Solid K9 Training

Clover earning her keep

GSDJeff — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:18:12 GMT

Clover went to some clients with me this weekend to work with dogs that needed some distraction training....dogs that have either never worked with kids or have shown aggression with kids.

Clover...hey...arent you supposed to be working with dogs...did you start a cat training business

Clover giving gardening advice....hey..wait a minute....aren't you supposed to be helping with the dogs.

no she's working.....Quincy who has a habit of lunging at kids is in an intense downstay while Clover walks around her...

Clover working with Rose who's owners are having a baby in a few weeks...learning how to do place command with distractions

Clover resting in between clients..

Fargo being board....

Clover did a great job....she works so hard for me...she loves working with dogs..and all that have met her are blown away at her natural ability to work and understand dogs....she is wise beyond her years..

olympic style

GSDJeff — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 02:50:06 GMT

In honor of the Olympics the above picture......what does this mean....I don't know..that is all I could think of..maybe something about gymnastics

dharma looking just great in a downstay

Cash working his PLACE command with Bella acting as a distraction.....this is in Cash's house and has always had a problem with his space so this is very big for him to do.

Dog Fight

GSDJeff — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 02:28:05 GMT

This week i have 2 new dogs who have been really aggressive towards other dogs....barking and lunging...out of control...so what do you think I did with them.

Bard..who is also going to lose 15lbs and get into incredible shape while at my kennel....

dharma a albino doberman who has a habit of going after other dogs is in a downtsay with mosey inches away...

dharma doing a great PLACE command on day 1

Matrix and Patch playing around.....folks this is very much play...you can see how photos can be taken out of context..someone could use this as showing an aggressive dog or a dog fight...also if people donot understand dog behavior they can really mess up their dogs.

Patch my lovable pit bull went psycho and mauled Matrix and Harley and left them in a pile to bleed....I am not sure what happened...they always got along...it all started when Harley and Matrix called Patches mother a bitch.....

Its a joke......the 3 of them play all day long.

Matrix, Patch and Harley have a great time....

One of my newport clients in Place in her backyard of her summer home...

Romy is Hot!!!!

GSDJeff — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:17:48 GMT

Romy is getting more and more involved with the business...she is so hot...before you know it she will be working with dogs one on one..

Romy and I getting ready to train some dogs with our pre-training dance

Big strong powerful Patch hanging out with coco and cola..they play in the yard and get along great....if you were to adopt a dog or know someone who wants one..why wouldnt you adopt patch..he is the greatest dog in New England to be adopted...trained, gentle, nonaggressive, great with children and other dogs as well strangers...someone adopt Patch...

Eatin Edamame

GSDJeff — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 03:10:48 GMT

Today...I had 2 new clients that started with me..one in Providence and one in Warren .. ...so as you all know my van went into the shop yesterday...I transferred my GPS into Linda's van and I forgot to put it back into mine this morning..the providence client was no problem it was on the East Side off of Hope street..but the Warren client was not..i put the address into my phone and it took my into Bristol and I got lost and I was almost 1 hour late...I ended getting home at 3pm and I'm glad Keeley was working today so the dogs got worked hard before I was able to continue with the afternoon training...linda needed some alone time today so when I came home she split....i hung out with clover and romy and we worked the dogs...dinner time was fun and Clover requested edamame....so the following are pictures of Romy enjoying her dinner...

Clover and Romy eating some edamame..it is cute to watch Romy who is only 18 months crack open the edamame

another picture..i can't get enough of watching them eat

I had a great time hanging with the kids...linda stayed out for a whle until after the kids went to bed....coincidence? I don't think so......getting ready for a HUGE week...lots of new clients starting this week...the kennel is only 1/2 full so all of the dogs are getting lots and lots of work...

Italian Night

GSDJeff — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 02:16:18 GMT

Tonight after all the dogs had eaten and had trained I took 5 dogs out of a 5 mile walk into downtown Providence by way of Atwells Ave..there was an Italian Fest going on downtown. Linda, Romy and Clover also came...it was a nice night out...Patch also came with me and he usually does not. This was actually his first time walking with The Pack and had a great time and listened very well.

Max, Uma, Bella, Matrix and Patch all came for a walk..Clover and Romy are in the stroller in the background.

All 5 dogs stay in a pretty good Heel the whole way..it is interesting to walk all dogs in a row...the most I have down is 7 dogs like this..all on the left..all in heel and all sitting when I come to a stop.

Enjoying some Dels lemonade downtown while all 5 dogs are in a great downstay...we where there for about 15 minutes...lots of people going by...lots of noise, which makes for great training.

