Upcoming Classes!

Take a look at our upcoming class schedule for January. You might want to get in on some of these classes:
Three's Company, January 6, Tuesdays, 6-6:45pm, 5 weeks, $200
Conformation, January 6, Tuesdays, 7pm, 4 weeks, $40
Conformation, January 7, Wednesdays, 12noon, 4 weeks, $40
Skills for the Show Ring (Pleasanton), January 9, Fridays, 6pm, 5 weeks, $150
Puppy Preschool, January 15, Thursdays, 6pm, 6 weeks, $165
Manners to the Max, January 15, Thursdays, 7pm, 4 weeks, $110
Puppy Preschool (CV), January 10, 10am, 6 weeks, $165
Beginning Obedience/Manners (CV), January 10, 9am, 6 weeks, $165
Confidence Building for Marshmallows, January 17, 12noon, 3 weeks, $100
Register here for all classes except Castro Valley classes, which you must register for on the Castro Valley Adult School website.

December Newsletter

 Merry Christmas Everyone!

Hard to believe that it is already December!  This year flew by!  I want to thank everyone for your continue support and trust in Braveheart Dog Training.  This business and community of dog and bird lovers is nothing without you.  I am so grateful.  I have had a few people ask about the Point Isabel Christmas Eve Walk this year.  As most of you know, we have had a rough year with animal losses. Three of our dogs, Chico, Billy and Winnie and four of our birds, Oliver, Nemo, Thistle and Iris have passed away this year, three of them in the past month.  The Point Isabel is something we cherished with Billy and with him gone, I think Rick and I just aren't ready for it.  We encourage you all to do it and would be happy to announce it and share it for those of you who would like to do it, but I think for us, right now, it would be too painful.  I truly appreciate you all understanding this.  

I wish you all a very happy and safe holiday season.  I hope to see all of you very soon.

UPCOMING CLASSES

Classes are coming to a close, but I am offering a few more things for this month to keep you and your dogs busy for those that want classes to attend!

Strength, Balance and Body Awareness, Pleasanton, Fridays, 7-8pm, starting 12/5, 3 weeks, $100

Living Room Agility Flash Class, San Leandro, Monday, 12/15, 6-7pm, one session, $20, limited space, please RSVP to join.

Who Knows Flash Class, San Leandro, Monday, 12/22, 6-7pm, one session, $20, limited space, please RSVP to join.  Okay, so this was scheduled to be a Turkey Time (holiday manners) flash class and it might be, but I am keeping it open depending on who signs up.  I will do whatever class is appropriate for that group and what everyone wants to do!  Whatever we do, it will be fun!

RAPTOR CLASS WITH JENNY PAPKA OF NATIVE BIRD CONNECTIONS

I am super excited to be co presenting this class with my mentor in raptor work, Jenny Papka.  Jenny is an amazing, inspiring and engaging speaker.  She has a wealth of knowledge about raptors and our native wildlife in general.  We will be bringing several (not one or two), live raptors to share as well as an impressive collection of artifacts.  This is a wonderful opportunity for people to learn about some of our native birds of prey, learn how you can help them, learn what raptors are in your area and when and how to identify them.  This class is a steal at $45 for two hours!  This class will be held at Dodger's Paws Dog Training in Pleasanton on Sunday, December 14, from 1 to 3 pm.  Please contact me to register.  You won't want to miss this!

DOG OF THE MONTH

Bogey is a sweet Leonberger puppy bred, owned, loved and handled by Cheryl Hawthorne.  Bogey's mother Roxy was a Braveheart student and Bogey started in our conformation classes right away to prepare him for the show ring.  As you can see, he is well on his way.  We just love having this guy in class.  

HOLIDAY SAFETY

I just wanted to give you all a few reminders about Christmas Safety with our animals.

1. Regarding both dogs and birds, be sure to take extra precautions with open doors, particularly when having guests over.  Some people, particularly those who do not have animals of their own, may not realize that a dog or bird could easily slip through an open door.  Use pens or baby gates to ensure extra safety around doors.
2. Take extra precautions to make sure that garbage cans are kept up high or somehow out of reach when you have very tempting items in the garbage.  
3. Be careful about leaving dogs with very tempting food items within their reach.  Our late cattle dog Billy never stole food off the counter, until a prime rib was left on edge of the counter.  I am pretty sure that once he pulled it onto the floor the Dachshunds didn't let him have any while they ravaged it and luckily no one got very sick, but they can.  
4. Keep candy up high and put away.  No one needs a trip to the emergency clinic on Christmas Eve because their dog ate box of candy.
5. Make sure if you have a young dog or a curious parrot that they can't get to decorations that may be dangerous.  Glass ornaments can look like a ball!

