Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

December Newsletter

Wow, I can't believe that 2012 is coming to an end!  Another year gone by, just like that.  2012 has been a good year for me and Braveheart.  I was able to complete my Certified Nose Work Instructor training and certification.  I also have moved much closer to my goal of offering parrot behavior consulting.  I began offering Canine Freestyle classes and have dove deeper into freestyle with Dickens, my Cavalier.  A lot of great things happened this year for me.  I think that the only really bad thing that happened in 2012 was the devastating loss of my beloved African Grey parrot, Ivan which indeed was a horrible, painful thing that I won't soon recover from.  I am extremely grateful to all of you for making my business and classes a success.  I feel very fortunate to have been able to earn your trust and confidence and appreciate you allowing me to work with you and your dogs and for passing my name on to others who may need help with their own dogs.

What's In Store For 2013
I am excited to be working on some new things for next year.  One of the things that I am excited about is offering the new class I am designing called Fun with Training and Tricks.  This class is replacing my Monday night, Castro Valley Intermediate class which needed a makeover.  This class will still help people and dogs improve their training skills and practice the basics at a more advanced level, but will incorporate some other elements that will make it a bit more fun and exciting!

I am also developing another new class that will focus on body awareness, core strengthening, proprioception and balance.  This class will be great for dogs that compete in a dog sport such as conformation, agility or freestyle, but also for overweight or older dogs or any dogs that need to learn body awareness.  I have already started writing the curriculum and ordering new equipment for this class.  This class should be ready to go in late January or early February.  Look for it!

Christmas Eve Point Isabel Walk
As we have done for the past several years, Rick and I will be going to Point Isabel to walk the dogs on Christmas Eve morning.  We love to see Braveheart clients and friends and get the dogs out to walk before all the holiday festivities begin.  We will be meeting in front of Mudpuppies on Christmas Eve morning at 10am.  Please join us.

DOG OF THE MONTH

This month, we actually have two DOGS of the month!  Casey and Holly are Cavaliers that are loved by Joanne and Paul!  Casey comes to Braveheart for conformation handling classes and little Holly has attended a variety of classes including Puppy Preschool, Marshmallows and Conformation classes.  Just adore Cavaliers and love having these little ones in our classes!

Christmas Donations Needed
This holiday season we are collecting donations for the Tri-Valley Haven, which operates a 30-bed confidential domestic violence shelter and a 16-bed homeless shelter. They are in need of new/never opened items for kids, teens and adults. If you would like to donate an item, stop by anytime to drop them off (items cannot be wrapped) no later then 12/8. Please call if you have any questions! Thank you and Happy Holidays!

Upcoming Classes
Small Dog Beginning Obedience/Manners, Castro Valley, Monday, 1/14/13, 6:30-7:30pm
Fun with Training and Tricks, Castro Valley, Monday, 1/14/13, 7:30-8:15pm

Continuing Nose Work, San Leandro, Fridays, 1/11/13, 6:30-8:00pm, with Yvonne Chohan

Beginning Obedience/Manners, Castro Valley, Saturdays, 2/2/13, 9:00-10:00am
Puppy Preschool, Castro Valley, Saturdays, 2/2/13, 10:00-10:50am
Canine Freestyle, Castro Valley, Saturdays, 2/2/13, 11:00-11:50am

Tuesday night drop in conformation classes will resume on 1/8/13.
Wednesday noon drop in conformation classes will resume on 1/9/13.
Wednesday night drop in nose work classes will resume on 1/9/13.
Small dog playgroup will resume on 1/9/13.

Christmas With Dogs
Just a few reminders about the holidays with your dogs!
1. Remember to keep boxes of candy and chocolate up and away from your dogs.  Chocolate is toxic to dogs as is macadamia nuts, raisins, grapes and onions.
2. Christmas ornaments, especially round glass balls, can look like toys to dogs.  Be sure to watch young dogs around the tree!
3. Tinsel can be very dangerous to animals.  Don't let your cats or dogs eat it!
4. Take the garbage out often when you are doing holiday cooking.  Turkey meat, bones and other good smelling trash may be very tempting to your dogs.
5. Use baby gates and or crates to contain dogs during the holidays when people are coming and going in and out of your house often.  This is especially important if you have guests that are not pet owners and not used to having to watch the door for animals.

Have a great Christmas and New Years everyone!  See you in 2013!

Paco Collar making class December 4

Braveheart is hosting a Paco Collar making class on Tuesday, December 4 at 7pm in Berkeley. Please contact me if you would like to attend. Cost is $112.50 and you get to take home an awesome Paco collar that you make yourself!! Great for yourself but would also make an amazing Christmas gift!

No drop-in conformation next Tuesday

There will be no drop-in conformation class next Tuesday, November 20.  There will be class on the 27th and then no class again until January 8.

Tuesday and Wednesday Drop-in Conformation Class Schedule

There will be NO Wednesday, drop-in conformation class for the rest of the year.  Attendance has been low and it will drop less as the holidays approach.  This class will resume on Wednesday, January 9, 2013.  There will be no Tuesday night, drop-in conformation class from December 4 - January 1, 2013.  This class will resume on Tuesday, January 8, 2013.

