Karen Nagurney & Billy

  I'd always figured that I was fairly savvy when it came to dogs. I grew up around animals and I've always had horses, dogs, cats, and other small pets. Then along came Billy.

 

  Billy was ten months old when he came to live with us. Upon his arrival he tore through our house like a wild maniac, flying through the air, jumping over furniture, and knocking over lamps. To make matters worse he was afraid of everything! He was terrified and terrorizing all at the same time. What had I gotten myself into? I quickly realized that those 4-H dog obedience classes I had taken a few decades earlier weren't going to cut it with this guy. I was going to need professional help. Luckily fate intervened and I met Lisa at our first visit to the vet.

 

  It is hard to express in words my gratitude to Lisa at Canine Culture for all of the help and guidance they've given me to help Billy enjoy life and showing me what a world of fun there is to be had with this very special, super energetic dog. It's hard to believe everything that we've accomplished in a relatively short period of time. 

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  We started with obedience classes and mastered a few basic skills, and it is reassuring to Billy, when he knows what he is expected to do in certain situations. The training methods used at Canine Culture are all positive and involve marking the wanted behavior with a word reinforcing that communication with your dog. Lisa is a fantastic (and very patient) teacher and are always able offer a variety of options for dealing with each training situation until you find what works for you. 

 

  I attended one of the Learning Training seminars at Canine Culture. The class was super-informative and a real eye-opener (and fun). I recommend the seminars for anyone who loves dogs.

 

  And then, Billy and I tried weightpulling. I'll admit that at first I was skeptical. I had a notion that weight pulling was reserved for draught horses and tractors. But the calming effect it has on Billy is amazing. It turns out that certain dogs really need some sort of outlet for the excess energy, and weightpulling does the trick in a relatively short period of time without a lot of excitement and running around, and its fun. Now Billy has his own harness and he happily helps me with barn chores and hauling things around the yard; it's important to keep him busy and now he has a job.

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  Billy loves agility class. His acrobatic-furniture-hopping antics are now directed into a fun, acceptable activity. I can remember watching agility competitions on TV and thinking how exciting it looked. I never dreamed that one day I would be involved as a team with my dog learning to navigate an agility course. Thanks to Canine Culture I'm actually doing that too, and we're having a blast!

 

  There are so many exciting things I've been exposed to since I've been coming to Canine Culture: like finding out about all the cool new 'educational' dog toys that are available to occupy your dog's time and make them think; and what to do and what not to do when your dog is nervous and afraid and how to deal with lots of other behavior issues; to discovering all kinds of great activities you can do with your dog. Plus I've met lots of wonderful, responsible dog owners and their dogs. It seems that the more I learn at Canine Culture the more I find there is to know.