Welcome to our 2 newest canine family members



Meet Shana Madela who travelled here from Kentucky at 8 weeks old.   She was born at Masaya Dobermans on
4/8/2013.   She recently came here on 6/4/2013.  She is an amazing puppy, and she will do great things in the future.
Right now, she is just a baby and starting on her puppy training.

 

This is Ziggy.   He was owned by a client who is going through some medical issues right now.   Luckily, we were able\and willing to take on this little guy.   He is howling with my dog, Boris in the photo.   He is already a BFF to my personal dogs, as well as our client dogs.    I am thinking about doing some trick training with Ziggy:)   He is a super nice dog.

http://www.mannerlymutts.com
http://mannerlymutts.blogspot.com
 





How did I get into the dog training business?

Boris, Me, Tommy, and Leon (10/8/2004-9/20/2012) on Long
Sands in York Maine.

I'm often asked how I got into dog training and doing this for a living.  Here are some things that you may not know.

I've always loved animals, and thought I had to be a veterinarian to work with them. No one ever talked to me about animal or dog training as an actual career. My career ended up in finance for about 15 successful years. The last three years I truly hated what I was doing for a living and feeling unfulfilled.




My first attempt at having a dog and my third dog indirectly led me to this career after many years. The first dog I failed as an inexperienced owner with a Rottweiler puppy of 6 months displaying aggressive tendencies towards humans. When I realized we had been working with the wrong trainer, I managed to get him back into the rescue, which had placed him with us. My third dog, Neptune, displayed aggressive tendencies towards dogs. He came from Doberman Rescue Unlimited, who helped us in choosing a way to deal with it successfully. Many years later, I apprenticed at Doberman Rescue Unlimited in the training program for behaviourally challenged Dobermans, while I was at a fork in the road regarding what I wanted to do for a living. I also keep my education current by attending seminars, purchasing DVDs from trainers I am interested in to study from, and reading dog related books that interest me. I've also put three companion dog titles on three dogs, and completed to CGCs on my own dogs. One companion dog was my own, and two companion dogs were my clients. I did the companion dog titling for free in order to further my education in this.



In 2003, I began training dogs by offering free services or really cheap services to anyone who would have me. In 2005, I moved my home and business from Worcester Mass to York Maine (from .10 acres to 4 acres). We changed from an on the road travelling business to being able to use our home and land. Our dog training business has flourished here. We grow an average of 10% a year. Customers who had trained with us in the past refer about half of our business, and half of our new business is from people who find us on Internet searches.



We do specialize in dogs with behavioural problems, and problems with multiple dogs living in the same home. Our business comes from private lessons and residency programs. Out of our previous training clients, a boarding and day-care business has also been developed. This provides lots of real life distractions for training clients when on our property in a safe and predictable way for set ups.  We also do a lot of training on beaches, in the city, and on the back roads here.   Mannerly Mutts is unusual in this approach to training our humans to train their dogs:)

http://www.mannerlymutts.com
http://mannerlymutts.blogspot.com

Introduction to Jack CD

Okay, here is an introduction to Jack, first of all. Jack came to me from Doberman Rescue as my "foster" dog. They thought he would make a good "project" for me during my down time, when I truly thought I could have a foster dog and then give him up after a little training.

Jack had every peeing issue. He had "I can't hold it pee", marking pee, excited pee, and submissive pee. Yeeeaaahhhhh!!! I should post a little ad here for the Spot Bot. Besides that, he had three obstruction surgeries before coming here. See, he likes to eat thing that well, aren't meant to be eaten or digested. So it took real diligence to keep him away from things, and start guarding the laundry behind closed doors until it was put away behind closed drawers. He also has aggression issues towards other dogs. Oh, and in six months he still had not bonded with Robert (by the way this was the last reason for him being re-returned to the shelter, not bonding with male owner).

As I worked with him three months became six months. I noted his fierce loyalty, his lovingness, his sense of fun and adventure, quick learning, and happy to go with me anywhere. As my birthday approached, the husband asked me the question that he immediately regretted THEN "what do you want for your birthday?" Well, Jackie, of course. Jack and my husband are now very bonded friends, but it took lots of training and work.

When I first adopted Jack, I did not even consider him for a moment as a demo or competition dog. I couldn't see where we were ever going to be in a ring off leash, and he would be trusted to either not bolt or not stir the other dogs into a frenzy LOL, but we worked and slowly but surely I saw a dog that could do this. We went to run thrus first to test this out. He was a bit distracted, but did well in a group of dogs that he was familiar with. When we did the first three trials, he was too distracted and I was too inexperiences (ie I made some handling mistakes that definately contributed to us pointing out). However, we were working together, and people noticed there was a partnership there.

Then last month, we got our first two legs towards three legs needed for Jack's AKC Companion Dog Title. I hope our last leg will be acquired June 21-22, and then we will work on Companion Dog Excellent or Open!! Way to go Jack.