Paco Collar Class

Paco Collar making class tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, December 4 at 7pm. Class will be held at Paco Collars in Berkeley. Contact me to sign up! Cost is $112.50 per person and you will get to design, decorate and take home your own Paco Collar! Check out www.pacocollars.com to see their great stuff!

Winter Games and Marshmallows Classes

There are still openings in the Winter Games class that is starting on Monday, November 12 at 6pm. Come and learn some fun things to do with your dogs whent he weather impacts your walks and other forms of exercise. There is also space in the Marshmallows class that is starting on the same night at 7:00 pm. Contact me if you would like to register!

Correction to Marshmallow class time

Correction: The Marshmallow class is from 7-8:15pm.  The class is generally one hour to an hour and fifteen minutes.  Sorry about that!

November Newsletter

Can you believe that Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner?  I can't!  Wow, how time flies. As you probably know, fewer classes are offered at the end of the year as people are simply too busy with the holidays, vacations, family visits, etc, to attend classes.  However, I do have my die hards who can't ever get enough!  For you guys, I have a few classes starting in November to keep you going.

UPCOMING CLASSES
Winter Games, Monday, 11/12, 6-6:50pm, 3 weeks, $100
What is Winter Games, you ask?  Winter Games is a class that I created to help give you creative ideas of things to do with your dog during the winter months, when going out for walks or hikes may be a little less enjoyable.  We will do different indoor activities that will keep your dog stimulated, exercises and happy!

Confidence Building for Marshmallows, Monday,11/12, 7-8:15pm, 3 weeks, $100
Marshmallows is my confidence building class for shy, fearful or insecure dogs.  This class sets dogs up for success by allowing them to explore and investigate in a safe and non-threatening way.  They are reinforced for their confidence and curiosity.  This class is run so that dogs work one at a time, so dogs that are dog reactive or dog aggressive as still welcome to attend.

FACEBOOK
I am fortunate to have a large network of wonderful dog trainers, behavior consultants, veterinarians, dog walkers and other pet care professionals.  Because of this network, I have access to lots of great information on training, behavior, nutrition and much more which I share with my clients on the Braveheart Dog Training Facebook Page.  Articles, resources, links and of course, updates on our classes and all things Braveheart.  Please "Like" Braveheart Dog Training on Facebook.

CHRISTMAS EVE WALK
We will be doing our annual Christmas Eve morning walk!  Braveheart clients and friends invited to meet us at Point Isabel, in front of Mudpuppies at 10am on Christmas Eve!  Unless it is pouring rain, we will be there!

HOWL-O-WEEN PARTY
Thanks to everyone who came to our annual Howl-O-Ween Party!  We had a great time and it was so fun to see everyone's great costumes!

Asha won First Place in the Trick Contest!

First Place in Costume Contest, Kirby as "An Active Crime Scene"

Second Place in Costume Contest, Savannah as Carmen Miranda 

Third Place in Costume Contest, Martini and Butters as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf

Winnie and Daddy

Maggie Mae as a pirate girl

Marshall as Spiderman

Dennis as a Rocket (as if!)

Bigges as a skeleton 

Sammy as a little skeleton

Everly as a mermaid

Snooki as Marilyn Monroe

The littles chillin'

 Asha doing some tricks

Sammy gets air doing his tricks!

Kirby says, "I win!"

 Everly and Dennis go nuts!

Behavior Problem or Medical Issue?

Mac is a 4 year old male Bulldog who was having issues with increasing anxiety as well as reactivity towards other dogs.  His dedicated owners did many training classes with Mac but they could see that he was becoming increasingly anxious and reactive.  Finally, frustrated and upset, his owner was to the point of considering talking to her vet about possibly putting him on medication for the behavior issues.  She told me he was having issues with his skin and that he actually had welts on his body,  and asked me if I thought that the stress could be causing him to have skin problems.  I told her no, but that I thought that the skin problems could be causing the behavior problems.  She took him in and had extensive allergy testing done.  She is also working with a nutritionist who is creating a custom diet for Mac.  As his skin and allergy issues are getting resolved, his anxiety and reactivity is dramatically decreasing.  He is relaxed, comfortable and happy.

Jack, an adult male Pekingese, was found as a stray and then adopted by his owner so his history is unknown.  What they do know is that Jack is sweet and loving with all the members of his family.  Imagine their surprise when a family member reached down to pet Jack and was bitten by him.  Jack's owner asked me if I would help her with this behavior issue.  I asked if he had ever done anything like this before or if he had ever seemed uncomfortable with being touched in certain areas or was ever defensive in that way.  She said no, that it was very "out of the blue".  I recommended taking Jack to the vet for a full workup before we considered behavior modification for him as it sounded to me like he could be in pain.  She took him to the vet and it was discovered that he had a back problem and was experiencing pain.  He is on medication for his back pain and has had no further issues.

I come across situations like this all the time in which a dog's "behavior issues" are actually a health or medical issue.  Sometimes, like in Jack's case, his owners had no idea he was in pain.  Other times, like in Mac's case, his owners knew he was dealing with a health issue and he was being treated for it, but they didn't know it could impact his behavior.

