June is always a big change with the kids being out of school, and now this summer I have a new puppy!

Ravioli is shaping up to a be a relatively easy puppy, although we are still working on crate and xpen quietness! Making huge progress when he knows we're home. Not so much when he thinks he's alone.

So far cuddling and toys rank very high on his favorite list. Food not so much. But as of right now he is doing a better job of going from a short amount of food training to toy play and then back to toys, without the food lowering in value even further like it did when Loot, my BC, was a puppy.

Right now we are mostly doing short outings to look at things, and training is primarily toy skills (because that's what he loves!) and stepping on things.

Here is his adorable 3-month-old video!

In June I also left the puppy, and Loot, to take Ginny to the Midwest Cup. The one event a year I travel to. Loot was supposed to come, but I realized there was no way to manage his current issues with dogs barking.

Ginny met my goal of taking the start and finish jump in the correct direction every course! Last year that was not a gimmee and her thoughts about the reward especially affected the last jump to be a bonus backside!

My favorite run with Ginny at the Midwest Cup! We got the off course tunnel at #5 but then she nailed it! 2 hard threadle wraps!

Ring Confidence Group

In case you've missed it, I have a free Ring Confidence training group on Facebook!

This last month I wrote some more about Ginny's trip to the Midwest Cup and having different plans for how to engaget them before starting. Do you have a backup plan if your "energizing plan" seems like it's overpowering and nagging?

Click here to join read!

I also discussed how while with most dogs I do rewards at a distance with a self-serve open container, with some dogs I use am always the one to pick up and hand them the reward. I still have it low enough it's "stealable" so I get better feedback on how hard it is, but it's not as hard on their brain when they know they won't be grabbing it themselves.

Click to join and read!

JuneTraining Videos

Here are 8 videos from the past month's daily uploads of training. Just click on the picture to be taken to tiktok. (And if you prefer the unedited versions, head to facebook or instagram!) I hope these videos give you some helpful tips to try or inspire you to train something new!

1 video of Vaughn working on leaving the dish with me! This was his 2nd session.

And Ravioli! This video is a sped up session during his first week home with me! You can see he loves his snuggles and defaults to that whenever he's unsure.

Loot is still working on rebuilding his box feeding foundations after the "incident" in February with the train noise as he was eating from it at the dog club. He still loves his box, but can't eat as well out in public in general since his issues with dog barking started so I'm taking the box work slowly again. Anyway, here is a fun game we worked on with ignoring distractions!

Video of Vaughn working on his left pivot out of motion. This "left square" is how I start my forward heelwork- the precision track. (The other track is big right circles for flow and energy!)

Socializiation with Ravi have primarily been hanging out and watching things! He's been very chill so we end up doing a lot of cuddling and playing too!

Rear foot target was introduced with Ravi once he had value for stomping on things.

And Loot is working on his retrieve to front. He loves the game where I chuck it really far and build suspense before sending!

And finally Freya shows some rally fun! This has her moving down at the end!

Pop Stand Workshop

Teach a pop stand even if you don't do obedience or rally because it's super fun! Workshop just started the 29th and ends the 6th!

Click here!

Upcoming August Classes

Registration opens July 22nd, put it on your calendar now so you don't forget!

Learn how to keep the happiness and focus you have outside the ring as you move inside the ring!

Ring Confidence

Retrieves, fancy front work, marking a line, pivots, more!

TEAM2: Comp Obed fun!

Follow me on the social media platform of your choice to try and catch all my daily training videos. I hope they inspire you to try something fun with your dog! And join my free facebook group on building ring confidence for dog sports!