Raptor Class!!!

Mark your calendars!! I am super excited to announce that I will be assisting/co presenting a new Raptor Class with Jenny Papka as a fundraiser to benefit Native Bird Connections. We will have live birds of prey as we teach you about our native raptors, how you might be able to help them, how to identify the different species, what species you may see locally and so much more! This exciting one session class will be held on Sunday, December 14 from 1-3pm at Dodger's Paws Dog Training in Pleasanton. Cost is $45 per person. Thank you Christine Salazar for donating the use of your space to benefit our birds. Jenny is an amazing presenter with a 25+ year career as a raptor keeper, handler and former rehabilitator she has a wealth of information about these animals. Please contact me if you would like to attend and i will get you signed up. Please feel free to share!

UPCOMING FLASH CLASSES!

Flash classes are one hour, one session classes that focus on a particular goal or topic.  They are perfect classes to fill in around the holidays when finding several weeks in a row is challenging due to people going away for the holidays, the actual holidays and time and financial constraints in general.

I added a few flash classes to the schedule and wanted to be sure to share them so that people know that they are available.  Each class is held in San Leandro and is one hour, one session at a cost of $20.  There is no need to pre-register, but you must RSVP so that I know that I have people planning to attend.  If I do not get enough interest, the class is canceled.  You pay at the class.

Here are the upcoming Flash Classes I have scheduled:

Thanksgiving Preparedness
Thursday, November 13, 7pm
In this class we will focus on the behaviors necessary for your dog to be a good host or guest over the holidays.  We will be taking your dogs household manners to a whole new level and looking closely at the things we need our dogs to understand and be reliable at over the holidays.

Tricks!
Thursday, November 20, 7pm
In this class we will focus on trick training with our dogs.  Trick training is a fantastic way to improve your training skills, offer enrichment and mental stimulation to your dog and it's tons of fun!

Keep em' Busy!
Thursday, December 11, 7pm
In this class we will focus on mental stimulation and enrichment ideas and look at different ways to burn off energy in your dog.

Classes are limited to 4 to 6 dog/handler teams.  Please email me to RSVP.

November Newsletter

Happy Autumn, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy End of Daylight Savings!  Can you believe we are already getting ready to wrap up 2014?  I can't.  Generally, classes begin to wind down around this time of year due to the holidays, people traveling and less available for classes.  However, I do offer some shorter session classes that give you an opportunity to keep your dog in training with only a three week commitment.  We are also offering several Flash classes, which are one session drop in classes that each cover a specific topic.  RSVP for flash classes is required, but not pre registration.  Take a look at the class schedule to see if there is anything that you may be interested in.

DOG OF THE MONTH

Boone is a sweet as can be Shih Tzu who is loved and adored by his owners Dawn and Matt.  He has attended classes with Braveheart and even came to stay with us for a board and train. We love Boone and enjoying working with him!

PACO COLLAR CLASS
On November 7 Braveheart is hosting a Paco Collar decorating class.  You provide Paco with the color of leather, color of hardware, length and width of collar and then you get to spend Friday night from 7 to 10 making your own awesome collar that you get to take home that night!  I have done this class a number of times and always have a great time and end up with an amazing collar.  The quality of these collars can't be beat.  Please contact me ASAP if you want to join us.  Here are a few of my Pacos, some of which I made at the class:

UPCOMING CLASSES
Here is a list of our upcoming classes to finish off 2014.  Keep checking back as I may add in a Flash Class or two if I find there is interest.  Full schedule of classes will be back in full force in January with class offerings in San Leandro, Castro Valley and Pleasanton.

