Dogs California - Dog Training, Canine Behavior and Obedience Specialists in Houston, Texas. Dean Miller and the Thinking Dog System.

Dogs California - Dog Training, Canine Behavior and Obedience Specialists in Houston, Texas. Dean Miller and the Thinking Dog System.

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Coaching is Key

A Good Coach with a Proven System Makes for a Successful Training Combination

2010 is here and with those new puppies and recent adoptions you CAN'T afford anything less than the right help. There are hundreds of books, videos and do it yourself approaches available. Some are better than others but how can you tell? And those books and videos are unable to watch you for correct execution of said exercises and techniques. The difference between success and failure is in the details.

While you can spend thousands of dollars replacing carpet, furniture, personal belongings and the YARD, there is nothing more costly then having to give up your dog after going through the "Do it Yourself" approach or a poorly coached program. Get started with the proper coaching and a proven system to become the best leader you can for your dog. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and we love the prevention approach, teaching owners how to become teachers to their dogs. Who wants to spend extra time and money to go back and un-do behavior problems? House breaking, destructive chewing, jumping, excessive barking or worse...AGGRESSION. Prevent it from getting started through a professional, proven and coached system. If you already have a dog and are experiencing behavior and obedience issues, it's NEVER to late. Call us for an informative conversation and details of The Thinking Dog System. We look forward to hearing from you.

Reserve Your Holiday and End of the Year Training/Behavior Consult Online Now!

Kids out of school and some time off work, now is the time to address those behavior issues with your dogs or get started right with that new holiday puppy. Either way, they can be enjoyable to live with so give us a call and make them an enjoyable member of the family.

The in-home consult is the building block of our training method It is how we first meet all our new clients. You can read more about our behavioral consultation here. The key benefits are:

• One and half hour face to face consult with your family and dog
• We come to your home
• Tailored to your needs and issues
• Provides specific actions and protocol for you to practice and become a successful owner
• Your questions asked and answered

We require a $25.00 non-refundable reservation fee to set your consult. This fee is deducted from the total consult fee upon completion of your consult. Buy here, and we'll call you to discuss the details and benefits even further.

Happy Holidays With Your Dog

One down with more to come.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Thanksgiving is now behind us but the stress has just begun. In this hectic time of holiday decorating, cooking, shopping, parties, house guests and travel, our dogs, especially new puppies, get less attention and supervision than they need. We hurry through the house with our heads in the clouds, thinking about everything we have to accomplish not realizing that our stress can quickly transfer and negatively impact many of our dogs. This can result in a multitude behavior issues cropping up. In addition, we tend to spend less quality time with our dogs which can create anxiety as a symptom of insufficient mental stimulation. And let's not forget how we have re-arranged the floor plan in the house to accommodate that over sized holiday tree we bought. To top it off, all the holiday decorating which has put lights, garland, and a host of other ornaments within reach of those curious puppies or dogs who become anxious with the increased level of stress and less attention around the house.

Be proactive with your dog's emotional and physical wellness this holiday season. It's less stressful and much cheaper to prevent anxious or stressed behavior and to avoid emergency trips to the vet for mishaps than you think. Spend 30min of quality time with your dog exercising their brains. Training! Training! Training! Mental stimulation will keep dogs relaxed and stable through extra stressful times. It will not only be therapeutic for your dog, but you as well. Balanced relationships between humans and dogs have great therapeutic benefits for both.

Pay attention to those companions when your home. A little extra effort in supervision can prevent that young pup from getting himself into some sort of mischief that could cause serious harm. Ornamental balls, icicles, lights etc. that hang low on the trees can be real dangers to untrained dogs, especially pups. Keep them with you as you move around the house. This is easily accomplished by simply leaving a tether attached to the dog's collar as you escort them around the house with you.

If you are just too busy and involved in something, use those crates to keep them safe and from getting the opportunity to practice behavior you don't want. This will lessen your stress and also prevent you from taking an unwanted trip to the emergency vet or worse.

Being interactive with your dogs in a way that is teaching them about the world around them, promotes a healthy, balanced relationship that is beneficial to both. To find out more about The Thinking Dog Training System please contact us. Our proven approach can help you develop the relationship you have always envisioned with that new puppy or the current dog you own. It's never too late to get started. So give yourself the gift that will keep on giving for years to come and let us help you, help your dog to be, the best companion they can be.