Clover and romy throwing pennies in the fountain on Depasquale Plaza..thats linda in the pink shirt

The city was packed..lots of people asked questions of the dogs...and a lot of people bent down to pet them without asking...I still do not understand why people still do that...anyway we had a great time...everyone is tired..

Making the Bread

GSDJeff — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 04:07:14 GMT

I have a client that just loves to cook for me...every time I go over her house to work with her dog, I end up taking home a big bag of great food....so......today I brought home some home made bread and spread....I am in love with the bread...the kids love the bread....tonight I ate bread for dinner.....appetizer....main course and dessert was bread and of course the bread was also the bread...

Romy enjoys the fruit of my labor.....I think she needs a haircut...linda doesn't...these kids today with the long hair and the rock and roll music...the internet....ipods it never ends with these kids LOL

I was in Newport today with a couple of clients and also dropped the van off at the shop today...it is schedule for a lot of work....doesn't anyone work on VW vans that owns a dog that needs training

Colleen has been caught

GSDJeff — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:07:33 GMT

One of my clients up in Swansea has 2 beautiful GSD and we did some great training the other day..I used Matrix who is one of my Board and Train dogs

Tonight we got Colleen....not the way we wanted to but we got her...word on the street was that she was blowing out of town..so Linda and I along with Max went to Thayer Street looking for her....we went right over to the shed behind CVS where a lot of the homeless kids hang out..heard a bunch of chatter and saw her sitting on a wall...so a shined a flashlight in her face....went right up to her..grabbed her and dragged her about 10 feet..put her on her stomach with her hands behind her back and put handcuffs on her....meanwhile with Max at my side..a can of bear spray in my hand I made sure that that no one approached us...the placed cleared out real quick and the police came....they ran Colleens info and found the warrant for her arrest...so...she got into the police car and went nuts......anyway...she is going to the training school and will be locked up for a while....

so......the timing was perfect...in her bag was her journal which gave us info about what she was doing while on the run and she was getting ready to head south with another one of the kids from the street....she had been doing a lot of drinking and hard core drugs..so as hard as it was to do this it is for the best...Linda feels good about it and that is all that matters to me...

Thank all of you for your prayers and your thoughts..it has meant a lot to Linda and I.

Tucker and Topper enjoying water during some hard core play...these guys come in for a 2 week boot camp refresher training every couple of months while their parents travel....they love it at the kennel and I love having them...

thats it for today...time to go to sleep..its late and I got dogs to train in a few hours

To NH and Back

GSDJeff — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:11:55 GMT

I went up to NH to bring back Shadow and Sassy...got up there at around 7pm and came back to Providence about 2pm today...I think they are going to do really great as long as they keep up with the daily walks (hint hint Melissa)

Shadow and Sassy did not no how to swim when they arrived and they both left incredible swmmers.....

the other morning I had a great addition to my morning walk..one of my Clients was walking with her dog and she joined me and was able to keep her dog in a great heel the whole way...he dog has always had issues with other dogs and did great ...we are doing it again in the am...

Hard to tell but there is 7 dogs total..and we had a great time...

I slept in the van last night with the dogs....did i get any sleep..no so what did i do...watched You Tube videos on my Iphone...put me right to sleep...

my master cylinder on my van is going...so I can barely brake...another repair for the van...it goes inon Saturday for some repairs.....colleen is still missing...she also missed a court date which means there is a warrant out for her arrest..and the cops in North Providence as well as Providence are looking for her...

Linda is a wreck.....but she is keeping herself busy for her first year of homeschooling the kids...all 3 of the kids that will be homeschooled are really excited...Linda will make the perfect teacher...

Sunday...time to think..time to play

GSDJeff — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 02:28:17 GMT

so...i have been a little under the weather friday and saturday...today i am feeling a little better..thank god for my support staff and assistant trainers or I would never be able to make it through my days with being back and forth between kennel dogs and on the road dogs.

I got a nice chunk taken out of my thumb this morning from one of the dogs....my fault...it is a dog that is in for aggression issues and I got too comfortable with it...so.....thats just the way it is...

i am going to put up a vcast of Ushi working with my kids..

you can download the video to your itunes and then put it onto your iphone or ipod...you can also save it to your computer or just click on the arrow above and it will play..be patient and wait for the download...just a little movie i put together to break up my night.

so tomorrow is monday and we all do it over again...

Patch Shows off

GSDJeff — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 02:14:34 GMT

Patch went to the WBNA festivial this past thursday with me..i did a small demo with what he is capable of doing and he met a ton of kids and adults alike...just to show you how well he did..he allows numerous kids to pet him at once...he never uses his mouth around them.