Most of the time, when consulting on a behavior case, there is a clear trigger or a history that gives me an idea of what may be going on with the dog to cause the behavior issues.  However, there are times when a problem seems to arise out of the blue, where there is no clear trigger, history or cause.  In these cases, it usually ends up being a medical problem.

This is not a complete list, by any means, but here are a few behavior issues that I see that tend to point to a medical problem.

• "Out of the blue" aggression or reactivity
• Sudden housebreaking issues in dogs that were previously housebroken
• Sudden growling/tension/aggression with other dogs in the home that they previously got along with well and had no issues with previous to this onset 
• Sudden aggression or reactivity when certain body parts are touched, particularly if the dog seemed okay with this type of handling in the past
• Dogs that "refuse" to sit (or sometimes lie down), but readily respond to other trained cues
• Anytime new behavior problems present at the same time as or shortly before or after a medical issue of any kind is discovered

"Out of the blue" aggression or reactivity

When a dog with absolutely no history of aggression suddenly reacts aggressively, this can be a red flag that there may be a medical issue going on.  When I work on cases like these, I collect a lot of history about the dog and I evaluate the dog myself.  Sometimes, as I collect the history, I will find that the dog actually does have a behavior issue and, in fact, did give many warning signals but they went unrecognized by the owner.  Other times, there was no indication that there was an issue previously and that is when I would be wanting to get the dog's veterinarian involved so that we could really make sure that the dog is checked over well to see if there is something going on medically.  I will talk with the owner to try and determine if we can  figure out what event, specifically triggered the aggression.  One thing that can be an indicator of a medical problem is if it was something that the owner has done many times before that should not cause that reaction, such as the owner pet the dog's back or lifted the dog onto her lap then it may lead me to believe that the dog is in pain or uncomfortable.

Sudden housebreaking issues

When someone contacts me and tells me that their seven year old dog, who has always been very good at house breaking has recently started urinating in the house and that they want to hire me for help with housebreaking, I am definitely going to recommend a vet check.  Generally, when a dog just starts having house breaking issues it is medical, not behavioral.  Not always, of course.  There are cases when significant changes in the home causes this, but more often than not, the problem is not behavioral.  I know of one little dog who was actually given away by her owners because they said she "couldn't be housebroken".  She was taken in by a friend of mine who works in a pet hospital and immediately had a urinalysis done on her.  By the time she got her she was actually urinating blood.  It turned out she had a raging urinary tract infection, that had gone on for a year, untreated, before they gave her away because she "wasn't trainable".

Sudden growling/tension/aggression with other dogs in the home

When two dogs have lived together for many years and have always gotten along and then one of them suddenly begins to be defensive or growly, this can be a medical problem.  When a dog is in pain, they will behave like we do when we are in pain.  They can be touchy, hypersensitive, they don't want to get bumped into and so they are much more defensive of their body than they may normally be.  I have seen this in dogs that are experiencing pain or are having issues with balance or are unsteady, as well as in dogs that are beginning to experience vision problems.

Sudden aggression or reactivity when certain body parts are touched

Some dogs that are sensitive or that have not been conditioned to having their body parts touched can be uncomfortable with gentle handling of their body.  They may be particularly touchy about their feet, ears or mouth, their back or some other part of their body.  If the dog just isn't used to it, we can desensitize the dog to being touched and handled.  However, if the didn't seem to mind it in the past, but suddenly stiffens or growls when touched in a certain area, he may have some pain or discomfort.  When my dear old, now deceased Dachshund, Slater was experiencing back pain, he did not growl or snap or act defensively, but when I would pick him up he would become visibly tense.  He was also increasingly less tolerant of the other dogs in the house when he was not feeling well.  Some dogs are so hypersensitive when they are in pain that even petting them could trigger a reaction.

Dogs that "refuse" to sit (or perform some other behavior) but are responsive to other requests

I generally see this with the sit.  A dog will not sit down when asked and so the owner immediately accuses the dog of being willful.  More than a few times, I have seen this be indicative of a problem with the dogs hips or rear assembly.  Just last night in class, I had a little dog who was having a hard time learning to sit.  As it turns out, she recently had surgery to correct a problem in her hip.  Many dogs that have pain when doing one behavior will happily respond to other requests, such as lie down because performing that behavior is not painful for them.

Behavior problems that present just before, just after or when a medical problem is discovered

Sometimes a dog will actually be being treated for a medical problem when a supposed behavior problem occurs.  If a behavior problem starts with a dog that we know has been dealing with a medical issue, including but certainly not limited to orthopedic problems, pain of any kind, allergies, ear infections, urinary problems, stomach problems, skin issues, thyroid problems, surgery of any kind, including spay/neuter than it is wise to consider that the cause could actually be the medical issue.  Additionally, if the dog is on any medication for a medical problem, this could also contribute to changes in behavior. 

Notice that most of "behavior issues" that end up actually being medical issues appear suddenly or "out of the blue".  The fact that the behavior is unusual or uncharacteristic for the dog displaying the behavior is many times a tell tale sign that it could be a medical problem.  Most of the time, once the dog is treated for the medical problem the behavior issue just goes away.  So, it's definitely worth ruling out a health issue or medical problem requiring treatment before getting started on a lengthy behavior modification program that will not actually address the real issue with the dog.  

