The Alpha Pac

Well I finally got a chance to use my new Alpha Pac leash system--wow--it's great! I only took one of my dogs, Noah, although you are technically able to take up to four dogs. I don't think I'll ever take all four of my dogs on a walk together! Anyway, I loaded up Sophie in our new Baby Jogger and then put on the Alpha Pac and off we went! We were headed to the gas station that is literally a block away from our house to air up the tires on the Baby Jogger. We got there and discovered they didn't have an air station for tires! Ahhh! So we waddled back with one wheel a little jicky. We'll find another station when I can go without the baby and just air it up . . .

A note on my book, "Pup Parenting"--love it! I highly recommend the read. It's really great and although I'm not finished with it I like just about all that I've read so far.

I also recommend a body harness for activities such as jogging or anything face-paced that is not a leisure stroll or training walk with your dog. Noah is wearing this in the picture above but it's difficult to see because the harness is black like him. It is called the "Webmaster" by the company Ruff Wear. Great products from that company for active dog owners that do things with their dogs. The gear isn't price cautious, but it's very, very sturdy and high quality!

You know there is something that plagues me as a dog trainer.--the lack of confidence my clients seem to have in what I say. I preach day in and day out about how people need to praise their dogs, "Tell your dog when he/she does something right--this is so important! . . ." and I find that it is the one thing owners do not do well. They are insanely quick to jerk the dog as soon as he does something wrong [when on leash] or yell if they come in and find that they have eaten the newly acquired rug but they are incredibly faulty at redirection and teaching correct behavior and then praising it when it happens! I can't tell you how much this effects dog training. I love the fact that I can sit on my couch and direct my dogs to do something and not even have to get up. I was reading the other day some trainer's advice and they state that you need to "stand tall", "be firm", "show you are boss" . . . I laughed and clicked off of the website. I don't have to do that and my dogs "know who is boss" and I can have them do as I ask without having to stand at all! They trust me, we don't have a breakdown in communication and they don't do things to avoid the punishment if they don't. They do things because they like the outcome if they do!

Ok. I'm off to train some dog owners and their dogs! . . . Tootles!