Patch in a downstay while lots of little kids pet him...he always looks to me for approval.

anoher photo with bella in place patch is in a downstay while patch gets some affection

I allow Patch to get belly rubs

patch in place while i am giving a demo at the WBNA

Taking new clients

GSDJeff — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:50:06 GMT

I am able to take new clients....i have had many many people wanting to know when I could fit them in...so call me or email me to sign up for my training program...today I will also be at Dexter Street Parade Ground in Providence with my van and some dogs. There is a festival going on and I will be doing a demo of dog training...bring your check books and your cash to sign up for my training. I will also have Patch who is up for adoption doing some obedience work.

my morning crew...7 dogs

Fun Pictures

GSDJeff — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:36:44 GMT

Looking through my photos from the last few days I feel that I need to get some photos up...my clients often request more and more photos...

Clover hanging out underneath the A frame

Clover helping out with water duty

Clover eating a piece of fruit up on her swing set....FYI I never put in a ladder to this and there is a small rockwall on the other side so if Clover wants to go up she always has to go up the rockwall which is great exercise for her...

Patch and Matrix wrestling in the dirt

My morning seven...yep seven dogs all walking in heel on my left..i will have a video up soon of this.

Left to Right, max, matrix, bella, shadow, sassy, tsubo and uma

Ushi comes to me when I call her and gets some love

I'm using "butter" the inflatable lobster fromthe pool makes a great distraction for mosey and harley while clover helps with the car

thats it today...these were all taken in the last 48 hours......i have been very busy with the kennel and being on the road...time to work on some videos...got to go...

Ushi a change in attitude in 24 hours

GSDJeff — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:46:58 GMT

Ushi came to me with some aggression issues...she is only with me for 2 weeks while her owners take a vacation. She bit me the first day and has gone after anyone putting their hands near her head....so how do you deal with a dog like this.....my method is simple...if she growls, lunges and bites at anyone and they move away then the dog wins...so the first step is to get the dog out of the kennel...i had the client bring the crate from home since I wanted to make sure that the dog got used to coming out of its own crate....i also am not going to go into the crate and give it food as bribery to get it out...because then I am praising it for being aggressive ....this is because we do not know what the dog is thinking..

so what do i do..i get my 6 foot aggression pole out(the pole has a loop on the end that you slip over the dogs head, pull the end and twist and then you can drag the dog out)..put on my bite gloves and my leather apron and go in and get the dog.

some people look at this as mean or possible scaring the dog...oh well get over it....

well.....this next photo is 24 hours later

its hard to tell from this photo but Ushi is doing a play bow and is extremely excited to go outside with me...the reason is that we established that coming out of your crate leads to going outside with me, which means we are going to either 1)go to the bathroom 2)play with a ball or toy 3)do some training..and she loves to do all 3 with me....

this is Ushi allowing me to put on her training collar before we go outside....the day before she was trying to bite the hands

Ushi working in a heel through cones while Clover acts as a distraction..

so where are we within 72 hours of Ushi arriving...

She comes out of her crate when told...goes and waits by the door to go outside...goes outside....follows me around the training yard..comes to me when I call her and allows me to pet her up and down all over her body..we go for training walks and always sits when I stop...does her sit/stay.....does the PLACE command...is starting to socialize with other dogs...and I have high hopes for her...

Really Nice Testimonial

GSDJeff — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:46:55 GMT

It is always nice to get testimonial and I know potential clients feel confident once they have read my testimonials....and I know that my competitors like them since I have seen parts of my testimonials on their websites passing them off as theirs.....The below testimonial is from an officer in the Navy stationed in Newport..

