My life became an adventuress journey when I got my first Ridgeback Keana. It was an impulsive decision rather then a well thought through plan. However, I was soon to be finishing up with college and knew that I will have time to raise a pup. Little that I knew that all the knowledge from previous dog owning experiences could never be applied to a new arrival. I have found myself dragged through a K-9verse holding on to another end of the leash.
I think I hit the books harder than I ever did while going to school reading all breed related materials, articles and training guides. I even wrote letters and e-mails to Ridgeback community asking for help.
Meanwhile my beautiful puppy was having a lot of fun zooming around the house, barking, play biting, nipping at the feet, destroying furniture and toys, and practically enjoying her self in terrorizing the household. I loved my puppy non the less but it was getting to be really frustrating that I could not keep things under control.
It all changed when a friend of my sister, Julia, suggested to check out a Misty Pines Dog Park website for a dog training school in Pittsburgh PA area. That weekend I have made an appointment for an orientation class and after that enrolled into a basic obedience program.
Working with a group of highly trained professionals I was able to turn the tables around. I also invested a lot of time in private lessons in order to fix up problem behavior and to better understand my dog. Getting basics under the belt I set up a new goal to get tested and certified in Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and Therapy Dog International (TDI).
We have spent endless hours preparing for those tests over a long period of time. One thing that I have learned from the beginning is that you have to keep training sessions fun and short in order to achieve your goals. Keana passed with flying marks!
I didn’t stop there either. We started training for a Novice A obedience competition and when a new Rhodesian Ridgeback pup joined a family we also started to train for conformation handling and showmanship.
I enjoy working with the most stubborn and willful of them all and always welcome a challenge.
Rhodesians are my passion and they are Dogs All Mighty!