posted by Lorraine May, Executive Director, Founder and Head Trainer of The Misha May Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dog rescue. For more information on Misha May, our classes, our adoptable dogs, or to sign up for our newsletter, go to www.mishamayfoundation.org.
Showing posts with label canine freestyle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label canine freestyle. Show all posts
Misha May Moment for Mutts at the Mercury in Denver on November 14th just got more exciting. Mile High Musical Tails will be performing. Dahlia, internationally respected belly dancer and instructor will also be performing.
Our teacher, Sue, has us begin by using verbal commands and luring with a treat. This is perfect for us since we love the positive approach. Eventually, we'll stop using treats or hand signals, and come to rely on the verbal commands we are BOTH learning, like 'circle', 'rick', 'kick', 'lott', 'wiggle', and 'eight'.
It is really fun to spend this time with my beautiful 11 year old rescued Golden and see him enjoying himself so much. We may get smoother and more adept, but if we don't, so what? I'm in it for the time with him. But I do promise to practice and film again!
My reason for being is to improve life for dogs. In this ideal world, there would be no homeless, neglected or abused ones. And there would be no need for rescue, nor for families to give up their pet not knowing whether he or she might find another home or not.
People often ask me how I got started in training, behavior and rescue. Although I have studied and apprenticed, my motivation and education have primarily come from the dogs themselves.
Understanding dogs, rehabilitating them, and then writing about the process, is my calling.
In the beginning, I was compelled to rehabilitate my own dogs rather than consider giving them up. As it happens with many of the dogs who pick us, I loved them dearly, but wasn't entirely pleased with how they behaved.