Indoor/Outdoor Saturday Morning Intermediate Class just added!

I just added a Indoor/Outdoor Intermediate class that will be held at my San Leandro location starting on Saturday, January 9 at 10am. The class will be 45 minutes long and last 4 weeks. The cost is $75. Please let me know ASAP as space will be very limited!

Massage and Grooming class, January 10, 2010

Canine Massage and Grooming Class - Sunday, January 10, 10am-12pm, $40

The canine massage portion will be taught by Michelle Wolff. Michelle is unique in her qualifications as she is not only a certified massage therapist she also has a background in veterinary care. You will learn how to perform basic, safe and enjoyable massages for your dog.

The grooming porion will be taught by Vicki Ronchette who owned and operated Heads or Tails Pet Grooming for 8 years. You will learn about bathing, brushing and combing as well as nail trimming.

Please contact Vicki if you are interested in registering as space will be limited.

Pictures from our Point Isabel Walk

We had a wonderful long walk this morning at Point Isabel! Here are a few pictures from our trip! Thank you to those you who were able to make it. To those of you who couldn't, we hope to see you there next year!

Kristen with Madden and Dakota

Mary with Roxie (she would be the one covered in mud) and Lucas

Rachel with Babs and Bittles

Colleen and Alan with Bart and Sherman

Rick and Vicki with Bill

The whole gang!

Oh, and Roxie after a nice roll in the mud.

Roxie, mid mud roll. The look on her face immediately following this shot said "Life is Good".

Merry Christmas

I wanted to wish all of my wonderful clients and their dogs a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I am happy to know all of you and grateful that you trust me with your dogs. I look forward to continuing to work with you all.

I hope to see many of you at our annual Christmas Eve dog walk at Point Isabel. We will be meeting at 10am on Christmas Eve in front of Muddpuppies.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Mushroom Warning

Can you help to spread the word that the Amanita phalloides, the death
cap mushroom, has come out in full force since the rains started. We
had one death at Lake 2 weekends ago, and PETS emergency clinic in
Berkeley called on Friday and said they have had 3 deaths in 6 days -
all from the Oakland area.

The mushrooms have a sweet odor (like honey) and are attractive to some dogs
(whose owners report they actually seek them out to eat them). They are
really non descript little white mushrooms.

The toxic effects appear about 6-36 hours after the mushrooms are eaten, and
once signs are seen the toxicity is poorly responsive to treatment (we try a
lot of things to support the animal, but if enough mushrooms were eaten it
will be fatal despite the treatment).

If someone suspects their dog may have eaten a mushroom, the best treatment
is to take the dog immediately to a vet or emergency clinic and have them
induce vomiting and give activated charcoal. The mushroom toxin is absorbed
fairly rapidly, but the damage to the liver can take hours before it is
clinically apparent. Don't waste time trying to figure out if the mushroom
is toxic as speed in removing the mushroom from the digestive system is the
most important thing in my experience.

Here is a link with some pictures
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_phalloides"

Drop In Conformation Class

There will be conformation class tomorrow night on December 8, but not classes on December 15, 22 or 29. Have a great holiday everyone!

December Brave-Heart to Heart

Merry Christmas everyone!!!! I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thank you all so much for your continued support. I look forward to seeing you in classes next year! I appreciate all of you and I hope you all enjoy the holidays with your families and friends!

Christmas Eve Point Isabel Walk
Once again I would like to invite you to our annual Point Isabel walk on Christmas Eve at 10am. Rick and I will be there and hope to see some of you there to enjoy a nice walk with our dogs before going home to prepare for Christmas with your families. We will meet just outside Mudpuppies at 10am on Christmas Eve. Hope to see you there!

DOG OF THE MONTH
Corto Heestad


Corto is a Pomeranian who was adopted from Pomeranian Rescue by Marilyn and Glen Heestad. The Heestads have been owned by Poms for many years competing in conformation with many of their dogs. Little Corto completed Braveheart's Small Dog Beginning class and has continued to attend a variety of Braveheart classes since then. Currently he is attending our Rally classes. Marilyn has hopes of competing with Corto in obedience and/or rally.

