This seminar is a great opportunity for dog owners, veterinarians, rescue volunteers, petsitters, groomers and others to learn about canine communication, canine cognition as well as answers to some common myths and questions about dog behavior. The seminar will last for about 3 hours and will include a question and answer session with our training staff.

The seminar will include:
How Dogs Learn
Canine Body Language
Behavior Problems
How to be a Better Dog Owner
Bite Prevention
Working with Dogs and Children
…and much, much more!

This seminar is free of charge and is open to anyone who would like to attend. Space is limited and registration for the seminar is required. If you would like to attend the seminar, please email us at training@highlandcanine.com. Please include your name and phone number in your email. If you have questions about the seminar, feel free to call us at 704.728.9494.

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So, I am sure you are asking, “Where do I start?” You should start by looking at what you did and didn’t do with your pup last year, and what you can do to improve upon it. It’s imperative that you understand that your dog’s happiness directly correlates with the activities you do together. When is the last time you guys went on a walk together? Did you bring him to the park with your family at all? Invite him to a BBQ and let him run around with friends? Did you even have a nice catch with him in the house? If you did, ask yourself how often. If you didn’t…you have to ask yourself, why not?

Many times we are involved with dogs because the owner is not comfortable with the dog out in public. So they don’t bring him out in public. Often this will lead to destructive behavior inside the house, i.e. chewing on the furniture, counter surfing, chewing through walls and doors, non stop barking. It is common to see these behaviors purely because the dog is bored and makes games by himself to keep his mind stimulated.

If your dog is good in public with people and other dogs there is no reason not to get him out more often. This will decrease his energy, destructiveness and increase his behavior when he is home. If your dog is not good in public you need to address these issues. Does he bark or growl at strangers, or dogs? Has he bitten someone? Does he tend to pull on the leash and is hard to control when distracted? Do you have to repeat commands in order for him to pay attention to you? Does he jump on people? Is he easily startled or scared? Does he growl when he has a toy or food?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above you came to the right spot…because your dog needs your help. If these issues are not dealt with they could become serious, potentially dangerous for family members, neighbors, even strangers. Although these issues are common and can be fixed, you should consult with a professional dog trainer in order to make sure you don’t try to fix it and accidently make it worse.

We have many different training options, including group lessons, private lessons, in home training and in kennel training. We are committed to helping you and your dog succeed at this New Years Resolution so that you and your dog can live happier, healthier lives. Not to mention, we guarantee our training for the life of the dog. Contact us today to take the first step towards a new year both of you.

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Our schedule for 2010 is listed below:

January 4th, 2010
April 5th, 2010
July 5th, 2010
October 4th, 2010

We are also offering discounted pricing for all of our courses for the Winter semester beginning on January 4th, 2010. Offers are available to those who register before December 1 , 2009. You can fill out our Dog Trainer Course Application here. For more information on our programs or our discounted prices, email us at training@highlandcanine.com or call toll free at 866.200.2207.

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Agility Dog

Agility for Fun Class 11:30 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
This class is a great way for owners to teach their dog confidence as well as some exciting new skills. Our agility for fun class teaches ground work and fundamentals to complete a variety of obstacles and jumps such as weave poles, pause tables, tire jumps, triple jumps and more! There are no prerequistes for this course.

Basic Obedience Class 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
This class teaches dogs and owners on-leash skills such as sit, down, stay, come, heel and place. This class is also designed to help owners deal with problems such as pulling on the leash, jumping on people, etc. This course is also a great forum for socializing your dog with new people and dogs.

Rally Obedience Class 3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Rally-O class introduces dogs and owners to Rally Obedience. This class will teach the skills (sit, down, turn, stand, come, etc) to learn and compete in either AKC or APDT Rally courses and competitions. Rally is a great way for dogs and owner to work closely together and to show others their hard work. Rally is fun, competition obedience that is completed under time.

Therapy Dog Training Class 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Therapy Dog Class teaches dogs and owners the fundamentals of therapy dog work. Dogs and owners wishing to attend this class must have previously completed a basic obedience class or an equivalent. This course teaches the skills and environmental training that is required for therapy dogs. This course is great if you are looking into doing therapy work in schools, nursing homes and hospitals. Many of our previous graduates are already involved in these types of exciting and fulfilling programs.

