2020 Monthly Dog Training Workshops and Online Courses Obedience, Family Disaster Dog and Search Dog

New for 2020...

Now that my books are published I have time to offer dog training classes again and because of the Virus, I'm offering a little different way for us to train your dog using praise and motivation without any harsh methods. Along with Practicing Social Distancing amid the Covid19 Virus Pandemic

Meet with me for dog training 3 ways

• Monthly 
• Learn Online
• Learn via Phone or Video Chat

Pick a Class Below and click > to Sign-up by sending me an email 

You will be contacted after sign-up to arrange dates and pay at class

Phone Advice and Dog Training $25.00 a hour by appointment 

Private one-on-one Dog Training In-person 1 hour $100.00 by appointment (the average rate in the USA) We meet at a park in Gold beach Oregon and because of the virus I no longer come to your house as I have in the past.

Once a Month 2 day weekend of Fun Dog Training Workshop

Group class dog training

Instead of the usual weekly Obedience or Family Disaster Dogs and Search Dog Training Class that covers one skill a week. We meet over a weekend to train for 2 days and you receive hand-outs for homework to practice at home

• I teach you how-to handle and train your dog 3 skills instead of 1 skill

• Spend at least about 6 hours over 2 days training dogs in beautiful Gold Beach, Oregon 

• Each day is 2 to 3 hours of discussion and instruction to a small group of dogs and owners . 

• Come once learn the skills you want or come every month to advance in skills

• Lodging and camping recommendations available if your visiting from out of the area

Pick one course Below and sign-up 

• Family Disaster Dogs $ 150.00 for both days

Day 1:  Discussion about Preparing for Disasters and Evacuation with a Dog's Help

You will learn what supplies to have and carry to be prepared for emergencies and teach your dog to help during evacuation. You'll also learn and pack an emergency Go-Bag (Bug-out Bag) with survival items.

Day 2:  Start Training your Dog to Find Missing Family and Friends 

Your dog will be finding a family member at the end of this fun weekend and the whole family will know what to do when disasters strike.

1 of my dog training books included, your choice

Here's the Family Disaster Dogs Video Trailer

We have dogs all over the world awarded certificates as Family Disaster Dogs

Send me a picture of your dog doing a lesson or carrying a bug-out bag for membership and certificate.

Join the pack on Twitter !  @URDogCanRescueU

• Obedience and Manners $150.00 for both days

1st. month skills taught: Walk Nice on Leash, Come when Called, Sit-Stay, Manners as needed

2nd. month skills taught: Heel with Sit, Lay-Stay, Put all Skills Together

• Trailing-Tracking Live People or Animals  $300.00 both days

Best for 6 month and older dogs who enjoy following people around and playtime

1 month: Start Dog Searching for Live Unknown People

Each month after advances training the dog to find missing persons hours/days later on multiple surfaces in all weather, urban and rural, log training hours, aspects of response

• Cadaver-HRD for Search and Recovery Dog  $300.00 both days

6 month to 3 years old dogs who love to play ball and focus on toys do best

1st Month Start Searching for Human Remains Scent and learn about training aids, source, making training baits 

Each month after advances training the dog to alert on human remains scent in buildings, vehicles, urban, rural, water shoreline, log training hours, aspects of response

2020 Dog Training Virtual Courses and Coaching-Online  

Unlimited Class Size and Lifetime Access 

New in June 2020 Dog Lifestyle Coaching is coming online at the courses below

$45.00 hour any dog subject or training you want to discuss and learn about;

Family Disaster Dogs, Emergency Preparedness, Search Dogs, Obedience, Grooming and Puppy Care are a few of the areas we can cover.

Sign-up Below

Now Accepting students

Learn in the comfort of your home where emergencies happen !

Open for Students

Click one to Sign-up and Read about Course

 Family Disaster Dogs Courses

 Obedience-Manners Courses

Trailing-Tracking Dog Courses

International Cadaver Dog-HRD Course 

Online Courses include step by step instructions,

 pictures, videos and direct access to instructor

Learn with the author of 

"Family Disaster Dogs" and  "My Puppy Can Find Me "

"Evacuate with Your Dog's Help"

Includes your choice of

2 books and a certificate of graduation

 40 years dog training and handling experience

Retired kennel and pet spa owner, professional master groomer (retired)

Certified K9SAR Bloodhound specialty and all breed-Search Dog Volunteer (retired)

30 years producing accomplished dogs (retired)

Training dogs since 1976

I'm well known for using gentle knowledgeable handling skills and 

positive praise to establish teamwork

Here's Washee showing off her education.

