What to do with old Petco Polo type Shirts

Me dressed for Christmas 2012

I have heard a rumor that Petco (allegedly " the place where the healthy pets go") will be phasing out those uncomfortable polo-type shirts from their uniforms soon.

I have many friends and colleagues in the employ of Petco. As a service to all of you I thought I would give you a few helpful suggestions of ways to re-purpose these highly uncomfortable and questionably fashionable clothing items.

My Radio Station with Dust Covers almost completely in place

As you know, as of May 2013, I am no longer a Petco employee. I found a use for my almost worn out shirts. I use them as dust covers for some of my amateur
(Ham) Radio Equipment. I realize that not all of you are Ham Operators. So, I thought I would add a few suggestions that occur to me:

Cleaning rags
Grease Rags
Pot Holders
Sew up the sleeves, collar and bottom... add a hole to fuel and fill with helium or hydrogen and perhaps you could make a giant floating balloon.

My Radio Station ready for operation

Altered properly, they could be made into a dog shirt.
Toaster or kitchen appliance cozy
Dog crate liner
Stuff them with the proper filler, sew sleeves, bottom, and collar then perhaps they would make a pillow.
Sew sleeves and collar, add a handle near the bottom and make a beach bag.
Attach to the end of a mop handle and use to apply wax to floors.

I hope this has been helpful to you! If you have other creative ideas to re-purpose these things I am sure that my friends at Petco would love to read them all! Please feel free to add them to the comment section here!

Till Next Time -

William

(I really hope you appreciate my attempt at humor)

William Moore Canine Training
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com
678-702-4791

Happy New Year and things to remember regarding your dogs this holiday.

The Lovely and Awesome Shane, Cuddles the Corgi mix, Copper the Whopper Beagle, Cody the little Beagle, Trigger the dapple Dachshund, Foster Girl Gracy ( the Georgia Gracy Hound), and Foster Boy Dr. Phil McBeagle wish you a Happy New Year!

The Lovely Shane and I will be observing southern tradition and having collard greens and blackeyed peas on New Years Day.

As I mentioned around July 4, fireworks continue to be illegal in this part of the country. However, this does not seem to stop people from firing them. This may bring out anxiety in your little guys and girls. Our little beagle, Cody is scared of fireworks. We have to try to make him more comfortable at times when they are being fired.

To make Cody more comfortable we will have distractions in the house. We will play some music or turn on the Television set to mask the offending war zone like sounds. It is also important that you not make a big deal about the fireworks. In other words remain calm. Resist the urge to say something like "poor Cody" and put your arms around him when the fireworks go off. This type of reaction makes the anxiety worse. Just ignore the fireworks. If Cody sees no reaction in us, he is likely not react either.

This may go with out mentioning but, I am going to mention it anyway: Please, please, please keep your dog inside during the fireworks. If a dog gets scared he may run off and get hurt or lost in the process.

If you need help teaching your dogs to be polite little boys and girls, please contact me at anytime! I always tell you., " Polite Dogs = Happy People". Let me help you get happy today!

Till next time

-William-

William Moore Canine Training
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com
678-702-4791

Merry Christmas and a few things to remember about your canine friends at Christmas.

The Lovely Shane, Cuddles the Corgi Mix, Copper the Whopper Beagle, Cody the Little Beagle, Trigger the Dapple Dachshund, Foster Girl Gracy, Foster Boy Dr. Phil McBeagle, and I wish to extend Christmas Greetings to you and your families! Thank You for your support over the year. We really appreciate your business and the opportunity to communicate with you through this blog!

Non - Dog Training related Christmas message to my Christian friends and readers:

While there are differing theological views regarding the origin of this holiday, some with which I agree and some with which I do not, I think it wise to set that aside and remember why we, as Christians, claim to observe this holiday. While we may disagree on the Scriptural support for the observance of this day, it is clear the reason for this holiday, Christ, is the center of our faith. It is not clear, at least from my reading of the Bible, if the early church observed Christ's birth, or any other birth for that matter. It is however, clear that without Christ, we are lost.

So, my fellow Christians, I encourage you to ponder this:

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. ( And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was Governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem;(because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was , while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for him in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the Glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel of the Lord said unto them, Fear not: for behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David is a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:1-11 (KJV)

I am not a theologian...... but.... it does seem that if we chose to observe Christmas, the above passage is worthy of consideration. Our Savior, Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection is the reason for our faith. So perhaps we should spend a little time thinking of this particular passage of scripture and its impact on our lives. The parties, time with family, gifts, etc. are not bad but, the real reason we claim to celebrate on this holiday is the birth of our Savior!

I realize that has little to do with dog training. Christmas is however, widely viewed as a Christian Holiday so, I felt compelled to put it in perspective.

Dog Training Related Christmas Message:

I have mentioned many times before that dogs are very much routine oriented. They do much better and seem to be happier when they have an established routine. For this reason, Christmas, or any other holiday (vacation, etc.) can be difficult for our canine friends.

The break in routine, can in many cases overwhelm and stress even a normally polite little guy or girl. Please remember this if you plan to have new people as guests in your home for a party or other event. The new people and perhaps loud music, etc. can be very stressful for our little buddies. 