Thank You to my Assistants
A big thank you to my assistants Colleen Pepper, Kathy Kinney, Yvonne Chohan, Kristin Masar who help me so much throughout the year. Thanks also to Dawn Bushong for the great job you do with Rally class. And, to Maureen Coyle for supervising the playgroups and making them a safe, fun place for people to bring their littles. I appreciate all of you!

Upcoming Classes
We will have a lot of classes starting after the first of the year. As you know, you can always check the website for our updated class schedule.

Three's Company, Tuesday, January 19, 6pm in San Leandro.
Beginning Obedience and Manners, Thursday, January 7, 7pm in San Lorenzo through HARD.

Small Dog Beginning Obedience and Manners, Monday, January 25, 6:30pm in Castro Valley through Castro Valley Adult School.

Intermediate Obedience, Monday, January 25, 7:30pm in Castro Valley through Castro Valley Adult School.

DROP IN CLASSES
Conformation - Tuesdays in San Leandro. 7pm - all dogs, 7:30pm - small dogs.

There will be class this week (12/8), but no conformation classes on December 15, 22 or 29.

Rally - Mondays in San Leandro at 6:30pm.

PUPPY AND ADULT DOG PLAY GROUPS
Puppies, 8 to 20 weeks and under 40 pounds, Saturdays at 11:30am and Wednesdays at 6:30pm.

Small Dogs, Saturdays at 12pm and Wednesdays at 7pm.

Drop In Conformation

The drop in conformation classes on Tuesday evenings at 7:00pm for all dogs and at 7:30pm for small dogs is scheduled to resume tomorrow night. The plan is that they will be held on December 1, 8 and 15, and then no class on December 22 or 29. However, attendance has been very low and if there are few people or no people this week, drop in conformation classes will be cancelled for December.

Please don't worry if this happens. Drop in classes, especially conformation slow way down around the holidays, so if this happens, it is ok, we will just pick up in January.

Drop In Conformation Classes

Because in the recent drop in attendance, there will be no drop in conformation classes for the next two weeks (November 17 or 24). We will resume classes on Tuesday, December 1.

There will also be no drop in conformation classes on December 22 or 29.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

Massage Class

I still have a couple of openings for the Canine Massage class this Sunday at 11am. Please contact me if you are interested!

November 2009 Brave Heart to Heart Newsletter

I hope that everyone is enjoying the cooler, fall weather. Isn't it wonderful? Me and my dogs are loving it.

Some of our classes will be wrapping up for the end of the year, but I want to remind everyone that our drop in Monday classes are still in full swing. The drop in class is on Mondays at 6:30pm and is taught by Dawn Bushong. Dawn switches between rally and obedience each week, it's a great class to keep your dog working through the down times.

I am trying to get put together a one session Winter Games class too, so please let me know if you are interested and I will put you on the contact list. Winter Games will be a class to help people find things to do with their dogs during the rainy months. AND, it will, hopefully, be taught by a guest trainer and good friend of mine...... more to come.....

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone. Remember to keep your garbage put up to protect your dogs from getting into garbage that may have turkey bones or a lot of fatty food that could cause stomach upsets, obstructions or pancreatitis.

Dog of the Month

Tank Holthaus

Tank is a French Bulldog owned by Laura and Tim. Tank competes in conformation and comes to Braveheart's show dog classes and has also done our CGC class and our Real World class. Tank is a real sweetheart!

Howl-O-Ween

I hope everyone had a great Halloween. Check out the pictures from our annual Howl-O-Ween Party at http://www.braveheartdogtraining.net/halloween2009.html It was SO great to see everyone there!

Holiday Travel with Your Dog

I had a special request to write an article about holiday travel with your dogs which I think is a great idea. Here are some tips about travelling with your dogs, during the holidays or any time.

~If you are going to drive, consider travelling with your dog inside a crate in your car. It is much safer for dogs to be in crates in the car for a few different reasons. First, if you get into an accident, a crated animal is not going to be thrown like a loose animal would. If you do get into an accident and you are hurt, it is very likely that a loose dog will get out of the car and get lost or hit because ambulance drivers are going to have to tend to you and are not going to be able to deal with a loose dog. The other plus side is that you will have your crate with you for wherever you are visiting so you will have your dogs bedroom there for him or her to rest and relax in when you are out shopping or visiting with friends and relatives.

