It's Saturday morning and...

   It used to be that Saturday morning was a day to sleep in a bit later. After a hard week at work an extra hour of sleep was always welcomed. But that extra hour of sleep has given way to spending it with Stephani. She is a hard working, dog loving (and sometimes cat loving,) warm and caring dog trainer and the benefits of getting up early far outweigh the the loss of an extra hour of sleep.

   As some of you know, after spending many years with dogs of all shapes and sizes there was a period of time that we were dog-free and for a while it was a relief. We came and went as we pleased, not worrying about who would “let the dog out” or if there was enough dog food for the week. There was no dog fur rolling around the floor, great for the allergies and no dog toys hidden under sofa cushion.

   But over time there was something missing. There was no friendly greeting at the door, no barking to scare off unwanted intruders and no one to fetch the ball. (The kids had all gone off to college.) What's a person to do? Get another dog...of course.

   Lucky will be celebrating his third birthday in a few weeks. He is a black, standard-size poodle. He is strong, handsome and very smart and we were quick to learn just how smart he could be. Instead of letting Lucky train us, we decided to try taking classes and that is how we met Stephani.

   I admit it. I was a bit nervous about classes. What if he fails? What if the other dogs are mean and vicious or they don't like him? What if they think he is a wuss. What if he doesn't learn anything.

   Class begins at 8 AM. for our group. It may vary from week to week, but generally there are between four and six dogs eagerly waiting for the door to open. As Stephani greets each by name, they sniff, run and bark at each other. It is almost like watching children in preschool, except that the screaming and shouting in preschool is replaced with barking and growling.

   Like church, each dog and owner has their favorite spot in the room and after ten puppy pushups to get the dogs and their owners focused, the training for the day begins. (Lucky does very well with the puppy pushups. For me, it's harder to get up and down as quickly as he does.)

   It is amazing how, after the first few minutes of dog-like behavior, they settle in to the activities of the day. Heeling, sits, downs, stands and fronts come pretty natural to all the dogs now. Why wouldn't they? Armed with treats, praise and a pat on the head every once and awhile, I'd probably do the same thing.

   The rally course is not only fun to watch, but also to train. I must say that I wasn't sure how Lucky would take to the tunnel and the jump, but he does quite well now. My goal is to eventually have him run the course, free of the leash and in the company of other dogs, cheering him on.

   It is obvious Stephani likes and enjoys what she does. She is actively involved in Sheltie rescue, herself having many calling her house “home” at different times

Her approach and philosophy of training is based upon treats, praise and respect for each dog. And patience, don't forget patience.

    One of the things I have learned is, like people, dogs learn at different rates. Perhaps it is the breed of the dog or maybe the quality of the treats. Perhaps it is the skill and knowledge of Stephani.

   Getting up a bit earlier on Saturday morning has been well worth it. Lucky has learned a great deal and continues to improve each week and I think he would agree that Stephani is doing a great job of training me to be a better owner too!

   (Interested in learning more about Stephani and her training courses, visit her on Facebook at …..Right on the Mark Dog Training LLC ...Palmyra, ME)