Jill is a private, in-home dog trainer based
in
greater LA.
We believe that dogs offer companionship
that adds unique and valuable richness to human lives.
We help dogs and people realize
the fullest potential of their relationship.
Should you have any questions about
dogs or our services you can contact
us or feel free to use the comments.
I can't wait to offer this new and exciting service! I was certified in human and animal Reiki this past weekend, by Kathleen Prasad of Animal Reiki Source. Don't know what Reiki is? I quoted this explanation from her site:
"The name Reiki, pronounced ''Ray-key'', comes from the Japanese words ''rei'' meaning spirit, and ''ki'' meaning energy. It is usually translated as ''universal life energy.''
Reiki is a gentle, noninvasive holistic energy healing system that yields powerful results for the body, mind and spirit. When using Reiki to heal, the practitioner channels healing energy through her hands to the client either directly or from a distance. It is ideal for use with animals because with Reiki, the animal controls the treatment, accepting Reiki in the ways that are most comfortable. Easy for people to learn and use, Reiki can do no harm, even when used by the most novice practitioner. It always goes to the source of the problem and always works for the highest good."
Animal Reiki has opened my eyes to many new possibilities in dog training. Working with energy and the animals this weekend was by far the most amazing experience I've had yet in this field. Dogs LOVE it and I've already seen the benefits in only a few days of working with my own. Too bad I didn't get into this sooner. So now, I'm going to practice as much as I can and eventually Thank Dog! will offer Reiki as a service. I will also be integrating it into my training packages so that your dog will be getting Reiki treatments while YOU are on vacation! Awesome. Thank you Reiki:)
Sorry we've been lacking on our blog updates! We've been super busy, while getting lots of press for Thank Dog! Bootcamp. In fact, we're very excited to announce we will be on Good Morning America on Sunday, August 3rd at 6 am- Los Angeles time. It may be early so set your Tivos and watch us on our first national television appearance! If you want to check us out,click hereto view times in your area. Although they taped us for over 4 hours during our class, it'll only be about 3 minutes long, which is long enough! Thanks for your support and happy watching!
Finally! Here's what you've ALL been waiting for...
Jill and I have been working hard on our secret project and now we're just weeks away from launching it.
Have you ever heard the phrase "If your dog is overweight, then you're not getting enough exercise!"? Well, now there's a solution and on June 2nd, we're gonna show you what it is! Check it out:
I know we haven't posted in awhile but it's all for good reason. Thank Dog! is about to offer a new service that no other dog training company has because it's never been done before. We've been working hard on this new project and we're very excited to unleash it...which will be very soon. Our target date is May 1st and I realize I'm being super vague buuuut as time comes closer...like mid-April...I'll be telling everyone the details! But until then...keep checking back because you won't want to miss this. xo
My friends dog, Mustang, somehow got away yesterday and they've been tirelessly looking for him since. They are devastated, as any dog owner would be, so if you've seen or know of someone who may have him, please contact me at Jamie@thankdogtraining.com. He was last seen in the East LA area. Thank you!!!
UPDATE: Mustang was found in Glendale, where is owner works, and taken to the Glendale Human Society! Since, they've been reunited and the family is back together again. YAY!
Jill and I are flying John Van Olden here from San Francisco tomorrow for an entire day of more hands-on training at the dog shelter. John is one of the best dog trainers I've ever seen and we're the fortunate ones who get to work with him. I'll write a blog later to let you know what we did and learned:) Yay!
As a trainer and dog owner myself, I strongly recommend thinking it ALL THE WAY through before getting a dog. People often underestimate the challenge and responsibility that comes with owning one, which then turns into a burden rather than a loving companionship.
It's a lifestyle change, almost like having a child that can backfire if not taken seriously. Daily dog training and exercise is a lifetime commitment that new owners will sometimes overlook when bringing their furry friend home. Then, as time goes on, the dog doesn't look so cute anymore after the house is destroyed and favorite shoes are chewed up. Suddenly, dog training and exercise becomes priority and the responsibility of owning a dog is now reality.
The positive news is any dog behavior can be transformed. However, training doesn't stop after one time, end of story. Similarly to personal growth for humans and it being a life long journey, dogs need training throughout their lives too. Or, they will fall back into old habits and the leadership role is now taken over by the dog once again. And, ironically, neither you nor your dog is happy in this situation and the lack of communication makes it constant.
Training and exercising is everything and if it can’t be given, it’s probably not the best time to welcome a dog into the family.
It’s a blessing when people rescue dogs from a shelter and because Ellen DeGeneres is a celebrity, Iggy is getting the cage treatment and Mutts and Moms is having a power trip.They’ve been in the news a bunch this week and to be honest, not every dog will fit into every home, especially those that don’t know much about training.Ellen did what she could to make the dog happy, including finding him placement into a new family who were willing with open arms, a bunch of toys, and a fenced in backyard for Iggy to run around in.How dare Ellen be so cruel!