~If you are going to fly with your dog you have other things to think about. Those of you with small dogs (under 22 pounds) can fly with your dog with you, under the seat on many airlines. If you are going to fly with your dog under your seat, you will need to get them used to being inside a Sherpa bag. The Sherpa bag is, in my opinion, the best in cabin airline bag. It is roomy and has mesh on all sides. It is made for comfort for the animal. I have found that many of my dogs will just curl up and go to sleep in their Sherpas because they are right there, tucked in between your feet. If your dog rights in the Sherpa you can pack all their "stuff" like dog food, bedding, toys, treats, in their regular hard crate and check that as extra baggage so you will have all their stuff including crate with you for your trip. Larger dogs cannot fly under the seat and will have to be shipped with the cargo. You will have to decide if this is something you are comfortable with. My dogs travel with me in the cabin, but I have flown with client dogs in cargo (because this was what the dog's owner preferred and the owner was there too) and they did fine.

When you fly with your dog dont' feed them breakfast and don't give them a lot of water before you travel. Make sure they go potty before you get on the plane. Please do not drug your dogs with something like Acepromazine. This will not help them mentally if they are afraid, it will just make them unable to do anything. It's a better idea to try and desensitize them to the Sherpa bag and to riding around in it or in the crate in the car.

I know that Continental and American and Delta all allow dogs under the seat and in cargo. I have flown or had dogs shipped to me (when they came from out of state or out of the country) on these airlines and they did well. Southwest doesn't fly dogs at all.

~Bring plenty of your dogs food with you when you travel. You may not be able to find their brand in stores out of hte area and you don't want them to have to eat something that may upset their bodies.

~If your dog is ultra sensitive, you may have to bring your own water for him or her as well.

~I always carry Benebac which is an over the counter remedy for mild tummy upsets. I also have Benadryl on hand for any allergic reactions.

~Bring poop bags!! And, if you have a dog that is going to the snow or someplace really chilly bring them a coat to where so that they'll be comfortable. Desensitize to that too!

Have a great trip and good for you for bringing your dogs with you!

Play Groups

Effective this week we will be offering Puppy Play Groups in addition to our regular play groups. The puppy play groups will be for puppies that are 8 to 20 weeks and under 40 pounds. The Puppy Play Groups will be held on Wednesdays at 6:30pm and on Saturdays at 11am. Puppies will be permitted to say in the group until they outgrow it in size or play style.

BRAGS

Allison Ching's Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Remy was Best in Sweepstakes at the Swissie specialty in October. Way to go Remy!!

Marge McNabb's Ruby Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Rosie (handled by Vicki) was Reserve Winner's Bitch to a 5 point major at the Del Valle show in October. Yay Rose!!

Vicki's miniature Dachshund Carrot was Best of Variety out of the classes both days at Del Valle. She needs only 3 single points to finish her championship.

Dawn Bushong's German Shepherd Mix Penny was Best Mixed Breed in Show at the Mixed Breed Fun Match in October. Hooray for Penny!

Howl-O-Ween Party Pictures

Here are some of the pictures from our Howl-O-Ween Party. I think I got everyone on there. Let me know if I missed anyone!

http://www.braveheartdogtraining.net/halloween2009.html

Pet First Aid, Howl-O-Ween info!

I just wanted to remind everyone that I still have openings in our Pet First Aid class on November 1. I am not sure when we will hold this one again so please let me know if you would like to register for it. Cost is $80.

Also, please don't forget our annual Howl-O-Ween Party on Friday, October 30 from 6:30-8:30pm in San Leandro.

No Conformation Class on October 20

Because of the long show weekend, there will be no conformation class on October 20 (next Tuesday).

Changes to Braveheart Play Groups

I am writing to let everyone know about some changes we are going to be making to the Braveheart Play Groups. We will be restructuring things in order to make the play groups more fun and beneficial to all of the dogs that attend.