Picture to follow and it will be posted on the permanent Testimonial page

Initially I doubted myself- and whether or not my 2 year old trained German Shepherd, brought back from Europe, actually required “professional” help. Brixen was a very sweet dog, perfectly behaved indoors, got along fantastically with other people and strangers, and, for the most part, knew and listened well to his obedience training.
But there were a few “issues” I couldn’t seem to work out. Around other dogs, he was either perfectly normal, or started aggressively barking and lunging- no telling what his reaction to the next dog around the corner would be. In an effort to avoid this embarrassment- and potential danger- I began to alter our running/walking routes to avoid any other dogs along the way- not an easy task! My cat, Bailey- an adopted Siamese that had been declawed- was terrified of him, as Brixen glanced at him as if he were contemplating dinner. I had to keep them in separate areas of the house, but knew I couldn’t have Bailey upstairs and Brixen downstairs forever.    And his off leash recall was somewhat shaky. Of course I rationalized this as him being excited to finally run free, given my rather diminutive backyard. Besides, he always came back…just not quite when I wanted. But I knew how dangerous this could be if he ran the wrong way. I bought dog training books and researched hours online, trying a variety of training tactics. I ensured his basic needs were met- he received plenty of exercise and play, and understood that I was the pack leader (or so I thought). Still, I couldn’t quite eradicate these problems- or even determine their cause.
My research finally led me to trainers in the area. While there are a number to choose from, I selected Jeff because of his experience, intense philosophy, and training methods.   Still a bit wary of whether or not Brix would respond if indeed he even needed this level of intervention, I arranged the first meeting. After a rather intense, focused session, I noticed an immediate change in Brixen. That session was enough for me to realize that this was a necessary step for my dog, and Jeff was exactly the trainer to help. He has a profound love for the dogs and an interest in making them better members of society. Training included all aspects- from food and care to the specific lessons.   Very few trainers will actually go to the dog’s home to better understand the environment that is shaping the behavior. This critical visit allowed us to understand what was going on with Brixen, and formulate a far more in depth training program. The level of concern and attentiveness displayed by Jeff towards the dogs is unparalleled. Training dogs is truly his passion, and he certainly has a gift for it.
The adoption of Jeff’s training techniques has left me with a perfectly obedient, eager to please dog. He responds instantly to commands- regardless of whether he is on or off leash, or he has been sniffing the most interesting scents.   After being on crutches for a couple weeks, I realized the value of his improved performance- he would heel perfectly alongside the crutch as we made our way to the park. I would let him off lead to play- quite the leap of faith, since I couldn’t exactly run after him if he decided not to listen.   He always responded instantly, earning admiring looks and compliments as to his attentiveness and responsiveness.
Brixen regularly plays with other dogs- turns out, he’s actually pretty submissive in the dog world, and was likely just very excited and lonely. He has learned to control this, and knows he may only play (or sniff) whenever he is given a release. Even better, he is the only dog in the dog park that will actually perform a perfect recall- repeatedly- in the midst of playing with the pack.   He has played well with every size and personality of dog- from tiny Yorkies to a massive Akita. Never a problem, and I’m fully confident in his newly modified behavior.
Working with Jeff has been a fantastic experience for both Brixen and I. He is always available to answer questions, resolve issues, or offer advice on any matter, from training questions and vaccinations to what exactly one does when a dog is sprayed by a skunk. His kennel facilities and care are some of the best I’ve ever seen, and his training results are immediate and undeniable.
I would absolutely recommend him for anyone seeking a perfectly trained dog.

Rachael and Brixen -Newport, RI

Another VCast the Place Command

GSDJeff — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:10:46 GMT

This is the second of a series of Video Casts that I will be doing..this one is on the PLACE command most likely the best command that I teach...you can also go to my Training Tips page to get the printed version for this...remember you can also download this to your Itunes. Be patient it is a big file...you can download it to your computer or it should play right off of your screen..

Colleen has run again

GSDJeff — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:58:27 GMT

So after linda spent the weekend going shopping for Colleen for all of the things she will need in Rehab for today..she packed it all up and ran in the middle of the night...which sucks because when she is caught she will have to go directly to jail..which does not have a rehab program that will help her...so...obviously Linda is a mess and is out looking for her...so again I will put out her information...

Name: Colleen Glen
DOB 8/7/92 15yrs old
Weight 105lbs
Height 5'2"
Hair color: It is brown at the moment..not blond as the picture shows
Most likely wearing shorts and a tank top
She has a small heart tattoo on her chest that can be seen with her shirt on. It is a homemade one out of blue ink.
She will most possibly be with other runaways.
If you see her please call me at 401.527.6354 or Linda at 401.368.5352

I'm a dirty smelly man

GSDJeff — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:24 GMT

So......under huge pressure from Linda not to write about this, I owe it to my readers to let you know. I think I only took a shower twice this week....I roll out of bed at 5am and usually fall asleep doing work on my computer around midnight or so...and I was going through my pictures this week and realized that I did not change my clothes much...I finally took a shower last night and I am not as tan as I thought I was since most of it was dirt and it washed off...I am not sure why this is...maybe I don't have to go to an office....maybe I enjoy smelling like sweat, wet dog, dog poop and urine mixed in with dirty diapers...maybe as long as I keep using my Old Spice Sport deodorant I really don't notice the smell...anyway...today Linda finished up shopping for stuff for Colleen to take to Caritas house for her long stay..hopefully at least 6 months to get help....it rained most of the day and the dogs got wet...it was manageable for them...no swimming...my first client of the day was in Hopkinton RI..which is about 40 miles from my house...a great family with a great dog...

Rocco a 9 month old Cane Corso working on his Sit/Stay...this is only the second time I have worked with him and 2 weeks ago he would have been all over my dogs..he is doing great.

