The Monthly Wag: January 2025

Hello Fellow Dog Lovers!

Thank you for subscribing to our monthly newsletter! We’re thrilled to have you be a part of our ever growing community of dog lovers and training enthusiasts. Each month, you can look forward to receiving valuable training tips, behavior insights, and updates on our upcoming events and classes. We're excited to share this journey with you and your furry friend(s)!

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Table of Contents

• Dog of the Month: Augie

• Monthly Training Video: Teaching Your do to “Stay”

• Training Topic: New Year New Training Goals for Yo …

  • Setting Training Goals

  • Training Based on Development and Skill Level

  • Make 2025 a Year of Growth and Fun!

• Upcoming Classes/Events

• Follow us on Instagram

Dog of the Month: Augie

Name: AUGIE: named for August Rodin and August Sander ( favorite artists) and his birth month

Age: 2 years 4 month ( birthday August 21, 2022) Peacefield Bernese Mountain Dogs, Maine

Breed: Bernese Mountain Dog

Favorite activity: Being a goof. He loves to run between your legs sit there and get his pats, squeak his squeaky toys until the squeaker is no more,, lie on the driveway to wait for the mail carrier who always has treats.

Favorite food/snack: blueberries held up high. He sits and waits for us to drop them so he can catch them one by one.

Best personality trait: Augie has a pretty big vocabulary knowing who is who by name and when it rains I say” towel off “and he waits for me to dry him plus he tells us what he needs with his woofs and barks especially when it is dinner time. He is very sensitive to his people knowing what we need when we may not.

Fun ( ish ) fact about Augie: Augie had a beautiful half sister named Veazie. They shared the same sire and were together ,egging each other on to explore the world together- giving each other courage. Veazie was a month older and was first to do most things that Augie then followed. However just after Veazie turned two she lost her ability in her hind quarters. We got her a wheelchair and she loved being a puppy on wheels to take our long walks with Augie. However In mid -September it was clear she was tired . Augie stayed with her the whole day and gave her a kiss on her nose as we all said goodbye. The time she had with her wheelchair gave her an opportunity to impart wisdom and courage for Augie so that he could be brave without her.

Augie joined our training program to improve his loose leash walking skills. He struggled with excitement around distractions, such as squirrels and other dogs, which often led to pulling on walks. Over the past month, Augie and his mom have put in tremendous effort to build his walking skills and improve his impulse control.

Thanks to their hard work and dedication, Augie’s mom has reported many successful walks. Augie is now able to ignore squirrels and has even learned to greet other dogs politely while out and about.

We’ve absolutely loved working with Augie and his family. Augie and his mom, Lynn, have overcome so much together over the past year, and we are thrilled to have been a part of their training journey!

Monthly Training Video: Teaching Your do to “Stay”

Training Topic: New Year New Training Goals for You and Your Dog

The start of a new year is the perfect time to set training goals and strengthen the bond you share with your dog. Dogs are natural learners, and it’s never too late to teach an old dog new tricks! In this article, we’ll explore how to set realistic training goals and share ideas for classes and exercises to try in 2025.

Setting Training Goals

What are your training goals for this year?

• Maybe you’re ready to join a new class.

• Perhaps you want to teach your dog some fun new tricks.

• You might finally decide to tackle that behavior issue you’ve been managing.

• Or maybe you just want to maintain the progress you’ve already made.

When setting goals, it’s important to consider your dog’s personality, needs, and temperament. While you may dream of trying agility training, your laid-back couch potato might prefer something less physically demanding.

Take some time to observe your dog:

• What makes them happy?

• What makes them nervous?

• What activities do they naturally enjoy?

By focusing on what suits your dog’s unique personality, you’ll create a positive training experience for both of you.

Training Based on Development and Skill Level

Your dog’s age and experience also play a big role in choosing the right training goals.

For Beginners:
If you have a young dog or one without much prior training, start with basic obedience or socialization classes. Focus on foundational skills like:

• Loose leash walking

• Impulse control

• Stay and recall(come when called)

Need help getting started? Check out our basic behavior training videos here: Training Exercises.

Remember the saying: “You can’t run before you walk” Mastering the basics first ensures your dog is ready for more advanced challenges later.

For Experienced Dogs:
If your dog already has a strong foundation, set some fun, higher-level training goals for 2025!

• Tricks of the Month – Teach one new trick each month.

• Specialty Classes – Try something new, like Rally, Scent Work, Barn Hunt, or Agility.

• New Environments – Visit new places like parks, stores, or dog-friendly restaurants to work on behavior in different settings.

• Community Outreach – Get your dog certified as a therapy dog or join one of our outreach programs where we use dogs for education and mental health, like:

  • Pawsitive Reading – Help kids build confidence reading to dogs.

  • Pet Safety Education – Teach children how to safely interact with dogs.

  • Youth Treat Centers – Use dogs to educate and uplift the community.

Make 2025 a Year of Growth and Fun!

Setting training goals can add excitement and purpose to your dog’s routine. Whether you’re working on basics or diving into advanced skills, training is a great way to build confidence, reduce stress, and strengthen your bond.

Make 2025 a year of learning, adventure, and fun—for both you and your dog!

Upcoming Classes/Events

1/6: 6:30 pm- Good Manners I | First Class

1/8: 6:30 pm- Puppy Socialization I First Class

1/9: 4-6 pm- Hound Haven Nail trim event: This event offers low cost nail trims to everyone that shows up. We will be walking around offering training tips/advice. We will also have lots of interactive toys/puzzles for dogs to try.

1/18: 10 am- Canine Good Citizen Class |First Class

1/18: 11:30 am- Good Manners I | First Class

All of our upcoming class still have several spots available. Sign up today! https://www.readysettraindogs.com/group-training-classes

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