APDT Rally•Get ready for Cathi O.

Ribbons and trophies- she loves to earn them with her companions Jazzy CGC, RL1X(aoe) and Lefty CGC, RL1X(aoe). Jazzy is a female Shih-tzu mix and Cathi calls Lefty a Box-cat for Boxer/Cattle dog mix. He was a very shy dog that she volunteered with adopt a pet to foster. They lost a great foster home when she fell in love and decided Lefty still could benefit the most with her helping him adjust to life without being afraid.

Well last year they competed in 2 weekend trials, one in Shiller Park and one in Omaha, Nebraska. Aside from being titled in their first weekend of competition with high scores. Jazzy even took second place (even though competing with dogs in level 2 and level 3 rally) they were also listed in the National APDT Rally rankings for last year.

This year she has started off in Lafayette, Indiana and already gotten more points with Jazzy than she had earned last year. Go Cathi !!!!!!!!! There were 6 trials on Jan. 9&10, 2010

Trial 1: 209 2nd place

Trial 2: 210 3rd

Trial 3: 205 1st

Trial 4: 209 1st

Trial 5: 210 2nd

Trial 6: 208 1st

Lefty successfully passed 6 trials and took a 3rd and 4th place for the team! Cathi works in my intermediate/advanced classes on Tuesday @ 7pm and Saturday @10am and in the Rally Class @11am. I invite everyone and their family to come and view the class, without their dogs, of course.

Onslow•Obedience Pattern in the Lobby

Onslow is a delightful Goldendoodle that is fortunate enough to have a mom that lets him spend time while she is on vacation in board and train. Never would she have realized that his training would become a part of their life. There are private lessons while she is in town that she brings her 11 year old Great Pyrenees just to watch. There have been intermediate and advanced group classes. They have gotten so good a natural progression was rally classes which start for the public on January 9,2010. They passed in their first event. In one weekend they passed 4 tests and now Onslow•CGC•Rl1

Koji: A rescue: Gold from the first time we met

I first worked Koji after she was rescued at about 5 years old. A golden and perhaps chow mix. She carries herself majestically. Nice gait and her head held high as she walks. She loved the attention and praise she received in board and train. We practiced and bonded as I taught her foundation obedience. We began in the canine college a quieter area. It was no time before we were out and working at our 7 acre facility. We perfect in real life situations. She loved to chase anything moving. It was a short time before we were walking on the island in the middle of Aptakisic Road. With guidance she truly is a delight to work with. Now she is almost 9 years old and I had the pleasure to again work with her in board and train. Mom says stays here are less stressful and she comes home calmer after spending time with me. Thanks, I'll be glad to spend time with Koji any time..........

Peanut W.• Not Bad /1 week Board &Train

At first pickup Peanut, a year old Schnoodle, went into a corner, growled and almost snapped at me. Her tail was not visible because it was tucked between her legs. In the Canine College if I asked her to sit she would lay down and there was some urine on the floor. Eye contact was out of the question and when she did sit she would face away. Fortunately, she has strong food drive and by the end of the first session through the use of voice, touch, and food, I was able to introduce her to the elements of foundation obedience including the sit, down, stay, heel, and, even watch and come. To get her to take food, make eye contact, and even get her to come to me established the beginning of bonding and trust . I'll teach "off " and "take it" later since I just got her to take food no need to slow the process. She was a little shy the next day, still submissive at first but no urine. By the end of the session she was having a ball.She made about turns without even a tug on the leash and began to sit automatically as I stop. WOW! By the third day she was too excited to see me. Now I can work on calming her down. As dogs learn to work nicely with the handler in quieter areas it becomes easy to see other issues. Peanut has socialization and desensitization problems that now can be worked on. She has learned to avoid or go to flight whenever something is unfamiliar. I'm proud to say we made huge gains in the 5 sessions I spent with Peanut. She had a ball in the game of obedience. I helped to deal with some of the baggage she came in with due to poor communication. I would even challenge her to keep up with me. I can only hope that the owner continues showing Peanut that the world is a beautiful place, especially when her guide is a leader she can trust. Group obedience would be a familiar area with calm stable dogs to practice. I invite anyone to view one of my intermediate, advanced or Rally obedience classes. (Please do NOT bring your dog until it has been determined they and you are capable of working in the class.)

