Don't let New Years Celebrations Screw Up Your Dog

Occasionally we get inquiries as to how to "fix" gun shyness.

I always urge everyone to make sure your dog is properly introduced to gun fire in a very positive way. Since I have always taken great care with this issue, I have never had a dog in my care who developed the problem.

If you buy your pup from a reputable gun dog breeder, the breeder should have introduced the litter to all kinds of loud noises as well as bird wings and live birds. Your job as the new owner is to continue to expose your pup to loud noises--but carefully. Guns at a distance. (We recommend using a starter pistol that uses the same kind of ammo as a commercial grade nail gun. You can buy different strengths of ammo, the lighter of which produces a softer noise.)

Always associate the sound of gun fire with the excitement of a mark (an object thrown by a helper in the field who will fire the pistol at a distance away from the pup.) We train at a field that is next to a freeway, and the freeway noise muffles the sound of the gun fire quite a bit. We introduce guns there and then move out to more wide open spaces where the guns can be heard more clearly. Once our dogs are extremely birdy and used to closer and closer gun fire, we can expect to shoot over them with no problem. If properly introduced, the sight and sound of a gun should produce giddy excitement from your dog--not fear.

Fireworks can frighten a dog. Since we will have a hearty helping of fireworks tonight to welcome in 2010, be sure to minimize how much your dog can hear them. Having a radio or television on will muffle the sound of the celebrations. Make sure as the owner, you act as if nothing at all is wrong. If your dog shows any kind of distress, add some more background noise and IGNORE the dog's discomfort. If you fawn over your dog, petting her and telling her "It's OK," you will be rewarding the behavior and shining a spotlight on a problem. While it makes sense to comfort a frightened child, comforting a dog who is exhibiting stress will have unintended consequences.

If you have a dog that for whatever reason is noise or gun shy, GunDogSupply.com sells a two CD set called

Noiseshy Cure Thunder & Fireworks 2-CD Set

that uses music and recorded thunder & fireworks sounds for desensitization and behavior modification. You can also order a blank starter pistol from these folks. We have done business with this outfit for years and the customer service is top-notch.

Fast Pup Dogs Experience Freedom At Car Show

At Fast Pup Dog Training we want every owner to experience peace of mind about their dog's behavior and every dog to experience the freedom that comes from being reliable off leash.

Check out the new video of our dogs attending a car show in downtown Puyallup.

Imagine being able to walk down a busy street with your dog off leash! Trusting your best friend to walk with you on the sidewalk and not having to worry about traffic!

This Makes House Training A Snap

These four week old puppies are already getting used to a crate

If you want to make house training your puppy as easy as snapping your fingers, you need to use a crate. And not just any crate. The biggest mistake we see people making in terms of selecting a crate is that they go down to the big box store and buy a HUGE crate--one that will be big enough or even too large for their puppy when full grown.
The crate needs to be SMALL. Just big enough for the pup to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably. Then as the pup grows, replace that really small crate with another that is just a little bit bigger. Think of the size of the crate as a comparison to the size of a bed you would get for a human baby. We don't have human babies sleep in a king sized bed. The baby feels (and is actually) safer in a small bed such as a crib or play pen. But don't make the mistake of humanizing your puppy and trying to keep them in something like a play pen. Dogs need to feel safe by being inside something.

Yikes! "Isn't putting a puppy in such a small space cruel," we always get asked. Nope. Not at all. Dogs naturally den. In the wild, they seek out or dig a small, dark place for safety, to sleep and have pups. Just a couple of weeks ago, when our dog was getting ready to whelp pups, she kept clawing her way under a small twin bed we keep in the office for the dogs to lounge on. That is where she naturally felt safe. In such a small space she could barely get in and out of.

Using the dog's natural instinct to den gives you a great advantage in house training, making your life easier and to giving the dog what she needs. People make the mistake all the time of thinking of their dogs' needs in terms of human needs, which are not the same. Giving your dog what she needs will ensure successful training and make your dog feel much safer at the same time.

Another advantage of using a correctly sized small crate from the beginning is that it is easy to move the small crate and pup around with you in the house. Dogs are pack animals and they have a strong need to be with their pack. When I am raising a pup, she stays with me as much as possible for bonding, but she stays in her crate a great deal of the time. She is right there next to me as I work on the computer or tidy up the kitchen. I can talk to her and she can let me know if she needs to go outside, but at the same time she is contained in a small space that she won't soil.

