  The chance to do their favorite activity just reinforced their good self-control behavior!  

We hope that you and your dog are able to put some of these tips into practice to increase your enjoyment of your walks together!  If you want to learn more tools for changing your walk from chaotic to peaceful, we have a class just for that!  Loose Leash Walking & Distraction Proofing starts up monthly or bi-monthly depending on interest.  The next one starts Thursday, October 27th at 7:00pm.  Details and registration info can be found here.

Freedom Harness Exchange @ Pits on the Plaza!

October is National Pit Bull Awareness Month, designated as such to highlight the positive stories, sweet faces, and sloppy kisses of this well-loved (but often misunderstood) demographic of the dog world.  To celebrate this occasion, and to raise awareness and camaraderie for pit bulls in the Northern Colorado area, Humane Society of Weld County volunteer Jordan Flagg is organizing Pits on the Plaza, to be held on October 22nd at Centerra in Loveland.  This event will feature training demos, fall fun for the pups like bobbing for hot dogs, and various vendors and educational displays.     

Carmelo is a natural model!  He has his own Instagram page (check it out here) and he's available for adoption through the Humane Society of Weld County!

One of the ways that Summit Dog Training is contributing to this event is through a Freedom Harness Exchange, where dog owners can surrender their prong, choke or electronic collars in exchange for a brand new Freedom No-Pull Harness. We believe that all dogs deserve a chance to walk without the threat of pain, regardless of breed, size, temperament, and past history.  At this event celebrating pit bulls, we are excited about the opportunity to get a positive, effective training tool like the Freedom Harness into the paws of the dogs who need it the most. 

Why Not Use Prong/Choke/Electronic Collars?

Although these tools might seem like a “quick fix” for some of your dog’s leash behavior issues, there are many reasons to find a different training alternative:

·      A dog walking “nicely” on an aversive training tool is only doing so to avoid punishment and pain, not because it is learning what you WANT it to do on a leash.  When you take this aversive tool away, the underlying behavior will still be an issue.

·      When your dog gets excited and pulls towards normal stimuli in your environment (think stranger, children, other dogs, skateboards, etc.) and then experiences pain, this can contribute to an association between that trigger and pain and build up a negative Conditioned Emotional Response to the trigger, potentially turning excitement into reactivity. 

·      Even when used “correctly,” prong and choke collars can cause physical damage to your dog, not just to their neck and skin, but also, less obviously, to their thyroid gland, trachea, eyes, and spinal cord.

·      There is no scientific research to support the claim that prong collars emulate the feeling (and results) of a mother grabbing a young pup around the neck in correction.  Additionally, there is plenty of scientific research to support training without the use of pain!  

Why Use a Freedom Harness (or Other Body Harness)?

The Freedom Harness is a dual-clip harness, with one leash connection at your dog’s chest and one martingale-style leash connection on your dog’s back.  Made with stainless steel hardware and four points of size adjustments for the best look and fit!  Other body harnesses that we recommend include PetSafe’s Easy Walk and Softouch Concepts’ SENSE-ation.

·      A harness minimizes strain on your dog’s neck (which protects your dog’s spine, trachea, thyroid gland, eyes, etc.)

·      A front-clip harness is useful for redirecting your dog’s pulling energy back in your direction so you can focus on teaching your dog the behavior you WANT while you are walking. 

·      A dual-clip harness (like the Freedom Harness) provides flexibility of use, so you can clip your leash in multiple configurations depending on what your dog needs most!

·      A harness is comfortable and, when used correctly, should not cause any skin irritation or sores.  The Freedom Harness even has a velvet underbelly strap for maximum comfort!

·      Harnesses are Sexy.  Step aside old-school prong collars, in 2016 all tough dogs are demanding harnesses to bolster their street cred. 

Ask Us!

This post is not about judging or condemning you if you have used an aversive tool in the past, or currently use one with your dog.  We just care about getting the word about regarding other options available for walking tools, which is why we are so excited about the Harness Exchange at the Pits on the Plaza event!  If you have more questions about this topic, please feel free to contact us and we’d love to discuss it with you further.

In the mean time, let’s get the word out about this event! 

·      If you have a pit bull, come check out Pits on the Plaza on October 22nd at Centerra in Loveland!  Share with your friends, tell the neighbors!  

·      If you have been using a prong, choke, or electronic collar and might be interested in giving something different a try, bring your old tool to the event and get your pup fitted for a sexy harness for FREE! 

And this event isn’t just for pit bulls either . . . all types of dogs could use some harness love!

Origins: Charissa

Written by Summit Dog Training Associate Trainer Charissa Beaubien

I grew up in the mountains of Salida, Colorado on my family’s farm with horses, chickens, cows, dogs, and cats. My best friend was a hybrid dog named Raydar. Raydar and I spent our childhood adventuring and exploring the Rockies together.

