ALLIE'S LAST WEEK OF BOOT CAMP



Allie is in the front of the group during training class eager to learn!



We've heard some wonderful news that there is interest in Allie for adoption! We are all crossing our fingers that she will find her fur-ever home. To continue to further her chances the staff at MK9 wanted to give our reasons why we think Allie is so great:

We love that Allie is so happy to see us when she gets dropped off in the morning, ready for a fun day of training because:

- She loves people she doesn't know unconditionally

- She has a great combination of a sweet manner but playful personality

- She is so affectionate and gentle

- She has joyful puppy-like play especially when she chases tennis balls as if they were bunnies in the grass

"Allie is such a pleasure to work with.." says Morris K9 Campus Trainer Robin Lash. "Most of her success in training is due to that fact that she is such a smart eager-to-please dog!" 

Since Allie might be meeting new dogs as part of her adoption process, we want to show a video of Allie nicely and appropriately greeting another dog. We have loved getting to know her!

If you are interest in adopting Allie, please call 973-664-0865 or visit Eleventh Hour's website for more information about her.

ALLIE ADVANCES IN PET TRAINING AND TRIES AGILITY!

This week Allie participated in our daytime Level Training classes! Allie began in Level 1 group training where she began with basic attention skills. These key skills are very important for Allie. Commands that are taught in Level 1 include 'sit', 'down', and name recognition. She picked up these skills so fast, she was able to be quickly moved up to Level 2! In Level 2 we continue with her loose leash walking, she is picking up stay very well, and her 'come' is fantastic!

We also introduced Allie to agility! She loved the tunnel as you can see from the video! We think she would be a great agility dog!

Allie is up for adoption through Eleventh Hour. Please call 973-664-0865 or visit Eleventh Hour's website for more information about her.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ALLIE

Allie's morning routine consists of playing with her friend and fellow Boot Camp member, Fergie, the Portuguese Water Dog. These two ladies had an instant connection. They enjoy starting their morning with playtime and fetch with tennis balls.

Next up is training time:

We like to teach all dog's to wait or "stay" at the door until they are released to go outside. It's a wonderful way for your dog to learn that they shouldn't bolt outside without you allowing them to do so. Nice going, Allie!

Some of the things we have been working on with Allie is a good recall or "come," one of the most important commands you can teach your dog. Allie thinks it's a really fun game!

To continue to increase her exercise and fitness, Allie works out on the treadmill. This is a fabulous way to keep her active, stimulated, and tired.

Click here for more information about the Morris K9 Campus Boot Camp program or call 973.252.5100.

If you are interested in adopting Allie contact Eleventh Hour Rescue.

MEET ALLIE POINTER

Inspired by Ginger, a Catahoula Leopard Dog who successfully went through a month long weight-loss challenge at our sister company (Morris Animal Inn), we decided it was our time at Morris K9 Campus to give back and improve the adoption chances of an already awesome rescue dog. Meet Allie, a young Pointer mix, currently up for adoption by Eleventh Hour Rescue.

Allie Pointer, as they call her, is a two-and-a-half years old. She was dropped off at a shelter in Tennessee with her six puppies, but it didn't take long for Eleventh Hour Rescue to pick her up and bring her to New Jersey. Since she made the journey, she has been in a foster home arranged by Eleventh Hour for the past two months. Allie is still looking for place she can call her forever home. 

From what we can see so far, Allie is a spunky, friendly, happy dog, but there are a few training areas that could use a little fine tuning to help Allie become an even better pet. That's where the Morris K9 Campus Boot Camp program is helpful. The program itself is a training service that runs for a month, Monday through Thursday, where the pooch receives personal attention from our dog trainer and support staff. The program is designed to implement and train important life skills that transforms an already great dog, into an outstanding one. Life skills can include anything from recalls (i.e. come), to loose leash walking, no jumping, sit quietly for petting. The goal is for the owner to pick two to three behaviors that they think their dog could use a little extra help on and we work to reinforce that behavior. The consistency of the program contributes to each dogs success.

With Allie, we noticed she needs to learn how to walk loosely on a leash. On her first day, she was fitted for a no pull SENSE-action harness  and began working on skills that would improve her on-leash habits. According to her foster mom, within the first day, her on-leash behavior had greatly improved. Her foster mom took her for a nice long walk on the 4th of July and said not only did Allie enjoy it thoroughly; she didn't pull her on their walk!

When Allie isn't polishing up her social skills, she enjoys fun romps with the other dogs at Morris K9 Campus, a benefit to almost any dog in Boot Camp; they get to spend quality time with other dogs that love to play. Allie is an outgoing pooch and loves to chase after toys!

With over three weeks left to go, Allie is sure to make improvements that will make her an even better companion, after all, who wouldn't want an already trained dog? We’ll let Allie take it from here to let you know how her Boot Camp sessions are going.

HELP YOUR DOG OVERCOME THEIR FIREWORKS AND THUNDER PHOBIA

Summertime can be a difficult season for dogs. The hot humid weather often leads to thunderstorms and outdoor celebrations typically involve fireworks whether or not it is the 4th of July. Unfortunately, these low, rumbling noises are a sound that can scare the mightiest of dogs. There are several different things you can do to ease your dog's fear.

Desensitize

To work on desensitizing your dog to loud claps of thunder and the pop and sizzle of fireworks, play a CD with recorded outdoor noises like Suburban Thunder. Play it low and quiet at first while pairing it with a happy, exciting activity for your dog like playing fetch or feeding time. Keep coinciding these events and eventually play the recording louder when you notice your pet making progress. If your canine becomes scared at any point, lower the volume. Be very patient and keep up with this routine until your dog grows accustomed to the noise and no longer acts fearful. Try not to baby your dog by petting, hugging or sweet-talking him or her. This will only reinforce the behavior, making your dog think it is ok to act scared because they will be comforted.

Thundershirt

Many pet owners have found the Thundershirt to be of great help for their fearful dogs. According to the Thundershirt website, "Over 80% of dogs show significant improvement in symptoms when using the Thundershirt." The Thundershirt uses constant, gentle pressure to calm canines. The technique of using pressure as a calming influence has been touted by experts like Dr. Temple Grandin for both animals and humans with autism. The Thundershirt gets wrapped around your dog with soft fabric and Velcro straps, securing them snugly. Read about our own employee's experience with the Thundershirt on the Morris Animal Inn blog.

Distract

Turning the volume up on the TV or the radio can help to drown out the outside noise of fireworks or thunder. In fact, a line of CD's called Through a Dog's Ear was developed by pianist Lisa Spector and sound analyst, Joshua Leeds. The CDs play soothing and peaceful piano music with a simple, slow rhythm. Spector came up with the idea after noticing how calm her dog would become when she practiced the piano. Playing this music can help to decrease your dog's anxiety. Discover more about these CDs.

Safe Haven

Create a comforting haven for your dog. If he or she is crate trained, stock the crate with blankets, favorite toys, a Kong stuffed with food and a water bowl. Fill the spot or nook where they like to hang out with their favorite items. Most importantly, make sure your dog is not outside, but safely contained indoors. Dogs can be so frightened of thunder and fireworks that they may run away.

Sometimes a pet's fear is so severe there may be little you can do to ease their anxiety. At this point you might consider discussing the possibility of using anti-anxiety medication for your pooch with your veternarian.