Keep the pup on a schedule. You can either pick the pup up and carry her outside to eliminate, or you can move the crate to the outside door, opening up the crate and encouraging her to go out on her own. You should always give the dog plenty of outside time after she eats and drinks. Then, take her out every couple of hours or when she acts fussy.

If you will progress from smaller to larger crates for the first couple of months, and you stay very consistent about using the crates, you will find that your dog will become house trained effectively by about five months or so.

Training Starts at Birth for Tacoma Dog Trainer Johansson

New! Puppies in training!


Pups shown here are Joanie & Litter Mates. Our pups are less than two weeks old as of this posting. Watch for new pics as they grow!

Joanie, our five year old black Lab, AKC SH (Senior hunter)
blessed us with a rainbow litter on December 13th, 2009. Joanie was bred to Max, a Master Hunter (AKC) who is also the chief duck dog for a hunting club on Sauvie Island outside of Portland.

There are two chocolate females, a chocolate male, a black female and black male and a yellow female. The dogs were born in our guest bedroom and spent the first three days snuggled with Mom on blankets in a small plastic wading pool. Then they were transferred to the whelping box in the garage under a heat lamp.

The pups are handled by Kate on a daily basis, even when first born--without eyes open. Today, Christmas day, the pups' eyes are starting to open. By next week, we will be spending more time playing and interacting with them. They have already started riding in the truck inside a crate. As they grow, we will be putting them through tests to see how they react to challenges of problem solving. We will be introducing them to toys, balls, bird feathers, and even birds as they get a little older. They will be exposed to loud noises and introduced to far-off gun fire and duck calls. By the time they are ready to go to their new homes, they will be crate conditioned and used to sleeping through the night in their crate.

They will be ready to go to their new homes between 7 & 8 weeks of age. One or two will be staying on to be trained as gun dogs by Kate. The pups who stay on will begin their obedience training between 7 & 8 weeks old. They will first learn to sit and wait patiently for their food. (The pups will be at the bottom of the pack and will get their food after everyone else has been released to theirs.) They will start learning to sit, stay and come. They will learn the "place" command by age 3 months. They will also be introduced to marking and retrieving birds and bumpers.

Warning! Pet Dog Training Franchise Watch Out!

If anyone is tempted to sign a Franchise Agreement for a Pet Dog Training Franchise Business Opportunity, Watch Out!

Read this article: http://www.franchiseremedies.com/franchise-fraud.htm

Please feel free to contact us for details!

All I Want For Christmas In Tacoma Is A Well Trained Dog

Santa (Or Kate Johansson) Can Deliver a Well Trained Dog!

Fast Pup Dog Training's Version of Reindeer!


Below is a picture of Jody Vosburg's Jack Russell Terrier, Roxy.

Here is a letter from Jody:

I had not planned on getting a dog yet, when Roxy my Jack Russell Terrier came in to my life in May 2008. I had a new home and property that was not fenced. A friend knew I needed a companion and that I wanted a Jack Russell someday and she could not keep Roxy. When I saw Roxy she was exactly what I had pictured so I brought her home. I and my mother were afraid to let her loose knowing she had not had any training and how Jack Russell's are not known for coming when called and are great at running off exploring.

It all started when I went to the Harbor Hounds Walk in September 2008 with a friend and her dog. First thing when we parked--Roxy got excited with all the surrounding distractions and bolted out for the car and away from my friends daughter who wanted to walk her. Thank God no cars were coming and she just ran to the first dog and it was nice to her and we got her caught. The rest of the day went great but I really didn't like not having control without a leash.

Kate had a booth and demonstration at the walk. There were several dogs doing what they were told and not running off in the demonstration and I was impressed. I also got to take Roxy through an agility course they had set up and she really liked it. I took a brochure and went home to talk it over with my mom.

We decided to go for a demonstration at one of her classes that happened to be in Kent. Again there was several dogs of different breeds, ages and their owners all working with their dogs with out a leash together . They were all sitting and staying while one walked around the one's staying. I thought Roxy would never be able to do that! She couldn't even sit still to watch on a leash! After the class, Kate did a personal demonstration and worked with Roxy for a few minutes then she told us about the program and the cost with the equipment. I was a little set back initially at the cost and we decided to go home and talk about it. Before we got home to Port Orchard we had decided it was worth it for Roxy's safety and our piece of mind. Also the lifetime classes and walks. The next day I faxed in my sign up form and I am so happy.

I can go anywhere with out a leash. As a matter of fact Roxy did sit and stay at her 1st class! I was amazed--and I know my mother would not have believed it if she had not been there to see it! I am glad I invested in this program. Roxy goes everywhere possible with me and I do not have to use a leash or worry she will run away and get hurt or lost. She is also great in the house and does not jump on people when they visit which is an added bonus.

