advanced dog training challenges
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This CGC Advanced story starts with a water break, a seatbelt boop, and a dog who knows exactly what matters most. She didn’t want water. Not until the seatbelt clicked. We had just pulled over after CGC-A class. I gave her a nice sniff walk, got her back in the car, and offered the water…
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How a variation on the Maslow hierarchy for dogs grounds the Method in science When Lady Priscilla first joined our family, she didn’t know how to feel safe, let alone thrive. She flinched at the gentlest touch, avoided eye contact, and curled into herself like she was trying to disappear. Today, she’s a confident service…
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The Lady Priscilla Method began the day we brought home a Dutch Shepherd who didn’t know how to feel safe. We weren’t trying to invent anything. We were just two people standing in front of a shelter kennel, staring into pleading eyes, and wondering, “What now?” Lady Priscilla didn’t arrive with confidence. She arrived as…
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Lady Priscilla Earns Her AKC Trick Novice Dog Title and Conquers the Tunnel We weren’t expecting a breakthrough. Honestly, we thought it would just be a solid private lesson: some confidence-building, a few laughs, maybe a little agility. But in 30 minutes, Lady Priscilla didn’t just meet expectations—she shattered them. First came the tricks. Jenny,…
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The Pace of Progress in CGC Training Dogs in an AKC Canine Good Citizen class often surprise their handlers. Just when you think they’ve plateaued, they level up in ways you didn’t expect. The challenge is figuring out when to ease off the gas… and when it’s time to speed up. We knew CGC would…
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After a two-week break, Lady Priscilla walked back into the Zoom Room Winter Park for agility class like she owned the place. No barking, no pulling, just calm focus and a handful of high-value treats. If you’ve been following our journey, you know that training a rescue dog for agility hasn’t exactly been a smooth…
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CGC Training: A Turning Point We had been in CGC training for exactly two sessions. Just seven short days between “Is she even ready for this?” and “Wait…did she really just do that?” Lady Priscilla came in hot. Her training had been going well at home and in public, but performing her skills in a…
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Mapping the Fog: Bringing It All Together This post on final service dog prep for HHN concludes the 5-part series. Don’t forget to start at the beginning, if you haven’t already! Or check out Inside the Fog to find out how it all came together. By this time, it was early October and HHN was…
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The Accidental Curriculum: How Real Life Became Haunted House School If you’re new to this series on HHN service dog training, be sure to start at the beginning with Part 1! Around this same time, I discovered a service dog blog by a trainer who lives in this area. She says that in addition to…
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Finding Her Footing in a Ghost Town Final post in the Traveling with a Service Dog series, featuring our most advanced public access with a service dog yet. The Procedure Room and the Paper Hat Doctor’s offices were already old news to Lady Priscilla. She’d spent enough time with Dad in exam rooms to understand…