Building Drive, Helper Dogs, and “Scaffolding”
Our Gang Pet Services Blog
by Andrea Kilkenny
1y ago
An experience recently with one of my own dogs has inspired me to write a bit about some topics that I’ve had on the back burner: building drive, helper dogs, and “scaffolding.” Scaffolding is a term I use in training to describe the process of laying a foundation of a subset of skills as part of a process leading up to the development of a more complex skill. In the last two months, I have been taking my dog, Page, to an indoor pool facility at Marty’s Place for some canine conditioning as she prepares for championships in Orlando this December. We have been working with swim coaches from 4P ..read more
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Now’s Not The Time…
Our Gang Pet Services Blog
by Andrea Kilkenny
1y ago
I am a bit of a dog sport junkie. I have multiple dogs and we play multiple sports. It is my hobby, my getaway, my release from the stressors of work and daily life. Training and playing games with my dogs is super fun to me. I have a lot of friends through dog sports, so it is also a social thing, too. I felt the need to write about something because every time it happens, I’m a bit stunned. I was recently at a Scentwork trial, well, more than once recently, okay quite a few scentwork/nosework trials. I have some drive-y dogs. If’ you’ve met them, you know them. I have one in particular, who ..read more
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Additonal Fall Classes with Amy Starost
Our Gang Pet Services Blog
by designstudio
1y ago
Amy Starost will be teaching some additional classes for us this fall. Please welcome Amy! She will be teaching two Wednesday night classes, starting November 18th. These are 4-week sessions that will meet: 11/18, 12/2, 12/9, 12/16. No class on 11/25, the night before Thanksgiving. 6:30 PM My Dog Can Do That (Advanced Obedience) 7:30 PM Intro to Rally Obedience Here is a little bit about Amy: “My love of dogs and dog training started at a very young age. As a young girl, my family purchased a German Shepherd. I immersed myself in training classes and took pride in the special relationship tra ..read more
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Welcome, Linda!
Our Gang Pet Services Blog
by Andrea Kilkenny
1y ago
Please welcome, Linda McDonald CCTD CPDT-KA, to Our Gang! Linda graduated from CATCH Canine Trainers Academy in 2016, and also became a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed in 2018. She is also pet CPR and First Aid certified. She has been a volunteer at Bergen County Animal Shelter for over 15 years and loves working with the dogs there, training and building doggie play groups and helping as an adoption counselor. These experiences ultimately lead her to take the plunge and pursue her studies to become a dog trainer. Using that knowledge to help dogs adopted from shelt ..read more
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The Year There Were No Dog Shows
Our Gang Pet Services Blog
by Andrea Kilkenny
1y ago
2020 has been quite the year. Like many of my friends who show or compete in dog sports, it has been a tough year so far due to the cancelation of many shows and activities because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Dog lovers who show and compete often have their calendars planned 6-12 months in advance, maybe even beyond that. They choose shows they want to enter, organize the dates, maybe even look at judging panels, discuss with friends, and fellow club members, planning who will be where/when. It’s not just the ‘show’ that draws us to these events. For many, it is a hobby, our weekend fun, and ye ..read more
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Join us for online training!
Our Gang Pet Services Blog
by Andrea Kilkenny
1y ago
Don’t stress out, and don’t get cabin fever! We are here to help with some online training options. Unfortunately, due to the spread of COVID-19, we are unable to offer in person classes at our school right now. DON’T WORRY! We have got you covered! Don’t lose ground with your dog’s training. There are lots of things you can do from home, and on your walks, while still maintaining social distance and/or “stay in place”/quarantine mandates. We are excited to take our learning online. This is new territory for us, but we want to make sure we stay connected with our customers and their dogs. Her ..read more
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Virtual/Online Training Classes!
Our Gang Pet Services Blog
by Andrea Kilkenny
1y ago
Don’t get cabin fever! We are here to help with some online training options. Unfortunately, due to the spread of COVID-19, we are unable to offer in person classes at our school right now. DON’T WORRY! We got you covered! Don’t lose ground with your dog’s training. There are lots of things you can do from home, and on your walks, while still maintaining social distance and/or “stay in place”/quarantine mandates. We are excited to take our learning online. This is new territory for us, but we want to make sure we stay connected with our customers and their dogs. Here are some options we have ..read more
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Joe Nick K-9 Training Scent Work Seminar
Our Gang Pet Services Blog
by Andrea Kilkenny
1y ago
On Saturday, April 25th, Joe Nick will be coming to Our Gang to share his knowledge and expertise in the area of scent detection. He will be instructing a 5-hr seminar on Scent Work, and working with dog/handler teams on a variety of exercises to hone their scent detection skills. About Joe Nick: With over 35 years and thousands of hours combined in teaching and training Military, Police, Corrections, Civilian and Working canine handler teams, Joe brings his own unique combination of experience and insight to canine scent detection.  Joe’s interest in canine behavior began at an early ag ..read more
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“It’s OK, I love dogs!”
Our Gang Pet Services Blog
by Andrea Kilkenny
1y ago
How many of you have heard that phrase in the title, “It’s okay! I love dogs!” I actually cringe when I hear it. When I hear that phrase, I brace myself and try to prepare a nice well worded response to the affront I expect to follow it. What I actually hear when people say this phrase is: “I’m about to do something intrusive, unsolicited, and perhaps even against your wishes, or worse, possibly offensive to your dog, but I’m going to do it anyway because I’m entitled to BECAUSE I LOVE DOGS AND THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS.” That phrase tells me you actually have little knowledge of dogs and will ..read more
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