Do it Right the First Time. Enjoy Your Dog A Lifetime

And remember, your dog's mind is a terrible thing to waste
Happy Holidays!

Reliant World Series Dog Show

For those of you who are not aware, one of the biggest dog shows in country is right here in Houston this week end, 7/17-19th at Reliant Park. This show hosts every dog activity from conformation, obedience, Rally O, agility, fly ball and 100's of vendors, all for the public to come and enjoy and learn about the the exciting world of dogs. Further information can be found at AKC.org or http://www.reliantpark.com/en/calendarevents/monthly.asp. Bring the family and experience all the activities and make your way to the obedience rings and look for our students enjoying and competing with their dogs. Enjoy!

HOT Weather is Already Here

It seems as if our summer weather of heat and humidity is already upon us in full force. Remember, your dogs eliminate most of their heat through their feet so, along with lots of fresh cool drinking water, inside and out, don't forget to wet down that concrete and grass when outside. This will help keep them cool and or cool them down a little faster.

For those of you who like to exercise with your dogs, keep in mind that the pavement/sidewalks are HOT! You can actually burn the pads off of your dogs feet. So be aware when out and about with your dogs that they are not just standing or laying on scorching pavement. If your at an outdoor restaurant or pub, pour some ice water on the ground where your dog is lying or standing. They will dry quickly and be far more comfortable.

And finally, don't forget that some breeds of dogs eliminate heat better than others, regardless of the level of activity. For those of you with bull breed and mastiff breeds, you need to pay closer attention to your heavily boned/coated and short muzzled dogs. They have a tendency to overheat quickly especially with age. Some signs of this overheating/dehydration is rapid panting, lethargy, loss of elasticity of the coat, blood shot eyes. These are just a few tell tale signs your dog may be in route to overheating or already there. Depending on the degree, drinking water wont always do it. You can always add pedia lyte (electrolytes for infants) and add it to your dogs water through out the day and or if you know your dog is going to be out in the heat for an extended period of time. In more severe stages of overheating/dehydration, seek veterinary attention ASAP. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Use some common sense and enjoy your dogs. Have a safe and enjoyable summer with your dogs!

Back to the 90's Dog Training Stimulus Package

Back To The Good Old Days

While our economy is in sad shape, DC recognizes this and willing to do our part in stimulating our economy. We have decided to bring back pricing from 15 years ago and give dog owners an incentive for investing in their relationship with their dog. No reason the dogs should have to suffer for the poor financial decisions of HUMANS.

We have decided to reduce our fees on our Training and Behavior Consult($50 savings), put together a Private Lessons Package which will reduce the individual lesson cost($100 savings) and reduce Group Class rates across the board, with further reductions based on number of private lessons purchased and packages.

For more details on our pricing and packages, please call so we can discuss your specific situation and needs. We would love the opportunity to help you and your dogs in this time of struggle. Improve your relationship with your dog and they will help get you through these tough times.

Thank you. We look forward to helping you.

Shop our New Store

We have now made it easier and more convenient for our customers to shop our new On-Line Store and pay for their training consult directly through Google Checkout. This Allows you to use a credit card for the entire purchase if you choose. Just click on the link below and you will be guided through the simple process.We hope you find this added feature more convenient and look forward to helping you with your dog(s).
Thank you.

Holiday Habits That Linger into the New Year

The festive holiday season has been and gone and we're all DONE with turkey, ham and sweets, but let's not forget the danger all those great meals can create for our dogs when it comes to things like TRASH. While our first inclination is to indulge our dogs with tidbits of all these tasty dishes that we've been stuffing ourselves with, the dogs will begin to hunt for them when the opportunity presents, for some time to come. This becomes the danger. Cooked turkey bones, chicken bones, paper and plastic wrappers, and various foods can all become detrimental to your dog's health.
Potential hazards can range from DEATH and severe allergy symptoms to a dog that is so sick with vomiting and diarrhea that he or she will feel like death. Let's not forget that other culprit, OBESITY. Next to behavior issues, this takes more early lives of dogs than any of the others put together.

So, the next time you're considering sneaking your dog some of your tasty holiday food, think again. Are you really setting that dog up for something worse in the big picture? There are plenty of doggie treats and snacks available out there that are healthy and will align with your particular dog's diet to prevent stomach upset.