Charissa & Raydar playing dress up.

I think back on my childhood and realize that there were always dogs around; when I had Raydar, we also had four other dogs. I learned a lot about dog communication by watching our five (or more) dogs interact and figure out life together. We never owned leashes or groomed our dogs, the dogs slept inside and ate scraps mixed with what ever else was laying around. Our dogs were treated very well and all lived full long lives but they were always just dogs. They spent most of their day outside laying in the sun or protecting the cows, they also went on adventures when we would go hunting or out to chop wood. In town they followed us around the streets saying hello to other dogs or slept in the truck if we just had to run errands. I remember thinking it was weird that people didn’t take their dogs everywhere with them.

Left to Right: Chance, Honey, Raydar & Annie

I moved to Ohio during my teen years, and there began working professionally with animals in 2009 at a local humane society and soon discovered a passion for helping those in need. I remember this time in my life vividly as I started working at the shelter and soon discovered people treated their animals very differently then I had as a child. They would surrender their old dogs because they just purchased a new puppy. Or people would hurt and abuse their dogs because they were acting like any dog would. I also saw a lot of good people give loving homes to shelter dogs! 

While working at the shelter I was able to intern under a "balanced” trainer teaching classes and training the shelter dogs. In that time a skinny pit bull/hound mix named Dylon walked into my life. Dylon had been abandoned and tied to a tree so that his collar had become imbedded and he was diagnosed with acute renal failure due to stress. The shelter’s veterinary team was not optimistic. But Dylon chose me. There had been a handful of dogs I wanted to adopt from the shelter but alas this skinny boy wouldn’t leave me alone.  He went home with me as a foster dog were he recovered quickly, and soon after I adopted him. However healthy, Dylon had many behavioral hiccups such as separation anxiety, handling sensitivity, and lack of manners. I was unable to use force or intimidation with Dylon due to his injuries, and this prompted me to began researching positive training methods to use with him.

Meet Dylon!

While I was training under my mentor he told me these methods would never work and that I would never be a good trainer because I was a girl and thus I was not strong enough (mentally or physically) to make a dog respect me. This lit a fire under me to prove him wrong. I knew that by using love and empathy I could build a relationship with an animal and in this way I could teach them new things!  Dylon proved that trust was the key to building a lifelong relationship with me, that to this day is unbreakable.

Charissa and Dylon near Red Feather Lakes paddle boarding and looking for Ducks.

Charissa, Dylon, and boyfriend Tyler enjoying Moab’s Red Rock mountains

In 2013 I dedicated my career to progressive positive reinforcement marker-based training. I decided to take Karen Pryor’s Certified Training Partner course and graduated as a certified animal trainer in 2014. I am enthusiastic about continued education and public outreach. In 2015 I received a second animal training certification through CCPDT, becoming a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed. I am currently working towards a Silver Certification in Low Stress Handling.

My current job is at the Humane Society of Weld County as the Behavior Technician, in addition to being the Associate Trainer at Summit Dog Training. I am working to develop the behavior department at the shelter and group classes for the animals in the shelter's care as well as the animals in the community. I also work at CSU as a Colorado State University lab instructor for the first year Veterinary Students teaching low stress handling.   

I spend my free time camping and hiking with Dylon and a new addition Arja, a Cornish Rex kitten, in beautiful Fort Collins, CO. My goal is to change myths about shelter dogs and express to owners that compassion, trust, empathy, and fun build lasting human animal bonds. I want to show people that we can allow our dogs to be dogs and that by doing so we are fulfilling their needs and creating behaviorally healthy canines. And that when someone tells you that you can’t, prove them wrong.

Dylan gets cozy on a mountain adventure as the night slows down.

Shelter Dog 101 - New Class!

Summit Dog Training Associate Trainer Charissa Beaubien KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA (read full bio here!) has a passion for helping shelter dogs transition smoothly into their forever homes.

Charissa with her own shelter pup, Dylon.

Through past shelter experience as well as in her current capacity as the Behavioral Technician for Humane Society of Weld County, Charissa has seen first hand how timely and applicable training advice can make the difference between a rescue dog staying with their adoptive family or being returned to the shelter.  In order to assist more rescue pups and their new families, we are adding a new class to the schedule: Shelter Dog 101.  This four week course is specifically designed for the needs of shelter dogs making the transition to "normal" life in a loving family.  Many shelter dogs come with challenges that other dogs don't always face, like separation anxiety, destructive chewing, potty training, and understanding polite play and social manners.  This course provides a way for new adoptive families to get support specifically for these issues, as well as get started bonding with their new shelter pup, in a fun and supportive class setting.  