Get your dog an education today!

Bella to the Rescue-Search Dog Training Video

Here is Team Bella in training.

Owner handler Mark is working Bella.

They are training with the author to be certified 

for K9 Search and Rescue (SAR) 

This is Trailing not Tracking! 

Enjoy the show!

Bella is a 3 year old family pet who really enjoys her new job!

Follow Bella's progress on Facebook 

What is Family Disaster Dogs?

Welcome

The Family Disaster Dog book shows you how to train your family dog to rescue you in disasters and emergencies; like floods,earthquakes and tornadoes; how to find a lost family member or friend with your dog and many other skills, along with how to Shelter-in-Place, pack a bug out bag and evacuate.

This is where you will find  

Free Dog Training Lessons Based on

The Family Disaster Dog Book by Amber Higgins
(This book was first published under Tate Publishing 2015-2016 who went out of business and left us all hanging. The book was published again summer 2017 on Amazon from the author ) as a ebook.
Email the author for a signed original hard copy

2018 the children book 

(2021 update no longer available from Waldorf Publishing)

"My Puppy Can Save Me"
with UK cartoonist  "Scotty"  illustrations !

Ask me for a copy!

In the UK and other countries look on Amazon for
 "Family Disaster Dogs" by Amber Higgins
to get your preview and copies! 

Check out the many articles at the links of this page menu and links on the right side of web page.

Note:

Phone users who are viewing this site from a phone may not be able to see the side bar and other parts of this page, due to formatting on phones.

So...This page is best viewed in a web view format which is at the bottom of the page on phones and all devices. You have to Click the web view button on your phone for more articles and lessons. 

Keep Scrolling for more

Wrinkledpups Daisy Mayham

Check out the many pages above in the menu to learn more

Feel free to email me a comment or ask a dog question

and share these sites so others may learn ! 

 

  Based on 40 years of Professional Dog experience 

All Areas of the Pet Industry Consulting
 All Breeds Show & Pet Grooming, Training, Boarding
Pet Salon Business Owner (retired)
Wrinkledpups Bloodhound kennel and Redi K9Services
Breeder (retired)
1997-2006 German Shepherd Tracking Dogs, SAR K9
and AKC Mantrailing Bloodhounds
1980-90's weight pulling and show T.A's APBT 

Why should we prepare for Emergencies and Disasters ?

By preparing for the worst

You learn what to do 

With practice your actions become habits

And turn the worst into steps you walk to survive

Fear is replaced with the knowledge of knowing what to do

Confidence is restored

Especially when you have a partner, you can count on…

Like your dog

Read on Amazon worldwide
or get a hard copy via contact page
ask for the The Family Disaster Dog Book

.

The Family Disaster Dog book shows you how to train your family dog to rescue you in disasters and emergencies; like floods, earthquakes and tornadoes; how to find a lost family member or friend with your dog and many other skills, along with how to Shelter-in-Place, pack a bug out bag and evacuate.

Family Disaster Dogs Go-Bags are dog backpacks full of human and pet survival items to bug-out with when emergencies, disasters or evacuation hit home.

Thanks for passing this info on and stay safe everyone!

If you would like a signed copy.. email me

Feel free to ask a dog training question !

Look for these books of mine:

1. Family Disaster Dogs by Amber Higgins
2. How-to Evacuate with Pets-Dog Bug-out Bag by Amber Higgins
3. A Squirrel Planted an Acorn by Amber Higgins
4. Mantrailing Book coming out in 2021

Start at the book below for a free preview and remember to rate or review !

Lesson 23: Aging Training Courses and Trails

In search dog work the age of the trail is one of the most important aspects of the search. The age of the trail is how old the footprints is in the sand or how long ago the person left the scent at the location.
In other words, if a person is missing 1 hour then the trail or track of scent they left behind is 1 hour old. When a person has been missing 15 minutes the trail has an age of 15 minutes.