In addition, always deliver these to your dog's food bowl. This way the dog learns where it is acceptable to eat from. This will diminish the learned behavior of BEGGING, which starts with a dog taking food from someone's hand. And one final thought on the subject. For those of you who feel you have a pretty good watch dog, think again. If your dog has learned that accepting food from someone's hands is "OK", they are an easy target to get past with some tasty, poisoned meat. Again, teaching your dog that the only acceptable place to take food from is their bowl will diminish the chances of falling into one of the many pit falls as described above. And I have never heard of a potential intruder carrying a dog dish around with him.

Get started right in 2009 by training that new puppy or recently adopted companion and learn to truly enjoy that dog for a lifetime. We look forward to hearing from you.

Mary and Cooper earn their 3rd leg and CD Title

CONGRATULATIONS! Mary and Cooper earned their third leg and their Companion Dog Title earlier this month. Not only did they earn their title but did it with 3 consecutive qualifying scores of 189, 190, 192. Congratulations for an outstanding performance and to future performances in the Novice B ring.

Mary and Cooper earn their Rally Nov. Title

Congrats to Mary and Cooper who have achieved their Rally Novice Title over the week end in GREAT fashion. Mary finished in FIRST place on both days and beat out all the Nov. A and B competitors scores on Sun with a 98. Mary had two well respected and tough judges on both days which makes these wins even more valuable. Mary is planning on moving up and headed for her CD titile in Nov. Obedience. YEAH MARY!

Animal Planet Interview at Reliant Dog Show

Update! This is to let you all know the date that was origonally stated below was incorrect. The new date is below.

Hello Everyone. This is just to give everyone a heads up that Dean was interviewed by Animal Planet at the Reliant Dog Show. This should air on or around October 4th so set your DVR's and let's see some obedience/training get highlighted instead of just conformation. You can check the Animal Planet web site for details on the specific date.

Mary and Cooper Compete at Reliant

Congratulations to Mary and Cooper who competed for the first time ever in Rally Obedience at the Reliant Dog Show July 17-20. Mary and Cooper placed second, two days in a row with a score of 98 out of 100 on both days. Keep up the great work guys and only one more leg to earn your Rally Novice title. That's awesome!

People Training Is In Full Swing

Time flys when your having fun and January is almost gone. The THINKING DOG life style and skill building system has resumed and we're full steam ahead. Our students are all back and working hard on their leadership skills.Tom and Crash are back to help teach and move on to the Open level of competitive obedience this year. We have several of our rally students who are preparing themselves and their dogs for competing in the spring and a whole host of new puppy's in to learn the most important thing there is, FUNDAMENTAL BASICS . I love puppy's! Early learning is where it's at. We have two Am. Bull dogs, one Pit Bull, one Newfounland, two Corgis, and a Labradoodle on the way. Get those puppies started early and started right! It's much easier to teach them the correct way than to have to go back and undo the inappropriate behavior that has already been learned and practiced, then re-teach what you want. So get your self and your puppy started as early as possible with an in home skill building and behavior consult. Don't wait, thinking you have time. There is plenty of early learning to be done for the prevention of inappropriate behavior, long before obedience classes start.

For those of you who have already found yourself in a little bit of a hole with your adolescent or adult dog, there is still plenty of hope. A little more work, but what was learned can be unlearned. Again, don't wait thinking it will improve. Practice doesn't make perfect, it makes permanent. So get those know it all teenagers in for some re-structuring and learn to be the leaders your all capable of becoming with the right skill building system in place.

CALL TODAY 281-380-8175

Happy New Year

2008 has finally arrived
What better time to make that new years resolution to your dogs. Whether you just got your self a new puppy or want to renew your current dogs spirit, attitude and manners, get started today by signing up for our In-Home Consult. Get started with the right tools and foundation to jump start you towards a new and improved quality of life for you and your companion.
CAll Today!
281-380-8175

AKC adds new breeds for performance and companion events

AKC adds new breed eligibility for performance and companion events for 2008

The American Kennel Club is now allowing many new and rare breeds access to companion and performance events to allow owners a much improved opportunity for connecting with their dogs. If you happen to own and rare breed or want to see if your breed has been added to this list, use the link below. 2008 should be a much improved year for dog owner to get involved with their rare breeds now that they can go compete with them in many area. Check out the link and get involved. YOUR dog will love you for it.
http://www.akc.org/reg/fss_news.cfm

Holiday Party

The Holiday Party was a great success. The dogs could not have had more fun.For those of you who could not attend, there is always next year. Stay tuned for pictures to be posted soon. Thanks to Jeff and Risa for all their help and hospitality. Can't wait for 2008.

