Puzzle Me, Please - Part 3

Blog post by Amber Quann KPA-CTP, CPDT-KSA

I’ve written before about our favorite types of food-puzzle toys. Check out Puzzle Me, Please Part 1 and Part 2 for lists of our favorite store-bought food puzzles to keep your dogs’ brains happy and enriched!

But it’s a snow day here in Fort Collins (17-ish inches and still snowing!) and for those of you stuck inside with your dogs, here are a few options to add in some enrichment and entertainment into your day without having to make a trip to the store for more puzzles!

• DIY Food Puzzles - Instead of feeding your dogs out of their bowls today, deliver all of their kibble through some sort of enrichment toy. If you don’t have any on hand, you can still come up with some creative challenges from what you have at home!

  • Cardboard boxes - drop the treats in and turn over or fold the lid closed. Let your dog brainstorm how to get inside!

  • Egg Cartons

  • Treat Scatter with a towel on top

  • Muffin Tins

  • Cookie Sheet with peanut butter smear (freeze for extra difficulty)

• Nose Work Games! - Hide things for your dog to find! You can do this with food, toys, people or anything else that your dog will search for!

Roo loved playing games in the house! This was a big part of his enrichment and exercise routine. Here he is demonstrating finding his toy using his nose work skills! For a new dog playing this game, make it a lot easier and hide the toy closer to your dog's starting position.

• Hide & Seek - A variation on the nose work game, except that you are the one doing the hiding! Tell your dog to stay (or toss a handful of treats down on the ground for them to find if they don’t have a strong stay behavior yet). Run to the other room and duck behind an obstacle like a door, shower curtain, or piece of furniture. You can call your dog softly or wait for them to start looking for you (only if you did the treat toss instead of a Stay!). Be ready to party as soon as they find your hiding spot!

• Teach a New Trick - Snow days are a great time to do some training, and teaching a new trick is always a fun way to get your dog’s brain and energy directed in a positive way. Pick something your dog hasn’t learned before, or pull out a rusty skill from the archives and brush up! You can use props you have in your house, like step stools, laundry baskets, chairs, balls, etc. and teach a variety of fun tricks using what you already have on hand!

• Come up with a new game! - Make up something new that your dog loves to play. Charlie had a silly game he used to play with Roo called “Darts”. As long as your dog is enjoying the game (not all dogs will like things launched in their face like Roo did), keep playing!

Make up new games to play with your dog! Roo and Charlie had several fun games they played together. This one Charlie called "Darts" - Roo would sit or stand in a certain spot and then try to catch or hunt for the treats that Charlie launched his way.

Remember, when your dogs are stuck inside they have a lot of energy that needs to go somewhere! Help them direct their crazy energy in a positive direction and you’ll both have a much more pleasant snow day!

What is your favorite non-store-bought form of mental enrichment? Tell us in the comments below!

Roo's Story - Pet Cancer Awareness Month

Blog post by Amber Quann KPA-CTP, CPDT-KSA

This isn’t the project I am supposed to be working on right now.  That’s the funny – and frustrating - thing about grief.  One minute you’re getting ready to knock some stuff off the to-do-list, and the next minute you are on your knees with no way up. 

But it’s Pet Cancer Awareness Month in November. So of course I’m thinking about the best friend that I lost to cancer just four months ago.  I haven’t really shared much about the specifics of the last period of Roo’s life.  Looking back, it seems like a blur, from diagnosis to death.   Here it is, to the best of my recollection. Maybe it will bring comfort or solidarity to those of you working through similar trauma with your own loved ones.

Last January, we road tripped to Portland for Clicker Expo.  We had the best time together. Roo was an angel every step of the way.  

During the trip, his ability to jump into the car deteriorated very suddenly. All of his life, hopping into the crate in the back of my SUV was a breeze.  Suddenly, in January, he stopped wanting to do that at all. I had to lift him up and down every time. (Interesting note, after ONE chemo treatment and getting started on prednisone, he was back to jumping in the car willingly and accurately every time. Lesson: Listen to your dog. Seeing him decline to jump in the car so suddenly was one of the big reasons I knew we needed to get into the vet so quickly.)  

