Thursday, March 7, 2013
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Professional Dog Trainer Apprentice Program
We are offering to the right applicant a live in dog training apprenticeship.
The program runs for 55 weeks, with three weeks vacation.
You will be immersed in the science of learning, and dog training using operant and classical conditioning methods.
Much reading is required.
You will be required to find a part time job if you don't already have some access to income.
Yo will be required to work for us in our kennels and dog training while in our program.
If you are interested in a career change that can lead to a great income potential, please check out our application process at Farm on Kitchen Branch.
The program runs for 55 weeks, with three weeks vacation.
You will be immersed in the science of learning, and dog training using operant and classical conditioning methods.
Much reading is required.
You will be required to find a part time job if you don't already have some access to income.
Yo will be required to work for us in our kennels and dog training while in our program.
If you are interested in a career change that can lead to a great income potential, please check out our application process at Farm on Kitchen Branch.
Boarding Kennel Manager Apprentice Program
Latest and greatest for anyone wanting a career change.
We have openings in our live in apprentice programs to become a Boarding Kennel Manager.
In exchange for a certain amount of your time actively living and working at our kennel, you will be trained to become a boarding kennel manager.
Skills included:
Animal handling
Animal grooming
Dog training
Bookkeeping
Marketing
and many more
The program totally immerses you in the process of owning or running a boarding, training, grooming facility.
To look into the program, check out our link at Farm on Kitchen Branch
We have openings in our live in apprentice programs to become a Boarding Kennel Manager.
In exchange for a certain amount of your time actively living and working at our kennel, you will be trained to become a boarding kennel manager.
Skills included:
Animal handling
Animal grooming
Dog training
Bookkeeping
Marketing
and many more
The program totally immerses you in the process of owning or running a boarding, training, grooming facility.
To look into the program, check out our link at Farm on Kitchen Branch
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Trapper for Adoption
Young Labrador Retriever, approximately 10 months old.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2060132&id=1424569947&saved#!/group.php?gid=269070342220
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Remarks about our lack of shelters in Greene County
Rescues don't discuss their (prices), and they really aren't prices, they are the donation request that the rescue must have to possibly operate. In the small rescue this donation never covers the actual cost of medical and housing of an animal.
I have one dog in our rescue that has been in my care since 2004. There is no person out there who would ever be willing to cover my costs of keeping this dog for six years.
I am not the only rescue around who has had an individual dog for numerous years, most of them are in the same situation, and many of them have multiple dogs in this situation, as do I (three right now).
It is not the dogs fault that it isn't adopted, people always want the babies, and then many people ditch the babies when they become teenagers and out of control because they have had no training. Of course puppies being adopted or bought just brings us back to the original situation, dogs needing to get into rescue because nobody wants them.
Price can't be a consideration, and posting rescues prices can't be an answer, this isn't comparison shopping. Small rescues don’t make a profit; they are always in the hole. The only profitable rescue around here is our local humane society.
The reason that the rescues don't advertise more strongly is that when people find out where they are located they get dumped on. When people know that a rescue exists, they drive by and toss the animals out the window. Back when our animal control would not take owner surrenders, I was out there one day and a truck drove through their parking lot and threw a dog out the window as they sped by. Apparently people who are willing to dump figure that we are rescue people, and we will take the animal in if they give it a toss close by us. These people don't understand that we can't afford to take in every animal, and we also don't have room.
You can look up the 990's on the non-profits and see that the support around here goes to the humane society. They aren't the most efficient in utilization of funds in fact dollar for dollar and with actual program services; Feral Friends beats them by a zillion miles.
All the other non-profit rescues are taking in well less than twenty thousand a year, I know this because they are exempt from filing a 990 on an annual basis, me also. Look them up, the reports are public information.
All of the rescues I listed have websites, and they are listed on as many other locations as they can list themselves for free. The rescue owners themselves have jobs, they are mostly not computer literate, and don't understand marketing or how to market for free, or have the time to dedicate to that because after their jobs and their families and taking care of the animals in their care, they need to sleep, not plan marketing campaigns.
Rescue people never go anywhere, because they don't have anyone to stand in for them to take a vacation. These people are easily maligned but seldom helped. They receive advice about how they should be doing things but are seldom provided the funds or assistance they would need to do the things they wish they could do.