In Home Training Consult Before the Holiday Guests Arrive or Purchase a Gift Certificate Below

The in-home consult is the building block of our training method It is how we first meet all our new clients. You can read more about our behavioral consultation here. The key benefits are:

• One and half hour face to face consult with your family and dog
• We come to your home
• Tailored to your needs and issues
• Provides specific actions for you to be a successful owner
• Your questions asked and answered

We require a $25.00 non-refundable reservation fee to set your consult. This fee is deducted from the total consult fee upon completion of your consult. Buy here, and we'll call you to discuss the details and benefits even further.

Happy Holidays Gift Certificates for Consults, Lessons or Classes

HOLIDAY DOG TRAINING GIFT CERTIFICATES

Thanksgiving has come and gone in a flash and before we know it, 2008 will be in full stride. The holiday season is the most popular time for bringing home those new canine companions because they are just so cute. So start the new year off right. Whether it's a new puppy, homeless dog that you decided to give a second chance or current companion who's New Years resolution would be (if he could talk) to have better manners and to go and do more things with his human pal, don't get caught up in behavior issues when you don't have to. If you, a family member or friends are considering bringing home a new member of the family or you know some one who could use some help, give them the gift that keeps on giving for the rest of their lives, Give them a Dogs California gift certificate for a Training Consult, Private Lesson or Group Class. These certificates are invaluable and can be used for up to a year for those projecting the new comer in 2008. Just click on the Google check out link below at 5/24/07 news, and follow the prompts. If you would like more info, call or email us and we'll be glad to help you from there. Need to use a credit card? No problem. We accept Visa/MasterCard and personal checks.
Happy Holidays from all of us at Dogs California.

First dog owner in Tx. to be charged by new law

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5210701.html

This is where Texas dog owners are headed now with out proper training as a means of prevention

Oct. 12, 2007, 10:12PM
Woman arraigned in pit bull's attack


Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

A woman was formally arraigned Friday on a felony dog
attack charge stemming from a pit bull attack on a
elderly woman.

Cool Weather to the Rescue

Well the weather is finally cooling down which means it's time to get back to working with those dogs and with out all the drenched clothing after 20 minutes of outside time. Time to quit putting off training your dog for fear of heat stroke. Our Saturday class in Baldwin Park is refreshing again at 9am and the dogs are thrilled about it, more than the handlers! So lets get going! If you have been putting improving your quality of life with your dog on hold, or just got that new puppy, get started right and get started right NOW!. Enjoy them all for the holidays and your company too, before their behavior gets worse or better yet, PREVENTION, PREVENTION, PREVENTION! Don't hide your dog in your room or banish them to the garage or back yard when your friends and family show up for the festivities, show them off with all their new manners and ability to be well behaved.You can do it, all you have to do is make the phone call, we will help you do the rest. You can experience that vision you had or have of ENJOYING YOUR DOG. Call today to get started!

Rally O Explodes for July!

If your not familiar with Rally Obedience, you don't know how much fun your dog is missing. You can check out a brief description and links to details on Rally under our "Services-Training-Group Classes". Rally O is the newest twist to obedience. Students and their dogs began gearing up for fun and friendly competition as this newest course offered ignites students to put all their hard work and new skills into action while having great fun and reinforcing all their dogs needed skills. Call for more details or check it out on our site. You can even get a first hand look at Rally O in action at this years Reliant Dog Show July 19-22 at Reliant Center.

Stop bad dog legislation

Lillian's bill is awaiting the governor's signature right now. After a stiff fight by pet dog groups the bill finally made it through the House and Senate. If you don't live in Texas, this issue still affects you. Every time a bill like this becomes law, it gives strength to a growing movement for others like it. On it's face the law is flawed, laying out harsh punishments (second degree felony charges with 10 year prison terms) for vague actions like "severe injury". Should a person's entire future be left to the interpretation of "severe"? There is a loop hole where a dog defending itself could still see its owner go to prison. Worse, it is a slap to all good pet dog owners, and puts anyone who has a dog that interacts with people at risk. The law makes no attempt to encourage responsible pet ownership and might even suggest that people would be better off getting rid of all dogs. No one could ever get hurt by them then?
Dogs California has a mission to help all dogs, including the "incurable aggressive dog". These dogs can be helped. They need leadership. Responsible pet breeding and ownership should be a mandate. However, Lillian's bill means that other people interacting with our much loved pets no longer have to be responsible and smart with their behavior. You can read more about this terrible and terribly written law. Become educated about dog legislation. Then PLEASE send your concerns to Gov. Perry.

