About the Happy Hound

When Fred, Dog of Destiny, came into my life, I decided to
take dog training very seriously. I jerked and pulled him
through Levels I, II, and III. He took it well--many people
were astonished how well he did "for a Basset"--but it
eventually became tedious for us both. For a lark, we took
an agility class. We were introduced to the clicker. I didn't
"get" it.

Then we took a clicker class. We charged the clicker -- I
clicked and treated no particular behaviors until Fred
realized that a click meant a treat. Fred was VERY
interested. I asked Fred to sit. Fred sat. I clicked and
treated. His eyebrows shot up and I swear he said, "You're
kidding! I get REWARDED for doing the right thing?"

That's when it hit me: I have always learned best when my
teachers have used praise and encouragement (high value
reinforcers for me), coupled with gradual--and intermittent
increases in challenge.

That launched our ongoing search for seriously fun ways to
learn stuff. A lot of our discoveries have been accidental.
We have discovered that a great way to set up a "heeling"
exercise…is to have a skateboard at the end of it. A fun
way to work on a down/stay from a distance is to toss
healthy treats—like bits of carrot and apple—for Fred to
catch sitting on his dog bed on the other side of the
kitchen.

I began to get really serious about positive dog training. I
attended thePeaceable Paws Intern Academy—ultimately
focusing on Behavior Modification—and studied with Pat
Miller, past president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers
(APDT) and training editor for Whole Dog Journal. At
Peaceable Paws, students learn behavioral science through
intensive hands-on experience and extensive written and
practical exams.

In addition to membership in the APDT and the
International Association of Dog Behavior Consultants, I am
enrolled at Cynology College, working towards an Advanced
Degree in Canine Behavioral Sciences.