If we consider strategies ahead of time, we can make this much easier on our canine friends. You may want to consider making them a comfortable and safe place in a room as far as possible from the festivities.

 Make it fun for them! Maybe give them something special to occupy time. A frozen peanut butter filled Kong style toy many times is a good thing to use! Check on the little guys from time to time. Maybe keep the Television on for them in the room. Also, make sure they have had plenty of exercise the day of the party or event. If they are tired, they will be more likely to relax.

If you plan it right, Christmas can be a fun time for your little buddies too!

Remember, what your dog really wants is to spend time with you! He wants your love. So, even though dogs love treats and toys, my opinion is that they love your attention even more! So, if you really want to give your dog a gift he will love for Christmas, do something special to spend more quality time with him. Maybe a special ride to the park or a day going shopping with Mommy and Daddy (as I have told you before, there are many stores that welcome dogs).

Well I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas! 

As always, please contact me if you need help with training your dog to be a polite little guy or girl. I always tell you, "Polite Dogs = Happy People". Let me help you get happy today!

Thank you for your support.

Till Next Time

-William

William Moore Canine Training

fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

678-702-4791

Adventures of Gracy : Housebreaking and Socialization

Foster Girl Gracy in the dog basket.

I am happy to report that Foster Girl Gracy is making great progress! We are very proud of her here at the Dog Training/Foster Shack!

When she first joined our pack, she was not housebroken and needed some work on socialization. As you may remember, Gracy is about 6 months old. She was very sick during the first few months of her life and had to remain in her crate most of the time. As a result, she was never really socialized much and she was not housebroken.

Socialization:

She is a very sweet girl. She loves people. However, she gets stressed when there are too many people or other dogs around. This became apparent when we first started taking her to adoption events at Petco in Peachtree City,GA. The first day we took her to an indoor adoption event, she immediately became overwhelmed and extremely stressed. I had to take her back to the shack after about 10 minutes.

Gracy enjoying the backyard sunshine
 at the Dog Training/Foster Shack

At the adoption event the next weekend, I kept her in a crate right next to a chair in which I was seated. She was still nervous and a little stressed but she did better. I would occasionally let her our of the cage to sit on my lap. The other volunteers also gave her some attention. This seemed to make her more comfortable.

Last weekend at the adoption event we put her in a small pen that was open on the top. She did much better. 

During those three weeks, between adoption events, I was really trying to make her more comfortable around people. She went over to her foster grandma and grandpa's house several times. Each time she became more comfortable over there. She loved the attention and the treats! I also worked with her around other dogs by taking some of the other pack members on walks to grandma and grandpa's house with her. 

She has made a great deal of progress over the last few weeks. However, as with many things in dog training, it takes patience and routine. We have to slowly introduce her to more people and dogs and make it a very positive experience for her.

Housebreaking:

With Gracy, we had a fairly unique but not unheard of issue. Because of the extended time she had to spend in the crate when she was sick, she learned to eliminate in the crate. When she first arrived at the shack, the crate was the only place that she would eliminate. That made for some very nasty clean-ups.

We began watching for signs that she needed to eliminate (i.e circling a spot, stress, etc). When we saw these signs we immediately took her outside. We also took her outside immediately when she had accidents in the house. We stopped keeping her in the crate at night and when we were away. We just left the door open on the crate. We also kept her where we could see her when we were home.

Dr. Phil McBeagle. He has no direct connection to this post
He is just a cute little foster guy in our pack. He will
be available for adoption very soon!

I noted how long it usually takes for her to eliminate after eating  (it was about 5 mins) and I began taking her out 5 minutes after meals.  We also took her out about once an hour when we were home and she was awake.

She still could not make it through the night without accidents. So, we set an alarm for 3:00 am and one of us would wake her up and take her out at 3:00. Most of the time she eliminated outside at 3:00 am. 

Eventually we noticed that she could make it through the night. 

I am pleased to announce that she rarely has accidents inside anymore! We are very proud of our little foster girl. 

Her housebreaking was difficult but, because we were diligent and developed a routine for her, the effort has been very successful!

I am writing this not to blow my own horn but to encourage my readers. If you have a dog with housebreaking or socialization problems, the situation is far from hopeless. I know that it is extremely frustrating but, you can be successful! It takes proper technique, determination and routine.

The Lovely Shane dressed for Christmas working on master
degree classes from the office at the Dog Training Shack

If you need help with the technique please contact me at anytime, I will be happy to help! As I always tell you, "Polite Dogs = Happy People". Let me help you get happy today!

Gracy is available for adoption. If you are considering adding a new addition to your pack, please, please, please, consider adoption! There are many little guys and girls like Gracy who desperately need and want a forever home. If you are in the Atlanta Area please contact me and I will be happy to get you in touch with a wonderful local rescue group!

Till Next Time

-William-

Dr. Phil McBeagle anexity update

The brave Dr Phil McBeagle waiting to cross the scary
kitchen doorway at the Dog Training/Foster Shack.