Ushi (left) and Tsubo work on the PLACE command while Clover is a distraction and goes between them with the car..both have been known to be aggressive towards kids and I am working on this issue with them...Ushi has only been with me for 2 days and is a little nervous/anxious still...

It is time for my voiceover work for my next vcast...hopefully once you all read this it will be done and I will put it up tomorrow on the website.

Panera Bread

GSDJeff — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:04:23 GMT

so the highlight of the day came tonight when i went out with linda and 5 of the 6 kids to Panera Bread....Olivia came home from NYC just for the day to hang out with Colleen and have a good talk with her...Olivia has had her own issues with drugs and alcohol and spent time in the same position as Colleen has, so it was great that she came home to help us out with Colleen...Olivia has been modeling in NYC for about 1 year already and is self supporting, (even sends me money every month for her cell phone)

they have this 1/2 sandwich and salad with pineaple, strawberry, blueberry and a poppyseed dressing that is really great....so the 7 of us can go out to dinner for under $50.00...our big splurge of the week...

I had my usual 7am training session in Barrington today..every Saturday I meet with a great couple and we do a training walk...I really enjoy the conversations and of course Starbucks at the halfway mark.

Clover has some sort of itchy rash on her..she was making a big deal about it and really milking it for attention.

Clover with a baking soda mix on the legs of Clover...she took the day off from dog training today..

Ill let you come up with your own caption for this one LOL

Tsubo who may be aggressive towards kids, came to me for a 2 week boot camp...and of course i put him with children to start working on his obedience with children.

Romy hangs out until she feels comfortable while Clover uses the hand mower for a distraction as Tsubo focuses on me during some PLACE training...he is doing really really well..plays with all the kids...all the dogs and all of my staff can work with him...

its late...i have not gotten much sleep this week..i am going to try to get some sleep after this...long day tomorrow..more filming..i need to get another VCAST done...the Place command is my next VCAST

It's getting crazy

GSDJeff — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 03:47:38 GMT

Is everyone telling their friends about my blog? Over the last 3 days i have had triple the amount of visitors to my blog than every before..and folks are going through the whole blog from the start..thank you all....I write my blog to clear my head...to share my thoughts and it is being read...

Today after working 18 hours..which is my usual schedule.. 6am-10pm approx. and as tired as I am it has been very very rewarding..and I have been getting emails thanking me for coming into different families lives and mostly after the first time...thank you all for writing me...it makes the hard work worth it.

below is a little sampling of the last 48 hours of my life...

between 11am-1pm the dogs have down time from training...all are in the kennels and I still use the time for paperwork and cleanup..as you can see I also use the time for training..I have Matrix in the PLACE command...he was in PLACE for about an hour...he will be expected to do this in his own home when he goes back. This is great for household mgmt.

This is a newcomer...he arrived yesterday and has already bitten me...he is with me because of some aggression issues.....he enjoys sinking his sharp little teeth into flesh..LOL...he is a great dog....i have high hopes for him....I have an interesting training program for him combining...intense obedience with intense play....he is going to do great

Another newcome..Tsubo has had some issues with random aggression..and his owner wants to make sure he is going to be okay around children...so what do i do...put him with my kids...he is doing great..having lots of fun...playing with al of the dogs and the kids. This is taken in my childrens area of the training yard...he is in the PLACE command while the kids are running around

6 week old German/Belgian Shepherds that i started working with today..the owners got them at 2 weeks old and have been bottle feeding them...I have formulated a great training plan for them..it is unusual to start working with a dog at such a young age...

Can you say Crystal Clear water...yes the dogs use this pool..only the best for my board and train dogs

Tsubo who has had a habit of lunging and trying to bite random people on the Blvd and coffee shops heads to Starbucks with me to do some training

Tsubo at Starbucks with me.....he did great..lots of people...lots of dogs going by...kids...strollers...great job Tsubo

6 dogs in a downstay....this is half way through our morning walk...the dogs were in a downstay for 30 minutes while i was talking to someone..this is in the street...cars, trucks, runners and bikes were always going by and no one moved.

look closely...the dogs are 100 feet away from me....lots of dogs..lots of poop....the dogs that you all see in a downstay are doing a sit stay while I throw poop bags out in a dumpster...they all stay in command...do not move...they did great...this is what Solid K9 Training is all about...

besides what you see above..i had a bunch of great training at home work and spent some awesome time with the kids...romy is growing up and doing great with the dogs..she is only 18 months old and she is showing great promise as a dog trainer....as you all know Clover who is only 3 has been training dogs for most of her life and is a great help...