Jody and Roxy
Port Orchard WA

Roxy is a Jack Russell Terrier Owned By Jody Vosburg

At Fast Pup Dog Training we work with dogs of all sizes and temperaments. We believe all dogs deserve to live a rich, full life with the freedom that comes from excellent training. When your dog is trustworthy--even off leash around severe distractions, owners experience such peace of mind. Breath a sigh of relief with a well trained dog

Dog Trainer Kate Johansson Hosts Tacoma Radio Show

Fast Pup Dog Training's New Radio Show Saturdays At Noon On KLAY 1180 AM Tacoma. "Dog Talk Radio!"

Check out our recent radio shows! Visit our website (see link to right) and click on the radio button on home page. Then you can listen to shows and interviews. Recent guests include Jim Charbonneau from Country Kennels (a FIRST-CLASS boarding facility,) Rema Strauss from K-9 Rejuvenation (a wonderful warm water canine aquatic spa,) Kristy Baird (from Dock Jumping Labs) and certified veterinary technician,Kelly Buchanan (from Portland Avenue Small Animal Hospital.)

Fast Pup Clients' Well Behaved Dog Travels Cross Country

Greetings From Kenny, Katie & Sandy Bayness

Recently Fast Pup Dog Training Clients Katie & Kenny relocated to Ohio with their young Labradoodle, Sandy. We miss you guys! Merry Christmas & good luck in your new home!

Hi Kate!! Sorry that its been a while since we've written. We just wanted to give you an update about how things are going and how Sandy is doing. We made it cross country, and had a blast on our trip. I attached a few photos from the trip as well as a few once we got to my mom and dad's house in Ohio.
Sandy did marvelous on the trip, she was very well behaved and I think she enjoyed going to the different places and making new dog friends along the way :)
Sandy is enjoying living in the country for the time being and she likes being able to go outside and just run. She is behaving great and still is able to do everything we ask of her.
My mom works at a school for disabled children and one of the teachers has actually asked if we would like to bring Sandy in to visit the class. It's amazing how calm and easy going she becomes around disabled people or older people.

Kenny and I have jobs so we are looking for houses currently, we called about a house yesterday that actually has a pretty big yard that would be great for Sandy to have some room to play at home. We will keep you updated with new photos and let you know how everything is going. I hope class is going great. Are you still having the offleash walks? Tell everybody we said hi!

Thanks for everything,

Katie (and Kenny & Sandy too!)

Fast Pup Dog Training Tacoma Sunday Classes

Sunday Afternoon Obedience Classes

Thanks to Danny Phillips for taking this and many other pictures at class.


Imagine how wonderful it would be to be able to walk down a busy city street with your dog off leash and listening to your every command! Your dog walking beside you and not straying into traffic. You walking with your dog in the most relaxed state--even though cars are whizzing by just feet away. Most people just shake their heads in disbelief when we talk to them about such things. But check out our blog to see all the testimonials about what happened when people took a chance to learn our training methods.

Please be our guest! Fast Pup Dog Training holds classes twice a week in the Federal Way--NE Tacoma area. We offer no cost, no obligation demonstrations with our dogs and a free assessment of your dog immediately following our classes. We specialize in off leash control around severe distraction. We offer dogs the opportunity to live a full, rich life with off-leash privileges and we offer owners the greatest peace of mind about their dogs' safety. If your dog pulls on the leash, jumps up on people, runs away or has other more severe behavior problems--we can help!

Tacoma Dog Trainer Trains Chihuahuas & Pomeranians

TRAINING A FOUR-POUND CHIHUAHUA
FROM DANA of JAGUAR WOMAN DESIGNS

This is a digital painting Dana created of her dog Lily, a tiny Chihuahua

When Dana first came to us, she brought her big Shepherd mix Xena for help with her training. After having Xena in our program for several months, Dana decided that she wanted Lily to have the same freedom and quality of life that Xena enjoyed after learning to be reliable both off leash and on leash. By teaching dogs focus and self control, the dogs develop confidence they never had when driven to distraction. Whether you have a four pound Chihuahua, or a 200 pound Mastiff, Fast Pup Dog Training can help your dog live their best life.

What Dana Said About Lily's Training

Last night, I took Lily, my 4 1/2 pound long haired Chihuahua, on an off-leash cross-country walk we do with our trainer, Kate, from Fast Pup Dog Training, along with about 12 other grrrreat big dogs of all kinds: a giant Cane Corso, a energetic young Doberman, lots and lots of various rambunctious retrievers lurching and leaping through the brush around her.