As you and your dog gets close to the person the scent becomes fresher or hotter (younger). The further you are away from a person the colder or older the scent.
Your dog will react differently to cold and hot scents. A dog is usually more excited the hotter the scent and a dog is more inclined to slow down to study and work older scents. By watching your dog you can tell the age of a trail or scent.
Dogs are amazing in regard to how old of a scent they can find and follow. The Bloodhound is known as having a cold nose because they can follow cold trails as well as hot trails or tracks.

We might think a hot trail of scent would be easier for our dogs to follow but this is not the case because the scent particles have not settled and are floating around as a person moves. As the scent trail ages the particles settle on surfaces condensing into scent pools or trails that concentrate in one area or line of travel.

For this reason a dog can follow an older scent trail easier then a person who only moments before ran away. In training search dogs we want to make sure the dog is given every chance they can to achieve the goal of finding the lost person. With this in mind, you want to make reliable courses and trails for your dog to follow. The first training courses should always be prepared fairly simple for your dog to follow with the scent trail settled and aged.

Otherwise your dog will become disappointed and discouraged or confused by us asking them to follow a scent that is not reliable or consistent. From a dog’s point of view, a scent that is floating everywhere is difficult to follow.

The dog has to trust you to know what you are asking them to find because they already smell every scent around them and know what each one is. It is up to us to know which scent we want them to follow out of the millions of scents they come across.

As a basic rule, a novice dog that is beginning to work scent trails and area search should not be worked on courses or scent trails less then 5 minutes old but no more then 15 minutes old. This might not sound like much time until you are standing in place counting the minutes while you let the scent settle and your pretend lost person is waiting in hiding. Then 15 minutes can feel like an hour. 

After you dog can consistently make a find of a lost person who has been hidden 15 minutes then you graduate to aging the course to 30 minutes. A dog usually works each time frame a week or two before they can graduate to the next level with confidence and drive to keep looking. By adding 30 minutes to the age of the course or trail you dog will gradually learn the differences they will encounter while on an actual hunt. 

After your dog can find a person who is hidden for 30 minutes then you will age the trail for 1 hour, then 1 and a half hours, then 2 hours up to making a 24 hour old training course or trail.

If your dog becomes confused or unsure on a newly aged course then you know you have graduated from one time limit to the next to quickly. Go back to the pervious time or age of the course where your dog did work well and start from there again. 

Give your dog extra lessons at that time limit and make sure the turns and pattern is not to difficult. You may have to simplify a pattern at first to help your dog discriminate scents that are older and then make a more complex pattern at that age after your dog gets the age of the trail.

Aging the course or trail means the person helper who hides from your dog will leave walking from the starting point of the training course and will hide for that preset time limit. 

Planning must be done for the person who will be hiding to have something to do while they wait, such as taking a book to read or making the training course at a location where the person can walk through a wooded area to another house of a friend and wait there for you to find them later. They can get into a car and return to the finding spot later when you will find them.

This is where teaching search dogs can get complicated or it can be easy if you look for opportunities to work with your family dog. For instance, let’s say your teenager is going to stay the night at a friend’s house a few blocks away. 

You and your child discuss how you will fit the dog training into the visit by planning the way they will walk so you will know your dog is on the right trail. After your child is at the friend’s house then you would give the trail time to age by going about your day at home until the time comes to find your child. Take your dog outside to the front yard and give them your child’s scent article and the command to find. Follow your dog to your child for a successful training session made easy.

When people come to visit, ask them to hide from your dog and help you train. You will be surprised how many friends and children would love to see your dog find them. Even beginning dogs are amazing in finding a person, especially somebody they know and love. All they have to do is go outside and around the house to hide, give the scent time to settle for 10 minutes then send your dog after them for a happy reunion. This training should always be fun.

You can use objects for your dog to find instead of a person by having your helper leave in their place of hiding a jacket, book, shoes or an object that will have only their scent only on it. The person can then go home without walking where they did to get there. Leaving by car is best.