I am happy to report that Dr.Phil McBeagle is making great progress in overcoming his phobia of interior doorways! The Lovely Shane and have been using the techniques that I described in my last post.

Dr. Phil McBeagle bravely crossing the doorway
from living room to Dog Training Office. He is followed by
Cuddles the Corgi Mix.

After two days of using these techniques, Dr. Phil no longer had to be coaxed using treats. Sometimes he does not even slow down through the doorways.

I think it also helped that he could see that the rest of the pack had no problems at the doorways.

We are very proud of Dr.Phil here at the Dog Training Shack!

I hope that Dr.Phil's story helps to encourage some of you who have an anxious dog. There is hope! With the proper technique, persistence, patience and routine, you can be successful as well!

Dr. Phil is a very affectionate beagle. He really loves sitting next to Foster Daddy and getting petted! He can be quite the couch potato. He loves to watch TV. We do not watch that much TV here at the shack. But, Dr. Phil likes to lay next to me on the bed, just before bedtime, and watch a little TV.

Dr. Phil McBeagle exploring the back yard with Copper and Trigger

We are going to now begin working more on loose leash walking. I really don't think Dr. Phil ever really learned to walk on a leash. He does okay, he really does not pull that much but, he likes to put the brakes on so to speak and not move forward. We are going to work with him using positive reinforcement. I think he will make fast progress on loose leash walking.

He is really a smart dog and wants to please the people. However, as is common with beagles, he can be stubborn too.

We have begun our diet and exercise program. It is a little too soon to notice any results. He is quite an active dog for his age so that is encouraging!

I think it has really helped Dr. Phil McBeagle to be a part of our pack. Copper the Whopper Beagle and the rest of the pack have been really good about welcoming him and helping him to learn how the pack should behave. Phil loves to work for treats with Copper and the rest of the pack. We are working on the down command now. He has pretty much mastered sit and stay. We are going to begin working with him on how to wait and behave properly at doorways.

Remember, Dr. Phil is looking for a forever home. He loves it here as a foster at our place, but he really needs a permanent home with people who love him and can devote lots of time to him :) .

Dr. Phil really loves people and attention! He loves to go visit his foster grandparents! They live next door to us and love to pet our dogs and give them treats!

If you need help training your dogs to be polite, please contact me! I always tell you, " Polite Dogs = Happy People" Let me help you to get happy today!!!

Till Next Time

-William-

William Moore Canine Training
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com
678-702-4791

Anxiety: Dr. Phil McBeagle

The doorways at the Dog Training/Foster Shack are not nearly
this scary looking. It seems this may be how Dr. Phil McBeagle
sees them.

Our newest foster boy, Dr. Phil McBeagle, seems to have some anxiety issues. I suspect that his fears are the result of some previous trauma.

Even your macho dog trainer friend would be apprehensive
of crossing this particular doorway!

The most concerning phobia that he seems to have involves interior doorways. He is really scared to cross doorways inside the shack. He does not seem to have as big of an issue going inside or outside the structure. In fact he is house trained and has not had any accidents since he got here.

He just appears to be terribly frightened of crossing doorways from one room to the next. Once he is in the room he is okay.

He also cowers if you try to pet him on the head. I suspect that this is also the result of past trauma, Perhaps someone hit him on the head in an attempt to discipline the poor little guy.

It thought it may be helpful to some of you if I write about this problem and how we are going to address it here at the shack.

It is very important that the dog not be forced into a situation that he fears. It will not help to try to force him through the doorway. In fact, in Dr. Phil's case, it is almost impossible to force him short of physically carrying him through.

In Dr. Phil's case, The Lovely Shane and I are using techniques that involve what us dog trainers, just to sound cool, sometimes call desensitization and rehabilitation. Basically, the objective is to help the dog to become less sensitive to what we call, the stimuli (doesn't that sound cool). In Dr. Phil's case the stimuli is the interior doorways. This seems to be what stimulates his fearful behavior. So, our objective is to make him less sensitive to the stimuli or to the doorways. We do this by using a motivator that is desirable to him. In his case, and with most beagles, tasty treats make a very good motivator. So, we have to make him associate the treats and the praise that he gets from us with walking through the doorway. It is not as fast and easy as it sounds. There are certain techniques to learn and the timing is really important. But, with persistence and patience, this method can be very successful in addressing this type of anxiety.


We have already begun this technique and it is beginning to work a little. But, I can not stress enough, this is a slow process. We do not know what sort of trauma the little guy has been through. Nor do we know how long this phobia of doorways has been an issue for him. As with all dog training, patience and routine is essential.

Dr. Phil McBeagle (I still think that is a cool name)

For the critics of my approach, I will state that the treats are only used to give the dog an immediate motivation. The treats will not have to be used permanently. I think that eventually Dr. Phil will not show any outward signs of being afraid of doorways. It is not that he will be going through the doorway to get the treat, it is that he will associate the doorways with good things rather than traumatic things.

I have successfully used this sort of approach for various other anxiety problems in the past. This is the sort of approach that I would use for a dog who is afraid of the veterinarian or a dog who is afraid of the clippers a groomer uses.