We crossed many streets where all the dogs had to sit/stay and wait to be commanded, one by one, by their names, to cross the street and sit/stay on the other side. People often say that Chihuahuas are bad candidates for obedience training and at the very least you have to start very young. But there was Lily, doing her sit/stays and distant recalls and following at my heel and dodging and weaving as those heavy dogs shot past her. Yes, she was intimidated! No, not once did she snarl or launch herself as so many defensive Chihuahuas do.

Lily has always had a pretty calm temperament for a Chihuahua but she has learned to contain herself much more in the Fast Pup Dog Training.

I wish more people could have seen her, dainty little thing, trucking along at a steady clip in the middle of that pack of big old rough doggies, delicately sidestepping them and running under them when they came charging out of the underbrush straight at her, always returning right to my side! And sitting in a firm sit/stay at the side of the road despite the distraction of passersby and bicycles and loud children. I thank Kate, our terrific trainer at Fast Pup Dog Training.

This is the little dog who almost gave us a heart attack when she ran between our feet and out into the busy street one day. Now I do not worry about that because when I say "Lily, sit! Stay!" She does it. I have been able to have her do a successful sitstay reliably in front of our open gate now and trust that she will not set one foot outside our yard.

That peace of mind is worth a great deal to me. And on top of that, I'm able to take my favorite companion everywhere with me and nothing fazes her. She's never the nervous Chi people expect. She's always calm and open to the world. She does not shiver and freak out when meeting other dogs. She's a perfect intimate companion! The trainer is great! The training is fabulous. But let's give the balance of credit where it really belongs: to the dog!!!!!

Dana Sitarzewski
www.jaguarwoman.com

Another digital painting by Dana of Jaguar Woman Designs. This one is of Corky, a nine pound Pomeranian--one of the Fast Pup dogs.

At Fast Pup Dog Training we work with dogs of all sizes and temperaments. We believe all dogs deserve to live a rich, full life with the freedom that comes from excellent training.

To see more of Dana's fabulous paintings and designs, visit

www.jaguarwoman.com

Tips For Success With Puppies

TIPS FOR TRAINING PUPPIES

Who does not LOVE a little puppy? But we have to remember that puppies quickly grow to be dogs. It is important that we start setting boundaries and rules on the first day. I make all my dogs sit and stay until I release them on their name to go to their food. I start that training the very first meal the pup has at my house. By the second or third day, the pup usually understands sit and stay for food.

We get many calls for help with house training. I always tell the caller that there is no "silver bullet" for house training. The greatest success comes with using a crate only big enough for the pup to stand, turn around, and lie down. So for a Labrador Retriever pup, I use a very small crate to begin with--one about the size of a cat carrier. The pup will outgrow it in one to three weeks, and then I replace it with the next biggest size. I progress through four to five different sizes of crates as the pup grows.

Dogs are naturally denning animals. They seek out small, dark places to sleep and for safety. Many people tell me they think that using a crate is "mean," or "cruel." It is definitely not! The first night home, I put the pup in the crate and set it on a chair--right next to where I sleep. This helps the pup feel safe. She can see me and hear me breathing. If she is fussing a lot, I might even move the little crate next to me in bed. She feels part of a pack and does not feel alone. But she can not go off in a corner and make a mess. Then, early in the morning I carry the crate with the pup in it to the sliding glass door and open the door to the crate to let her go outside. And praise her like crazy when she goes outside.

I start teaching the dog to come, sit and lie down, using food and praise for treats. (Most dogs love food, but enthusiastic praise is even more exciting for most dogs.)

Socialization around people and other dogs is super important. If you can find another puppy owner, it is a great idea to get together and let the pups play together.

Never hit or shake a puppy. This will only cause her to fear you, and possibly create fearful or aggression problems in the adult dog.

If you have a dog that you want to play retrieving games with, remember to keep retrieving super fun for the dog. And remember to quit playing with the pup before she gets bored or tired. Always leave them hungry for another play session.

Thanks For Stopping By The Fall Tacoma Home & Garden Show

Tacoma Fall Home & Garden Show

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth at the show! We loved meeting all of you and we are looking forward to seeing everyone again.

WE ARE SCHEDULING NO COST, NO OBLIGATION DEMOS NOW!
Be sure to call us to get on the schedule. These are fun demonstrations of our dogs' training. You will get to see retrieving demonstrations, agility and obedience with our dogs. The demos are great fun for the whole family. We will have you bring your dog out for a free assessment and go over all of our programs and methods at that time.