Finally, when we are trying to determine if there is a medical explanation behind a behavior issue it will be necessary that the dog have a very thorough veterinary check up that includes blood work, possible urinalysis and possible x-rays if pain is suspected.

No Drop In Conformation on October 23 or 24

Following this longgggggggg show weekend, there will be no drop in conformation classes this week on October 23 and 24.

October Newsletter

I can't believe it's already October!  I'm not sure why the weather feels like July, but I'm not going to complain.  Even though classes do wind down as the year ends, I do have a few classes starting in November that you might want to check out.  And, of course, check out the details for our upcoming annual events.

SEMINAR SUCCESS
Thank you to everyone who attended the Emotional Detox Seminar with Diane Garrod.  It was a success and we all learned so much.  A big Thank You to Christine Salazar and Susi Hankins for allowing me to use the Dog School for this event.  And, special thanks to Susan Criswell, Lynn and Hans Kruger and Cindy Resendes who trusted me enough to allow your dogs to be a part of this workshop.  Finally, thank you to Kathy Kinney who generously donated her spot in the seminar to someone else instead of accepting a refund when she found out she could not attend.

DOG OF THE MONTH

Niko is a Samoyed who belongs to Jan Young.  Niko started to coming to Braveheart to work on his conformation training.  He has been doing so well that he actually finished his championship owner handled by his mom Jan!  Congratulations to both of you, I am so proud!  Niko has also done our Canine Good Citizen class.  We are looking forward to seeing this team in more classes to come!




MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR OUR HOWL-O-WEEN PARTY
Braveheart's Annual Howl-o-Ween Party will be held at our San Leandro location on Friday, October 26 from 6:30 to 8:00pm.  Dog costume contest, trick contest, prizes, treats and more!  Bring your dog and people friendly dogs to enjoy the fun!  Please only dog friendly and dog safe costumes.

Upcoming Classes
Winter Games- San Leandro, Mondays, 6pm, starts 11/12
Marshmallows- San Leandro, Mondays, 7pm, starts 11/12

Emotional Detox Seminar

The Canine Emotional Detox - The Missing Link Seminar with Diane Garrod hosted by Braveheart Dog Training in Pleasanton which is located in Northern CA on October 6th and 7th! Diane will share her Emotional Detox program which helps fearful, shy, aggressive, anxious dogs relax and cope. This seminar will be beneficial to dog owners, professional trainers and dog professionals. Four demo dogs have been pre selected for our observation. Please leave your own dogs at home. Contact me at braveheartdogs@gmail.com for a registration form. Cost is $200 for both days. Please contact me if you would like to request a handout with detailed information about the program and seminar!

September Newsletter

Summer is winding down and kids are going back to school, so why shouldn't our dogs go back to school too?  Think about doing a class with your dog and check out our upcoming class schedule.

BRAVEHEART HOSTING DIANE GARROD SEMINAR OCTOBER 6 AND 7
The Canine Emotional Detox - The Missing Link Seminar with Diane Garrod hosted by Braveheart Dog Training in Pleasanton on October 6th and 7th! Diane will share her Emotional Detox program which helps fearful, shy, aggressive, anxious dogs relax and cope. This seminar will be beneficial to dog owners, professional trainers and dog professionals. We can't wait for Diane's book to come out and are really looking forward to hosting her! Four demo dogs have been pre selected for our observation. Please leave your own dogs at home. Contact me at braveheartdogs@gmail.com for a registration form. Cost is $200 for both days. Please contact me if you would like to request a handout with detailed information about the program and seminar!

VETERINARY OFFICE RELAXATION AND HANDLING CLASS
I will be offering a Veterinary Office Handling and Relaxation class! The class will have limited spots, with only four spots with dogs and the rest being human only audit spots. Working dog spots will need to be pre-approved to determine that dogs will be comfortable in this class. The class will be held on Saturday, September 15 at 3pm at Chabot Veterinary Clinic and will be one hour long. The cost is $25 for both working and audit spots. Please contact me to register.

DOG OF THE MONTH

Kishi belongs to Debbie Mein.  Kishi started out as a foster dog who was just going to be staying with Debbie until her forever home was found.  Her forever home ended up being with Debbie!  Throughout her fostering with Debbie and now that she is a permanent member of Debbie's family, Kishi has attended our Marshmallows class, Winter Games, Canine Good Citizen and now is an AWESOME nose work dog!  We are so happy that Kishi is here to stay!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR OUR HOWL-O-WEEN PARTY
Braveheart's Annual Howl-o-Ween Party will be held at our San Leandro location on Friday, October 26 from 6:30 to 8:00pm.  Dog costume contest, trick contest, prizes, treats and more!  Bring your dog and people friendly dogs to enjoy the fun!  Please only dog friendly and dog safe costumes.



Upcoming Classes
Small Dog Beginning Obedience/Manners- Castro Valley Adult School, Mondays, 6:30pm, starts 9/10
Intermediate Obedience- Castro Valley Adult School, Mondays, 7:30pm, starts 9/10

Beginning Obedience/Manners- Castro Valley Adult School, Saturdays, 9am, starts 9/29
Puppy Preschool- Castro Valley Adult School, Saturdays, 10am, starts 9/29
Canine Freestyle- Castro Valley Adult School, Saturdays, 11am, starts 9/29

Puppy Preschool-San Leandro, Tuesdays, 6pm, starts 10/30

Winter Games- San Leandro, Mondays, 6pm, starts 11/12
Marshmallows- San Leandro, Mondays, 7pm, starts 11/12

No Conformation Class on Tuesday, September 4

There will be NO drop in conformation class on Tuesday, September 4. There WILL be class on Wednesday, September 5.