The first change is that we will be adding a Puppy Play Group that will be just for puppies from 8 weeks to 20 weeks old and under 40 pounds. This will allow puppies to have more puppy play which is so beneficial to them. Puppies may be separated based on size and temperament much like we do in our Puppy Preschool classes. The idea is to have puppies playing with puppies rather than single puppies playing with groups of adult dogs. Small breed puppies may be able to graduate into our adult dog Play Groups. We are scheduling the Saturday play groups so that puppies will be able to attend both Puppy Play Group and Puppy Preschool class ifthe onwers which to do that.

We are also going to be changing the requirements for the dogs that we accept into the play groups. Up until now we have tried to accept dogs that are shy, reactive or that do not get along with other dogs easily. Our play groups can not be a place to work on behavior issues with other dogs. It isn't fair to any of the dogs attending including the reactive dog. We will only be accepting dogs that get along easily with other dogs. If a dog needs a few minutes to adjust this is fine, but if after a short time a dog cannot play appropriately they will have to leave the play group. This is not only to protect the other dogs, it is also to protect the dog that is having an issue. Reactivity isn't fun and if a dog is feeling threatened or uncomfortable in a group of dogs, he shouldn't be exposed to that environment. It is very normal for dogs to become more selective of play mates as they become adults. This doesn't mean the dog is bad or even has major issues, he just may be selective and not a candidate for dog parks or play groups. Some dogs do better one on one or with two or three known dogs. We don't want dogs that DO NOT have issues to become frightened or feel uncomfortable at play groups. We also don't want dogs without issues to have to be overmoderated in their play. We feel it is in the best interest of our play groups to keep them fun and stress free it is in the best interest of reactive dogs not to be exposed to other dogs in this way. Please know that if your dog has a dog/dog behavioral issue you may contact me to discuss private training to work on the issue.

We will be requiring that all of our play group male dogs be neutered. Unneutered males can be targets for neutered dogs and we want to eliminate as many issues within our play groups. For this reason, we will now be requiring that all males over 6 months old be neutered. At this time, we will allow unspayed females as long as they are not in season and as long as their are no issues. In season females will not be permitted to attend play group.

The new schedule and guidelines will be effective November 4. Here is the new play group schedule:

Wednesdays - Puppy Play Group (puppies 8 to 20 weeks old and no more than 40 pounds) 6:30-7pm, Small Dog Play Group 7:00-7:30pm

Saturdays - Puppy Play Group (puppies 20 weeks old and no more than 40 pounds) 11:00-11:30am, Small Dog Play Group 11:30-12:00pm

Thank you to everyone for attending our play groups. We are sure that you will understand that we are trying to create the best play groups around and we hope that these changes will help us to achieve that goal.

Pet First Aid

Braveheart Dog Training wants you to be prepared for the unexpected. Knowing pet first aid gives every cat and dog owner many skills necessary to respond effectively to unexpected emergencies as well as the daily assessment of their pet’s health. Our class focuses on the basics that allow pet owners to provide first response care, first aid kits and the beginning of disaster response planning.

Because this information is so important, we bring you one of the highest regarded and most experienced First Aid teachers in the Bay Area. You'll learn how to respond to a wide range of animal emergencies, from dressing a wound to performing CPR to preparing for natural disasters that impact the care and well being of your pet.

Enroll today for Pet First Aid, taught by Lisa Clifton-Bumpass, award winning teacher and writer with over 10 years experience teaching thousands of students Pet First Aid. The class will be held on November 1st, from 10:AM to 2:30PM at the Braveheart Dog Training, 2123 Marina Blvd., San Leandro. Cost is $80 per person.

Doors open at 9:30 am for coffee and the “get to know you” session, the lecture starts promptly at 10 am. Bring note taking materials and a comfortable folding camping chair if you have one. This class is for people only, dogs will not be permitted and there may not be shade, so please leave your dogs at home.

October Newsletter

Welcome Fall and the nice cooler weather!! I am ready for it, I am sure my dogs are ready for it and I'll bet you are all ready for autumn. I will be offering some classes throughout the fall including a San Leandro Puppy Preschool class starting in October as well as two Three's Company classes starting in November! Also, don't forget the Pet First Aid class as well as a canine massage class in November!

Braveheart's Annual Howl-O-Ween Party!

