NOT EVERY TRAINER IS....

Continued from last issue

by Kat Lakey and her Rott N Friend Tara of Indianapolis, IN.



“To my delight - Janice DeMello herself decided to come out and  

join forces with Sherry and open a training facility/doggy daycare 

center.   I think that one of the reasons she came here - is that 

Sherry found that Indiana has NO motivational training around 

here!  (Fresh territory for a trainer like  Janice).  We signed up 

for her first class on "Start to a Better Finish" an 8 week 

attention class.  It was LOTS of fun.  Janice is a wonderful 

instructor, and runs an excellent class  Anyone who has a chance 

to go to one of Janice's workshops/seminars - take it - you will 

LIKE her ability to get a lot of information CLEARLY across.  We 

are now 1/2 way through the ADVANCED attention responsibility 

class, and have just started the "Steering your way to the top" a 

class on "cruise-control" with the dog.  Tara KNOWS how to pay 

rapt attention when we are working.  She STRUTS with a bounce in 

her step as we practice on our walks!  She enthusiastically works 

at what ever I try with her.   She impresses people right and left 

when we go to the PetSmart to practice (in fact - they offered me 

the chance to teach their obedience classes when the trainer They 

had quit - I didn’t take it).



In the 'steering class' she is catching on quickly to the 'leading 

with the rear' which was a hoot the first time I tried to do it.  

Talk about trying to keep track of too many body parts at once!  

What I am trying to accomplish is that when I twist at the 

shoulders (like preparing to turn left) - the dog (who is paying 

close attention to me) will swing her rear end behind me (also 

preparing for me to turn left).  This keeps her front end lined up 

with me.  That is what we are trying to do.  To teach this - I had 

to (all at the same time now) - hold a tight short leash in my 

left hand, with a dab of cheese on the index finger of my left 

hand pointing out to her where I wanted her nose to point.  I also 

hold a longer leash in my right hand, that has gone around behind 

me - and is being pulled across my front.  I am twisting at the 

waist to give the visual clue - while saying "Come in" - and 

keeping my foot ready in case she mis-interprets my pressure to 

make her sit.  If it is all done right - I twist and she swings 

her rear to the right while her front stays basically in the same 

place (then she gets the treat!).  If it is done wrong - well, you 

have to have a good sense of humor!



Basically what I am trying to say here - is I am SO PROUD of how 

far, how quickly, and how much Tara has learned.  She is learning 

this stuff faster than I am.  And this weekend - we are going to 

the “Awaken the dog within” workshop with Janice.  I am REALLY 

looking forward to it!  Such a change from when I was wondering - 

why would ANYONE do obedience - when all the dogs seemed to hate 

it.  And to make my day - one of the other people in the class 

(who is a trainer who drives all the way from Ohio 2 tines a week 

to learn from Janice) asked me if I have ever copeted with Tara. 

"No." "Well -you are going to wake a few people up with the bouncy 

attitude of your little Rott when you do !”  BOY, did that make my 

day!



EDITOR'S NOTE: Congrats to you Kat for persevering, I prefer to 

see a happy dog having fun learning...this is the mark of a REAL 

trainer.  Anyone can train a dog by shouting conmands and jerking 

the dog around whenever they to make an impression, but a true 

trainer can take ANY dog and educate it to perform any complex 

pattern of things while both are still having fun.  Hard nosed 

trainers are opposed to motivational methods...worried that dog 

will not be reliable....POOH.... have they ever wondered what 

makes intelligent dolphins and sea-lions reliable?....think about 

it?