February Newsletter

Oh my, I am so late!  So sorry, but this has been a busy start of the month.  Let me tell you what has been going on!  First, I went to Atlanta, Georgia on January 30.  I was brought there by a colleague and friend who wanted me to help her prepare her and her dog for their first dog show and be there with them!  What an honor!  Partly because she is a fantastic trainer and behavior consultant, but also because she had the trust and confidence in me to want me to be there with them.  I thoroughly enjoyed being their for Glaukos the Gargoyle's first show and I hope to go back and see them again next year!

Anna, Glaukos and I

Glaukos enjoys a good book;)

                         

I have also been busy working with a new day training client dog.  In case you are wondering, In Home Day Training is a service I offer where I come to your home and train the dog, in many cases when the owner's are at work, and then meet with you weekly to go over what we have been working on.  A great way to kick start your dog or puppies training!

Finally, I am also preparing my own puppy, Opie for showing.  Opie is not even a year old, has only been to three shows getting reserve once and a Best of Winners win with a 4 point major!  This year I plan to have him in the ring quite a bit and we are looking forward to that!

Opie wins a 4 point major!

DOG OF THE MONTH

Gus and Bobo are only 4 1/2 months old but I have been working with them almost since they came to their new home.  It is a dog trainer's dream when someone calls and tells you from the beginning that they want to work with you and do everything they can to help their puppies grow up to be wonderful companions, who are well socialized, can go places, enjoy doing things, have good manners and be amazing members of the family.  This is what Gus and Bobo's dads, Tom and Chad did.  They are in group classes already and we work with them privately regularly for even more one on one training.  I am so proud of this amazing family and team!

BoBo and Gus

UPCOMING CLASSES

I will be on vacation for two weeks in March (woo hoo!) so there will be a period when there are no classes going on.  Now you know why!

Positive Training for Show Dogs Online Course, starts March 23

Conformation Ring Handling class, San Leandro, Tuesdays, 7-7:30pm, 4 weeks, $40, 3/24/15

Conformation Ring Handling class, San Leandro, Wednesdays, 12-12:30pm, 4 weeks, 4/1/15

Puppy Preschool, San Leandro, Thursdays, 6-6:50pm, 6 weeks, $165, 3/26/15

OUR NEW SENIOR DOG CLASS!

Old Dogs, New Tricks, Pleasanton, Fridays, 6-6:50pm, 4 weeks, $110, 3/27/15

January 2015 Newsletter

Happy New Year!
Wow, can you believe it is already 2015?  I can't!  Last year flew by and while it was a great year in some respects, it was a tough one for my family as well.  Looking forward to what 2015 will bring.

I am going to be focusing on my classes a lot this year.  I really enjoy teaching group classes, it is probably the favorite part of my job.  I will still be offering private training, but will likely be focusing on conformation and puppy training for my private consulting.  This doesn't mean that I will not be doing any behavioral cases, only that I may be referring some of those off to some of my highly skilled and qualified colleagues who are also trusted friends.  In addition, I will be continuing to offer Friday evening classes at Dodger's Paws in Pleasanton.

Take a look at our schedule and be sure to register if any classes peak your interest!  Remember that classes, particularly beginning classes fill up quickly, so be sure to register in plenty of time to ensure getting in.

New Online Registration
Many of you already know that this year I have decided to begin offering online registration.  This is simply an easier and more efficient way to run my classes.  No more contacting me for a registration form and waiting to get it back, mail it in, etc.  Now, you can simply go online and register for class immediately.  You may pay at the time of registration with your credit card or you may mail a check in within three days of registering.  I trust that this new system will make things much easier for all of us.  That said, bear with me as I work through this new system and learn to navigate my classes and schedule in a new way.

Once you and your dog are registered, you will remain in the system and be able to easily sign up for classes.  Our class schedule can be found here https://braveheartdogtraining.dogbizpro.com/Public/Registration/Index.aspx.  Please note that you will still register for Castro Valley Adult School classes via their website at www.cvadult.org.

Upcoming Classes
Conformation/Handling Class, San Leandro, 4 weeks, 30 minutes, $40
Tuesday, 7pm, starts January 6
Wednesday, 12pm, starts January 7

Skill Building for the Show Ring, Pleasanton, 5 weeks, 50 minutes, $150
Friday, 6pm, starts January 9

Puppy Preschool, Castro Valley, 6 weeks, $165
Saturday, 10am, starts January 10

Canine Freestyle, Castro Valley, 5 weeks, $125
Monday, 6:30pm, starts January 12

Puppy Preschool, San Leandro, 6 weeks, $165
Thursdays, 6pm, starts January 15

Manners to the Max, San Leandro,  4 weeks, $110
Thursdays, 7pm, starts January 15

Real World, San Leandro, 4 weeks, 4 weeks, $110 ($150 if you bring two dogs, with instructor approval)
Tuesdays, 9:30am, starts January 20

DOG OF THE MONTH

Yeshe is a sweet and adorable labradoodle who has been coming to Braveheart classes for a while.  She is a great little dog and really loves to learn.  Yeshe is loved and owned by Ellen and David.

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!