Mark your calendars for Friday, October 30 at 6:30pm-8:30pm. We will be hosting our annual Howl-O-Ween Party at Braveheart Dog Training in San Leandro. Bring yourself and your dog to this fun event and participate in our Canine Costume Contest, Trick Contest and Toss and Catch Contest. Fun prizes and treats for your dogs! Please make sure that your costume is comfortable and safe for your dog. Please only bring dog and human friendly dogs!

Dog of the Month

Sammy Bass





Sammy began attending Braveheart classes as a puppy while he was still being fostered by Laurie England of Rottie Angels Rescue. After he was adopted by Ned and Carmen Bass he continued to attend our classes and now enjoys our recreational agility class!

Upcoming Classes
Puppy Preschool, San Leandro, Tuesdays, 6:00-6:50pm, starts October 27, $110

Three's Company, San Leandro, Thursdays, 6:30-7:15pm and 7:15-8:30pm, both start November 5, $200

Pet First Aid Class with Lisa Clifton Bumpass, San Leandro, Sunday, November 1, 10:00-2:30pm, $80

If you are interested in any of these classes, please email me at braveheartdogs@sbcglobal.net for a registration form.

New Format

I am changing the format for the Beginning Obedience and Small Dog Beginning Obedience and Manners classes in that the dogs WILL be attending the first class. This change will be in effect for our November Three's Company class. I am very excited about this change and hope it will benefit the students like I think it will.

Whole Dog Journal

I am excited to share that I have written an article on positive training for show dogs which was published in the October Whole Dog Journal magazine. I am a big fan of the Whole Dog Journal which focuses on positive reinforcement dog training, holistic medicine and lots of information about dog food.

Puppy Play Group

Braveheart is now offering a Puppy Playgroup for puppies! This playgroup is offered on Saturdays and will be listed on the website schedule as soon as the time is worked out as we want it to work in conjunction with our puppy class so people have the opportunity to attend both puppy class and puppy playgroup!

Classes starting tomorrow!

Just to let everyone know I have a Puppy Preschool and a Beginning Obedience/Manners class starting tomorrow night in San Lorenzo. If you are interested in enrolling, please call HARD (Hayward Area Recreation and Parks District) at 510/881-6700 to register.

September Newsletter

Hi everyone!

I hope that everyone had a great summer. As summer starts to come to an end, so did our classes, with new ones starting up very soon here in September and October.

I have a few announcements I would like to make. The first is that Braveheart will be hosting a Pet First Aid class to be taught by Lisa Clifton-Bumpass. The class will be a one session class on Sunday, November 1 from 10:00am to 2:30pm. The cost is $80. You'll learn how to respond to a wide range of animal emergencies, from dressing a wound to performing CPR to preparing for natural disasters that impact the care and well being of your pet. Please email me for a registration form if you are interested.

I am also working on putting together a Canine Massage class! This class will be taught my good friend Michelle Wolff, who is both a Massage Therapist and a former Veterinary Assistant! I will announce the date and time when it is available.

Check out my other blog http://www.fooeysay.blogspot.com/ for articles by my Pekingese Fooey!

Dog of the Month!

Sally Isomura



Sally is a miniature Australian Shepherd who belongs to Erika Isomura. Sally has been coming to Braveheart classes since she was a tiny puppy! Now, she is all grown up and doing great in her advanced Fun with Agility and Games class!

Upcoming Classes

Intro to Rally class starting on September 12 in San Leandro.

Puppy Preschool classes starting on September 10 in San Lorenzo and on September 26 in Castro Valley.

Beginning classes starting on September 10 in San Lorenzo and on September 26 in Castro Valley.

Small Dog Beginning starting on September 21 in Castro Valley.

Fun with Agility and Games 1 and 2 starts on September 26 in Castro Valley.

Intermediate Obedience starts on September 21 in Castro Valley.

Puppy Preschool starts on October 27 in San Leandro.

Three's Company starts on November 5 in San Leandro.

The Importance of Moving Slow with Fearful Dogs

I recently had a little puppy come through one of my puppy classes and I was so moved by her progress that I decided to write about her story (with her owners permission). I wanted to remind people how important it is for us to move slowly and always respect the animals comfort level when dealing with fearful dogs.