Puppy Preschool, San Leandro, Thursdays, 11/6, 6pm, 6 weeks, $150

Intro to Odor Nosework with Yvonne Chohan, San Leandro, Fridays, 11/7, 6:30pm, 4 weeks, $100

Confidence Building for Marshmallows, San Leandro, Mondays, 11/10, 6pm, 3 weeks, $100

Strength, Balance and Body Awareness, Pleasanton, Fridays, 12/5, 6pm, 3 weeks, $100

Winter Games, San Leandro, Mondays, 12/8, 6:30pm, 3 weeks, $100

UPCOMING FLASH CLASSES
Flash classes are one session classes that focus on a single topic.  The cost is $20 for the one hour, one time session.  All classes held in San Leandro.  RSVP please.

Thanksgiving Preparedness! - Thursday, November 13, 7pm
This class idea is borrowed from my friend and colleague Christine Salazar of Dodger's Paws who created this class.  Christine offers a full 4 week Holiday Manners class in Pleasanton that you might want to check out as well.

Trick dogs! - Thursday, November 20, 7pm
Paw tricks, prop tricks and anything else we can come up with!

Keep them busy! - Thursday, December 11, 7pm
This class will help you with urban foraging ideas and other mental stimulation activities which will help your dog be more calm during the holiday festivities.

Holiday Caution
With the holidays coming up, it is important to make sure you are on top of things with your dogs. As you gear up for the holidays be sure to practice your dogs manners skills so that they are able to be reliable over the holidays.  Join us for our Thanksgiving Preparedness Flash Class to help get them ready!  It is so important that your dog understand how to wait, leave it, drop it and stay off just to mention a few during the holiday season.

Howl-O-Ween Party Pictures
Thank you to everyone who attended our annual Howl-o-Ween party.  I am not sure a Thursday night was such a good idea as we had a smaller turnout than we usually do on our Friday night parties, but we still had a great time.  Here are a few pictures!

October Newsletter

Howl-O-Ween Party!

Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 30, 6-8pm for our Annual Howl-O-Ween Party!  There will be a trick contest, costume contest, prizes and treats!  Dog and people friendly dogs welcome, of course!  Can't wait to see you all there!

DOG OF THE MONTH

 Miley is a sweet and adorable Maltese mix loved by Jeny and Samuel.  She has been gracing us with her presence since she was a puppy in our puppy preschool class.  We have also worked with her big brother Teddy!  We just love having this little sweetie in class!

UPCOMING CLASSES

Classes will begin to wind down during the holidays a bit, but we are still offering a variety of short session classes to get you through the Fall and Winter!  Take a look at our upcoming class offerings!

Puppy Preschool, San Leandro, Thursday, 11/6, 6pm, 6 weeks, $150

Brain Benders, San Leandro, Thursday, 11/6, 7pm, 3 weeks, $100

Confidence Building for Marshmallows, San Leandro, Monday, 11/6, 6 pm, 3 weeks, $100

Conformation Handling, San Leandro, Wednesday, 11/19, 12noon, 4 weeks, $40

Conformation Handling, San Leandro, Tuesday, 11/25, 7pm, 4 weeks, $40

Strength, Balance & Body Awarness, Pleasanton, Friday, 12/5, 7pm, 3 weeks, $100

Skills for the Show Ring, Pleasanton, Friday, 12/5, 6pm, 3 weeks, $100

Winter Games, San Leandro, Monday, 12/8, 6:30pm, 3 weeks, $100

SMALL DOG PLAY GROUP BREAK

Due to the decline in attendance we will not be offering our small dog play groups after October.  We expect to reintroduce them again in January.  

No Small Dog Play Group Tomorrow

There will be no small dog play group this week.  Michelle is dealing with a medical issue, and will be back next week.  She is okay, but needs to take the next few days off.

September Newsletter

Back to School for Kids and Dogs!

Take a look at our list of upcoming classes and see what looks fun and enticing for you and your dog.  We have not only put together a full Fall schedule but have added another location!  We will be offering some classes at Dodger's Paws in Pleasanton!

ANNUAL HOWL-O-WEEN PARTY!

Please save the date for Thursday, October 30, 6-8 pm for our annual Howl-O-Ween Party!  We will have a costume contest and trick contest.  Prizes, treats and fun for people and dogs.  Dog and people friendly dogs welcome.  If your dog is reactive to people or dogs, please leave them at home.

DOG OF THE MONTH

This month we have two dogs of the month!  Maya and Gunner are housemate Australian Shepherds that have both attended a variety of classes with Braveheart!  Everything from our Canine Good Citizen class, Intermediate, Real World, Nose work and currently, they are testing our my new Dynamic Duos class.  We love having this amazing team and their mom Kathy in our classes!