So far as them not answering your emails, I always do, but many don't and I know this. It is very disturbing to constantly tell people that there is no room in your rescue. For some reason, just because we are rescues, people assume that we have unlimited space and supplies and money to just solve everyone else's problems. We don't put any animals down unless it is an unsolvable medical condition. Therefore, we are always full. That is what no-kill means.
A new no-kill shelter or humane society, or rescue could open every week in Greene County, and I can guarantee you that if they have 10 dog runs and 10 cat condos they would be full within a week. Think about that, for dogs, I am only talking about 520 dogs a year coming in, and the rescue can get 520 adoptions of dogs a year. That doesn't happen! In 2007, the Greeneville-Greene County Humane Society only took in 375 dogs, and 173 of those were carefully selected from animal control.
A quote from Washington County Animal Shelter (Animal Control) “Dobbs provided some figures to the city commissioners which show that in 2008 the shelter was able to adopt out 41 percent of the animals that were picked up or owner-surrendered (3329 animals out of 8152). Eight percent were reclaimed (685 animals). Fifty-one percent of animals entering the shelter were euthanized (4136).
The shelter takes in animals for both the city and the county. They received more calls for animal pick-up from county residents than from city residents (1450 to 1029) but far more city people turned animals in than county people (3394 to 2378). The town of Jonesborough accounted for 131 animals in the shelter.”
With all of the organizations operating in Greene County, I suspect that over 4,000 dogs were taken in and adopted or still in these rescues from last year. And a giant point to make here is the other 4136 that were euthanized in Washington County, here in Greene County, they starved to death, or found homes with people in the county who are severely put upon because people keep dumping their problems on them and they take the animals in because they can’t stand to see them homeless. We are bulging at the seams, our public citizens, the rescues, and shelters.
No-kill is really the problem, because the commissioners in this county CAN'T step up to the plate and pass laws about spay/neuter or licensing. They have tried. They get threatened with having their homes burned by the hound dog owners who won't spay/neuter. If you were a commissioner would you cast that yes vote and loose your home? Legislation is going to have to come from the state, and until it does, nothing will ever happen.
Okay, that does not justify not answering an email, but...many of these people also have jobs and families, they have not time left on there plate, because they can't get volunteers, and sometimes when they do get volunteers, there are problems there, because a newbie volunteer has stars in their eyes about what rescue actually is. This always just adds to the stress of the rescue organization when the newbie’s start handing out opinions, and doing things against the rules, and making judgment calls on the rescue organization. They just want to help, but they don’t have the miles of experience to understand the scope of the problem.
If you can volunteer for a rescue, volunteer, and follow their rules, you haven’t walked a mile in their shoes.
My suggestion to everyone out there is lend a hand in some way, educate the public, pay for spay/neuters for others. I know a registered nurse who does private rescue. She also goes around the county and picks up dogs and personally pays for spay/neuter and returns them to the owners.
Do something, but never place an animal for adoption that has not been spay/neutered without a very large deposit that will guarantee that the animal gets the surgery because the family will want their deposit back. If animals aren’t being born, there would be no need for rescues, shelters and humane societies. Good licensing regulations stop pet over population, not no-kill shelters. You have to get into the individuals pocket to get their attention.
I have one dog in our rescue that has been in my care since 2004. There is no person out there who would ever be willing to cover my costs of keeping this dog for six years.
I am not the only rescue around who has had an individual dog for numerous years, most of them are in the same situation, and many of them have multiple dogs in this situation, as do I (three right now).
It is not the dogs fault that it isn't adopted, people always want the babies, and then many people ditch the babies when they become teenagers and out of control because they have had no training. Of course puppies being adopted or bought just brings us back to the original situation, dogs needing to get into rescue because nobody wants them.
Price can't be a consideration, and posting rescues prices can't be an answer, this isn't comparison shopping. Small rescues don’t make a profit; they are always in the hole. The only profitable rescue around here is our local humane society.
The reason that the rescues don't advertise more strongly is that when people find out where they are located they get dumped on. When people know that a rescue exists, they drive by and toss the animals out the window. Back when our animal control would not take owner surrenders, I was out there one day and a truck drove through their parking lot and threw a dog out the window as they sped by. Apparently people who are willing to dump figure that we are rescue people, and we will take the animal in if they give it a toss close by us. These people don't understand that we can't afford to take in every animal, and we also don't have room.
