K-9 Solutions Dog Training, Inc.: A celebratory give-a-way!!!!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

A celebratory give-a-way!!!!

Today is the official 10 year anniversary of my graduation from my dog trainers apprenticeship. Yay me! I honestly can't believe it has been that long. Of course when I remember back to how young my kids were at the time I see it must be possible. Time does fly! I have to thank the Mid-Coast Kennel Club of Maine and The Humane Society of Knox County. Both of them sponsored my training so I could be a resource for each of them. I think it turned out to be a pretty good deal for all involved. Of course I can't forget my fabulous teacher Lloyd Williams of Bear Brook Kennels. I am grateful he accepted me into his program. I wish everyone could have a mentor as patient and knowledgeable as he was.
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To celebrate I am going to do a give away. I haven't ironed out all the details yet but I hope to have Jenny able to perform a trick to help pick the winner. If it works I will video it and post the video here. The prizes are as follows:

First a very cute leash holder I found today in my travels to T.J.Maxx. Included is a 4 foot by 1/4 inch leather leash. I only use leather or cotton leashes because nylon hurts my hands. While 1/4 inch sounds small to some people, leather is very strong. Unless your dog is a leash chewer this is an acceptable size for both large and small dogs. Also:

The September/October issue of The APDT Chronicle of the dog magazine AND the new hardcover book Dog Sense by John Bradshaw. (disclaimer, I am actually reading it now so it will be slightly used) While it sometimes reads like a book written by a scientist (it can be dry) it has some really great information included. I am just over halfway through it now. I wish it were required reading by anyone who works with dogs and dog owners alike. It would make my job so much easier!
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And that's not all!! (imagine that in an infomercial voice for effect) I will also include a sample of EACH diet that The Honest Kitchen makes, including the two newest; Love and Grace. This HK package will include their booklet on pet nutrition as well. I love THK because they use QUALITY real food ingredients, DON'T sell their products to pet stores that sell puppies AND they support rescues and responsible breeders. Now that is a company I can stand behind!!
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Entering is easy. Either leave a comment that says "I want to win!" in the comment section of this post, e-mail me with "I want to win!" in the subject line, or go to my facebook page and leave your "I want to win!"comment there. I won't need your personal info unless you win so don't worry about that just yet. I will draw the winner on November 1st. Oh and EVERYBODY can enter!! So go tell a friend. :-) Happy Anniversary to me!!

8 comments:

Ashley said...: Congratulations! I can't imagine how exciting this must be for you. And just think of all the awesomeness you'll do in the next 10 years :D oh.. and I WANT TO WIN ;); October 16, 2011 at 9:33 PM
Ruth said...: I want to win!

Congrats on the aniversery!; October 16, 2011 at 9:46 PM
Katie, Maizey and Magnus said...: For your anniversary we should be giving you presents! But of course since you're feeling so generous, "We want to win!" Wow! That was the easiest contest entry yet.LOL I hope one day I'll be having my ten year training anniversary, but that's a long way off.LOL Congrats to you!; October 17, 2011 at 12:41 AM
Kaira said...: I want to win!

Thanks for posting about The Honest Kitchen - I'm going to check them out. We are always looking for great companies to support and spread the word about.

emmaandremy@gmail.com; October 17, 2011 at 12:04 PM
Anonymous said...: I want to win!

And you must do a review on Dog Sense, I'm really wanting to read that book. Or you know, win that book :); October 17, 2011 at 1:26 PM
lin said...: Congratulations and keep on blogging!

No need to put me on the list; PupperDog and I have way too much stuff, and I am on the waitlist for Bradshaw.; October 17, 2011 at 10:29 PM
AprilBaby said...: Congratulations on your anniversary! That's a great accomplishment to have under your belt. I'm not typically a 'comments' person but I do read your blog regularly.

I WANT TO WIN!!!; October 18, 2011 at 12:28 PM
Cait said...: I want to win! :D; October 26, 2011 at 7:09 PM

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My Story

In 1992, after serving for 6 years in the United States Marine Corps, I decided to settle down in my hometown in Mid-Coast Maine. I got my first dog, (as a bona-fide adult) an akita, and joined the local kennel club. I also joined akita rescue and learned alot about the breed. In turn I began helping educate others. This taught me how important training is for ALL dogs. Thus began my (unofficial) foray into the world of dog training.

I worked for a few years at a local veterinarians office and then began working at our local humane society. While there I saw many dogs being given up for simple training issues. About that time the kennel club began looking for a new trainer to teach group obedience classes. I decided I might be able to handle that challenge once I had more official training of my own.

MY TRAINING:

I found an excellent trainer to mentor with and in October of 2001 after a year of hands on training and study I completed my apprenticeship under Lloyd Williams of Bear Brook Kennels. During that apprenticeship, in addition to learning all the basics, I got to assist in the training of police dogs in narcotics, tracking and cadaver dogs with the medical examiners office.

Not only did I learn how to be a dog trainer, more importantly, I learned how to teach owners how they could communicate more effectively with their dogs. I consider that training just the beginning in my canine education. I continue to attend seminars and keep current through reading about recent advancements in dog training methods. I am a former member of The Association of Professional Dog Trainers.

My training was sponsored by The Humane Society of Knox County and The Mid-Coast Kennel Club of Maine.

MY METHODS:

I use positive reinforcement methods whenever possible during training sessions. Positive reinforcement helps make the training experience more enjoyable for both the dog and owner, producing a better learning environment. I also utilize hand signals in my training which is very useful with deaf dogs as well as hearing ones. My methods include lure/reward and marker training. (with or without a clicker depending on owner preference)

MY GOALS:

My goal in training is to help pet owners develop a better relationship with their dogs. Many times that includes teaching about canine communication and behavior. I also like to help dogs stay out of the shelters and in their homes whenever possible. Training for those unruly dogs can make that a reality for some families.

MY OTHER JOBS:

I am currently the trainer for the HSKC's K-9 Corrections program. I also work as a receptionist at a local veterinary hospital.

MY FAMILY:

I am happily married and the mother of two fabulous children.

Dog Training and Behavior Seminars Attended

11-09 Self Control and Focus Games with Dee Ganley CPDT/CABC/CDBC
6-09 Dog to Dog Aggression with Patricia McConnell PhD
7-08 Debunking the Dominance Myth in Training with Jean Donaldson
6-08 PitBull Education Seminar with Drayton Michaels
3-08 Aggression and Canine Compulsion Disorders with Dr. Nicholas Dodman
4-07 How to Talk Dog with Sarah Kalnajs
6-06 Understanding Canine Body Language with Trish King
4-06 Aggression in Dogs 2 Day Seminar with Brenda Aloff
10-05 Play with Me and Feisty Fidos with Pia Silvani CPDT,CABC
2005 Canine Communication, Meet your Match and and Intro to "Safer" Training with Emily Weiss PhD