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Episode 151 - Training sporting breeds and the blind agility dog

151_DogCast_Radio.mp3

Released Tue February 4, 2014
Length: 1:19:48
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Training sporting breeds

Oftentimes what I see in my students is the Golden Retrievers, the Labs, everyone assumes they're friendly and the don't need to be socialised as puppies, so they're lacking in social experience.
 - Dawn Antoniak Mitchell

Dawn Antoniak Mitchell is an experienced dog trainer who shared her tips on Terrier training with us
last year in Episode
147

of DogCast Radio. In this interview she talks with humour and authority
about her new book From Bird-Brained to Brilliant - Training the Sporting Dog to be a Great Companion. Dawn knows the realities of life with a sporting dog, and she shares her invaluable advice on coping with dogs who can be over-friendly, can be orally fixated and who need to work. 

Dawn has successfully trained several breeds including Cocker Spaniels, Dalmatians, Curly-Coated Retrievers, Jack Russell Terriers, and a Border Collie in multiple venues to class wins and titles, including obedience, tracking, rally obedience, agility, go-to-ground and open Terrier trial competitions.
She has taken dogs of several breeds to multiple high-in-trial obedience trial wins, national rankings in obedience and agility, and also trained the first Non-Sporting breed and first Dalmatian to earn a VCD title at any level, the first Curly-Coated Retriever to earn an AKC  rally title as well as the first to earn all three rally obedience titles, and the first Parson (Jack) Russell Terrier to earn a rally obedience title.

You can also hear Dawn's advice on pet estate planning in Episode 53 of DogCast Radio, and in Episode 59 you can listen to Dawn's doorbell manner training advice.
 You can find out more about Dawn at her Bonafide Dog Academy website, and more about her books at the Dogwise
site. 

The blind agility dog

People live perfectly good lives being blind and with disabilities, and dogs are far more clever than us - their senses are more keenly developed - there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to.
 - Izzy Johnson

Izzy Johnson has adopted several older, disabled dogs over the years, and when she saw Teddy a blind Border Collie puppy she knew she could offer him a great home. Teddy was just 16 weeks old when Izzy adopted him, and she has enabled him to become the confident, independent dog he is today. Izzy and Teddy have developed such a strong bond that they have been able to participate in agility, and have recently taken up Rally-O too. When Izzy saw Romanian rescue dog Lottie, she desperately wanted to offer Lottie a home. Again, Izzy allowed Lottie the time and space she needed to overcome the traumas she had suffered and become a happy confident dog. Hear from Izzy how she has helped her dogs to achieve their full potential - and what they have given her back in return. 

You can find out more about the charity that rescued Lottie at the Love UnderDogs website and if you need help with your blind dog, or you're considering adopting a blind dog, check out the Blind Dog Rescue in the UK, and in the US visit the Blind Dogs website.

News and other items

In the DogCast Radio News hear about the dog who ate a diamond, the dog who caused an explosion, the device that claims to translate dogs' barks, how rescue dogs pull faces to increase their chances of being adopted, and how a ground-breaking assistance dog recently accompanied his owner into the operating surgery.



Plus Julie has news from the UK Heelwork to Music semi-finals where Sandra Hallam and her canine partner Henry danced their way to the finals at Crufts. Henry will be the first Cavalier to compete in the finals - and also the first deaf dog to do so. The DogCast Radio team will be there to record the event for posterity. 

Sharing

280 - pet bereavement leave and the dog sniffing for an escaped capybara

Erika Sinner shares why pet bereavement leave is so important - on a business and a personal level. Rachel Rodgers talks about her and her dog Rico helping to sniff out missing capybara, Cinnamon.

189 - The Dog Healers and War Dogs Remembered

In this episode you can hear Mark Winik talk about his debut novel, The Dog Healers, and listen to Julia Robertson explain why she founded the charity War Dogs remembered. Plus there's the DogCast Radio News, and what Mischief the German Spitz puppy has been up to.

188 - Service Dogs UK and Roxie the Doxie Finds Her Forever Home

In this episode you can hear about Service Dogs UK, a fantastic charity which trains assistance dogs to support veterans of any service - military personnel, police, firefighters, paramedics and the coastguard - who develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to their job. Also, listen to Dr Jody A Dean, a clinical psychologist talk about how her book, Roxie the Doxie finds her Forever Home, is helping children understand and talk about adoption and other family issues. Plus the DogCast Radio News and some thoughts on the alpha dog myth.

187 - Muffins Halo and Chorley Fun Dog Show

In this episode you can hear about Muffin's Halo for Blind Dogs, and what motivates people to enter their dog in a fun dog show. In the DogCast Radio News, listen to stories about the latest dog related research. Plus there's a new member of the DogCast Radio team!

186 - Maxwell Muir on wolves

In this episode you can hear trainer, behaviourist, writer, broadcaster and wolf expert Maxwell Muir talk about what wolves mean to him personally, their plight in a modern world, and his hopes for their future. Plus we have the DogCast Radio News.