There will be no drop in conformation class tomorrow, Wednesday, August 14 at noon.

August Newsletter

August already?  Yikes, time flies!  As Summer is winding down, I am in the process of putting together some classes for Fall and Winter.  I plan to offer the Winter Games class again this year for people who are looking for things to do with your dogs during the rainy time of year.  I will also be adding a Fun with Nose Work for Marshmallows class!  And, of course, all of our regular, ongoing classes as well.

DOG OF THE MONTH
Blue and Stella Ginochio
Blue is a sweet, adorable little Australian Shepherd who has attended Braveheart classes since she was a puppy.  Actually, Blue's mother Lily was a Braveheart student for years as well!  Blue has attended several of our classes and is currently rocking out our Canine Good Citizen class along with her brothers Paprika and Chili.  When Blue isn't at class, she is busy putting the cattle away with her big Aussie sister Stella who attended our Real World!  Blue is on the far left at her 1 year birthday party with mom and brothers.  And below, downing after moving the cattle into the pen!  That'll do, Blue!

Upcoming Classes

Small Dog Beginning Obedience/Manners, Castro Valley, 9/10, Mondays, 6:30pm, 6 weeks, $150

Intermediate Obedience, Castro Valley, 9/10, Mondays, 7:30pm, 6 weeks, $120

Beginning Obedience/Manners, Castro Valley, 9/29, Saturdays, 9am, 6 weeks, $150

Puppy Preschool, Castro Valley, 9/29, Saturdays, 10am, 6 weeks, $150

Fun with Freestyle, Castro Valley, 9/29, Saturdays, 11am, 6 weeks, $150

Three's Company, San Leandro,  9/11, Tuesday, 6pm, 5 weeks, $200

Veterinary Office Handling and Relaxation Class

I will be offering a Veterinary Office Handling and Relaxation class!  This class will have limited spots, with only four working spots with dogs and the rest being human only audit spots.  Working dogs spots will need to be pre-approved to determine that dogs will be comfortable in this class.  The class will be held on Saturday, September 15 at 3pm at Chabot Veterinary Clinic and will be one hour long.  The cost is $25 for both working and audit spots.  Please contact me to register.

Emotional Detox Seminar

Braveheart Dog Training will be hosting The Canine Emotional Detox - The Missing Link Seminar with Diane Garrod.  As trainers, pet professionals and dog owners we always jump right into behavior modification and/or skill work.  The Emotional Detox seminar helps the dog get to an emotional state where training and behavior modification will be more helpful and successful.  This seminar will be held in Pleasanton at the Dog School on October 6 and 7, 2012.  There will be four, hand selected demo dogs at the seminar but not other dogs will be permitted.  The cost is $175 for both days ($200 after September 1). Please contact me if you would like a registration form.  

July Newsletter

Happy 4th of July!  We are right in the middle of Summer and it doesn't even feel like it!  Cool, breezy and overcast two days before the 4th of July!  Oh well, I guess it is better that having it be super hot!  I hope everyone is enjoying their Summer so far.

And, speaking of the 4th of July!
The 5th of July is one of the busiest days of the year for animal shelters all over the country.  Do you want to guess why?  The reason is that fireworks can be very scary for many animals.  Animals get frightened and escape their yards and get frantic and lost.  Even if you are sure your dog cannot get out of your yard, please do not go out on or around the 4th and leave your dog outside.  Frightened dogs can do things you wouldn't believe when they are terrified and trying to escape.  I am already hearing about dogs running frantic and it is likely that they were frightened by fireworks.  This goes for cats too.  Please keep your animals in and safe on these holidays.

DOG OF THE MONTH

Daisy Resendes

Daisy is an Australian Shepherd mix that belongs to Cindy Resendes.  Cindy adopted Daisy from the Dublin Creek Animal Foundation which is a rescue group that I work very closely with.  Daisy is a shy girl and Cindy has worked so hard to help Daisy come out of her shell!  Daisy has already completed Three's Company class, Intro to K9 Nose Work and is currently in our Real World class.  They are very lucky to have found each other!


Dogs in Hot Car Warning
Please do not leave your dogs in the car on hot or even warm days.  Did you know that if it is 75 degrees outside the heat in your car can climb to 100 degrees in only 10 minutes??  Don't do it, not even if you only plan to run into the store for a few minutes.  It isn't worth it.

Upcoming Classes
Confidence Building for Marshmallows, Dublin, 7/12, 6-7:15pm, 3 weeks, $100
Canine Good Citizen, Dublin, 7/12, 7:30-8:15, 5 weeks, $150 (includes CGC test the last day of class)
Fun with Agility, Dublin, 7/28, 9-9:50am, 6 weeks, $150
Beginning Obedience/Manners, Dublin, 7/28, 10-11am, $150
Puppy Preschool, Dublin, 7/28, 11-11:50am, $150

Please contact me if you are interested in registering for any of these upcoming classes!

