We have a new friend at Wiggle Butt's Academy. His name is Mikey, and he's a 7 month old Lab/mix. Mikey is here with us for Foundation Training (basic obedience), and is doing very well with his training. He's a very smart little guy, and very eager to learn. He loves to play, and is very outgoing. We gave him a Temperament Test today, and he did beautifully! Way to go Mikey!! We are looking forward to seeing Mikey and his mom Bethany at our next lesson!

It's that time again! Puppy classes are back for the fall. Puppy Start Right Preschool and Foundation classes will be starting up again in September, after taking a break for the summer months.
Puppy Start Right Preschool will be held on September 1st. thru September 29th. on Monday's at 10:00 am. and September 6th. thru October 11th. on Saturday's at 2:00 pm.  The cost is $150 for 5 classes, and is due at registration.

Foundation classes will be held on September 5th. thru October 10th. on Friday's at 10:00 am and September 7th. thru October 12th. on Sunday's at 3:30 pm. The cost for the Foundation Training classes is $175 for 6 classes, and is due at registration.

If you prefer, you can purchase you choice of class online through PayPal. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can sign up for free! Short on cash? No problem. With PayPal Credit ( used to be Bill Me Later) you can pay for your purchase, and have 6 months to pay. All you need to do is go over to Puppy Start Right Preschool classes or Foundation Training classes, fill out the Intake Form at the bottom of the page, click "Buy Now", go to checkout, pay for your purchase using PayPal, and you're all set.

Since this is the first classes of the fall, we will be offering door prizes, best in class award, clicker training prizes, and more! Come join us for the fun at Wiggle Butt's Academy! We only take 3-4 puppies per class, so space goes quickly! Sign up early so you don't miss out on all the fun!  If it says "SOLD OUT" next to the class you are interested in, that class is full. You will need to choose another class time and day, or E-mail me for information on up coming classes.

Lot's of activity here at the Academy lately. We have 2 new clients lined up for consultations for private lessons this week, another in 2 weeks, and a board and train going home on Sunday. I always miss them when they go home. They become a part of our family.

We very excited to announce that we have recently added a Pup Cam for the board and train guests parents! Now you can check up on your little fur baby to see how he/she is progressing, and even at night, to tell him/her good night, though they won't be able to see or hear you, it should be comforting for you to see that they are safe and sound in their little crates, sleeping soundly.

We are also very excited about our new Pampered Pup board and train package! With T-Touch massage and Doggie Yoga, and light grooming daily. Not to mention all the training, and playing that would be going on every day. And since we only keep one board and train at a time, we can give lots of attention to our one guest.

We start the day off with a short walk, then an extended play session, and a training session (which is actually working for breakfast), th Then we settle down for some Doggie Yoga. Then we go outside for another extended play session, more training, more playing, then it's nap time for the little pup. In between, we are working on potty training, crate training, teaching how to give and leave it alone, and proper door greetings.

After the pup is rested, we start out with another short walk and potty training and then lunch. Then we work on standing to be groomed, getting used to the clippers, nail trimmers, and being brushed. All while having fun doing it! Then, if the liquid Florida sunshine holds off, we go outside for another short play session. Then it's time for the little pup to play by himself for a while indoors, so he learns to quietly entertain himself. We also do this outdoors, secretly supervised of course, and depending on his age, to get him used to going outside alone.

By now it is probably starting to get pretty late in the evening. So it's time for another short walk, potty training and dinner. Some indoor training, such as sit, down, and focus, and learning how to take and give his toys. We then put him down for the night, monitoring him by camera so as not to disturb him. We usually leave a radio playing softly and a night light on, so he doesn't get lonely. We will probably take him out potty several time during the evening, before retiring to bed for the night ourselves. Then, at 7 am, we are up and at it again! And while we are having all this fun, you can check in anytime, day or night, on our Pup Cam, to see how your little pup is doing.

When training your dog, you must keep in mind that no two dogs are alike, just like no two people are alike. Some dogs learn faster, or slower than others. It doesn't mean the slower learner isn't as smart as the faster one. It just means that it takes him a bit more time for that "Ah Ha" moment, when it clicks and he thinks " Oh, so that's what she wants me to do".

One training method may work for one dog, but not for the other. Some dogs will go crazy and do anything for treats, while another may prefer a toy or a game of fetch as a training reward.

You have to learn what makes your dog tick, and what motivates him the most. Then use this information to your advantage during training. My dogs will do anything for the sound of the clicker and a goldfish cracker! But your dog might not be motivated by a clicker and a cracker. He may need a resounding "YES" and a piece of steak or chicken to really get him interested in training.

Let's say your boss adds to your work load, but doesn't offer you more pay. How are you going to feel about that extra work? Not very motivating, right? Now what if your boss added the same extra work load, but gave you a $5 an hour raise?! Pretty motivating, isn't it? You would be more likely to work harder and complete the extra work.

Your dog feels the same way. Why should he work for kibble when he gets that for doing nothing at meal times? When you ask more from your dog, you have to give more. But hey, you just might be lucky enough to get that dog who will work for kibble, or crackers!

Remember, there are no "Bad Dogs" just dogs who's owners haven't found what motivates them!

Most of my new clients have never heard of a clicker, or maybe they have heard of it, but didn't know how to use it properly. So I thought this would be a great topic for this blog.


A clicker is a hand held device which makes a clear "click" sound when you push on it. It's used to mark the exact moment your dog does a behavior you have been looking for, correctly. The reason I use the clicker is because it is a very distinct sound that dogs, young and old learn quickly. It is a very consistent sound, that never changes. Unlike when you simply use the work "yes" or "good" alone. Because, after all, we are only human. Sometimes it's hard to remember the correct word you use, and say it right at the exact moment your dog performs correctly. This can lead to confusion for your dog.

When I train dogs, I use a clicker, and the word "yes" simultaneously. That way, if they were to do something I had been looking for, and I don't happen to have my clicker handy, I could still mark the behavior with a resounding "YES" and give them a reward! My dogs know when I say a very excited "YES" that they have done something exactly right, and that a great reward is forth coming. Usually in the form of a Jack Pot reward. I will discuss jack pot rewards in a future post.  My dogs also know when the difference of when we are in training mode, and when I am having a conversation with someone. I never give a resounding "YES" or "GOOD" in normal conversation with a person.

Saw the cutest video today called Dog wants a kitty. It really made me laugh and I wanted to share it with you. Guaranteed to make you smile, and maybe even laugh out loud!