Being a dog trainer is seeing how many homeless dogs there are, this hurts my feelings.It’s all about the dog, they don’t get a choice or a say in what’s happening.This pet adoption agency has gone too far and in my eyes and from my experience, they wouldn’t have contacted Ellen and Portia if they were just a regular family.
You rock Ellen and I hope you keep rescuing and doing what you do for animals.They deserve it and so do you because I know this makes you happy!
1. Give your address and you'll get a confirmation. 2. Click on the link in the confirmation email and it'll confirm your vote. 3. Then you have a choice to say a few words about why we should win that category...but you don't have to;)
This could be GREAT business exposure and we'll be forever grateful!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Please send this to everyone you know to get us some votes!
Jill and I making the same face as we meet the wolves.
Raven howling.
Raven looks and licks to find out who Jamie is.
Raven says hi to Jill.
The famous Sabertooth- the last wolf of the pack.
Sabertooth warms up to Jamie.
Sabertooth demands Jill's attention.
This by far was the most amazing experience we've ever had! We were nervous at first to meet the wolves, but after awhile it was like visiting friends for a minute or two. These animals are so fascinating, they can see right through you like you wouldn't believe. They lick your teeth and look into your eyes to see who this alpha dog is. If you are nervous, they will know. If you are scared, they won't approach you.They feed off your energy and will sometimes attach it as their own. We learned so much from this trip about wolves and dogs....we're going back in three weeks to learn more!
Today we leave for Mission Wolf, where we will be going up into the Rocky Mountains for a whole week to live with the wolves. We're very excited! We will not have internet or anything, so we'll report back in a week! See ya!
I should have blogged about this earlier, sorry about that. Anyway, here is a link to the most recent information about the pet food recall. I highly recommend that you check it out as the list keeps on building itself. http://www.itchmo.com/recalls.html
I use Natural Balance - Duck and Potato and it seems like they are ok, but Natural Balance - Venison was just added to the list, so keep watching out for your food!
Yesterday, I got a big sitting/training job that will be for 16 days in May. It's going to be a bit of a challenge, but sooooo good for me at the same time. It's two dogs that I will be putting through boot camp. I've trained 4 dogs at once before, so the number is not the difficult part. One of the dogs is REALLY stubborn, the most both Jill and I have seen yet. I'm confident I'll get him though, I'll keep you posted when the time comes:)
Well, I'm working hard on this training manual and I actually see it coming to an end. YAY! Also, we got all our cards, brochures, and hats....they look great! Now, we're waiting for our new shirts to arrive and we'll be in business. Woof, woof people! It's doggy time and we're ALL over it;)
My Client, the show dog...an email I want to share.
Hi Everybody
Well - Sierra after only 3 months has covered 5 dog shows with a total of 16 times in the ring finished her championship this last Sunday. Not only did she finish but she did it in style. She won 1st place bitch for her class, Winners Bitch and Best of winners [which means she not only beat out the other bitches but also beat out the winning dog]
Needless to say we are very proud of her.
She now moves on to Best of Breed competition starting April 6th in Merced.
Bobbie and I have enjoyed these last months traveling, seeing new sites, meeting some great new people and spending time together.
Thank you for the support from Mark and Annette, Dana [the breeder], Jill for the obedience training and Robert who handled her for us in the ring and took her to her championship in only 5 shows.
Hey guys...a client I just started with (we've only had one lesson) has lost their dog from their home. It's a small, male yorkie that comes to the name, Fresh. He is wearing his training collor and regular collar but does not have his tags. Please, if you find him, email or call me right away, his owners are very sad.
We all know how much I love to write, so guess what I'm working on right now!?! For the past two days, well night and all day today, I started writing a training manual for Thank Dog! It's going to be thick and full of information for future dog trainers/sitters that we hire. Yep, that's what I said...hire. After we begin our marketing push, we're going to look to hire new trainers when business starts picking up. It already has for just the two of us with no marketing at all...I can't wait to see what happens when we go paws out! Hehe. (Yes, I can be a little cheesy at times;)
From now on, I will be writing on this blog opposed to my own personal one. Jill and I are in action now to make Thank Dog! a booming business. I will be sharing all my experiences here and keep you updated on what's happening and the progress we're making. We're really excited and invite you all to follow our new journey full of unknowns, challenges, and twin team power. Let's go!
So, I decided to update my blog since the last thing was so sad. Now I am writing to lift it's spirits up.
Jamie and I just finished our new marketing materials, plus purchased new Thank Dog! shirts, hats and sweatshirts. We are so excited and will have a new look that will be soooo cute.
I have gotten a lot of new clients in the past weeks and will hopefully have the time to share their stories with you real soon. Busy times take me away from the blog, but again, that is a good thing.
Monday, October 04, 2010