It is difficult to state with precise accuracy how this approach, or any other approach for that matter, will work for a particular dog. Each dog, like each person, responds differently to a particular treatment or approach. What is effective for an individual dog may not necessarily be effective for another. However I am very optimistic that this approach will be very effective with Dr. Phil McBeagle!

Veterinarians are not evil aliens.... not sure
about lawyers though :) 

If you have a dog that seems to have a phobia or anxiety, please do not give up! The intent of this post is to inform you that there is hope! Many people get frustrated and give up when dogs have anxiety issues. From our prospective, as humans, it can be very frustrating. This is particularly true if we do not understand the proper techniques. It is important that your dog does not sense your frustration. This is something that you can effectively address!

If you have a dog with anxiety issues, please contact me at anytime! I will be more than happy to help you develop and execute a training plan to address the issue. This is precisely why I am in this business!

Till next time

-William

Welcome New Foster Boy: Dr. Phil McBeagle !

Dr. Phil checks out the kitchen at
his new foster home (Dog Trainer/Foster Shack)

The Awesome and Lovely Shane, Copper the Whopper Beagle, Cody the Little Beagle, Cuddles the Corgi Mix, Foster Girl Gracy, and I are pleased to welcome our newest foster pack member Dr. Phil McBeagle.

Phil is about 5 years old. He is a tri-color Beagle with some ticking. He is a sweet boy! Phil was surrendered to BullyWag by a family who could no longer care for him. He is not used to being around a lot of other dogs so, we are slowly introducing him to the pack here. He is nervous but seems to be adjusting well in the first few hours.

He came to us with a flea problem and some minor skin issues that I suspect are a result of flea allergy. As you can likely see in the pictures, he is also a little overweight. Our initial plan is to put him on the Copper Whopper exercise and diet program. It is obvious that he likely has not been getting a great deal of exercise.

He will get his booster shots and go the the veterinarian soon to be neutered, microchipped and heart worm tested. After that process is complete he will likely be available for immediate adoption!

He is a really sweet little guy and needs a forever home! He is housebroken. He knows some basic commands like come and sit. The pack and I will work on a little more training for him while he is here.

Dr. Phil after his bath

His former mommy and daddy say that he loves "hot dogs". For those of you who are unaware, we call these "frankfurter on bun" instead :) . He also loves cheese! Copper was helping me teach him today using cheese as a reward. Former mommy and daddy also inform us that, like most beagles, he loves to bay and howl at appropriate times and is quite the lap dog when he has the opportunity. Also like most beagles, he will try to escape if left alone in the fenced yard for too long.

If your home is beagle proofed, you may want to consider Dr. Phil McBeagle (by the way, his former family just called him Phil.... I like Dr. Phil McBeagle better) as an addition to your pack.

If you are looking for a new pack member, as always, Copper and I strongly encourage you to consider adoption! There are very many dogs, like Dr. Phil McBeagle, that desperately need a new forever home! If you would like information about rescue groups in the Atlanta Area, please contact me at any time!

If you need help training your dog to be a polite little guy, please contact me at anytime! You know, I always tell you, "Polite Dogs = Happy People!" Let Copper and me help you to get happy today!

Till next time -

William

William Moore Canine Training
678-702-4791
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

Why you may want to reconsider a dog as a Christmas gift.

This little guy is cute but, he will
grow and he is a responsibility

Well, as Snoopy and Woodstock point out in the picture, Christmas is coming soon. It is already December. Seems like it comes sooner every year. Perhaps that is
because your Dog Training buddy is just getting older :).

There seems to be a lot of temptation for people to give dogs as Christmas gifts this time of year. Please consider that carefully. In almost all cases, it is really not a wonderful idea.

You all know that I love dogs. It is really a great joy to have a dog in your family. They are great companions and return your love many times over unconditionally.

As I have wrote in a recent post, dogs are also a responsibility.  While legally they may be considered property, they are living creatures. A dog will depend upon his/her people exclusively for care the rest of his/her life. With a puppy, this could be a two decade commitment.

Here are a few things to consider regarding dogs as gifts:

1. The financial commitment can be substantial. In my opinion, you have an obligation, as a dog owner, to provide for all of your dogs needs. This includes financial responsibility. This can be costly. See my previous post for additional information.
2. It is possible that you will have some difficulty with housebreaking (particularly with a puppy).
3. It is probable that a puppy will chew things in your house. It is absolutely your responsibility to puppy proof your home. You should make it safe for your puppy and puppy proofing can also minimize property damage. But, please be prepared, it is extremely likely that your new dog will damage or destroy something in your home (this is true even for adult, senior, and geriatric dogs).
4. Generally speaking a puppy is not a quite animal! He will bark. He will whimper. If he is a hound, he will howl and possibly bay. The hound bay is musical to my ears. That is the truth. But you and your neighbors may not appreciate the melodic bay or howl of your new  puppy.
5. Part of the commitment is training. As you know, I am a trainer and a substantial part of my livelihood is derived from the training of pet dogs.  But, even if you do not hire me or one of my esteemed colleagues. It is essential that you make a commitment to training. Even if you hire one of us, we simply work with you to teach you the techniques that you will use to train your dog. With enough work, I can get your dog to be a very well behaved and polite little guy or girl. But if I do the training without you being present or  you working personally with the dog, it is extremely likely that the results in your home will not come anywhere close to meeting your expectations or needs. No matter what, you must commit time to training! I realize that some of my colleagues provide dog training services that allow you to just drop the dog off for training then pick him up when the training is finished. While I respect these guys as dog trainers I do not agree with this approach. In order for training to be most effective you have to put work into it!
6. I strongly suggest that you maintain a fenced in area in your yard. I mean a real fence not one of these electronic shock collar devices. I realize this is not possible for everyone. If you do not have a fenced in area be prepared to walk your dog more often than you would with a fenced in area in the yard. If you need information on fencing in your yard or maintaining your fence, please contact me. If you are in the Atlanta area, remember that I also own a handyman business and I will be happy to work with you to repair your fence or put up a new one (depending upon the size of the job I may refer you to someone else).
7. Dogs absolutely require a significant investment of your time every day for the rest of his/her life. Please do not bring a dog into your home if the home is vacant of human occupants most of the day. Dogs are very social animals. They have been extremely domesticated and absolutely require human interaction to be happy and healthy.
8. You must make a commitment to walk and exercise your dog regularly even if you have a fenced in area of your yard. See my previous post regarding the importance of exercise.
9. Do your research. Various breeds of dogs have differing characteristics, needs, and temperaments. Some may not be right for your pack. Please keep this in mind.
10. Some folks are allergic to dogs. If you or someone in your family is allergic, please do proper research and stick with a breed that is less likely to aggravate your allergies. Remember a dog is a long term commitment and an allergy could make your life very uncomfortable. Remember this is not the dog's fault. It is your exclusive responsibility to exercise the proper precautions relating to your health.
11. Even if you get a breed whose general characteristics are compatible with your home environment, it is very possible that specific dog may not be as compatible. Like people, dogs temperaments vary widely from one dog to the next. Some dogs are shy and anxious. Some dogs are more aggressive and dominating. Some love to play, Some do not like to play as much. Some dogs are very high energy guys. Some are not nearly as hyperactive as others. When you buy a dog from a breeder as a Christmas gift, it is very difficult to determine the dog's temperament. Remember this is a very long term commitment. A dog who is wrong for your home could make life difficult for you. Training will also be more difficult in this situation. Most rescue groups allow a trial period. Each adoption BullyWag does has a two week trial. If the dog does not work out in your home within the two week period, BullyWag will take the dog back and refund your adoption fee. This is yet another reason that you should consider adoption!
12. If you are renting your home, please verify that the landlord is okay with a dog on the property. In most cases a fee is required and there are size, weight and possibly breed limitations. Please remember that this is a very long term commitment that will add difficulty and quite possibly expense to your next move.
13. Consider carefully bringing a puppy into a home with a very young child. A puppy requires a substantial time commitment. Also small children can unintentionally hurt a puppy. A puppy that is hurt or scared is much more likely to bite. This is not the dog's fault he is simply protecting himself. Dogs play with each other using their mouths. They also jump on each other. This is the way God made them. It is their inclination to try to play this way with people. There are training techniques to address this behavior with people. But, the new puppy will very likely jump on the child and may nip at him. Again, this is not the dog's fault he is simply doing what is instinctual to him. You must address this with training.
14. Because temperament varies from one dog to the next, if you have other dogs in the home, it is essential that you pick a new dog whose temperament is compatible with the rest of your pack. Again, this is very difficult to determine when you buy a dog from a breeder as Christmas gift.
15. During his lifetime, your dog is likely to become ill or get injured from time to time. It is essential that you be prepared to deal with this eventuality. It can require a substantial monetary outlay. But perhaps more importantly, your little buddy will be dependent upon you for care.  You may have to give him medication, tend to his wounds, etc. I have spent a few sleepless nights over the years caring for a sick or injured dog. I have also taken an occasional day off from work to care for one of my guys. You must be prepared to do the same.
16. Current vaccinations and flea/tick control is essential. Also regular heart worm tests and prevention is essential to your dog's health.



This is what happened when we did not adequately
secure the trash can. And these are my normally well
behaved beagles.

17. Long hair dogs require regular grooming. Please be prepared for this essential expense.

I realize the above points may seem negative and it may appear that I am trying to convince you not to get a dog. Please realize that is the polar opposite of my intent. I want you to have a dog as a life long companion. They are a joy. I get much more out of my relationship with my dogs than I ever put into them! But, in order to be successful, you must be aware of the responsibilities.

As you know, The Lovely Shane and I are active in dog rescue. We provide a foster home for one or two dogs at all times. We have both seen first hand the consequences of people bringing dogs into their homes without proper consideration of the responsibility. Many dogs die because they are turned over to shelters as a direct result of people not being prepared to care for them. So, for the dogs, this is literally a life or death matter. I will not sugar coat it, if you take your dog to a county shelter there is a high probability that he/she will be killed. The shelters do not have the resources to care for all the dogs they get and there are not enough rescue groups. This is reality.