You can look up the 990's on the non-profits and see that the support around here goes to the humane society. They aren't the most efficient in utilization of funds in fact dollar for dollar and with actual program services; Feral Friends beats them by a zillion miles.
All the other non-profit rescues are taking in well less than twenty thousand a year, I know this because they are exempt from filing a 990 on an annual basis, me also. Look them up, the reports are public information.
All of the rescues I listed have websites, and they are listed on as many other locations as they can list themselves for free. The rescue owners themselves have jobs, they are mostly not computer literate, and don't understand marketing or how to market for free, or have the time to dedicate to that because after their jobs and their families and taking care of the animals in their care, they need to sleep, not plan marketing campaigns.
Rescue people never go anywhere, because they don't have anyone to stand in for them to take a vacation. These people are easily maligned but seldom helped. They receive advice about how they should be doing things but are seldom provided the funds or assistance they would need to do the things they wish they could do.
So far as them not answering your emails, I always do, but many don't and I know this. It is very disturbing to constantly tell people that there is no room in your rescue. For some reason, just because we are rescues, people assume that we have unlimited space and supplies and money to just solve everyone else's problems. We don't put any animals down unless it is an unsolvable medical condition. Therefore, we are always full. That is what no-kill means.
A new no-kill shelter or humane society, or rescue could open every week in Greene County, and I can guarantee you that if they have 10 dog runs and 10 cat condos they would be full within a week. Think about that, for dogs, I am only talking about 520 dogs a year coming in, and the rescue can get 520 adoptions of dogs a year. That doesn't happen! In 2007, the Greeneville-Greene County Humane Society only took in 375 dogs, and 173 of those were carefully selected from animal control.
A quote from Washington County Animal Shelter (Animal Control) “Dobbs provided some figures to the city commissioners which show that in 2008 the shelter was able to adopt out 41 percent of the animals that were picked up or owner-surrendered (3329 animals out of 8152). Eight percent were reclaimed (685 animals). Fifty-one percent of animals entering the shelter were euthanized (4136).
The shelter takes in animals for both the city and the county. They received more calls for animal pick-up from county residents than from city residents (1450 to 1029) but far more city people turned animals in than county people (3394 to 2378). The town of Jonesborough accounted for 131 animals in the shelter.”
With all of the organizations operating in Greene County, I suspect that over 4,000 dogs were taken in and adopted or still in these rescues from last year. And a giant point to make here is the other 4136 that were euthanized in Washington County, here in Greene County, they starved to death, or found homes with people in the county who are severely put upon because people keep dumping their problems on them and they take the animals in because they can’t stand to see them homeless. We are bulging at the seams, our public citizens, the rescues, and shelters.
No-kill is really the problem, because the commissioners in this county CAN'T step up to the plate and pass laws about spay/neuter or licensing. They have tried. They get threatened with having their homes burned by the hound dog owners who won't spay/neuter. If you were a commissioner would you cast that yes vote and loose your home? Legislation is going to have to come from the state, and until it does, nothing will ever happen.
Okay, that does not justify not answering an email, but...many of these people also have jobs and families, they have not time left on there plate, because they can't get volunteers, and sometimes when they do get volunteers, there are problems there, because a newbie volunteer has stars in their eyes about what rescue actually is. This always just adds to the stress of the rescue organization when the newbie’s start handing out opinions, and doing things against the rules, and making judgment calls on the rescue organization. They just want to help, but they don’t have the miles of experience to understand the scope of the problem.
If you can volunteer for a rescue, volunteer, and follow their rules, you haven’t walked a mile in their shoes.
My suggestion to everyone out there is lend a hand in some way, educate the public, pay for spay/neuters for others. I know a registered nurse who does private rescue. She also goes around the county and picks up dogs and personally pays for spay/neuter and returns them to the owners.