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The Benefits of Training with the STAR Puppy Program

Training classes teach you how to best communicate with your puppy. Organized training classes also provide an opportunity for your dog to socialize with other puppies. In classes aimed at earning the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy distinction, you’ll be able to get information on all of your puppy-raising questions including housetraining, chewing, proper socialization and the most effective way to teach practical skills such as sit, down, stay, and coming when called. AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy training is a natural primer to the AKC® Canine Good Citizen® Program.

How It Works

You’ll attend S.T.A.R puppy or basic training class at least 6 weeks. (All six classes are required to test for the S.T.A.R. Puppy) The instructor will administer the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy test at the end of the course. Upon passing the test, you’ll get an application to send to AKC® for enrollment in the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Program. All dogs are welcome to participate in the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Program including purebreds and mixed breeds.

Your puppy will receive the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Medal (for display or memento purposes; not suitable as a collar tag). You and your puppy will be listed in the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy records. In addition, so that you can continue learning, you’ll receive the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy package that includes:

A beautiful, frameable certificate designating your puppy is in the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy records at AKC
AKC Puppy Handbook, a valuable resource
Discount to enroll in AKC Companion Animal Recovery Corporation, a 24-hour recovery service
Ongoing Monthly Email Newsletter: Your AKC. This includes training tips and up-to-date information every dog owner needs to know. We want you and your puppy to continue learning beyond puppy classes.
How to Get Your Puppy in the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Program

We have new S.T.A.R. Puppy classes coming up this fall! Call or email us to enroll your puppy.

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Our group classes in Matthews are held at 800 Elizabeth Lane and our schedule for Matthews, NC is:

Therapy Dog Tuesday Nov 3rd, at 6:30 pm

Basic Obedience Wednesday Nov 4th, at 6:30 pm

Advanced Obedience Thursday Nov 5th, at 6:30 pm

Agility for Fun Friday Nov 6th, at 6:30 pm

Rally-Obedience 1 Saturday Nov 7th at 10:00 am

Our Statesville Group Classes are held at Pet Envy Grooming located at 246C North Center Street in Downtown Statesville and the schedule for our Statesville Group Classes is listed below:

S.T.A.R Puppy Class Thursday Nov 12th at 6:00 pm

Basic Obedience Thursday Nov 12th at 7:00 pm

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Because of all the interest in our therapy dog classes and training programs, we decided to offer therapy dogs and their handlers a group so that they could network and exchange information and ideas about their work and adventures as therapy dog handlers. This group also provides therapy dog teams with opportunities to work as well as providing school, nursing homes, group homes and similar facilities with a pool of qualified teams to come and volunteer at their facilities.

If you are interested in joining the Therapy Dog Club or just want to learn more, visit the website at www.therapydogclub.com

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Saturday, September 26th, 9am – 2pm
5th Annual Race City Weiner Run to benefit
Lake Norman Animal Rescue
Broad Street Mooresville, NC

Saturday, October 3rd, 10am -3pm
Bark for Life
benefit Relay for Life Statesville
Fairview Baptist Church Statesville, NC

Saturday, October 3rd, 5pm – 9pm
2009 All American Dog Show
Bailey Road Cornelius, NC

Saturday, October 10th, 10am
AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluations
Iredell County Humane Society Mooresville, NC

Thursday, October 15th, 6:30
Feed Bucket Animal Health Expo
Hwy 70 Statesville, NC

Saturday, October 24th
Fall Paw Dive
Pet Essentials Charlotte, NC

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There are many breeds that are conducive to different lifestyles and can adapt to either an active/ or laid back style of life. All dog breeds need attention and companionship, some just require less/more than others. Most of your Poodles, Boston Terriers, Some Labrador retrievers, some Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, Rottweiler’s, Yorkshire Terriers, Bulldogs, Mastiff, Shih Tzu’s, and Bloodhounds, etc. often do well, in homes with less structure and planned activities. These breeds are usually content with a daily walk or play time in the back yard with lots of love. However, you may experience problems with some of these breeds in an apartment type setting where they can’t get outside on a regular basis.