Dealing with fearful dogs can be challenging. People sometimes feel embarrassed or responsible when their dogs are afraid, even if they did not cause the dogs issues. Some people feel that fearful dogs should just "get over it", which is, of course, not a realistic or compassionate response. Fearful individuals (no matter what the species) need to allowed to move forward at their own pace. They need to be free to make choices. Choice is very powerful to fearful individuals. They need to be exposed to the things that frighten them in a very controlled way so that they can learn to feel comfortable rather than feeling overwhelmed.

When Bailey first came into class, it was clear that she felt very frightened and overwhelmed. While on the floor with the other puppies her ears were pinned back and her facial muscles were rigid. She was vigilant and if any puppies moved towards her she would bark and lunge at them. Her body language looked very conflicted lunging forward and then pulling back.

I decided to put Bailey and her mom Joyce on the stage of the room to give Bailey some distance from the other dogs. This allowed her to see them, but it kept them far enough away that she could be comfortable. Generally, Joyce and Bailey sat towards the front of the stage. Bailey seemed comfortable with this position, but if other puppies came up to see Joyce, Bailey would bark and lunge. Sometimes we had to move both Joyce and Bailey further back so that the other puppies weren't too close.

Bailey was also afraid of people. She wouldn't approach me or my assistant Kathy at all and we didn't push her. What we did do was walk by and toss pieces of hot dog onto the stage. We didn't talk to her, or put our hands out we simply tossed food. If Bailey stepped forward to get it, we moved away and offered her more space. Joyce explained to me that Bailey is not afraid of people at their house, that this behavior is just when they are away from home.

Each week Bailey seemed more and more comfortable on the stage. Her ears were no longer pinned back and her face looked less rigid. During our third class (this is a six week class) Bailey began to look much more relaxed and began to look more curiously at the puppies playing on the floor below her. During this week her dad Vic began attending class along with Joyce. Bailey seemed very excited to have both Joyce and Vic there and was the most relaxed she had ever been.

Initially Bailey would bark defensively if the other puppies got near the stage and we would need to more her further back to feel more comfortable but each week this happened less and less. During this third class Baileys vocalizing began to sound very different. The quality of her barks had changed from sounding upset and serious to whiny and higher pitched, as if she was wanting to play with the other puppies. I made a mental note and was excited to see what would happen at the next class.

Our fourth class is where Bailey had her first real breakthrough! She was very relaxed with a soft face and ears. She was eating food and generally looking comfortable. She continued to whine and bark at the puppies playing below her. I felt that she was telling us she was ready to try. I selected a dog from the class that I felt would be a good candidate to play with Bailey. Max is a min pin mix and a very confident and happy go lucky guy and I thought he would be a nice choice for Baileys first playmate.

With both Max and Baileys owners permission we decided to let them give it a shot. I had all the other puppies on leash. I was loaded with treats to keep Max occupied. I had Baileys owners drop her leash while I held Max on leash. I started off tossing treats so Max could get them to see what Bailey would do. When Max went for the treats Bailey play bowed and jumped towards him! Yay!! I then turned Max toward me and fed him hot dogs so that Bailey could sniff his butt (much less intimidating for her). As I suspected Max did not mind at all and Bailey felt more comfortable. With Max still on leash, both dogs began initiating play and hopping around.

After class, I had both Max and his owners Ashley and Cody and Bailey and her owners Joyce and Vic stay after class for a play session with just the two of them. After everyone was gone we kept ahold Max's leash and let Bailey go. She ran up and began play bowing and initiating play. Max began to do the same thing. I asked Cody, Max's owner to drop the leash. They began playing and running and having a great time. It was VERY appropriate play and both dogs were completely relaxed and comfortable. I think that we were all very moved and close to tears since we had seen how afraid Bailey was in the beginning.

The biggest and most exciting progress happened during our final class. When everyone arrived I noticed that Bailey looked very relaxed and comfortable. With everyone on leash, we let Bailey and Max off leash together. They immediately began to play happily and appropriately together. Then, one by one, we let each and every other puppy in the class off leash. Bailey played appropriately and comfortably with every one of them. She even went up to people to greet them.