Do something, but never place an animal for adoption that has not been spay/neutered without a very large deposit that will guarantee that the animal gets the surgery because the family will want their deposit back. If animals aren’t being born, there would be no need for rescues, shelters and humane societies. Good licensing regulations stop pet over population, not no-kill shelters. You have to get into the individuals pocket to get their attention.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
No Kill Animal Rescues in Greene County, TN
The subject came up recently on another discussion board that there was a lack of no-kill shelters in Greene County.
I responded to that post, and my response was removed, so I am going to post as much as I can remember once again here, and I am sure I will expand on the subject.
There are many no-kill shelters operating in Greene County. With the exception of Greeneville-Greene County Humane Society, these shelters are not supported by the community, and the people who run them are constantly stressed by their need for funding, volunteers and other support.
This stress load does not stop them. I know many hard working rescue people who have been at it for years. Many of them live in personal poverty, but still work at rescue. The animals in their care come first.
The animals in their care are the cast asides that people thoughtlessly dump on our county roads, or move off and leave sometimes chained up or locked in a building. We are a monstrous society when you think about how many people treat animals. I pray that some day the laws will be strong enough to stop the senselessness of not spay/neutering, of willfully abandoning or abusing any of God's creatures.
I will list many of the active rescues that I personally know about:
A Second Chance Adoptions
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN275.html
apawparty@aol.com
A Voice for Pets
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN288.html
sweatpea21560@yahoo.com
Bright Hope Animal Rescue
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN507.html
bhanimalrescue@aol.com
Feral Friends of Greene County, Inc.
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN363.html
adoptions@feralfriendsofgreenecounty.org
Forgotten Angels Animal Rescue
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN279.html
forgottenangelsanimalrescue@yahoo.com
Greeneville-Greene County Humane Society
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN90.html
gchs78@juno.com
GreenePets Foster Network, Inc.
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN258.html
greenepets@gmail.com
Helping Paws mountain View Rescue, Inc.
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN249.html
cdavispaws@comcast.net
Mustang Alley Horse Rescue, Inc.
http://www.mustangalley.org
mahr@mustangalley.org
Sheltie Rescue of East TN, Inc.
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN355.html
brenda@sheltierescueetn.com
As I said before, the only rescue that is really receiving any support in our community is the Greeneville-Greene County Humane Society.
Every rescue needs financial support.
Every rescue needs volunteers helping with animal care, fundraising, and getting the word out.
Every rescue needs donations of food and supplies.
Every rescue needs help with veterinarian bills.
You can call the vets in Greene County and find out which ones are working with which rescues. Donate to that rescue at the vets office.
Our state mandates that in order to rescue dogs and cats the rescue is responsible for the spay/neuter. No animal is to be placed unless the surgery has been performed. Yes, veterinarian fees are expensive, but guess what, not spay/neutering is even more expensive.
Anyone placing an animal in a new home without spay/neuter is only adding to the problem. New homes sometimes don't work out, then the animals are on the loose again able to breed.
We have many wonderful veterinarians who are working hard with these rescues, and they are trying to keep costs down to the rescue, still there will always be a never ending supply of abandoned dogs, cats and horses that must be dealt with by someone.
Contact the above rescues and see what you can do to help.
Oh, and another thing. Feral Friends not only rescues and places cats, but they are dedicated to maintaining colonies of feral cats around the county. These cats have all be captured at one time or another, spay/neutered, and vaccinated. To maintain a colony, they are visited on an ongoing basis, and fed. Feral Friends has been doing this for years, I am sure they need volunteers.
I responded to that post, and my response was removed, so I am going to post as much as I can remember once again here, and I am sure I will expand on the subject.
There are many no-kill shelters operating in Greene County. With the exception of Greeneville-Greene County Humane Society, these shelters are not supported by the community, and the people who run them are constantly stressed by their need for funding, volunteers and other support.
This stress load does not stop them. I know many hard working rescue people who have been at it for years. Many of them live in personal poverty, but still work at rescue. The animals in their care come first.
The animals in their care are the cast asides that people thoughtlessly dump on our county roads, or move off and leave sometimes chained up or locked in a building. We are a monstrous society when you think about how many people treat animals. I pray that some day the laws will be strong enough to stop the senselessness of not spay/neutering, of willfully abandoning or abusing any of God's creatures.