Our fenced area at the dog training shack

I love my canine buddies and that is why I am writing this post.

If you are considering adding a new dog to your pack, please contact me at any time. I will be happy to help you find a local rescue group and answer any questions you may have. Phone calls and emails are free! I will also be more than happy to work with you to develop a training plan to make your new little girl or guy a polite dog. Because, as I tell you frequently, "Polite Dogs = Happy People". Let me help you to get happy toady!!

Till next time

These polite labs (Buck and Bailey) belong to my brother and my niece

-William-

William Moore Canine Training

678-702-4791

fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

William Moore Lawn and Handyman Services

678-702-4791

fayettelawnmoore@gmail.com

http://fayettelawnmoore.blogspot.com

Christmas Sale

Critten Santa

(In-Home Training)

$305.00

A $100.00 savings over the regular price!

Sale price available for lessons booked and paid December 1, 2013-January 31, 2014

Lesson package can be purchased as a gift. Makes a great Christmas present for someone with a new pack member!

Great for puppies and dogs of any age!

William Moore Canine Training

678-702-4791

Grace Reindeer

http://fayettedogtrainer.blogspot.com

Now accepting major credit cards and paypal 

Go to http://fayettedogtrainer.blogspot.com/p/christmas-sale-1212013-01312014.html to pay on-line

Cody the little beagle's Thanksgiving message

Me resting at Grandma and Grandpa's house

Hello-

I am Cody the little beagle. Copper was bragging about his post on Daddy's blog so I thought I should write one as well.

In May 2013, I was at the Coweta County (Georgia)  animal shelter. I had lots of buddies there. There were nice people who walked me and fed me. It was a sad place though. I did not have a pack of my own and I spent a lot of time in a small cage. I did have a nice little bed that I liked but, it was not home. It was quite noisy most of the time. There was also an odor that I didn't like.

In June, my future adopted Mommy and Daddy came to see me. They were both really nice! I wagged my tail the whole time they were there! Daddy gave me a treat. It was good! I had to stay at the shelter for a couple of more days  because I had to go to the vet to get shots and a microchip.

Me at the shelter

It was a really happy day when Mommy and Daddy came to get me! I am a senior dog and was running out of time at the shelter. I was scheduled to be euthanized the day after Mommy and Daddy took me home. I am very thankful that they took me home!

As I mentioned, I am a senior dog. I have some senior health problems. I have a couple of benign cysts. One is fairly large and on my back. I think some people that saw me
at the shelter were afraid of my cyst. I am thankful that Mommy and Daddy loved me in spite of my problems. I also broke my leg when I was a younger dog. It is one of my hind legs and it was never set properly. Because of that, I can no longer jump and I have some difficulty doing a sit and can not do a down.

When I got home, I met my new pack. Copper the Whopper Beagle was very nice to me! He is younger than me although we are both adults. Cuddles the Corgi mix is about my age. She tolerates Copper and me but is not really friendly. We love her anyway! I am really thankful to be part of this pack!

Me roaming around the backyard with my foster brothers
Tiny and Gracy.

Shortly after adopting me, Mommy and Daddy began fostering dogs. It has been great to have foster members in our pack! I have really enjoyed helping Copper to teach them things. It is also fun to watch them play. I am really thankful to be in this pack!

A while ago, I was roaming around in our backyard and somehow I got a big splinter in my ear. I am not sure how I did it but it really hurt. Daddy tried to remove it but it hurt too bad. Daddy took me to the veterinarian to have it removed. I had to take some pain pills and antibiotics after that. Daddy and Mommy took care of me. I am really Thankful that they love me so much and take care of me!

Me in my basket bed at the Dog Trainer Shack

I really like spending time with my Daddy. Sometimes we go for rides in the truck. Occasionally I go to work with him. Every night I sleep in the bed next to Daddy. Sometimes we watch television together in bed with Mommy and Trigger the Dapple Dachshund. Trigger was recently adopted into our pack. I really like Trigger! I am really thankful that Daddy and Mommy spend so much time with me and love me!

Daddy and Copper have taught me all sorts of things that I can do to get treats. Things like sit, stay and leave it. Daddy and Copper also taught me how to walk properly on a leash. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? My Daddy and Copper taught me! If you have a senior dog who needs to learn new tricks, please contact my Daddy. Daddy always says "polite dogs = happy people". Let my Daddy make you happy today!

Copper and I , often go on walks together with Daddy. We have a special two dog yoke that we use. We really love walking around the pasture and to Grandma and Grandpa's house with Daddy!

Me in the truck after working with Daddy

I am really thankful for my Mommy and Daddy. They literally saved my life! If you are looking for another dog to add to your pack or for a first dog to start a pack, please consider adoption. There are a lot of dogs who need forever homes. Many of them will be perfect for you! I am so thankful that I now have a forever home! You can make a dog thankful too! If you need information about adoption, please contact my Daddy at anytime! Remember, you can save a dog's life!

I not only have a great new Mommy, Daddy, and pack but I also have really nice grandparents. They live next door and we visit them often. They love to pet me and give me treats. I am really thankful for Grandma and Grandpa!

Well that is a very small sample of the things for which I am thankful.