UPCOMING CLASSES
Skills for the Show Ring, Pleasanton, Fridays, 9/12, 6pm
Canine Freestyle, Castro Valley, 9/25, 6:30pm
Intermediate Obedience, San Leandro, 9/18, 7pm
Conformation, San Leandro, 10/1, 12:00pm
Three's Company, San Leandro, 10/7, 6pm
Conformation, San Leandro, 10/7, 7pm
Real World, San Leandro, 10/7, 9:30am

Canine Fear and Aggression Seminar
Thank you to everyone who attended the Canine Fear and Aggression seminar presented by Lisa Mullinax and I.  The seminar filled and we had a great time and got lots of awesome feedback.

No Play Group Tomorrow

There will be no small dog play group tomorrow, August 20.

August Newsletter

Forgive me for this late newsletter!  Shame on me!  Things have been busy with classes, consults and planning for the arrival of my new puppy, not to mention the arrival of several new birds that I took in as rescues in an emergency situation.  Oh, and my own new baby Cockatiel, Buttercup who I had been waiting on for a while!  Whew, time to sit down and write.

I want to report that my trip to the Animal Behavior Center in Ohio in which I gave a presentation on Dog Training Myths was amazing.  My talk was well received and I got a lot of great feedback.  Best of all, I got to see my friend Lara Joseph and meet and hang out with some amazing people like dog trainer, Deb Jones. I really hope to be able to go back next year.

DOG OF THE MONTH

Jasper is a sweet, active and outgoing Miniature Schnauzer who is shown here rocking it out in our Real World class.  Jasper is a fairly new student, but we are so happy with his progress and enthusiasm from he and his mom, Joanna!



Canine Fear and Aggression Seminar with Lisa Mullinax and Vicki Ronchette
September 7
Braveheart Dog Training
San Leandro, CA

Learn how to modify fear and aggression at this one-day seminar featuring Lisa Mullinax and Vicki Ronchette, Certified Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) with a combined experience of over 40 years.  You will learn about the most common training mistakes and how to avoid them, as well as how to use smart strategies for changing difficult behavior problems. Seminar includes a combination of lecture and video, as well as a panel question and answer with both Lisa and Vicki.  Whether you are a dog owner with a challenging dog or you work with dogs in a veterinary clinic or shelter/rescue, this seminar will help you be more effective at changing behavior.

UPCOMING CLASSES
Three's Company, San Leandro, Tuesdays, 6-6:45pm, 5 weeks, $200, starts 9/2
Puppy Preschool, San Leandro, Thursday, 6-6:50pm, 6 weeks, $150, starts 9/21
Skills for the Show Ring, Pleasanton, Friday, 6-6:50pm, 5 weeks, $150, start 9/12
Strength, Balance and Body Awareness, Pleasanton, Friday, 7-8pm, 3 weeks, $100, starts 9/12
Beginning Obedience/Manners, Castro Valley, Saturday, 9-10am, 6 weeks, $150, starts 9/13
Puppy Preschool, Castro Valley, Saturday, 10-10:50am, 6 weeks, $150, starts 9/13
Canine Freestyle, Castro Valley, Mondays, 6:30-7:20pm, 5 weeks, $125, starts 9/15

July Newsletter

Happy Fourth of July!  Belated, I know and I apologize, but I have been busy lately which is why I am just getting the newsletter done now.  I hope that you all have a wonderful fourth and that your dogs had a relaxing calm holiday as well.  Please take a look at the newsletter to see upcoming events and classes.

DOG OF THE MONTH

 Ginger Peach is a sweet and happy Boston Terrier who is owned and loved by Kelli Danielson.  Peach has done many classes with Braveheart over the years and has been active in various activities and dog sports including Rally.  Currently, she is in our Strength, Balance and Body Awareness class and as you can see from this picture, she is doing a GREAT job!






UPCOMING EVENTS
Animal Behavior, Training and Health Seminar
July 12 and 13
The Animal Behavior Center
Sylvania, OH
Vicki will be presenting on Dog Training Myths and Misconceptions along with many other amazing presenters at this exciting event!