I will list many of the active rescues that I personally know about:
A Second Chance Adoptions
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN275.html
apawparty@aol.com
A Voice for Pets
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN288.html
sweatpea21560@yahoo.com
Bright Hope Animal Rescue
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN507.html
bhanimalrescue@aol.com
Feral Friends of Greene County, Inc.
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN363.html
adoptions@feralfriendsofgreenecounty.org
Forgotten Angels Animal Rescue
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN279.html
forgottenangelsanimalrescue@yahoo.com
Greeneville-Greene County Humane Society
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN90.html
gchs78@juno.com
GreenePets Foster Network, Inc.
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN258.html
greenepets@gmail.com
Helping Paws mountain View Rescue, Inc.
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN249.html
cdavispaws@comcast.net
Mustang Alley Horse Rescue, Inc.
http://www.mustangalley.org
mahr@mustangalley.org
Sheltie Rescue of East TN, Inc.
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN355.html
brenda@sheltierescueetn.com
As I said before, the only rescue that is really receiving any support in our community is the Greeneville-Greene County Humane Society.
Every rescue needs financial support.
Every rescue needs volunteers helping with animal care, fundraising, and getting the word out.
Every rescue needs donations of food and supplies.
Every rescue needs help with veterinarian bills.
You can call the vets in Greene County and find out which ones are working with which rescues. Donate to that rescue at the vets office.
Our state mandates that in order to rescue dogs and cats the rescue is responsible for the spay/neuter. No animal is to be placed unless the surgery has been performed. Yes, veterinarian fees are expensive, but guess what, not spay/neutering is even more expensive.
Anyone placing an animal in a new home without spay/neuter is only adding to the problem. New homes sometimes don't work out, then the animals are on the loose again able to breed.
We have many wonderful veterinarians who are working hard with these rescues, and they are trying to keep costs down to the rescue, still there will always be a never ending supply of abandoned dogs, cats and horses that must be dealt with by someone.
Contact the above rescues and see what you can do to help.
Oh, and another thing. Feral Friends not only rescues and places cats, but they are dedicated to maintaining colonies of feral cats around the county. These cats have all be captured at one time or another, spay/neutered, and vaccinated. To maintain a colony, they are visited on an ongoing basis, and fed. Feral Friends has been doing this for years, I am sure they need volunteers.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Training as a Career
Many people do not realize that the median income for a professional trainer is around $31,000. Also, over the next ten years, animal training careers are expected to increase by 19%.
We are one of the fastest growing businesses around right now.
To assist you on your path, Kat's K9 Cadets Dog & Puppy Training conducts six day Intern Academy's and we also have a Dog Trainer Apprentice Program for those who need a more relaxed schedule to follow their path.
Anyone wishing to get ahead of the pack, contact us for our schedule of schools, classes, etc.
We are one of the fastest growing businesses around right now.
To assist you on your path, Kat's K9 Cadets Dog & Puppy Training conducts six day Intern Academy's and we also have a Dog Trainer Apprentice Program for those who need a more relaxed schedule to follow their path.
Anyone wishing to get ahead of the pack, contact us for our schedule of schools, classes, etc.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
New Career as a Kennel Manager
Wouldn't you love to work for yourself? Do you love animals? Would you love a business that allows you to be around animals more than humans?
Become a boarding kennel manager or owner.
Our three month intern program will start you well on your way to management, or give you the skills to feel comfortable purchasing or building a boarding kennel in the future.
Look at our Intern Academy, you may be glad you did.
http://www.greatandsmall.net/Training/KennelManagerAcademy.html
Become a boarding kennel manager or owner.
Our three month intern program will start you well on your way to management, or give you the skills to feel comfortable purchasing or building a boarding kennel in the future.
Look at our Intern Academy, you may be glad you did.
http://www.greatandsmall.net/Training/KennelManagerAcademy.html
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Why do abusive trainers persist?
I have a consultation on Tuesday with a woman whose four month old dog was hanged, slapped, an alpha rolled by a dog trainer in a nearby town. She stayed till the end of the class and isn't going back. Personally, I would have launched on this... guy before the dog got off the ground, and when he was finally able to get up, he would have found me and my dog in front of the dust getting out of there! This guy advertises himself as a "positive" trainer. Were this true, none of the above approaches would have been employed. Ah, he also REQUIRES the use of prong collars on all dogs attending his classes. I would venture to guess that he is also abusive to the humans in his household, wonder if they sport prongs? Please check out the attached link and see what the experts and other positive trainers who are using operant and classical conditioning instead of compulsion to train really think of the latest leader of this outdated mentality pack.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Completion of Level 1 Academy
Our first Intern Academy has arrived at completion. It was wonderful working with Julie and Will in teaching the basics of dog training, and starting them on the science of dog training.
