First off, a little about me…my name is Courtney, and I am 14. I have been showing dogs since I was 7 in the 4H program. All of my training has been done with traditional trainers…chokes, alpha method, jerking, and pulling are all a part of our weekly session.
Now that I am an instructor, I start to see how dogs truly don't understand what the heck their trainers are trying to say. Before, I just fell under my previous instruction; I was not watching how my dog flinched at a collar pop, and such. I feel that it is my goal to help the next "generation", the seven-year-old me with the crazy and wild puppy, learn how to train their dogs positively and without force. I want them to learn get into the habit of relying on choke chains, and prongs. It is very hard to ignore the urge to put the choke back on when the dog doesn't listen. I know from experience.
So, anyways…now on to my dogs :P I started with Mattie, who is a GSP/Greyhound mix (we think.) She is seven, and is still bouncing off the walls. She never got anywhere in competitions…she never listened, was aggressive, and would run off any chance she got. She would have been a pretty impressive agility dog if she was trained better from the beginning. Right now, she is content learning tricks and doing on-leash backyard agility.
After Mattie, I got Larry-Boy. He was a Greater Swiss Mtn. Dog mix that we rescued from the humane society. He has his NADAC Novice Std Juniors title. He was my big baby. He died suddenly at age 4. We think he had a blot clot hit his heart.
Clara is my Beagle… she is really goofy. She was rescued from a puppy mill. She is co-owned with someone in 4H and they do really well in Junior Showmanship. I would like to do agility, rally, and obedience with her.
Shay is my Border Collie. Right now, I am trying to desensitize her, she is a rescue. I would like to do Rally with her, and maybe agility. But she's a couch potato mostly.
Dash is my little ACD/JRT (affectionately known as a CattleJack) rescue. He is very fast in agility, and has done very well at trials. I want to do obedience with him, but agility is his real passion :P
Spree is a Greater Swiss Mtn Dog. She is with me on a co-ownership basis to compete in Juniors and Conformation. I have to finish her Championship and then she'll be bred. I'd like to get a Rally or Obedience Novice title on her before then also.