Wednesday Drop In Conformation Class

There will be no Wednesday, drop in conformation class for the month of July.

No Conformation Class on June 13

Following our four day show cluster, there will be no drop in conformation class on Wednesday, June 13.

Tuesday Night Conformation Class Locations

The following Tuesday nights, drop in conformation class will be held at various parks in the area.  These will all be outdoor classes.  Please note that there is no class on Tuesday, July 3.  There will also be no conformation class on Wednesday, June 13.
6/12 - Bonaire Park, 14841 Juniper Street in San Leandro
6/19 - Washington Manor Park, 14900 Zelma Street in San Leandro
6/26 - San Leandro Marina
7/10 - San Lorenzo Park, 1970 Via Buena Vista in San Lorenzo

June Newsletter

From now and throughout the Summer I will continuing to remind everyone to please not leave your dogs in the cars on hot or even warm days.  The other day I went to pick up some rescue dogs and had to drive a ways to wear it was pretty hot.  I was horrified to see someone go into McDonald's and leave their dog in the car.  They weren't in there long, but still, it was about 85 degrees out, which means it was probably 95 degrees in the car.  Please don't take your dogs with you in the car on hot days.  Dogs can overheat in the car so quickly.

For those of you with flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds such as Boxers, Frenchies, Bostons and Shih Tzus be careful about even walking and exercising your dogs on very hot days.  These dogs can overheat faster than many other breeds.

DOG OF THE MONTH

Wyatt Collard is a sweet Labrador who has been coming to Braveheart classes since he was a tiny puppy.  He is now a teenager and doing great in our nose work classes!  Wyatt sure has found his calling in nose work.  He is already started on odor and he rocks at class every week.  We sure are happy to have him in class!  One of the best things about Wyatt, is that his classes are frequently a family affair, with several family members coming to work and support him!  We love that!

UPCOMING CLASSES
Clicking for Conformation
Dublin, Tuesdays, 11-11:50am, 5 weeks, $150, starts June 12
This course will help people wanting to get started with clicker training their show dogs.  We will work on teaching the dogs to stack, gait and accept examination.  While this is a class to teach conformation or show ring behaviors, dogs need not be show dogs to enroll.

Real World
San Leandro, Tuesdays, 6-6:50pm, 4 weeks, $125, starts June 12
Our Real World class gives students a chance to practice their dogs skills in different locations with different distractions.  We meet at different locations, usually parks in and around San Leandro.  Dogs should have a good understanding of the basics and be able to focus on their handlers.

Confidence Building for Marshmallows
Dublin, Thursdays, 6-7:15pm, 3 weeks, $100, starts July 12
This class is a great first class for shy, reactive or fearful dogs that we affectionately refer to as "marshmallows".  This class is designed to teach owners how to build confidence in their dogs by allowing the dogs to explore and seek and find reinforcement for their brave choices.  Dogs go one at a time so dogs that are not comfortable with other dogs can participate too.

Canine Good Citizen
Dublin, Thursdays, 7:30-8:15pm, 5 weeks, $150, starts July 12
This 5 week class will prepare students for the AKC Canine Good Citizen test.  We will work on getting dogs exposed to the different elements of the test and prepare them for testing.  CGC test will be held on the last class but students are not required to take the test.

EMOTIONAL DETOX SEMINAR WITH DIANE GARROD COMING IN OCTOBER!
I am very excited to share that I will be hosting Diane Garrod on October 6 and 7, 2012 in Pleasanton, CA at The Dog School. Diane will be doing a 2 day seminar: Emotional Detox - The Missing Link. This is a great program for reactive, aggressive, fearful, shy, anxious and easily stimulated dogs. This seminar will benefit dog owners as well as professional trainers. Cost will be $200, with an early bird special of $175.  Please contact me if you would like a registration form.  Seminar will be limited to 25 participants, so please register early!  Four working demo dogs have been hand selected for this seminar.  Please plan to leave your dogs at home.

Emotional Detox - The Missing Link Seminar with Diane Garrod

I am very excited to share that I will be hosting Diane Garrod on October 6 and 7, 2012 in Pleasanton, CA. Diane will be doing a 2 day seminar: Emotional Detox - The Missing Link. This is a great program for reactive, aggressive, fearful, shy, anxious and easily stimulated dogs. This seminar will benefit dog owners as well as professional trainers. Cost will be $200, with an early bird special of $175. More information soon.

May Newsletter

Welcome to Spring everyone!  As the weather gets nicer, we have a lot of classes coming up that I think people will be excited about including a Real World class, which will include 4 weeks of drop in conformation class roving around different parks in the area, a Canine Good Citizen class, a Marshmallow class and of course all of our regular, ongoing classes.  Please take a look at our class schedule to see if there is anything that you would like to do with your dog!

DOG OF THEM MONTH

These three gorgeous boys are Souven, Pablo and Bounder, three of four miniature longhair Dachshunds (Teddy, isn't pictured) that belong to Bob and Jean Burnett.  If you ever come to our Wednesday drop in conformation class you will know them well, as they are regulars at class.  All have impressive show careers. Souven, in particular, now a senior and shown rarely is a multiple Best in Specialty Show winner, an Am. and Can. Champion and a Register of Merit Outstanding.  Most importantly, all of them are much loved family companions.