We had a wonderful hard working week of learning new concepts, and practicing mechanical skills.
Our rescue dogs, Lilly, Donna, and Ben were a trial the first few days, but we finally got them started. It was hard for the dogs, because they are over a year old, and have grown up in rescue. They are in wonderful shape, and absolutely gorgeous hound mixes. Their personalities are astonishing for long term rescue dogs who aren't living inside a home.
We also included Sidley, an Australian shepherd about six months old, and Zeke, a two year old Chocolate Lab.
Sidley is a very fortunate young miss in that she was adopted at a WalMart store. Totally on a whim, as a very young puppy. Bonnie has worked this little girl into her pack of two adult Great Danes, who I am sure at times ask mom why she did this to them. Anyway, Sidley has had a wonderful week working with Julie and Will.
Zeke was in the training center working with Kat, and adoring long walks around the hayfield after his training sessions. Zeke is a rescue who has been with GreenePets since February. He was an owner surrender at fourteen months of age, because without training he had become too boisterous for the children in the home. The owners would not subscribe to a training plan to help Zeke stay in the home. Truly their loss, this guy is a very sweet and loving dog who now knows what is expected of him in the dog human relationship.
We had a wonderful hard working week of learning new concepts, and practicing mechanical skills.
Our rescue dogs, Lilly, Donna, and Ben were a trial the first few days, but we finally got them started. It was hard for the dogs, because they are over a year old, and have grown up in rescue. They are in wonderful shape, and absolutely gorgeous hound mixes. Their personalities are astonishing for long term rescue dogs who aren't living inside a home.
We also included Sidley, an Australian shepherd about six months old, and Zeke, a two year old Chocolate Lab.
Sidley is a very fortunate young miss in that she was adopted at a WalMart store. Totally on a whim, as a very young puppy. Bonnie has worked this little girl into her pack of two adult Great Danes, who I am sure at times ask mom why she did this to them. Anyway, Sidley has had a wonderful week working with Julie and Will.
Zeke was in the training center working with Kat, and adoring long walks around the hayfield after his training sessions. Zeke is a rescue who has been with GreenePets since February. He was an owner surrender at fourteen months of age, because without training he had become too boisterous for the children in the home. The owners would not subscribe to a training plan to help Zeke stay in the home. Truly their loss, this guy is a very sweet and loving dog who now knows what is expected of him in the dog human relationship.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Dog Trainer Intern School
September 21, 2009 for six straight mind wracking days!
Come and join us. Start your path to a career in dog training.
Dog Trainer Schools starts on Monday at 9:00am, and will end on the following Saturday afternoon.
Learn to conduct a basic obedience class.
Learn Operant and Classical Conditioning and why positive training principles are the easiest and fastest way to train a dog.
Learn about the people who brought this all about. Nobody has to train using force. You only destroy the relationship with your dog if you are dominating him/her.
Learn to have a grand time playing with your dog. The dog doesn't know it's training, they love it so much.
For this week, you will be assigned a shelter dog. You will teach the dog the basic skills taught in classes that last six or seven weeks.
You will practice conducting classes.
You will attend lectures, and take written exams.
The next class starts in October, my personal favorite time of the year.
Contact us at kat@greatandsmall.net to reserve your spot.
Come and join us. Start your path to a career in dog training.
Dog Trainer Schools starts on Monday at 9:00am, and will end on the following Saturday afternoon.
Learn to conduct a basic obedience class.
Learn Operant and Classical Conditioning and why positive training principles are the easiest and fastest way to train a dog.
Learn about the people who brought this all about. Nobody has to train using force. You only destroy the relationship with your dog if you are dominating him/her.
Learn to have a grand time playing with your dog. The dog doesn't know it's training, they love it so much.
For this week, you will be assigned a shelter dog. You will teach the dog the basic skills taught in classes that last six or seven weeks.