The one or two times that she needed a break, she calmly walked over and laid down by Joyce and Vic (still very relaxed and comfortable). We put her on the stage for a break and within a minute or two she asked to be let back down to play, which she was. Joyce and Vic report that Bailey is feeling more comfortable outside of her home and is now greeting people.

I wanted to share this story because it is a testament to how important it is to respect a puppies comfort level and allow them to make choices as they feel comfortable. Forcing puppies or dogs that are afraid into fearful, overwhelming situations does not help them. It doesn't teach them that they are safe or protected and it doesn't teach them to feel more comfortable with the things that frighten them. Part of being a good dog owner is learning to listen to what your dog is telling you and believing him when he tells you that he isn't comfortable.

Conformation Class Tomorrow

Hi there,

Tomorrow nights conformation class will be held at the Marina Blvd location. Next week, August 25 there will be no class.

Drop in Conformation Class Tomorrow

Hi there,

The drop in conformation classes tomorrow night will be held at the Marina Blvd building not at Washington Manor Park.

Conformation Class Location

The drop in conformation class will be held at the park this week (tomorrow) and then back at the building on Marina next Tuesday. Beyond that, I will keep you posted.

August 2009

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the Braveheart Blog! This is where I will be posting our monthly newsletter, rather than sending out a mailing. I love the blog format and hope that it will work out well for my clients and myself. This blog will mainly be for keeping Braveheart clients informed of classes, upcoming events and general information about Braveheart Dog Training. However, I have also created a blog that will contain articles and dog training information. If you want to visit or subscribe to that blog it is www.vickironchette.blogspot.com

Facebook
I have come to really like Facebook. It allows me to keep in contact with my friends and family in a really consistent way. I have several Facebook Friends including dog training clients, so I decided to create a Braveheart Dog Training Facebook page. Please feel free to join!

Yelp!
If you like Braveheart's classes and services, please think about giving us a good review on Yelp! Yelp (www.yelp.com) is a new review website. You can also look up reviews for other services and businesses that you may want to learn more about.

Brags
Talyn, a beagle owned by Tracy Duncan, became a Therapy Dog! He has also started his agility career and has a few qualifying scores (Qs) under his belt! Go Talyn!!

Luna, a Flat Coat Retriever, owned by Andy and Diana Oliveira was Winner's Bitch both days at the Del Monte KC shows and Best of Winners on Sunday. Yay Luna!!

Drop In Conformation Classes
The current drop in conformation class format is as follows:
7pm-7:30 - All dogs
7:30-8pm - Small dogs only

I have been holding the drop in conformation classes at Washington Manor Park in order to give the dogs more space and an opportunity to work on the grass. We will probably continue there for a few more weeks, and then move back to the shop. I am enjoying taking advantage of working the dogs outside while the weather allows.

Upcoming Classes
We will be having some classes starting up here fairly soon.

Three's Company - San Leandro, Tuesdays, September 1, 2009

Real World - Various San Leandro Locations, Thursdays, August 13, 2009

Puppy Preschool - San Lorenzo (through HARD) Thursday, October 1, 2009
Castro Valley (through CV Adult) Saturday, September 26, 2009

Beginning Obed/Manners - San Lorenzo (through HARD) Thursday, October 1, 2009
Castro Valley (through CV Adult) Saturday, September 26, 2009

Small Dog Beginning - Castro Valley (through CV Adult) Monday, September 21, 2009

Fun with Agility 1 and 2 - Castro Valley (through CV Adult) Saturday, September 26

Intermediate - Castro Valley (through CV Adult) Monday, September 21, 2009

As usual check the website for new classes and schedules. I hope you are all staying cool and enjoying your summers...

July 25 and 26 Seminar Cancelled

The Dogs 2.0 seminar in Roseville on July 25 and 26 has been cancelled or possibly postponed.

New Blog

Welcome to my new blog! A couple of years ago I started doing a monthly newsletter which has been being emailed out as a Word attachment. Initially this worked out ok, but as I continue to add more email addresses it becomes increasingly challenging to send out group emails. So, I have decided to switch to a blog format which my clients may subscribe to allowing them to receive email notifications each time I blog or to simply visit the blog regularly to see the latest blogs. I hope that this will make it easier for me to keep everyone current on what is happening with Braveheart Dog Training.