Canine Fear and Aggression Seminar with Lisa Mullinax and Vicki Ronchette
September 7
Braveheart Dog Training
San Leandro, CA

Learn how to modify fear and aggression at this one-day seminar featuring Lisa Mullinax and Vicki Ronchette, Certified Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) with a combined experience of over 40 years.  You will learn about the most common training mistakes and how to avoid them, as well as how to use smart strategies for changing difficult behavior problems. Seminar includes a combination of lecture and video, as well as a panel question and answer with both Lisa and Vicki.  Whether you are a dog owner with a challenging dog or you work with dogs in a veterinary clinic or shelter/rescue, this seminar will help you be more effective at changing behavior.

UPCOMING CLASSES
Real World, San Leandro, July 22, 9:30-10:20am, 4 weeks, $125
Beginning Obedience/Manners, San Leandro, July 19, 9-10am, 6 weeks, $150
Puppy Preschool, San Leandro, July 19, 10-10:50am, 6 weeks, $150
Canine Freestyle, Castro Valley, July 21, 6:30-7:20pm, 5 weeks, $125

June Newsletter

I can't believe I am so behind getting the newsletter out this month.  Last weekend, I unexpected lost of my parrots and it has been a tough week.  I am feeling better and realized that I hadn't done the June newsletter yet!  So, here you go.

UPCOMING CLASSES
Small Dog Beginning Obed/Manners, Thursdays, 6/12/14, 7-8pm, 5 weeks, $150
Strength, Balance & Body Awareness, Mondays, 6/23/14, 6-7pm, 3 weeks, $100
Puppy Preschool, Thursdays, 6/26/14, 6-6:50pm, 6 weeks, $150
Conformation, Wednesdays, 7/2/14, 12-12:30pm, 4 weeks, $40
Three's Company, Tuesday, 7/8/14, 6-6:45pm, 5 weeks, $200
Conformation, Tuesdays, 7/8/14, 7-7:30pm, 4 weeks, $40
Beginning Obed/Manners, Saturdays, 7/19/14, 9-10am, 6 weeks, $150
Puppy Preschool, Saturdays, 7/19/14, 10-10:50am, 6 weeks, $150
Real World, Tuesdays, 7/22/14, 9:30-10:20am, 4 weeks, $100
All held in San Leandro. Contact me to register.

UPCOMING SEMINARS
Vicki will be presenting at the following seminars.
Animal Behavior, Health and Training Seminar
July 13 & 14, 2014
The Animal Behavior Center
Sylvania, OH
Registration information here.

Canine Fear and Aggression with Lisa Mullinax and Vicki Ronchette
September 7, 2014
Braveheart Dog Training
San Leandro, CA 
Registration information coming soon!

DOG OF THE MONTH

Artie is a sweet and adorable Cocker Spaniel who is loved and trained by mom Dawn Kerber.  Artie has completed our Three's Company class, Indoor/Outdoor Intermediate and is going to be starting our Strength, Balance and Body Awareness class soon!  We love having this great team in class!





BE CAREFUL OF THE HEAT
Everyone please remember to be careful and thoughtful of the warm weather.  As it gets warmer it is too hot to take our dogs with us in our cars if we need to leave the car.  Even if it doesn't seem hot in the car, it can heat up quickly to dangerous temps.  

RAPTOR VOLUNTEER WORK

Most of you know that I volunteer for a wildlife education program called Native Bird Connections.  I go weekly and help to feed, clean up and work with the raptors.  Native Bird Connections has 15 birds including Hawks, Eagles, Owls and Falcons.  The birds in the program are non-releasable animals that have some impairment which makes them unable to be released into the wild.  I love this work very much and have just started blogging about some of my work there in my bird blog www.braveheartbirds.blogspot.com.

I wanted to share with you that I am doing a fundraiser to try and raise money to purchase netting for the raptor enclosures.  The wasps are relentless, they want the bird's food and some birds won't eat with the wasps on the food.  Not to mention the fact that going in to clean up and feed with wasps covering the food is challenging for me and the others who care for the birds.  We would like to create a wasp free enclosure for our raptors.  We have had a very generous donor offer to match all of our donations until we reach our goal of $1000.  Please consider donating to this very worthwhile cause!  See our fundraiser here.  Visit Native Birds Connections website here.  Thank you so much for your consideration!