Hershey fishishes CD with a bang!

What a great birthday present to Dean from Hershey. Over the week end of March 24th, Hershey and Dean traveled to Forth Worth to get Hersheys third leg and to earn his CD. It was a Major show with about 3000 dogs. Hershey has never seen so many dogs. We were competing in the English Springer Spaniel Specialty. Apples to apples. Hershey was overwhelmed with the distractions but like a champ, he quickly settled and got down to business. He finished first in his Novice B class and took High in Trial with a 197.5. What a fabulous way to finish his title and earn his Dog World Platinum Award for getting his CD in his first three trials with scores of 195+. Actually, it was a 195.5, 196.5 and a 197.5. Gotta like consistent improvement! Look for pics coming soon.

Congrats to Watery Butts Hershey's Kiss. Hershey and Dean went into the obedience ring for the first time over the week end, and could have not done better. While this was the Pre-Novice, non regular class (doesn't count towards a title) on Saturday, Hershey took 1st Pl. against some top competition with a score of 199.0 out of 200! Not bad for a green dog. On Sunday, the team stayed consistent with another great score of 198.5. Again, great competition at the top but this score only good for 3rd place. Ouch! Well, that's the way it goes depending on what the judge sees. All in all, a great week end. Next week end is for the real deal. We do it all over again with most of the same competitors as most were in this Pre-Novice class preparing for next week end. Stay tuned for an update, it should be interesting.

Spring Training

As March and April close in, this becomes our busy season. This is where we start to see those Christmas puppies start to overwhelm their new owners with behavior issues. Look no further, we are here to help. You are not in this boat by yourselves. Book your consults as soon as possible so you are able to get into the group classes sooner, rather than later. Space is limited. Classes filled just after New Years but as you know, teams graduate out and this allows limited space for new teams to enter. Again, don't wait! Spring is a great time to invest in you and your dogs education giving you both the skills to enjoy each other come summer time.

Happy New Year

We are now well into 2007 with Spring on its way and that means plenty of dog training and obedience shows. Our classes are currently full and we will be posting some pictures soon. There are plenty of obedience shows over the next couple of months so check back often for updates and results. Some of last years students are back this year to work their dogs in our Beyond Basics class. Congrats to Jeff and Risa, Rick and Fionna and Emily for staying committed to their dogs and moving forward in their training level challenges.

Bailey Earns her Companion Dog Title

(See Gallery for more pic's)

Bailey has finished out 2006 with earning her C.D. Over the weekend of December 16th and 17th, Bailey earned her 2nd and 3rd legs for her title in Austin. Saturday was a superb run by the dog, but the judge felt the handler created many errors. This landed them a score of 193.0 On Sunday Dean and Bailey bounced back with a 195.0 and a win in the run off for 3rd. in the class. This also earns Dean and Bailey their Front and Finish excellent award for earning their title in their first three trials with a score of 190.0 or above. Bailey and Dean will continue to compete in the Novice B ring, as Bailey is currently working on her Open exercises and will continue her competition career in 07.

New graduates

Dogs California wants to congratulate our newest graduates of our foundation program:

• Rick Brown and Fiona Macintosh with Mackenzie


• Jeff and Risa with Sandy and Cole
  

All your hard work was the greatest reward to your dog.

Dean and Krom Take First Pl. and HIT 10/6-8/06

Dean and Krom showed that the Am. Pit Bull Terr. can compete with the best at the National Am. Pit Bull Terr. Assoc. , national show, held in Denton, TX October 6-8. What a great show and thanks to the national club who hosted the Sat. show and the North Texas APBT club who hosted Sun. and Patti Murley for making it all happen. Also see Kroms story in the "Press" area under "ABOUT US".

Bailey earns her first leg

Congratulations on Bailey's first time in the obedience ring. Over the week end of Sept. 22-23rd, Baily earned a 195.5 out of 200 in Dallas at a Major and the first leg towards her companion dog title. Not a bad way to start!

Recent dog show brags

We would like to congratulate Tom and Crash on earning their CD title. Over the weekend of September 23-24th, Tom and Crash earned their third leg of their Companion Dog title while in Dallas at a Major show.

Welcome to the new Dogs California Website

We have been working to improve our website to serve you better. As you look around, let us know if you're missing anything. Contact US