Have a great and safe Thanksgiving!

-Cody the little beagle

William Moore Canine Training
678-702-4791
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

The Foster Files: Foster Boy Tiny the Beagle has a new forever home! Welcome Foster Girl Gracy!

Foster Boy Tiny showing his lose leash walking skills!

The Lovely Shane and I are very pleased to inform you all that Tiny the Beagle has a brand new forever home! After visiting the veterinarian today for Neutering , shots and a cool microchip he went home with his new foster Mommy. He will be part of a two dog pack with a cute little female beagle. His name is going to now be "Copper Head" or "Copper H." for short. Copper the Whopper Beagle and I really like that new name! We already miss Tiny around the Dog Training Shack here but, we are thrilled that he now has a great forever home!

Foster Girl Gracy eating a pecan on the back porch
steps at the Dog Training Shack

The Lovely Shane, myself and the rest of the pack here welcome a new foster pack member. Her name is Gracy. She is a beautiful mixed breed girl. We think she is some sort of hound mix. She is about 8 months old. One of her hind legs never developed properly so she is unable to jump well. However, that does not really slow her down. She is a slightly active and well tempered girl. She does need housebreaking. We are working on that now. She is also learning how to properly walk on a leash and some basic obedience. Copper Whopper and the rest of the pack are enjoying helping her learn.

Gracy will be available for adoption soon!

Foster Boy Biscuit

Biscuit the Basset Mix is now with another foster who has more puppies. This will allow him to play more and work off some of his energy. Our pack was a little low energy for him. He is still available for adoption and would make a great dog for someone with other young dogs or active children.

If you are considering adding a new adopted member to your pack, please contact me at anytime!

Till Next Time

William Moore

William Moore Canine Training
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com
678-702-4791

Copper the Whopper Beagle's Thanksgiving Message

Me in the kitchen. This is my favorite room!

Hello-

I am Copper the Whopper Beagle. I think the time is overdue for me to write a post for my Daddy's Blog.

Thanksgiving is approaching so I thought it appropriate to write about the things for which, I , Copper the Whopper Beagle, is thankful.

• Being rescued from the Clayton County Shelter

My foster mommy (Michelle Crampo) rescued me from the Clayton County Shelter. I was already an adult and really needed to get out of that place. The food was okay but the other dogs were really loud and I did not get as much attention as I needed.

• Being a foster member of my foster mommy's pack

My foster mommy took me home and I got to be in a pack with a lot of other cool dogs! I loved running around in the yard. Foster mommy had to chase me sometimes when I found a way out of the fence. I could not help myself, the scents were just so interesting and it was fun to follow the trail!

I got lots of treats and love from my foster mommy and daddy. We had a great time! The only part I did not enjoy was the small amount of time that I had to spend in a dog crate.

I often got to help with the new puppies who temporarily joined our foster pack. I really liked sniffing them and watching them play!

I am really thankful that my foster mommy rescued me! She did not come to the shelter intending to get me. But, I loved her at first sight and I think she loved me too! She was almost out of the parking lot with a pit bull buddy of mine when she came back in to get me. 

I stayed with foster mommy and daddy and my foster pack for quite sometime. It was great but I really needed a forever home!

• Being adopted by my Daddy and Awesome, Lovely Mommy

Foster Mommy took me to Petco in Peachtree City, Georgia one Saturday  in January 2013.  I was helping her with an adoption event for me and some of my other foster buddies. We were outside the Petco store because it was a really pretty day.

I met my adopted Daddy there. He saw me and we really hit it off well. He took me for a walk and fed me some treats. I decided that I would really like to go home with him! He called my adopted Mommy and she traveled to Petco to meet me. She also fell in love with me. She is a lovely and awesome lady. Daddy, at the time, worked at Petco. He had to go back to work. Mommy took me to my new home. Foster Mommy wanted to take a look at my new home. She stopped by a little later. While we were waiting for her, I helped myself to a loaf of bread that my new Mommy apparently left out for me. It was great after I got the plastic off! Foster Mommy looked at my new home and cried a little before she left me there with my new Mommy.

Me and some of the pack enjoying the sun in the
backyard.

I got to meet my new pack mate , Cuddles the Corgi mix. Cuddles was not exactly gracious but I am sure that she loved having a new adopted brother. I really loved having a forever home. Mommy and Daddy are very nice to me. We have a great time together!

Grandpa giving us treats

Daddy is a dog trainer and he taught me all sorts of cool things that I could do to get tasty treats! I learned sit, stay, down, leave it, how to wait at doorways and how to walk properly on the leash. We were so good together that he began using me as a demo dog.

I am really thankful that Mommy and Daddy adopted me! It has been great living here! I also have really awesome adopted grandparents. They live next door. I visit them often with Daddy and/or Mommy. They love petting me and have really tasty treats and a nice back yard in which to play!

Later on we adopted Cody the Little Beagle to be my brother. That has been really fun. Mommy and Daddy also now foster other dogs and I love to help with that! Recently we added another permanent member to the pack, my other adopted brother Trigger the Dapple Dachshund. It is really a lot of fun to be a member of this pack. I love my new Mommy and Daddy and my forever home! 