Problems often arise when pet owner’s take in dog breeds that they cannot handle or control. Although most of your terrier breeds (Jack Russell terrier, West Highland Terriers, Scottish Terriers), are small in size, they are highly intelligent with big egos in a lot of cases. If dog owners do not have the time or patience to stimulate these types of dogs, the result is often bad dog behavior (people aggression, dog on dog aggression, resource guarding). Dog breeds such as Border Collies, German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Heelers; some Spaniels, Miniature Pinchers, Dachshunds, American Bull Dogs and Papillion’s require a lot of attention and dedication. These breeds often do well with active pet owners who run, attend dog parks, bike, or participate in group class for agility dog training, therapy dog training, Rally-O, SAR training, or Protection work.

So a word to the wise, evaluate your lifestyle, your free time, your activities and your hobbies to see which breed or breed mix fits into your environment. Who knows maybe your dog can change your lifestyle for you; nothing like getting out and about with your dog and having a little fun at the same time!

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Therapy dogs function to help people in emotional and physical ways. They do this by using their instincts and social learned skills. Therapy dogs provide affection and comfort to children and adults in mental institutions, hospitals, nursing homes, retirement homes and homes for children with special needs.

Who Benefits From Therapy Dogs?

People with Alzheimer’s disease, learning disabilities, and individuals whose minds wander such as those with ADD/ADHD and dementia can all benefit from interacting with a therapy dog. By providing a focal point to help them focus on the here and now, they can be more productive in any task or activity in which they are involved. Therapy dogs can be used to teach a child’s lesson. Playing with the dog can be a reward for finishing homework or problem solving. The handler and the dog can use retrieving and scent discrimination to help children name colors, add numbers, spell words and work on physical skills.

Maintaining good morale in a facility can be difficult. Therapy dogs change this by causing people to gather and concentrate on the dog. The change in the environment brightens everyone’s day. Life in a facility is routine, which can lead to inactivity, depression and boredom. The routine quickly changes when the Therapy dog and Handler come into the facility by providing social stimulation. People begin to talk with the therapy dog handler, to the therapy dog and amongst themselves. Often people who will not come out of their rooms will venture out to visit with the dog and handler. This social stimulation increases as people get to know the dog and soon they anticipate the visit.

People sometimes lose the ability or desire to speak. Therapy dogs can learn to communicate with people that others can’t reach. This communication from the dog can help a person find a bridge back to speech. Some people in care facilities do not have healthy relationships with family or staff. Others may be uncomfortable with hugging or touching strangers or staff. Therapy dogs enjoy the petting and hugging they receive and encourage it. Their enjoyment makes people want to pet and stroke them which meets the need for physical touch.
Children learn much more from a trained therapy dog than from a dog at home no one has the time to train. Through therapy dogs children learn the best of dog behavior.

Everyone benefits from a well trained therapy dog, including the handler. Working with your dog to provide needed benefits in your community through therapy dog visits will keep you upbeat and in touch with those who need you.

What Breeds Are Best Suited for Therapy Work?

There are dogs from every breed and size serving as therapy dogs. Shepherds, Collies, Great Danes, Mastiffs as well as Poodles, Labs and Boxers. The breed does not matter, temperament does. A therapy dog needs to be stable, reliable and controllable. Chihuahuas, Miniature Pinschers, Pomeranians, Bishons, just to name a few small dogs make excellent therapy dogs that can sit on a lap or on a bed. Terriers, because they are lively, can be used in group homes for children. Their playfulness provides exercise, companionship and lots of fun. Male or female, large or small, purebred or mixed breed, providing the dog is well trained with a good disposition, becoming a therapy dog is achievable.

How Can I Find Out If My Dog Can Be A Therapy Dog?

Before attending a therapy dog class your dog should know how to Sit, Down and Stay. Attending an obedience class will help if your dog does not know these commands. You should have your dog evaluated to determine his/her friendliness to all people, friendliness to other dogs and to determine how you and your dog interact.

Should I buy a Puppy or Adopt An Older Dog For Therapy Work?

An important trait in therapy dog work is defensiveness which begins to emerge around the time of puberty. A dog high in defensiveness may be skittish and panic under stress. This type of dog, even with training, may experience more stress around strangers and strange environments. With the right handler, training, and if the dog has a quick recovery time the dog has a better chance to do therapy work. These things can not be evaluated in a very young puppy. Temperament testing for puppies can help a little, but there is always the possibility that the puppy may not be suited for therapy work. If therapy dog work is a priority, you may consider using an adult dog you already own, or you may consider adopting an adult dog. Adult dogs bond with humans as strongly as puppies do.

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