After the wrap-up night of ClickerExpo, we had just gone to bed when Roo started coughing like he was . . . going to explode. I don’t know how else to describe it. He had been coughing occasionally for several months (for which we had been to the vet for and had a different working diagnosis), but this was different.  It is so crazy to me that it came on so suddenly – he didn’t do anything like this at all on the trip until that last night. 

We had a two-day drive home from Portland to Colorado. The whole time, it was obvious that he didn’t feel well.  He couldn’t lie down in his crate without coughing, so he spent most of the 17-hour drive sitting up.  I called the vet and made an appointment for as soon as we got back into town at the end of the second day of driving. We drove straight there. 

The next three weeks are kind of a blur.  Chest radiographs.  Suspicious looking shading in his chest.  Referral for an ultrasound-guided needle aspirate. Biopsy sent to CSU. Lymphoma diagnosis. Referral to an oncologist. 

We drove to our oncology appointment in the middle of a blizzard in February. We got out of the car and Roo almost immediately had a seizure in the parking lot.  Bloodwork. Leukocyte counts off the charts. Leukemia/lymphoma diagnosis. Additional tests ordered from CSU. First chemo dose administered. Prognosis good because it is very likely “chronic” lymphocytic leukemia but we need to wait for test results from CSU. 

I went to Germany that weekend. It was a trip we’d already had planned for months, supposed to be three weeks in Europe around my husband’s work. Up to that point, one of the most agonizing decisions I’ve ever had to make. Roo stayed with a very capable pet sitter, and we planned to continue treatment when I got back. Five days into our trip, test results came back from CSU – it’s acute lymphocytic leukemia, not chronic.  Prognosis one month – treated or untreated, I asked?  That’s the average of both. 

Europe can wait. Got the next available flight that I could, flew home, another round of chemo as soon as I got back.  

Then we hit status quo for a few months. We hiked. We camped. We road-tripped.  We managed a few seizures here and there. We slowed down a little but definitely not a lot. I kept a hiking journal for the first half of the year – Roo and I did 30+ hikes together between January and July.  What a trooper. 

After finishing the last chemo treatment, we had about a week and a half before we saw him going downhill again.  Basically, no remission for Roo.  We maintained on a higher dose of prednisone for a little over a month after that.  

And then it was time. 

The hardest, most agonizing decision I’ve ever had to make. Ever. 

I laid on the bathroom floor next to him in the middle of the night. We’d just cleaned up vomit filled with blood. He’d been laying in the middle of that puddle when I woke up and found him.  The next morning he had three seizures, every time he went outside and walked more than a few steps.  

I’d like to say “oh his eyes said it was time” or “I knew for sure he was ready to go.” But I can’t say that. 

The truth is I knew he was in pain but that he would keep going if I asked him to.  Because that was him, to the core. He was the dog who would keep playing ball with four scraped paws without even a limp.  He was the dog who would keep running helter-skelter through the snow with ice balls hanging from every hair on his body.  He was the dog who on the last day of his life asked to play in the sprinklers right after being flat on the sidewalk from a seizure (and then had to lay down again right after playing in the sprinkler to fight off another seizure).

So, my little red dog, you would have kept going for me. I know you would. But I couldn’t ask you to do that anymore. You gave me so much of yourself. You helped me with so many decisions.  I’ll take the burden of this one off of your shoulders.  

Run fast and bark loud, my little red dog. 

Pet Grief Resources

For those of you struggling with the loss of a pet to cancer (or other cause), here are some resources I have found helpful:

• Book: Heart Dog – Roxanne Hawn (https://championofmyheart.com/books-by-roxanne-hawn/)

• Podcast: Grief – Unleashed at Work & Home (https://unleashedatworkandhome.podbean.com/e/grief-kristin-buller/)

• Ted Talk: Nora McInerny (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khkJkR-ipfw)

• Professional Help: We all handle grief differently.  Don’t be afraid to reach out to a licensed professional counselor to get help for where you are at. I am starting this phase of my grief journey in January. 

 Do you have a grief resource that has helped you through loss?  Please comment below! 

