Bark for Life Photos

It was an honor to take part in the Bark for Life with Vinny this year.  He was invited as an honored guest and we did a demo in which we taught about double merles and showed off some of his amazing tricks!  Vinny tasted his first ice cream cone - which he loved!  And we hung out with our friends from the Humane Society and told everyone about our adorable pets for adoption!  

Photo: Effingham County Bark for Life

Photo: Because of Jadyn Photography

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Learn to Teach Tricks and Earn Titles

There has been a lot of interest in my dogs learning lots of tricks and earning trick dog titles.  Many people who also have differently-abled dogs have asked me to share how I teach the various tricks to my dogs that are deaf and blind/deaf.  I've put together an online course that will help you teach your dog beginner level tricks, using techniques that are fun for you and your dog.  You can even have a chance to then earn your Novice Trick Dog title at the end of class.

I always teach with positive reinforcement methods, so teaching and learning is fun for everyone!  One of the great things about this class is that you get expert instruction anytime that is convenient for YOU!  The class is online, but you don't need to be sitting by your computer at a certain day or time.  Lessons are published in an online classroom beginning Jan. 20th, with new lessons every week.  You can read and view the lessons at any convenient time, and then practice with your dog as it suits you.

I check the classroom and the private facebook page daily to give feedback and answer questions so I can help you be successful.  These classes are great fun and give you a focus for your training sessions with your dog.  Come join people and dogs from all over the world!  We have a fun community! 

Class will cover instruction for adapting certain tricks and teaching techniques for dogs that are blind, deaf or blind/deaf.  However, we are an inclusive school and we encourage ALL dogs and people to join along!  The more the merrier! 

For more information about the tricks class, head over to Tricky Tricks - Beginner to have a look! 

We also offer other classes, and have several new ones planned to be rolled out later in the year.  You can check out all our classes, as well as our free resources here. 

I'm so excited to be able to offer this class to all of you!  You've been asking for awhile now - and it's finally here!  I can't wait to get started! 

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Blind and Deaf Dogs & Dog Sports

Why is it that people assume I will do only nosework and tracking with my blind/deaf dogs?  I know these are sports that encourage the dog to rely mostly on his sense of smell.  I know that most people think a dog that is blind and deaf must have a superior and heightened sense of smell.  But so many people think this must be the extent of what I can do together with my blind/deaf dogs.  

This has been on my mind lately.  People ask me (out of the blue) if I've considered doing nosework or tracking with my dogs.  These are great dog sports!  In fact, Treasure and I loved and did nosework for many years.  But we also did lots of other cool stuff!  

When I adopted Treasure and set out on my training journey with her, there were not many others doing any activities with blind/deaf dogs.  Some were just beginning to take some nosework classes.  But if I looked online I didn't find any blind/deaf dogs doing much of anything or being taught much of anything.  Sure I found deaf dogs, or blind dogs at times, but not those that were both.  Why is that?

Treasure doing K9 nosework

Treasure - PAWS for People therapy and READ program dog

Treasure - Expert Trick Dog

Treasure - Canine Good Citizen

As I was thinking, I realized that humans developed so many dog sports reliant upon our dogs' ability to see.  It seems impressive to get our dogs to do all types of activities at a distance or off the ground.  There are so many sports, even today, that exclude blind dogs from even participating at all.  Even sports that focus on a dog's sense of smell are not always welcoming to blind dogs to give it a go.

I did not set out to prove these ideas outdated.  I just set out to teach and have fun with my dogs in various activities.  We love the online trick dog titles, as most (but not all) offer a wide variety of tricks to choose from for each level.  Even so, many of those tricks seem to be assuming and reliant upon a dog's ability to see.  And I've even found some trick dog venues that specifically say that blind dogs can't compete.  Which I find rather sad.  

With my current blind/deaf partner, Vinny, I am pushing the limits of what people think is possible.  He is a super willing partner and is showing me, and the world, just what a dog without sight and hearing is capable of.  I don't push him, but I do give him the opportunity to learn anything and everything he can, in his own way.  He shows me a bigger glimpse into his world with each accomplishment.  I think he enjoys figuring out a puzzle for himself as well. 

Setting out to get his Advanced Trick Dog title, I wondered how a blind/deaf dog could be sent out away from me to a target 10 feet away to do a behavior.  So we gave it a try.  He learned to go out away from me 11 feet on cue, and do several different behaviors!  Did he always hit the target directly in a straight line?  No, he didn't.  But when he realized he was going off course, he could redirect himself, find the target and do his behavior.  

Vinny - Intermediate Trick Dog

Vinny - Go out 11 feet and push a ball - Treiball

Vinny and Brinks - Playground Equipment - Parkour

Vinny - heeling - Rally, RallyFree, K9 Musical Freestyle

Vinny - Skateboarding and Other Fun!

What does this mean for the future of our training?  Wow, I can only imagine the more we practice together, what he will show me!  

I am so grateful that certain dog sports are open to seeing what all dogs and handlers are capable of.  Through them, dogs and handlers that might not have had a chance before are now able to really shine!  I hope that more and more dog sports venues will learn to keep an open mind when it comes to how exercises are performed to get to the end result.  

Keep and eye out for Invincible Vinny and I in the dog sports venues!  We are having a blast finishing up our trick dog titles and then going for Trick Dog Champion, and beginning our rally and freestyle training.  I hope we have a long and marvelous partnership together.  I know I have so much left to learn from him!

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Vinny's Trick Show

Wow!  Look who is joining the ranks of Novice Trick Dog!  Vinny earned his title certificate and ribbon!

Vinny 6 months old

This guy is just SO much fun to play with!  He learns just as fast as I can teach him and is always ready for more.  Enjoy Vinny's new tricks:

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Four Amazing Dogs!

Recently, Treasure and Vegas both earned their Expert Trick Dog Titles, bringing the total of Expert Trick Dogs in my home to four!  Here they are with their certificates.  

These are super fun trick dog titles that can be earned from Do More With Your Dog!  Vegas learned his tricks with hand and touch cues, and Treasure learned hers with touch and scent cues.  Congratulations to my crew!  

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