What a difference a day makes





One swallow does not make a summer.  But I had a very good first session with Izzy and Michael Harvey: The K9 Coach

See


https://sarasotadogtraining.com





Mike told me of the shortcomings of training methods  (e.g. "treat training" rewards good behaviour, but does nothing for bad behaviour [you cannot "untreat"  a dog!].

He favours electronic collars.



The idea is that you use the collar to emphasize behaviour alongside  a verbal command. The collar emits tingles of varying intensity to teach  the dog about desired behavior.

(These collars are controversial in some quarters.  Do they cause pain?  I think and hope not.    I gripped  a collar in my hand - and found that the sensation is similar to "pin and needles").

Mike equipped Izzy with a collar, and in fewer than five minutes she was responding to commands.

The serious training will start on Boxing Day.  Mike will come to my home for the first two sessions, the third will be at his place.

Thereafter I can join in up to three training sessions each week with other owners and dogs -  for as long as I wish.  ( The Saturday sessions are at Marina Jack's in Sarasota - a busy place and a squirrel heaven!)

Between now and Boxing Day I will do some home based training. Izzy is already good at sitting and waiting on command.  Now I am teaching her to walk at heel (the idea being that if the dog walks ahead she/he sees him/herself as the leader -  but the leader must be me!)

She is a quick learner.  Already she will sit/ stay/wait on command.  I am teaching her this for when she encounters squirrels or small dogs.

There is a lot of hard work ahead -  I must be trained as well as Izzy.   It will be so worth while for our mutual good pleasure.

Mike Harvey things that Izzy has some Belgian Malinois in her heritage.

A young Belgian Malinois


Izzy: similar head and ears and tail.



 Mike owns two Belgian Malinois dogs, one aged thirteen  the other aged three.

In the event it was my joy and pleasure to see Izzy as she romped around Mike's  fenced in canine area with his two Belgian Malinois dogs, and without incident







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