Dina Zaphiris's Page

Ok, the puns may not make you laugh, but being picky is very important in order to build the concepts that make up the rest of your dog's life. I know "sit" seems like the easiest thing in the world, but we are using the sit to set up a foundation of understanding and a world of concepts for you and your dog to share together. The "sit" cue sets the stage for the rest of your dog's understanding. If you master the "sit" properly, then "down" and "stay" and even your recall will be amazing. It's… Continue

Ok, let's get serious. Today, simply, we are teaching your dog to "sit", but there's a little more to it than that. Like I said previously, all dogs sit, so why would we teach them something they already know? Because we want them to sit when WE want them to, even with distractions like running, squeaking squirrels, and we want them to STAY sitting until we release them to get up. Last blog we covered building attention and sustaining eye contact and developing a release cue. Those three things… Continue

The Perfect "Sit"

All dogs sit. Just watch. Why should we teach an animal something he already knows and does? Because we want our dog to sit when WE want him to sit, whether there are distractions, or not. And truly, we want him to STAY sitting until we tell him to get up! Really, what most people want, and the secret to a perfect sit, is all about perfect ATTENTION. In order for your dog to become really good at commands, you must develop ATTENTION first. Every dog should have great… Continue

Therapy Dogs are dogs who go into hospitals and make visits to sick people. Your dog can be certified to do this work, if you think you and your pal would enjoy it. It's wonderfully rewarding, and you will make others very happy. Years ago, I used to go to hospitals with my Chow/Retriever mix, Eugene. He would light up the room. People's entire being would change as soon as they saw my dog. Kids would laugh, older people would light up with joy. Somehow, dogs have a magical power to help us… Continue