RESCUE
Most of you already know that Vicki is deeply involved in dog rescue.  For over 25 years, she has been active in animal rescue including dog rescue, bird rescue and cat rescue.  She focused on Dachshund and Pekingese rescue for many years and started the Golden Gate Dachshund Rescue and Lion Hearted Small Dog Rescue.  She is Training Coordinator and on the board for the Dublin Creek Animal Foundation.  She is the Training Coordinator and the Foster Coordinator for the Golden Gate Basset Rescue.  She is a foster home and volunteer trainer for Muttville.  Rescue is Vicki's passion and a cause near and dear to her heart.

If you or anyone you know is looking to add a new dog or cat to your family, please contact Vicki for assistance.  We have many wonderful animals looking for new homes, like Faye, pictured below.  Faye is a 5 1/2 month old Yorkie mix that Vicki works with.  Faye is sweet and very cuddly.  She will probably end up being about 8 pounds.  She is a nice little dog and would love a family of her own.  She has already been spayed and is current on he vaccinations.  Her adoption fee is $250.  If you are interested in hearing more about Faye, please contact Vicki at braveheartdogs@gmail.com.

UPCOMING CLASSES
Beginning Obedience/Manners, Dublin, Saturdays, 9am, 6 weeks, $150, starts 6/2
Puppy Preschool, Dublin, Saturdays, 10am, 6 weeks, $150, starts 6/2
Fun with Agility, Dublin, Saturdays, 11am, 6 weeks, $150, starts 6/2
Confidence Building for Marshmallows, Dublin, Thursdays, 6pm, 3 weeks, $100, starts 7/12
Canine Good Citizen, Dublin, Thursdays, 7:30pm, 5 weeks, $150, starts 7/12

April Newsletter

Thank you to everyone who came out to support the Dublin Creek Animal Foundation Easter Egg Hunt.  As many of you know, I work closely with this organization which rescues animals at risk of euthanasia from animal shelters.  The work we do costs money as all of the animals need to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and of course fed, walked, given toys, day to day care, etc.  Fundraisers, like the Easter Egg Hunt, helps us with those costs.

For those of you who had your own Easter Egg Hunts at home, save those leftover plastic eggs.  Filling the eggs with treats and then hiding them around the house for your dog to find (supervised, of course) is a great mentally stimulating game!

DOG OF THE MONTH
Paprika and Chili Werth

Paprika (far left) and Chili (third from left) belong to Karen and Merv Werth.  They have been coming to Braveheart since they were tiny puppies.  In fact, Vicki met the puppies when they were just 5 weeks old.  They are pictured here with brother Bigges (second from left and belongs to Kathy Kinney, Vicki's assistant) and mother Lily (far right), also Braveheart students.  They are wonderful boys and we love having them in our classes!

Upcoming Classes
Small Dog Beginning Obedience/Manners, Castro Valley, Mondays, 6:30-7:30pm, 6 weeks, $150, starts April 23
Intermediate Obedience, Castro Valley, Mondays, 7:30-8:15pm, 6 weeks, $120, starts April 23

Three's Company, San Leandro, Tuesdays, 6-6:45pm, 5 weeks, $200, starts May 1

Marshmallows, Dublin, Thursdays, 6-7:15pm, 3 weeks, $100, starts May 17

Beginning Obedience/Manners, Dublin, Saturdays, 9-10am, 6 weeks, $150, starts June 2
Puppy Preschool, Dublin, Saturdays, 10-10:50am, 6 weeks, $150, starts June 2
Fun with Agility, Dublin, Saturdays, 11-11:50am, 6 weeks, $150, starts June 2

No Conformation Class on Wednesday

There will be no conformation class this Wednesday.

Important Information About K9 Nose Work Classes

Effective April 1, 2012, all six week K9 Nose Work classes will be $185.  Due to the longer classes and limited number of students, it is necessary to increase the cost of these classes.  Thank you for understanding.

March Newsletter

K9 Nose Work
As you probably know, I have been going through the K9 Nose Work instructor certification course.  Becoming certified is a fun and challenging process that involves attending 7 day long workshops taught by the sports founders, teaching classes of what you learn, collecting video and turning it in, keeping training logs of training, passing an Odor Recognition Test with your own dog and then finally taking an exam.  I began the actual process in June of last year and am happy to say that as of March 1, my certification became complete and I am now a Certified Nose Work Instructor (CNWI).   


Paco Collar Class
On Friday, March 9, I am hosting a Paco Collar making class.  The way it works is that Paco makes you a plain collar and you get to use their studs, conchos and other things to decorate your own collar!  The cost is $112.50 and you get to take your collar home that night.  The class will be held at Paco Collars in Berkeley at 7pm.  Please let me know ASAP if you would like to attend as I need to let them know the collar, length and width of what you would like.