You will practice conducting classes.
You will attend lectures, and take written exams.
The next class starts in October, my personal favorite time of the year.
Contact us at kat@greatandsmall.net to reserve your spot.
Friday, June 5, 2009
3 Day Weekend Behavior Shaping Camps
I have completed the schedules for this years training camps.
To learn the science and art of shaping behaviors, check out my scheduled camps on the web page.
http://www.greatandsmall.net/Training/CampShaping.html
Hope to see you there!
Apprentices are Soaring!
I currently have two dog trainer apprentices in my program. I am so very proud of the accomplishments they have made.
We are currently working together twice a week four hours each time. Learning the science of classical and operant conditioning, and applying these theories to actual hands on dog training.
Working with rescue dogs, progress is sometimes slow, and sometimes we can't keep up with the dogs.
It is a path of discovery unlocking personalities, figuring out how to motivate dogs who could care less, plus working with their own personal pack when they go home.
I look forward to each Tuesday and Friday, and all of my past and current students who attend the hands on class time with the dogs.
We are currently working together twice a week four hours each time. Learning the science of classical and operant conditioning, and applying these theories to actual hands on dog training.
Working with rescue dogs, progress is sometimes slow, and sometimes we can't keep up with the dogs.
It is a path of discovery unlocking personalities, figuring out how to motivate dogs who could care less, plus working with their own personal pack when they go home.
I look forward to each Tuesday and Friday, and all of my past and current students who attend the hands on class time with the dogs.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Summer Is Around the Corner
With this economy, things are looking a little stiff. Many people are losing their jobs, and don't know where to turn.
I do hope that more and more people find this blog and consider a career change for themselves.
If you have a love of animals, are a kind and compassionate person, and are willing to work to learn the exacting science of behavior. Perhaps a career change is in store for you as an animal trainer.
Our Apprentice Programs are wide open for starting new apprentice trainers each month. If you live within driving distance of Greeneville, and can attend two times a week for four hours. You can put yourself on the path to becoming a dog trainer.
Becoming a dog trainer using the principles of Classical and Operant Conditioning, transfers to giving you the ability to train all animals.
Kat's K9 Cadets presently has two apprentices in the Level I program and they are doing an astounding job of learning and practicing their skills.
Contact us and lets talk about how you can give yourself an alternative career that is totally transportable no matter where you live.
Dog trainers can put themselves through college and assist their living expenses without having to work all those hours required with low paying food services jobs.
Think about it, learning a skill that will always be with you, but best of all saving lives of dogs especially who would otherwise have a bad life due to lack of training.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Doing the Hated Thing
For years now I have had to put off taking an exam. This procrastination was for very valid reasons, but recently the reasons ran out.
So, I find myself in early 2008 trying to get signed up to take the CPDT (Certified Pet Dog Trainer) exam.
My decision to do this is due to changes in the rules of several of the associations that I belong to and endeavor to support.
Part of the reason that I hadn't taken the exam in the past was I erroneously thought that the only time the exam was available was during the APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) conferences. Then, while perusing the CCPDT website I finally discovered that the exam could be taken through colleges that aren't too far from where I live. (Something btw that I had always grumped about "Why didn't they offer the testing in some type of controlled circumstances in every state?" Wish and you shall receive.)
So, I find myself in early 2008 trying to get signed up to take the CPDT (Certified Pet Dog Trainer) exam.
My decision to do this is due to changes in the rules of several of the associations that I belong to and endeavor to support.
Part of the reason that I hadn't taken the exam in the past was I erroneously thought that the only time the exam was available was during the APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) conferences. Then, while perusing the CCPDT website I finally discovered that the exam could be taken through colleges that aren't too far from where I live. (Something btw that I had always grumped about "Why didn't they offer the testing in some type of controlled circumstances in every state?" Wish and you shall receive.)
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Auzia, The Story of a Working Girl
Sergeant AuziaI run a 501c3 non-profit animal rescue, GreenePets Foster Network, Inc. You never know what is going to happen next when you are in rescue, and because of this, one fine day in August (before the NASCAR race), I found myself taking a Police K9 into GreenePets.
