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!