Hugs to you at whatever stage of this journey you are on. 

 - Amber

Hellloooo Holidays! - Prepare Your Dog to Be the Best Behaved Family Member This Holiday Season

Unless you happen to be one of the rare few whose family comes together in perfect harmony and whose recipes never fail, your feelings surrounding the Holidays are a bit of a mixed bag. There is joy, yes. There can also be sweaty palmed anxiety. “Last time I saw this family member it ended in a drop down, drag out fight” recollections. It’s possible around the Holidays for there to be too many feelings in one room, or too many cooks in the kitchen.

All of this stuff is pretty similar when you’re a dog. For many dogs, the Holidays are a time of intense excitement but also potentially some anxiety as well. The doorbell rings more often. The people who enter are often much-loved and seldomly seen. They might bring punch bowls or toddlers or dishes full of glorious, aromatic turkey. Stimulation is high, and quarters are close.

As Thanksgiving approaches, think about what tools you have at your fingertips to set your dogs up for success. Imagine that when your elderly relation comes in the front door with a walker, your dog settles quietly on his mat. Wouldn’t that be a reason to celebrate?! 

Imagine your perfect guest-entry scenario. Where is your dog when the doorbell rings? How do they greet your guests? Once you’ve imagined it, use some of these exercises to bring it to life!

Start training ahead of time! Guests arriving for the first time on the holiday is not the time to start practicing. If you’ve missed the boat for this year, see our management suggestions below!

Skill #1: If your dog barks at guest-at-the-door sounds, do some knock and/or doorbell conditioning: 

• Start off with your dog in front of you on leash. They do not need to be sitting or lying down at this point.

• Knock lightly on the wall next to you. Treat when your dog acknowledges the noise, even just with an ear flick.

• Repeat 5 times, or until your dog looks at you expectantly when they hear the knock.

• Increase the volume of your knock in small increments until a normal knocking sound cues a check in.

For doorbell conditioning, try using a youtube video of a doorbell on your phone instead of knocking on the wall. Then, work your way up from a phone sound to the real deal. You can have your neighbor help with this because they will inevitably be needing a few eggs or a cup of flour from you in the coming weeks, anyway. 

Skill #2: Hand target greeting as a replacement for jumping up.

We want to replace the jumping behavior with a better behavior. Recruit a different neighbor for this. Didn’t they use your generator last year for their in-law’s RV? They owe you one. Or, ask someone else who is pretty unfamiliar to your dog to help out. Having your dog greet a stranger by targeting their hand is not only fun for your dog and a neat trick to show off, but it keeps them lower to the ground during greetings. Interacting with the stranger low to the ground is incompatible with jumping up on them!  

First step is teaching a hand target. If you haven’t taught your dog that skill yet, review this video to help out:

Next, apply your hand target skill to a “friendly stranger.”

Warm up your dog's hand target behavior a few times. With your dog on leash, have the friendly stranger approach you and your dog (or you can approach them instead). Ask them to stop just out of reach.

• Ask the friend to extend their hand out towards your dog, and cue your dog to "Say Hi" or "Greet." You can also use a verbal "Touch" cue the first few times if that helps your dog understand the game better.

• When you dog runs up and targets the hand, mark (click or "Yes!") and feed in front of you as you take a step or two back.

• Repeat. Continue to play the game until your dog is touching the friend's hand and returning to you quickly. Mix this game with calm sits or downs at your side to reinforce calm.

• Make it more difficult! Start farther away from the friendly stranger (more excitement wind-up time!). Have the friend get more excited. Play with different people. Use strangers as a tool when your dog is ready.

If this hand target greeting is too exciting for your dog to handle calmly right away, start with just some approaching and retreating first without any hand targets.

Practice before the big day. 

Choose different distractions and environments that are within your dog's range of success. If you can adjust the distraction level (by adjusting the types of greeters, the distance from the greeter, etc.) you can set your dog up for making the right choice - greeting calmly! The more incrementally you can increase the levels of exciting greeters, the easier it is for your dog, and the faster he will move through them.