Vicki with Rough Legged Hawk

May Newsletter

We didn't have much in the way of April showers and instead of May flowers we are getting a heatwave instead!  It's a good time for a reminder about leaving dogs in parked cars in the heat.  The other day, after I finished teaching my noon class, I noticed a dog in a car that was parked in the sun.  It was that very hot day and it was well over 80 degrees and while the windows were cracked the Chihuahua in the car was barking and panting.  She was very hot.  I went into the restaurant and they helped me figure out whose dog it was.  I offered to let her hang out with me while they ate their lunch.  To me it seems obvious that a dog shouldn't be left alone in a hot car, but not everyone knows this.  When I am going to leave my dog in the car, here is what I consider:

• How warm is it outside?  If it is on the warm side, I leave my dogs home.  That said, if it is warm but not hot, parking in the shade with the windows down and determining if there is a breeze can make a difference and make it cooler.
• I consider how long I will be gone and how long my dog will have to be sitting in the car. 
• Where am I going?  I do think about whether or not they have shady areas in the parking lot and also how safe I feel my dog will be.
• I always leave my dogs in my car in crates.  There are far too many horror stories of dogs being stolen from cars and my dogs happen to be very cute and highly desirable and I am not taking any chances;)
• Use common sense.  Roll up the windows and sit in the car for 10 minutes.  How does it feel to you?  

DOG OF THE MONTH

Porsche is a miniature longhair Dachshund who is owned, loved and shown by Susan Fuller.  Porsche has been a Braveheart student since she was a little puppy in our conformation classes.  She is a sweetheart of a dog and is doing great in the show ring and in the field!

UPCOMING SEMINARS

I am very excited to share a couple of seminars that I will be presenting at soon.  

Canine Fear and Aggression with Lisa Mullinax and Vicki Ronchette, May 18, Sacramento, CA

I am co-presenting on fear and aggression with my friend and colleague Lisa Mullinax.  I am very excited about this presentation as working with fearful dogs is one of my favorite things about my job.  I am just as excited to hear Lisa's talk and advice on working with aggressive dogs.  This should be an amazing presentation.  Space is still available.  Register here today!

Animal Training, Behavior and Health Seminar, July 14 & 14, Sylvania, OH

This is going to be an exciting weekend with a lot of amazing speakers.  I will be speaking on Dog Training Myths and Misconceptions.  Register here today! 

UPCOMING CLASSES

Indoor/Outdoor Intermediate Obedience

San Leandro, Thursdays, 7-7:50pm, 3 weeks, $75, starts on May 22

Three's Company

San Leandro, Tuesdays, 6-6:45pm, 5 weeks, $200, starts on May 27

Small Dog Beginning Obedience/Manners

San Leandro, Thursdays, 7-8pm, 5 weeks, $150, starts on June 12

April Newsletter

Welcome Spring!  It is officially Spring and I am excited about it, I just with that the weather would be more reasonable!  For me and my husband Spring means going to the nursery and getting all kinds of flowers and plants to plant.  Because our dogs love to dig in "good" dirt, the majority of our plants are for the front yard and the area of the backyard where the dogs don't have unsupervised access to.  We have a fence gating off the top of our yard, but you could use exercise pens or simple fencing to keep the dogs out.  This area was designed to give our cattle dog Bill an area to play ball so it is completely covered with decomposed granite. The 1/2 barrels make great planters but are arranged to offer little caves and cool areas for the small dogs when they are playing up there.  If you have a dog that really loves to dig you might even consider getting your dog a small area, such as a baby pool and filling it with sand for them to have a legal digging space.  Here is my upper yard with the dogs enjoying playing up there.

DOG OF THE MONTH

Beckham is an Airedale Terrier who is loved and owned by Nancy Dirgo and Marguerite Stetson. We have been working with Beckham, as well as his father Pele and Nancy and Marguerite's older girl RoXxi and their yorkie Maxwell for years.  While Beckham has been our focus lately the dog of the month is really the entire gang at Hat Trick Airedales.  Beckham finished his championship with flying colors.  He continues to attend our conformation classes to improve his skills as he continues to work towards his grand championship and other accomplishments.