Whoda thunk it? That life for a police trained K9 would turn sour enough to land the girl in a give-a-way situation. Tales of "Black Beauty"? I was determined to get this girl back to work. After all, she had spent years schooling and working before winding up in my hands.
I found out as much about her as I could and then went to work trying to find a department that needed a K9. One would think that this would be a no brainer. Here I am with a valuable already trained, experienced working dog, and there are dozens of police departments, airports, and boarder patrols needing just what I have.
Well, first thing I ran up against was her age. She is seven this year. According to many units, that is not young. Also, I couldn't prove the story I had about her abilities.
After contacting many police K9 units nationwide, I was finally fortunate enough to get through to someone with authority, the Chief of the Bristol Police Department. This man, Chief Blaine Wade actually gave me the courtesy of listening to my story. Not only did he listen to my story, but he had his senior K9 officer PSO Robert Caudill contact me and come out to take a look at my Auzia.
This is not to say that this look-see was 'love at first sight', officer Caudill, was rather sceptical to start with, and I could see his point, I mean, just how could life cause a "real" trained police dog to wind up in a small animal rescue in East Tennessee?
Officer Caudill put her through her paces in obedience. I must say that Auzia was a little rusty, so I covered for her reminding officer Caudill that she had not been in the hands of a trained K9 officer for a couple of years, but rusty or not, I thought she shined, (anything stronger than a rescuer's love?).
Officer Caudill did admit that he was shocked and surprised with what he was seeing. He made a phone call to an officer of the PD that Auzia had been deployed with for her original four years of working the streets. The officer he spoke with remembered her and said she was an ace with her Drug work.
Eureka! I was ecstatic, I knew my Auzia had not been leading me astray, she is a working girl, and all she wanted was to get back to work. Officer Caudill assured me that even though Auzia may not be placed in patrol, he would at least find her an appropriate home for me.
You see, there was one small issue in placing Auzia. This girl is trained in "bite work", therefore she could not be placed just anywhere with just any old person who would love to own a "Mal".
Due to Officer Caudill's work schedule for the coming weeks, I agreed to keep Auzia for him at our kennel until he was able to test her further.
Testing day finally arrived. Officer Caudill came down from Bristol with Keith, another K9 officer from Kingsport. They put Auzia through her paces in obedience and were fairly pleased with her performance. Though, as young men in great shape, they discussed things like "she needs to do some hill running to get rid of that fat", and she needs workouts to get her responses where they should be. Actually I thought her performance was far greater than the first trial a few weeks prior, which I think had reminded Auzia that she was not a 'lady of leisure' but a true working dog.
Then came the biggie test. The officers had stashed drugs and ran a couple of trials with Auzia. They were amazed and thrilled at the way she responded. This part of her life was still at maximum levels of performance.
Long story short, there were emergency meetings at two police departments that day. Auzia was accepted as a recruit by the Bristol Police Department in Tennessee, and she would become Officer Caudill's partner as a Drug Detection dog. Sergeant Auzia will again be certified in October for Drug Detection and back to work full time as Officer Caudill's partner.
Reflecting back on all that transpired, it seemed like I had Auzia in my care for a great deal of time. However, God's hand was definately in all of this. I kept searching for a job for Auzia, and Captain Wade listened to me. Things were happening at the Bristol Police Department that would make the possibility of the donation of a trained K9 a blessing.
Officer Caudill's partner K9 Sergeant Rico is now 13, and has to retire this year. Officer Caudill is to be promoted in his own position with the K9 unit, and Sergeant Rico's retirement would be taking a trained K9 out of Bristol's unit. Police department budgets are tight and trained K9's are horribly expensive. Sargent Rico's retirement was creating a loss to this police department. Bristol Police Department's willingness to adopt Auzia solved many problems for all.
In this placement, Auzia was granted a fantastic bonus. She now resides with Officer Caudill's retired Bomb Detection K9, Rico and has a new little sister K9 Niko.
Auzia's family has gone from nobody, as she was a cast off K9, to a new fantastic partner/handler, PSO Robert Caudill, a big brother, Sergeant Rico, Retired, and a little sister, Niko. Best of all, starting in October, a full time job once again. I am sure her career with the Bristol Police Department will be grand and glorious, and the rest of her days will be a dream come true for our Auzia.
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