Quite literally, don’t try a new recipe on Thanksgiving. Start working on training exercises early, and your chances for success on the big day will go up exponentially. Start with small stimuli and move to larger distractions. Reward what you like and ignore what you don’t.  Practice in frequent but short sessions, and reward incremental success. 

Don’t Forget Your Management! 

One final ingredient – if your dog needs some extra help being successful during the big holiday gatherings, it’s ok to use some management strategies to make that happen. Have lots of stuffed kongs prepared and frozen for longer-lasting fun and distraction from the turkey dinner. Set up a crate safe space in the bedroom or basement for your dog to take crate naps throughout the day. Keep them attached to a leash around your waist so that you know exactly where they are – and can rest assured that they aren’t jumping on guests or cleaning the platters on the dining room table for you.  

Remember – your dog’s behaviors are functioning to get reinforcement out of the environment. They can either get that reinforcement in the form of attention for unwanted behavior like jumping up, or a delicious snack from edge of the turkey for counter-surfing. Those are very reinforcing behaviors for your dog! Even if you think “he knows better!” or “she would never do that!”, when you throw in a lot of extra people into the mix of a holiday gathering, expect some abnormal behavior from your dog too! Brush up on some training ahead of time and be ready to manage your dog well during your holiday celebrations to help all of you have a wonderful time together. 

Beings, Not Doings

Blog post by Emily Jacobs

I believe there are certain inevitabilities that come as part of the human condition. There are things we might as well accept because the alternative is to drive ourselves crazy attempting to resist reality. One of these inevitabilities, it seems, is the existence of the to-do list. It has come to my attention time and again that I have unrealistic expectations when it comes to the number of items that fit into a 24hr period. I generate significant anxiety in my life by waking up each morning, brushing my teeth, putting the kettle on, and then resolutely biting off more than I can chew. It’s almost as if I think that, though the day before I was unsuccessful in fulfilling my expectations, today I must have superhuman powers. This perpetual pattern has driven me to deeply envy my dogs.

I was told once, though I can’t quote the source, that we are humanbeings, not humandoings. That statement resonated with me deeply. I wrote it in my journal, made it my personal mantra for a day or two, and then went about ignoring the sentiment entirely, returning to business as usual: self-perpetuating to-do list chaos. My dogs, on the other hand, live this statement every moment of every day. Beings, not doings. Dogs are entirely successful at living in the now, and at signing up for exactly what they can manage each day – namely, nothing. They sign up for nothing. 

It is with this in mind that I turn the topic to training. Existence, for dogs, comes with no innate rule-book (excluding the evolutionary necessities of eating, drinking, sleeping, and so on). Dogs are not born with the evolutionary imperative to be productive, but we seem to think that we are. They are not genetically predisposed to refrain from counter surfing any more than they are genetically predisposed to sit when asked to. What I mean is, every behavior outside of the necessities of seeking food, water, shelter, physical exercise, mental stimulation, and a place to potty is something we are asking dogs to add to a to-do list that doesn’t otherwise exist at all. We are asking our dogs to do things for us, and not just to be. 

My dogs do not feel worthier when they check things off their to-do lists. They don’t feel any less worthy if they don’t achieve the required number of tasks. We would do well to remember this when we attempt to anthropomorphize. Tuvia, when she eats a pair of underpants, hasn’t woken up and meditated on the notion: “today, I will eat underpants at 9:00am.” She has found them, received reinforcement as she chewed through the elastic, and then left them for another action when the reinforcement diminished. That sounds like a pretty decent way to go about life, doesn’t it? 

Of course, we do actually need to-do lists. It’s unlikely that we could sequester ourselves in caves and refuse to participate in the culture in which we live. However, we might take a page out of our dogs’ books and tune in more closely to what reinforces us. What brings us joy and what depletes our energy stores? What do we actually have to do today and where might we set healthy boundaries? I’m trying to think more about what we need versus what we want and then set realistic expectations for ourselves. We can do the same for our dogs and will probably make more graceful training progress to boot; achieving small goals frequently is more emotionally rewarding than failing day after day to meet a giant milestone. 