UPCOMING CLASSES
Four Week Conformation class
San Leandro, Wednesdays, 12-12:30pm, starts April 9, $40

Canine Freestyle
Castro Valley, Mondays, 6:30-7:20, starts April 21 (register at www.cvadult.org), 5 weeks, $125

Tricks! Flash Class
San Leandro, Thursday, April 17, 7-8pm, 1 session, $20

Indoor/Outdoor Intermediate
San Leandro, Thursdays, 7-7:50pm, starts April 24, 4 weeks, $125

Beginning Obedience/Manners
Castro Valley, Saturdays, 9-10am, starts May 3, 6 weeks, $150

Puppy Preschool
Castro Valley, Saturdays, 10-10:50am, starts May 3, 6 weeks, $150

CANINE FEAR AND AGGRESSION SEMINAR
I will be co presenting with friend and colleague Lisa Mullinax of 4 Paws University in Sacramento on May 18. This day long seminar will explain fear and aggression in dogs.  Click here for more information!

March Newsletter

Welcome to Spring, well almost, March 20 is the first day of Spring!  That is just around the corner.  Don't forget to set your clocks forward on Sunday, March 9. Having more daylight and nicer weather means more flexibility in classes and outside work.  I am really looking forward to that with some of our upcoming classes.

UPCOMING CLASSES
Puppy Preschool, San Leandro, Thursdays, 6-6:50pm, starts March 27, 6 weeks, $150

Conformation Class, San Leandro, Tuesdays, 7-7:30pm, starts April 8, 4 weeks, $40
Conformation Class, San Leandro, Wednesdays, 12-12:30pm, starts April 9, 4 weeks, $40

Canine Freestyle, Castro Valley, Mondays, 6:30-7:20pm, starts April 21, 6 weeks, $150

PUPPY PLAYGROUP RETURNS!
We are very excited to announce that we are bringing back our Small Dog Playgroup!  Bring your under 20 pound dogs to play and interact with other small dogs in a supervised, controlled environment.  Playgroups are held every Wednesday night at Braveheart Dog Training from 6-7pm. If your dog is not a current Braveheart student, please bring proof of vaccinations to your first visit.  Cost is $10 per drop in visit.

DOG OF THE MONTH

Brew became a Braveheart student when he was just a tiny baby (yes, he was tiny one time!)  He and his owner Alana have completed puppy class, Three's Company and are now in our Strength, Balance and Body Awareness class, an important class for a 95 pound 7 month old puppy! Brew is a great pup and we love having him in classes!






CANINE EMOTIONAL DETOX SEMINAR
We are very excited to be hosting Diane Garrod's Canine Emotional Detox seminar on April 5 and 6 in Pleasanton, CA.  We hosted Diane back in 2012 and loved her program and we are so happy to be having her back.  The Canine Emotional Detox program is a great program for dogs with issues such as aggression, fear, reactivity, hyperactivity and more.  Check out this link for more info.

FEAR AND AGGRESSION SEMINAR
Vicki will be co-presenting with Lisa Mullinax of 4 Paws University on May 18 in Sacramento.  Vicki will be talking about fear in dogs and Lisa will be talking about aggression. More details soon!

Register for upcoming classes!

We currently have a spot left in the upcoming Canine Good Citizen Prep class that starts this Thursday, at 7pm in San Leandro.

We also have openings in our Strength, Balance and Body Awareness class that starts next Thursday at 6pm in San Leandro.

Contact me to register!

February Newsletter

Happy Valentines Day!  Can't believe we are already into month two of 2014?  I know, I can't either!  Take a look at the upcoming schedule and events.  I have a lot of cool stuff coming up that you will want to know about.

UPCOMING CLASSES
Introduction to Nose Work, San Leandro, 2/7, 5:30-7:00pm, 6 weeks, $185
This class introduces dogs and handlers to the exciting world of nose work!  Teach your dog to search for target odors.  Very fun for dogs and owners.  Taught by Yvonne Chohan.

Strength, Balance and Body Awareness, San Leandro, 2/20, 6-6:50pm, 3 weeks, $100
This class focuses on teaching dogs to build strength, balance and body awareness using a variety of different obstacles and tools.  Very mentally and physically stimulating and a nice, fun change for dogs that do a lot!

Three's Company, San Leandro, 2/25, 6-6:45pm, 5 weeks, $200
This is our beginning obedience/manners class curriculum accelerated for a class of just three dog and handler teams, which allows people to get a lot of one on one attention.  A great choice for dogs who need a class with less dogs.  We use visual barriers in this class which is also helpful for dogs that get excitable around other dogs.