Upcoming Classes
Beginning Obedience/Manners class, Dublin, Saturdays, 9-10am, March 17, 6 weeks, $150
Puppy Preschool, Dublin, Saturdays, 10-10:50am, March 17, 6 weeks, $150
Fun with Agility, Dublin, Saturdays, 11-11:50am, March 17, 6 weeks, $150
Three's Company, San Leandro, Tuesdays, 6-6:45pm, March 20, 5 weeks, $200

DOG OF THE MONTH

 Rudy Lynch is an 18 month old French Bulldog!  The Rudester and his mom Diane have been coming to Braveheart conformation classes and our small dog play groups since he was a wee lad!  He and his brother Milo and sister Kendall are all regulars at Braveheart.  He is a friendly and happy go lucky joker and we are so happy to have him!

No Conformation Class Tomorrow

There will be no drop in conformation class tomorrow, Wednesday, February 29.

Two spots left in Introduction to K9 Nose Work starting Sunday!

I still have two spots left in the Introduction to K9 Nose Work class that is starting at Pride and Pedigree in Oakland this Sunday at 11am. If you are interested in registering for this class, please let me now ASAP and we will get you registered.

February Newsletter

Happy February everyone!  So far, this year has started out great with full classes and lots wonderful dogs to work with, new and old!  I have added two new locations for Nose Work classes too!

K9 Nose Work
After spending over a year doing K9 Nose Work with my own dogs and realizing what a growing activity this is, I made the decision to pursue becoming a Certified Nose Work Instructor through the National Association of Canine Scent Work.  My friend, assistant and co-trainer Yvonne Chohan made the decision to do the same.  We started the process in June of last year.  Over the past several months we have attended several training weekends, taught classes and practice groups, collected video of us teaching classes, turned in hours of training logs and student evaluation forms of our classes.  Two weeks ago, we took our final exam and completed the process.  We are still tying up loose ends and making sure all of our materials have gone through and awaiting official confirmation, but for the most part we have completed the process and excited to get the final approval to call ourselves Certified Nose Work Instructors (CNWI).

K9 Nose Work Classes in Oakland and Pleasanton
I have added two new locations for K9 Nose Work classes to the schedule.

We will start classes on Sunday, February 19 at 11am at Pride and Pedigree, a doggie daycare in Oakland, owned by my friend and colleague Kelli Danielson.

We will start classes on Monday, March 19 at 6pm at The Dog School, a dog training facility in Pleasanton, owned by my friends and colleagues Christine Salazar and Susi Hankins.

I am very excited to be not only branching out to these areas but also to be working with good friends that I respect as trainers and people!  If you are interested in either of these classes, please contact me to register.

DOG OF THE MONTH

Cosita Palin

Cosita belongs to Gail Palin.  Cosita has attended several classes with Braveheart and currently just finished our Winter Games class.  She is the sweetest little dog and look how cute she is!


UPCOMING CLASSES
2/11, 11am-12:30pm, Introduction to K9 Nose Work, Pride and Pedigree, Oakland
3/8, 6pm, Marshmallows, Braveheart, San Leandro
3/17, 9am, Beginning Obedience/Manners, Dublin Creek Kennel, Dublin
3/17, 10am, Puppy Preschool, Dublin Creek Kennel, Dublin
3/17, 11am, Fun with Agility, Dublin Creek Kennel, Dublin

January Newsletter

Happy New Year everyone!  I can't believe it is 2012 already.  I have a lot of new and exciting things planned for Braveheart Dog Training for this year.  First, we will be starting Fun with Freestyle classes.  I do Canine Freestyle with my own dog.  Freestyle is basically heelwork, tricks and movement with your dog to music.  It is designed to showcase your dogs natural movement and beauty and can be turned into fun and entertaining routines.  Also, I will be offering K9 Nose Work in two new locations!  Nose Work classes will start at Pride and Pedigree in Oakland in February and at The Dog School in Pleasanton in March!  This is particularly exciting to me as I am good friends with the owners of both of these great establishments.  Interest and excitement in K9 Nose Work has made it clear to me that I need to have these classes available and well spread out in terms of locations for my clients.  If you haven't already, I hope you will check it out!

DOG OF THE MONTH

Jake, German Shepherd Dog is loved and owned by Cindy Resendes.  Jake has been training with Braveheart for quite a while now.  We think we have found Jake's calling in our K9 Nose Work classes where Jake excels!  Here he is doing a vehicle search during one our practice sessions!


UPCOMING CLASSES
Small Dog Beginning Obedience/Manners, Monday, 1/23/12, Castro Valley, 6:30-7:30pm
Intermediate Obedience, Monday, 1/23/12, Castro Valley, 7:30-8:15pm

Beginning Obedience Manners, Saturday, 1/28/12, Castro Valley, 9-10:00am
Puppy Preschool, Saturday, 1/28/12, Castro Valley, 10-11am
Fun with Freestyle,  Saturday, 1/28/12, Castro Valley, 11-11:50am

Introduction to K9 Nose Work, Sunday, 2/19/12, Pride and Pedigree (Oakland),11-12:30pm

Introduction to K9 Nose Work, Monday, 3/19/12, The Dog School (Pleasanton), 6-7:30pm

Most of our classes, particularly Beginning Obedience/Manners, Small Dog Beginning Obedience/Manners and K9 Nose Work all fill up fairly quickly, so if you are interested in registering, please do so as early as you can.