Framing tasks as things we are asking of ourselves, rather than requiring of ourselves might save us some stress. An over-full day is uncomfortable from start to finish, but a productive day punctuated with small victories is pleasant. Training can be fun and build confidence in our pups. It shouldn’t be overwhelming for them. Remembering to give our dogs credit for their progress is key. And, remembering to be reasonable with the to-do list items we set for them helps them feel confident and appreciated rather than disappointing and frustrating. It would allow us both some more space to breath, have a bit of time to be and not to always do. 

Shouldn’t My Dog Know This Already? (And a Tribute to Roo)

Blog post by Amber Quann KPA-CTP CPDT-KSA

I get asked these questions a lot – 

“What age will my dog finally turn into a good dog?”

“How long do we have to train before he gets it?”

“How old was your dog when he was fully trained?”

I love getting these questions from my students in group classes and private lessons. It gives us a great opportunity to discuss setting good expectations, measurable goals, and realistic timelines for the training process.  

My answer to these questions is usually something like this:

Your dog already is a good dog, and is doing great for his age! Different dogs mature at different rates, and we each have different definitions of a ‘good dog’ so I can’t put an exact age number on when your dog will meet your criteria. What I can tell you is that it takes time, consistency, and practice to help your dog learn the skills you want him to learn, and that’s what I’m here to help you with!

The truth is, the best training with your dog is an on-going, daily/weekly/monthly process.  To have the best relationship with your dog, learning should be part of your relationship for the long-term.

Taking a 6-week class and then checking “Train The Dog” off of your to-do list is the equivalent of eating healthy for that same 6 weeks and then going back to a daily diet of fast-food. The progress you made during those 6 weeks isn’t going to stick around unless you keep up those good habits!  

An upper-level training class is a great way to stay motivated, but you don’t need to stay in training classes to keep working with your dog. There are several different ways you can keep practicing at home. Go over your old class homework and find things you missed the first time around. Check out a trick dog or brewery dog title and work towards those training goals. Teach a fun trick!

I’ve been asked how long it took to get my dog “fully trained.” The question is funny to me, because I never considered him “fully trained.” Heck, I don’t even consider myself “fully trained.” 

We were always learning new things together.  We started training when he was 8 weeks old. Check out this ADORABLE clip of a puppy training session with baby Roo. 

And we were still working on new things in his last year of life. Here we are working on a cute new combo trick of paw + chin offered together.

And if you aren’t tired of Roo videos yet, one more unedited training session where we are working on his toy carrying skills that had gotten a little rusty.  

We even did a training session together on the day we knew was our last day together – that session focused on reviewing some of his favorite, easy skills.  I don’t have a video for you. I was falling to pieces enough as it was. But he loved it so much even though he couldn’t do much. We practiced his left/right foot targets, nose and chin targets, and one of his party favorites “Go to Sleep / Wake Up.” 

All this to say – training is a journey, not a destination.  There is always more to teach your dog, always more to learn together.  

The best relationships are built on consistent investment, not one-time training. (This goes for our human friends as well our dogs.)

So, if you find yourself tempted to ask “When will this dog finally be trained??” . . . remember we are all works in progress.

Perhaps a better question is “What can we work on together today?”

Pet Me with Two Hands and Two Eyes, Please?

Blog post by Amber Quann KPA-CTP, CPDT-KSA

Multi-tasking is a favorite pastime for many of us, myself included. Why do only one thing when you can be doing many things at once?!?!

With the advent of technology, our addiction to multi-tasking has become even more easy to feed. I find myself checking my email on my phone while making breakfast, returning phone calls while washing dishes, and catching up on social media while half-heartedly folding laundry.

While doubling up on these mundane tasks may seem innocent enough, I’ve recently become aware of another pattern to my multi-tasking that is less harmless.

I often multi-task on activities with my dog. It’s so easy to pet him with one hand and scroll Instagram with the other. It’s very convenient to return phone calls while walking our daily morning and evening walks. That’s 1.5 hours EVERY DAY that is just asking to be put to more than one use!

But just like excessive technology use can impact our relationships with other humans, I think this tendency to consistently split our engagement between our dogs and distracting technology has real consequences for our relationships.