Cat Training

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks. OOPS! I mean an old cat new tricks! You got it, I said cat. Sorry folks I will definitely leave this training up to Gregory Popovich. Board and Train, Canine Good Citizen, Rally all those fun dog training classes at Best Friends are what I'll stick to! I tell you I give this man credit, that has got to take a ton of patience. Gregory comes from a long line of circus performers so he is used to the hard work, and truly has a love for what he does. He gets all of his dog and cat actors form local animal shelters and pet rescues. He has a regular show in Las Vegas, Comedy Pet Theater. You can read more about his show in the Sun Times, or you can check out his book "You Can Train Your Cat". (St. Martin's Griffin)

Adopt a Shelter Dog Month

Let's celebrate, our love for our pets. It is their unconditional love that really helps us through our journey in life.

"Approximately 4 million cats are killed each year due mainly to overpopulation. Did you know that 25-30% of dogs in shelters and rescues are purebred? The other 70-75%, are of course loveable mixed-breed pets, just waiting for a perfect new friend." - Adoptapet.com

October is Adopt a Shelter Pet month. There are so many pets out there that do not get a chance to share a journey with a forever home, together we can change that. When you are ready to share your lives with another furry friend keep in mind the millions of pets out there without homes.

If you are not sure what kind of dog would suit your family or how to go about socializing your new friend, please call me. I would love to help you and your family share your love with another furry friend. Best Friends Pet Care offers many different options for training and socialization. Together we can embrace the love and happiness an adopted pet can bring.

A Word From Our Trainer

Our pets are family members. When they become additions to our ‘packs,’ they are walking into an established order. They naturally test for their place. Adults provide the food, shelter and clothing and all family members should recognize them as the leaders. The top of this hierarchy is not the most comfortable. It can be stressful. We would not let infants do whatever they might because of existing dangers, lack of experience, and knowledge. Why should our pet be allowed to determine where he/she fits in. We, as leaders, should teach him where he belongs and how to be comfortable with us. Training the pet is the owner’s responsibility to himself, his/her family, and to the order that existed before the dog arrived. Hopefully you have chosen a pet that fits most comfortably with your lifestyle.

Whatever the situation may be, from new pup or dog, to one with habits that never should have begun, obedience training is the first and most important thing to teach our dogs. Training calms most dogs and gives the owner control. “Sit, down, heel,” when you tell him and for as long as you tell him, that’s obedience. Patience and repetition is the solution.

You teach a dog something new without distractions; you perfect them with distractions. Just like anything else in life, it takes practice. Learn how to train your dog. Learn how to handle a trained dog in any situation if the dog becomes stimulated. If your dog is trained but aggressive to people or dogs, do you know what to do? Embrace a distraction; use it as a window of opportunity to teach your dog the desired reaction to a situation or stimulus.

I can train your dog in a board and train program; help your dog and/or you in private lessons. I even have a day training program.

I work with positive reinforcement, which could be food, prey (toys) or praise; or any combination that works best and provides the least stressful motivation for your dog.
Thank you,
Allan Ross, Training Director

Pflash & Tito

These are my two dogs. Pflash(German Shepherd)
works off leash on the left. With 2 dogs I think it is
easier for individual needs by keeping one on the left
& the other on the right. Tito(Chihuahua) has learned
it is safest to stay on my right. Even at home both can
usually be found following in the positions they've
learned in obedience training.
My about turns are quite unique. Pflash has learned
a left about turn & Tito, on my right, does a left 180°.
It may be difficult to explain but watch as we reverse
direction & Tito finds his route between me & Pflash
& in the opposite direction as Pflash.

Allan Ross Dog Training • Moses, Ball Drive

I start by stimulating prey drive & transfer this natural
drive into ball drive. I stimulate, then throw, then teach
it's fun to bring it back. I believe
when you control the games, you control the dog.

At first it may look as though I'm playing with Moses,
but actually I'm stimulating then using the Kong on a rope
as a motivational tool to reward and get Moses to
enthusiastically work for me.

Moses,a Portuguese Water Dog came to me at about a year old with very little training at about 3 months. I began in the Canine College working on foundation obedience. We bonded and I worked with food at first. He was a very quick learner that did not come with much baggage. It was easy to transfer play drive into ball drive. Top trainers know this is the way to produce the best working dogs in the world.