 

The trail from start to object must be connected for your dog to make a find. You allow the object to sit and the trail to age then set out to find the object with your dog.  When your dog finds this object they have completed the lesson .It’s time for play and praise.   

Lesson 2; To Leash or Not

To Leash or Not to Leash 

This lesson covers why some dogs use a leash when looking for lost people and other dogs do not. This will help you decide which way works best for you and your dog.

How to use the long tracking leash when Trailing and Tracking with your dog is taught during each lesson and outlined on Lesson 1, Tracking Overview.

 As you can see by the pictures of Sambo working in a harness, we are using a very long leash or lead.  A long tracking lead like the one pictured is most often used to allow the dog extra room to work an area over without the handler interfering.

Mantrailing Training

Most Bloodhounds are worked on a leash while other breeds are often worked off leash due to other breeds paying attention to a handler more then a Bloodhound does.

No pun intended, a Bloodhound on a trail is working from natural ability and instincts without any direction from a handler while other breeds are working a trail from the training they have received and the commands from a handler. The Bloodhound is trailing and the other dog is tracking, there is a large difference in the two ways the dogs use their noses.

The leash below is the type a Bloodhound Handler uses..A Retractable leash is not recommended.


Another reason a long leash is used with a Bloodhound is that the Bloodhound is known as a silent tracker/trailer because the dogs generally do not bark or bay while running a trail like Beagles and Coonhounds do.

Some Bloodhounds do get excited at the beginning and end of a trail and some will work very quickly but others are more caution and careful not  to miss any smells. They work slowly and surely.

Bloodhounds are different in many ways from other breeds which is why there are few Bloodhounds working in comparison to other breeds. Bloodhounds do not train well or respond to directions from handlers well while using their noses and this makes them difficult for some people.

Consequently, we have to use a leash when we ask a Bloodhound to find a person in order to stay with the dog and know when the dog finds the person, otherwise a loose Bloodhound might find the person and happily lay down with them to cuddle instead of coming back to let the handler know they did the job.

Other breeds are taught to find a person off leash and return to the handler or bark to indicate the found person so the handler can find them. These dogs rely on the owner or handler to work with them in finding the person. Obedience training and off leash hand signals or direction can be given to the dog by the handler so the two work as a team in searching for evidence or a missing person.

Your family dog can learn to work with a leash like a Bloodhound and also off a leash like an area scent dog or an off-lead tracking dog. You will will learn the difference between tracking, air scenting and trailing in upcoming lessons. The method you decide to use will depend upon your dog. Not the breed of your dog but how well your family pet does what you say off a leash.

Many family dogs never use a leash and pay attention very well to their owners. These dogs will respond to training faster then the house dog who is use to be kept on a leash and walked or a dog without any training. Do not worry either with or without a leash works for a family disaster dog because this type of training does not require obedience.

If your dog has no other training then you can train your pet like a Bloodhound, on a leash.

If you want your dog to understand commands then read through the other lessons on this blog to teach your pet manners and how to behave in different situations while responding to sit, come, stay, down, heel.

You can also take an obedience class offered in your community while you continue to work on the disaster dog lessons.

While attending other classes, Please be sure and spread the word about Family Disaster Dog Site so others can learn how to use their dogs during emergencies too.

Email us for Free F.D.D. Posters/Handouts to give out or post in your community. 

Family Disaster Dog (FDD) Email 

Any age of dog can be trained using a leash or not.

The older dog may take more teaching then a puppy. Do not get discouraged if your dog does not learn right away. This is supposed to be fun and the family dog, like all Search Dogs, are in training for a life time not for a short time.

Unlike other dog training classes this  type of training does not require a time agenda or daily practice. Family Disaster dog training can be done any time you have spare time because all you do is go out and play with your dog whenever you want, wherever you want.

You have the rest of your dog's life to train and play for a disaster which we hope you never have to use. Keep this type of training fun for you and your dog.

How to use a long leash and work a search dog on a lead will be covered on the Leash Work lesson.

How to train your dog to work off leash will be covered on the Off Leash Lesson Post.

Off leash and On leash dogs in training should own a Leather Leash like this 6 ft long leash pictured.


Click on Links on the Left to go to Another Lesson