Engagement creates engagement - if I engage with my dog, he is more likely to engage with me. Conversely, if I disengage from my dog, he is more likely to disengage from me. While this isn’t the end of the world every now and then, if it is the norm on our activities together, it’s no surprise that the disengagement behavior becomes way more reinforcing to the dog than engaging.

So, a challenge for all of us:

Let’s be intentional about our technology use around our dogs. Let’s choose complete engagement as much as we can. Put down your phone when you pet your dog. Leave your phone at home when you head out for your daily walk. Show your dog that you are engaged completely with him on the activities you are sharing together.

Gear Up for Spring Hikes! - Essential Supplies for Hiking with Your Dog

We are just wrapping up a month-long series on our Facebook page about our top 10 gear list for hiking with our dogs. Here is the summary of the list, but if you want details on each item, be sure to check out the posts on Facebook!

1. Water bowl + water bottle. Ruffwear Quencher & HydraPack Seeker.

2. Clean up accessories! TurdleBag + biodegradable bags

3. First Aid Kit

4. Long-line. Our favorites are from Rawah Dog Outfitters!

5. Backpacks. We love the Ruffwear Palisade and the Outward Hound Quick Release.

6. Squeeze Tubes. Coghlans or GoToob are the best!

7. Tasty Treat Trailmix

8. Collar + I.D. Tags + Microchip

9. Flea + tick prevention & mosquito repellent

10. Education on wilderness first aid & safety. Check out the Field Guide to Dog First Aid.

Happy adventuring!!

Work Out With Your Dog - Without Losing Your Mind

Blog post by Amber Quann KPA-CTP, CPDT-KSA 

If you’re like me, there are some days where you just can’t make it to the gym.  Whether the culprit is your crazy schedule, the negative temperatures outside, or your dog’s sad puppy dog eyes begging you not to leave again, the struggle of being torn between a good workout and staying cozy at home is real!  

But if you live in a small house like me, and/or have a dog that wants to be involved in all of your activities, getting in a good home workout can be an additional challenge for those of us deciding to skip the gym.  If left to his own devices, my dog Roo would be all up in my business as I’m trying to get in a good workout rhythm, leaving both of us frustrated.

Thankfully, we’ve worked out (pun, haha!) a great system for avoiding this frustration!   We’ve modified Karen Overall’s Protocol for Relaxation framework to include workout skills like squats and burpees and push-ups and sit-ups.  Roo settles on his mat quietly right next to my workout area and gets a treat from the nearby treat bucket every few minutes. This way he gets to be somewhat involved in my workouts and I don’t have to worry about tripping over him while carrying my dumbbells.

We didn’t start with the long intervals between treats that we work at now though!  If you want to give this a try with your dog, here is a model to follow to start building up this skill!  For most dogs it will be easier to start with workout exercises that keep you upright before adding in exercises that put you on the floor right in their reach.

Foundation: Settle on a Mat. If your dog doesn’t know this skill, he should!  You can see a short video of this skill here.  Work through at least day one of the Protocol for Relaxation to build a little bit of distraction and duration into this skill.

Set Up: Mat or towel near your workout station. Small treats in container readily accessible but out of your dog’s reach if he’s likely to sneak a taste while your back is turned.

Once you are set up, try an easy workout sequence like this: 

Hey you just did 15 squats! Good job!  You could replicate this same framework with lunges, oblique leg lifts, jumping jacks (add some shorter intervals between treats here, this is an exciting one for many dogs!), etc. 

Here’s another variation to try:

When your dog is doing well with your upright exercises, try some that put you on the ground!

Look at those abs! ;) You get the idea.  You can start to add more reps between each treat for your dog, expanding to the duration that you want to see.  Added bonus is that after your workout, your dog will have gotten some quality one-on-one time with you as well, and practiced a very important self-control skill that is applicable to so many areas of his life!

Happy sweating!  

