We (and our cute friend, Jake) would love to 'ear from you!

At Dog City, we know communicating with our customers is one of the most important things we do. Can you help us out by answering two quick survey questions?

Yes (we will enter all survey participants in a drawing for a free day of day care)

THANK YOU!

The Reliable Recall:
How to Train Your Dog to Come to You Every Time
By Kika Boomer (www.kikascanineservices.com)

Kika's next class at Dog City starts July 10. Give us a call at 303-473-9963 to make your reservation.

The most commonly asked question in my class is how do I get my dog to come to me when called? People complain that their dogs come only when it is convenient to them, and certainly not if there is another dog or a squirrel in the vicinity. Too often these people have used the “come” command in so many unsuccessful circumstances that it has lost meaning. In this case we need to start from scratch and build a dependable foundation.

First of all, you must establish yourself as leader of the pack in your relationship to your dog. You accomplish this by creating rituals around food and territory. When feeding your dog, you should always make sure it has to wait before you release it to eat. Also, make sure you are not giving out treats for free. Oftentimes people get in the habit of telling a dog it is good and giving it a bone when the dog has done nothing more than watch them come home. It is also good to eat something before feeding your dog, because an alpha in a pack always eats first. Make sure your dog waits before entering or exiting a new territory, until you take the first step, then release it. Make sure it learns the “leave it” command with toys and treats. Practice long down stays.

You may wonder what these directions have to do with creating a reliable recall, but establishing a firm foundation in training and doing your alpha work will make the recall more secure, because you dog will be looking to you for direction and leadership.

Now for the recall work. To begin with, you need to choose a command that you haven’t ruined, so if you already used “come” and your dog often didn’t come, then choose “here” or “now,” something short and easy, a one-syllable word. Start using this command when your dog is on a six-foot leash, pulling it towards you after you say the word, followed by praise and a treat. Do this on and off throughout the day, so that your dog learns the somatic relationship between the command and the pull on the leash.

More than anything, you need to make sure your dog associates coming to you with something good. Praise and treat your dog even if it comes to you without being called, if you are sitting on the couch or at a park, for example. If your dog is off leash and is being distracted by a squirrel, do not use the reliable recall (continue)

Dear Dog City,

We are moving with our owners to Salt Lake City, Utah, and would like to take a moment to thank you for the terrific job you've done for us each time our owners needed to go away.

We love everyone in Dog City, and as one of your first pets six years ago up 'til today, some of our best memories (that's 42 human years!) are our times with you all.

It was great to have a place to stay that we loved, and our owners trusted. After we moved away from Boulder three years ago, our owners drove us to Dog City even though we were over 50 miles away, simply because they were so satisfied with the care and expertise of your stafff... we will miss you.

Lula and Hagerty

We'll miss you, too, Lula and Hagerty!!

Dear Dog City Family:

Happy summer! Our new, shorter newsletter format is designed to save you a little time and still stay in touch. Please help us with the survey - it honestly takes less than a minute to complete.

Have you seen this month's issue of the Denver Magazine 5280?  Dog City's Bethany won as the best dog groomer in our area! Of course, the grooming salon is now even busier. We are scheduling 1-3 weeks in advance -- so call early!

June has been busy so far, and the 4th of July holiday is a sell out for boarding in our hotel.  There are still day care slots available. We encourage you to sign up for the "standing reservation day care list" if your schedule allows, this gives you priority for holiday boarding.

Best wishes,

Deborah Holvey

Newsletter created by Jennifer Turco, Peak Design Services. Published by Dog City, LLC.  Copyright © 2005 Dog City, LLC.  All rights reserved.