Conformation Handling class, San Leandro, 2/25, 7-7:30pm, 4 weeks, $40
Conformation Handling class, San Leandro, 2/26, 12-12:30, 4 weeks, $40
This is our conformation handling class. Get your show dog the practice he or she needs to get ready for the ring.
Note: We no longer offer drop in classes.  

DOG OF THE MONTH

Zuri is a cute as a button Chow Chow puppy who started at Braveheart in our puppy classes!  She is a regular at our conformation classes and is also in our beginning class!  We love having this adorable girl and her parents Penny and Wayne in class!




SMALL DOG PLAY GROUPS ARE BACK!
We are excited to be relaunching our Small Dog Play Group!  Effective Wednesday, February 19 we will be offering weekly play groups at Braveheart from 6-7pm.  Cost is $10 per drop in visit. Supervised by Michelle Wolff.

CANINE EMOTIONAL DETOX SEMINAR
On April 5 and 6, we will be hosting Diane Garrod for her Canine Emotional Detox Seminar.  This amazing program is great for anyone who has a dog that suffers from behavioral issues including fear, phobias, aggression, reactivity, hyperactivity and more.  Visit our website for more information and register today!

Intro to Nose Work Class starting soon!

Do you have a dog that  is full of energy and needs an outlet for it?  Or a dog that has a great nose and loves to sniff?  Don't forget we have an Intro to Nose Work class taught by Yvonne Chohan starting on Friday, February 7 at 5:30 pm.  Please contact me to register!

Upcoming Classes Added to the Schedule

Upcoming Classes:
Strength, Balance and Body Awareness, Thursday, February 20, 6-6:50pm
Three's Company, Tuesday, February 25, 6-6:45pm
Intro to Nose Work, Friday, February 7, 5:30-7pm
Conformation Handling, Tuesday, February 25, 7-7:30pm
Conformation Handling, Wednesday, February 26, 12-12:30pm
Confidence Building for Marshmallows, Thursday, March 27, 6-7pm
I am also working on a Monday night freestyle class in Castro Valley to start in April. I want to have a bit more space to run that class and will be, hopefully, welcoming a few new dog/handler teams. Please let me know if you are interested in any of these upcoming classes and we can get you signed up.

Information on Braveheart Conformation Classes

Just a reminder to everyone that Braveheart no longer offers drop in conformation classes.  The classes are now a set 4 week session of classes, but I am flexible on prorating.  If you just show up you may not get in, it will depend on how many are preregistered.  So please register for the class by emailing me and simply letting me know you are planning to attend the session.  It is important that I know ahead of time how many are signed up so I can determine how many spots are available.  The current session is full and the next sessions will start on Tuesday, February 25 and Wednesday, February 26.  Thank you!

January Newsletter

Happy New Year!  I can't believe another year has passed, but I am more than thrilled to say goodbye to 2013. Braveheart went through a lot of changes last year, ALL for the better, I might add!  I am really happy with where we are and where we are headed!  Onward!

UPCOMING CLASSES
Small Dog Beginning Obedience/Manners
San Leandro, Mondays, 6-7pm, 6 weeks, $150, next session starts January 13

Conformation/Ring Handling Class
San Leandro, Tuesdays, 7-7:30pm, 4 weeks, $40, next session starts January 7
San Leandro, Wednesdays, 12-12:30pm, 4 weeks, $40, next session starts January 8

Puppy Preschool
San Leandro, Thursdays, 6-6:50pm, 6 weeks, $150, next session starts January 16
Castro Valley, Saturdays, 10-10:50am, 6 weeks, $150, next session starts January 25

Beginning Obedience/Manners
Castro Valley, Saturdays, 9-10am, 6 weeks, $150, next session starts January 25

CANINE EMOTIONAL DETOX SEMINAR WITH DIANE GARROD
On April 5 & 6, 2014, Braveheart Dog Training will be hosting Diane Garrod.  Diane came and presented her Canine Emotional Detox program in 2012 and we loved the program so much that we are excited to have her back to share even more about this great program.  Visit our website for more information!

DOG OF THE MONTH

Penny is an English Pointer that was adopted from an animal shelter when she was a puppy.  She has done many classes with Braveheart and in fact, lives right next door to Vicki!  Penny is an amazing athlete and loves to run, run, run!  She is loved by the entire Ball family!




Thank you to everyone who came to our annual Christmas Eve Dog Walk!  What a most amazing day it was for a morning walk with our dogs!