Amanda Nelson

Winter Rest and Play

Winter has officially started at my house here in Eastern Oregon, which means outside training time for my dogs has greatly decreased. While we still go outside for play time and daily exercise, with the off and on rain/snow, any agility training is off the table until spring. For my dogs I enjoy having someContinue reading “Winter Rest and Play”

Fluid Motion Cue Series – Out 101

The biggest thing to keep in mind with teaching Out, or any directional cue, is confidence. Your first priority should be building your dogs confidence in that skill. Proof that skill with varying handling positions, and adding distance. If you take the time to really proof and build your dogs confidence at this foundation level, it will pay off down the road.

Practice the Positive!

I don’t want those thoughts of “all the things that went wrong” to occupy my headspace for the rest of the trial. Because if I let that happen, it will continue to loop for the rest of the day and each run could continue to loop those negative thoughts.

Troubleshooting Your Start Line

I feel that most dogs with start line issues are lacking full understanding of the criteria. Add in, that some dogs also have issues handling over arousal, and that can be a mixture that causes dogs not holding their start line, bolting out of the leash, creeping, etc.

The Straw That Broke the Camels Back

This little graphic is a very good representation of me and how it feels to have my battery drained. I love teaching seminars, going to trials, seeing my friends, laughing, and having a great time. But I pay the price for that with needing alone time. Time to recharge and give my mental space aContinue reading “The Straw That Broke the Camels Back”

Different Connections

Years go by and Try won everything there was to win for a Stakes dog in NADAC. She did things and took me places I had no idea I could reach. But that dog could have never left Novice and I would have been just as happy.

Ally’s Series – Rebuilding Confidence and Trust

Connection, Confidence, and Trust between me and my dogs is the foundation to of my training with my dogs. And last year some of that was lost between Ally and I, so my goals over this winter is to try and rebuild it.

Fluid Motion Podcast – Episode 2 – Goals

Its All About Variety

Just like us, I feel that dogs can get bored with the same food day in and day out. Along with boredom, feeding the same type of food over and over again, I believe, can also cause issues with our dogs health. If I am always feeding my dogs a commercial diet of, Chicken, SweetContinue reading “Its All About Variety”

Feed the Dog in Front of You

I love canine nutrition and I have been studying it on my own for the past 15+ years. My passion for nutrition started with my heart dog, Chance, when she was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma and I was told I had maybe a month, if I was lucky. I spent that day and theContinue reading “Feed the Dog in Front of You”