Denise Fenzi

Lyra - 10 months - Adding a Hand Target

Lyra is learning to sit automatically in heel position.  I'm also starting to teach her a left hand finish. In both cases, it's helpful to have a hand taget; I...
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Lyra - 10 months - turning the corner

Nine months.  Or maybe ten months. That is the answer to the question, "When did Lyra start to love her work?" I've gone on faith that she would grow to...
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Lyra - 9.5 months - Increase Speed in Retrieve

Lyra was taught to retrieve a dumbbell as a very small puppy.  At that time, the emphasis was on taking it correctly; in the center and with a quiet grip....
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Lyra 9 months - Learning "for fun"

Not all learning requires cookies or toys; there is value in teaching your dog just for fun.  When dogs learn without classic rewards, they tend to operate in a calmer...
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Lyra - 9 months - Active Stay

Now that Lyra has some  nice drive to work with, I am teaching her an "active" stay. In my training there are two types of stays, and they are distinctly...
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Deprivation

Over the last ten to fifteen years, I’m seeing an increase in the use of deprivation as a training technique.  I first heard of it in the behavioral realm….”nothing in...
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Lyra - Nine Months - IPO obedience

I do not want Lyra to believe that the ONLY thing she does on the IPO field (or in the presence of the IPO helper) is protection work.  Dogs that...
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Play - Give and Take

Today I began my student's lesson with the following directive: "Heel with your dog for two minutes without using a food or toy reward.  You may talk, play, put hands...
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