Here's to a new year . . . 2019 Summit Dog Training Update

Blog post by Amber Quann KPA-CTP, CPDT-KSA

At our goal setting meeting last year January 1, 2018, my husband Charlie and I had a simple goal for the year: maintain the status quo. This goal was born out of realizing that every year since we’ve been married, we have either moved to a different state, started a new job, started or graduated from a degree program, moved to a different house, opened or closed a training facility, etc. etc. etc. In 2018, we made it our goal to stay in the same jobs, the same house (we’d just bought our perfect first home), the same state, and the same level of education. We met that goal pretty well over-all and it was oh-so-nice.

Which brings us to 2019 - new year, new goals.

Maintaining the status quo is good sometimes. It allows you to find a baseline. Find some level of proficiency before you raise your criteria - that’s Training 101.

But sometimes the status quo isn’t a healthy long-term solution. When the status quo is working an average of 50-60 hours a week, juggling 306 business hats all at once, feeling guilty about taking time off, and fighting compassion fatigue every other day - that’s not healthy, and not sustainable.

So, here are some updates for each of us on the Summit team for 2019. We’re shaking it up a bit.

Amber: For the past 3.5 years since I started SDT, I’ve worked an average of 50-hour work weeks, including multiple weeknights every week, and weekends. I love helping people and their dogs, and SDT has helped a lot of them in Fort Collins so far (I just noticed that we just passed the 1000th client mark in our scheduling software!). But while this is my passion and has been my dream job since the age of 10, I am also on the edge of burnout. In order to keep helping dogs and their humans, I will be taking a sabbatical this year to rest and work on some other projects that have taken a back burner to my regular responsibilities. The first part of my sabbatical will be for 6 weeks middle-of-February through the end of March. I have a new project that I’m very excited about. It’s called Drink With Your Dog™, and when this project is complete it will include education for breweries and dog owners all about keeping dogs in breweries in the safest and most positive way for everyone involved. I need time to work on developing this project fully, and this is part of what I will be using my sabbatical for. I also have been wanting to teach an online Rally obedience class for quite a while now. During my “downtime” I’m going to be offering that class since it never seems to fit amid all the other routine classes that we offer. After these 6 weeks, I’ll be back for a bit . . . and I’m not sure exactly what my availability will look like then, but we will see. There may be a second part of this “sabbatical” happening later this year, details still TBD.

Photo credit: Jasmine Beaubien Photography

Charissa: Charissa has been enjoying raising her new puppy and married life since early this fall. And now that the new year is upon her, she and her family are looking for their next adventure. Sticking to the mountains of Colorado, Charissa and Tyler will soon be packing up the dogs and cat and moving to a new town. She would like to work on training her animals and teaching some goals with them but once settled knows she can’t stay away from her passion long. Charissa is still teaching the CSU vet students every week so she won’t be far for long! During this time she’ll be taking a back seat at SDT and won’t be leading group classes or taking on new private lesson clients.  

Sarah: Sarah joined the SDT team back in October, and has been working hard preparing to take over her own Level 1 classes starting this month. We are so excited to have her as part of our team, and for the expertise that she will be bringing to our class students. She will also be available for Basics private lessons starting soon, and will be a great resource for our students while I’m away.

Emily: Emily is our rockstar administrative assistant - if you call our office phone or send us an email through our website, you’ll reach her! She's always ready to help and will be continuing to work hard on behalf of our clients even during this weird downtime. I’m also going to be putting her skills to good use on the development of the DWYD™ Project!

Other updates:

Level 1 Classes: We recently had one of our class locations close their doors unexpectedly. We have found solutions for our classes for the short-term (thank you Prost, Wagz & Krisers for stepping in and helping us out!). As we have team member changes in conjunction with this location snafu, we likely won’t be offering our Level 1 classes with the same regularity as we have been able to for the past 3 years. We are still exploring other location options as a long-term solution (if you have any leads on a great classroom space for us to pursue, please reach out via email at amber@summitdogtraining.com) but in the mean time, please bear with us and if you see a class pop up on our schedule that you want to join - sign up right away so you don’t miss out since supply will be limited.

Thank you all for your continued support of Summit Dog Training. We are so honored to have been able to serve so many dogs and their humans in Fort Collins over the last 3.5 years. We are excited about the next steps we are taking - hopefully these steps will ensure that our team has the capacity and energy to continue serving the dog community for many years to come.