Adopting a dog from a shelter is a wonderful choice, but can be a significant financial investment depending on the physical and mental health of the dog.  This class is a way for us to make training more accessible to adoptive families and get everyone started off on the right track!  If you are interested in the class, pick up a coupon from your dog's Northern Colorado rescue (we'll be distributing those very soon!) or send Charissa an email with a copy of your dog's adoption papers and we'll send you a coupon directly!   

Puppy In The Park

I just need to brag about some great students for a minute! Over the summer months, we met weekly in City Park, Fort Collins, for Puppy In The Park drop-in class.  This class was for graduates of my Puppy Basics and Puppy Confidence classes who were looking for extra opportunities to practice the skills they learned in new and more challenging environments.  And let me tell you, between baseball games, family reunion gatherings, and distracted PokemonGo players wandering through our makeshift classroom, the learning environment at City Park has certainly provided lots of great challenges!  

Cassie's mom sent me these pictures from one of the classes, and looking through them made me so proud!  These pups have all made great progress since we've started working!

Cassie the Australian Cattle Dog

Ryder the Australian Cattle Dog

Anaali the Golden Doodle

Briar the Labrador Retriever

Stinson the Hungarian Puli

Chief the German Shepherd

Great job, everyone!  Keep doing fun things with your pups!

1409 E Olive Ct, Fort Collins, CO 80524

1409 E. Olive Ct
Fort Collins, CO 80521

That's where you can find us teaching classes and having fun with our dogs starting next week!  Well, actually you are thinking about stopping stop by to check it out (please do!) you will likely also find us there this week, because we are busy, busy getting it ready to go!  We'll share some better pictures once it is all set up, but in the mean time, here is the "little red dog" hard at work this afternoon:

Stop by to see us soon!  We have lots of fun classes starting up next week. You see all of them on our Group Classes page!

Essential Canine Skills for Hiking Success

Do you want to have fantastic hiking adventures with your dog, but you don’t know where to start?  Getting out in the wild can be challenging enough without an over-enthusiastic dog contributing to the stress.  In case you missed our “Hiking With Your Dog 101” seminar last night at Kriser’s Natural Pet, let’s review the list of foundation skills that are essential for enjoyment and safety out on the trail:

Essential Skills for Hiking Success:

•       Recall

•       Sit

•       Stay

•       Hand Target

•       Give Attention to You

•       Leave It

•       Follow Your Directional Cues

Here is Roo responding to my directional cue to advance down the rocks ahead of me.

Now, before you grab your dog and your leash and head to the mountains to start running through this list with your dog, let’s start a little more simply.  Practice each of these individually (5 minutes at a time, with breaks) at home, in your own backyard, first.  Just like you learned to ride a bike in your driveway and not out on the highway where there are higher stakes, your dog should learn new skills (or brush up on rusty skills) at home first and then take it out to the more challenging environment.  Start small and reward your dog when they respond correctly to your cues.  Be positive – when you are out on the trail, you want your dog to LOVE coming back to you instead of chasing the wildlife.  So be happy, positive, and encouraging at home too.

When you think your dog is ready for a bigger challenge, you can head to the trail.  But keep in mind that when you are adding more challenges to the environment (like the presence of animal scat and other hikers with or without dogs) you should plan to reduce your criteria a little bit and work back up to the goal behavior.  For example, even if your dog can do a 3-minute sit stay inside the house, perhaps start with a 15-30 second sit stay while other hikers are passing by, with enough distance to help your dog be successful and make good decisions. And be ready to reward BIG for great responses!

These training foundations are just one aspect of preparing for happy, safe hikes with your dog.  Don’t forget about conditioning & stretching, pet first aid, proper equipment, and trail etiquette; these are all components that make the trail a pleasant place for everyone involved.  Look for future blog posts on each of these topics, or contact us to get one-on-one help with preparing you and your dog to hit the trail together!

Two Seminars Coming Up In Fort Collins!

Summit Dog Training is partnering with Kriser's Natural Pet in Fort Collins to offer two different seminars in July.

Monday, July 18th will be Hiking with Your Dog 101 from 6-7pm.  Come learn about a variety of equipment options, foundation skills, and safety tips that will make hiking with your dog an enjoyable experience for everyone involved!

Monday, July 25th will be What to Expect When You Are Expecting . . . A Puppy! from 6-7pm.  If you are thinking about adding a puppy to your family in the near future, this seminar is a great way to get lots of info in one place!  Topics include house training, puppy chewing, basic manners, and more!

For both seminars, please RSVP to amber@summitdogtraining.com to reserve your spot.  You can also sign up online.  The cost for each seminar is $5, and 100% of the proceeds from these events will go to benefit Animal Rescue of the Rockies.