• Meeting all the members of my fan club at Petco in Peachtree City, GA

I worked with my Daddy for a while at the Petco store in Peachtree City. I was his demo dog. While we worked there, I met a lot of nice people. Some were customers, some worked in grooming, some worked in other areas of the store. They were all very nice to me! Some gave me little bites of their lunch (Linda). Some gave me little pieces of bacon from breakfast (Kelley). They all loved to give me treats when I did the stuff Daddy taught me! They also talked to me and gave me treats. 

For some reason, the district manager decided that Daddy did not need a demo dog so, I was fired. That was a sad day for me and for my Daddy. But, I made some really good friends. When we go to Petco now, the people who Daddy calls my fan club are always happy to see me. I love them and am very thankful for them!

• Going to work with my Daddy

My Daddy owns and operates a Lawn Maintenance and Handyman Business. He also now has a new dog training business. I love to go to work with him! I can not go when it is really hot outside. But when the weather is right, he takes me to work. I have a special tether that I use to keep me safe next to the trailer while he works. I like to sit there and supervise the work. I also meet a lot of customers that way. They love to pet me and give me tasty treats!

Me supervising Daddy's work.... he did okay on this job.

I also go with Daddy to Home Depot and to Lowes to buy material for jobs. I really like helping out! We meet a lot of people who like to pet me and feed me tasty treats! I sometimes just sit or lay down next to daddy while he picks out material. It is great to go on these adventures! I am really thankful that I can go to work with my Daddy!

I also help Daddy with his dog training business. If you need help please contact my Daddy. We will be glad to come work with you to teach your dogs to be polite like me. My Daddy always says " Polite Dogs = Happy People! "

• Being a member of a really cool pack

It is really fun to be a member of my pack at my forever home! We have four permanent members ( Cuddles, Cody, Trigger and Me) and usually one or two foster members. We have a really nice fenced in backyard. We get to chase chipmunks, squirrels, and bears in the backyard (well maybe not bears).

I also like to help the foster dogs learn new commands to get treats. I help them learn where to go potty. It is a lot of fun. I am sad when the foster dogs get forever homes. I miss them but soon enough we have a new foster to help.

I am really thankful to have this cool pack at my forever home!

Daddy took me to the vet. We got some medicine for me that I take every day with a treat. It is for a thyroid problem. Since I started taking it I am feeling better than ever! I think  I am beginning to lose some weight too! You can still call me Whooper though :) .

This is a short list of the things for which I am thankful. It has been a great year for me! In January I will have been with my new Mommy and Daddy for a year. I have really loved it!

Remember if you want a new dog to be part of your pack, please consider doing what my Mommy and Daddy did and adopt or rescue a dog. Many of my buddies still need forever homes! If you need help finding a dog for adoption, please contact my Daddy at anytime!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bye for now

Copper the Whopper Beagle

William Moore Canine Training

fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

678-702-4791

The Foster File: Adventures of Tiny and Biscuit

Tiny and Biscuit playing on the back porch of the Dog Trainer Shack

I thought it prudent to give you all an update on our newest fosters, Tiny the Beagle and Biscuit the Basset Mix.

They are both good little guys!

We are not certain of Tiny's age. We think he is about a year old. He seems to be a pure Beagle. He is however very small for a Beagle. He was rescued from the Fayette County (Georgia) Shelter. It is quite possible that there was some abuse in his background. He is very shy around people but loves other dogs!

He sort of cowers and sometimes whimpers a little at loud noises or sudden movement. He does not take treats from your hand which is very unusual for a Beagle. He came to us with a cough and what we think may be a respiratory infection. He has been on antibiotic medication for almost two weeks now and the cough is much improved.

Tiny showing off his loose leash
walking skills

He is also getting better with people. He has never been violent at all, he is just scared. Once he gets used to you, he loves to sit on your lap and watch TV or just snuggle.

He is housebroken and crate trained. He has had no accidents since we got him.

He will be great for someone who does not have very young children in the house!

He is available for adoption and would really love a new forever home!

Biscuit and Trigger at play

Biscuit is also doing very well! He is about 10 months old. He is a Basset Mix. We are not sure exactly with what breeds he is mixed. I think probably Labrador and maybe bloodhound. He loves people and dogs! He is an active little guy. He loves playing with other dogs and with toys! He knows and few basic commands like sit and stay.

For the first several months of his life, Biscuit lived on a short chain in someone's backyard. He had very little human interaction and was always on the chain. As a result of this , he pulls a little on the leash when he walks. This is getting better, however.

My buddy Biscuit. I had to hold his
head still to get a non-blurred picture.

Biscuit would also love a forever home! He is a little high energy so he either needs a playmate or needs to be exercised frequently. He will make someone a great pack addition!

If you are interested in adopting Biscuit or Trigger please contact me at anytime.

Also if you have a new adopted/rescued dog and would like help training the little guy or girl to be a polite dog please contact me! Because as I always tell you, "Polite Dogs = Happy People" . Let me help you become happy today!

Till Next Time-

William

William Moore Canine Training
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com
678-702-4791