Tacoma Family Breathes Sigh Of Relief With Fast Pup Dog Training

Kate-
As I sit down to write this letter I have to chuckle; I never thought I would be writing a dog trainer to tell her how well behaved my yellow lab has become!
Murphy, our 11 month old yellow lab has been in three homes from birth to the young age of 15 weeks. We considered ourselves his permanent family and we were determined to train him ourselves and have him meld into our family. After a month or so of having Murphy we realized he had some behavioral problems. Jumping, snapping, clawing the door, digging holes all day long, and knocking people over, pulling on a leash, barking at the fence and listening only to the sound of a food bowl rather than our requests.

After 6 months of having Murphy I was placed on bed rest due to complications in my pregnancy-With an 11 year old, a 4 year old, a baby on the way and many people in and out of our home (helping hands!) Murphy became increasingly difficult to deal with. My parents (self titled lab lovers!) took Murphy to stay with them while I figured out how to deal with our new life. Murphy continued to cause trouble and act out-We were faced with bringing home a new baby, a hectic family life and still another lab at home-We decided we should give Murphy to a better home. When we decided to look for a home for Murphy we felt like failures and it dawned on me that he would be the same dog just in a different home, how would someone else handle this situation? What if we were sending Murphy into a home that was also un able to deal with him and ended up harming him in some way?

I got online and began to research dog trainers-There were so many! I then called our vet to get a recommendation-they faxed me over your (Kate) website. I contacted Kate and talked for a long while over the phone. After talking with Kate I realized that she "knew" Murphy-She knew what was going on and she was so positive about his potential. My husband and I set up a consultation and within minutes we were stunned, impressed and convinced. Kate's dogs not only listened to her and obeyed but they were able to relax, be silly and play! We immediately enrolled Murphy in Kate's program. We have now had Murphy working with Kate for over a month. Murphy continues to have his normal lab puppy moments (pulling on my bathrobe in the morning, bringing me a tennis shoe as a gift and knocking his food over when he gets excited) but Murphy is also able to walk down a busy street with another dog, a toddler on a bike, neighbors waving hello and other animals passing by- all OFFLEASH! The off leash aspect lends itself to many other successful moments with your dog-Not only are you on a peaceful walk but your dog is able to get their exercise which leads to less negative behavior-Off leash also allows your family to enjoy the dog instead of kicking them outside for the day-Off leash allows the dog to learn to have fun and be attentive-Murphy is able to walk out the front door, go to the car, wait to get in and hop in calmly. Murphy is able to go to people's homes and wait at the front door while I chat, regardless of what they have going on inside. Murphy is able to sit and wait for our guests to come in the door, set their coats down and get settled before he says "hello"
We loved Murphy when we first brought him home-Now; we enjoy Murphy and look forward to many years of friendship. I would recommend Kate and Fast Pup to anyone with a puppy or even an older dog. If you consider yourself a dog lover give yourself and your loved dog the best gift, talk with Kate-The results are amazing.
Perry and Erin Smith
Tacoma

Tacoma Dog Trainer Kate Johansson Helps Calm Distracted German Shepherd

After veterinary technician Kelly Buchanan saw the incredible changes in an aggressive dog (Buddy) she referred to us, she was ready to try our training on her own rescue dog, Villa, a two year old German Shepherd. Here is her testimonial.

Villa learned the place command.

Dear Kate:

I am writing this note to you to tell you how truely surprised and impressed i have been with your work with us and Villa and the progress we have made! After 10 years of working as a vet technician, I have seen many badly behaved dogs. Never did I think I would own one!

Into our life steps, Villa, a 2 1/2 year old german shepard that needed a home. When Villa came to us, she did not have any "household manners". She wouldn't sit, or come when called, she jumped and chased our cats, and knocked down kids. I wasn't sure how in the world we were going to make it work out! Villa wasn't able to go on a walk on the leash without her prong collar, and even then, she pulled and choked herself the entire way. I was terrified to walk her around other dogs, strangers, or small animals.

Although I was hesitant to use a different training method than I was used to, I decided to trust Fast Pup Dog Training as I had seen some impressive results with dogs I knew from my work. Even though I really didn't have the money, I decided to go to a meet and greet and watch the free demo and see what it was all about. Thank goodness that I did! Kate,you even suggested we bring Villa that day. We had our three kids tagging along, my husband , myself and this big dog! What a site we were to see being dragged through the parking lot by this dog who obviously was "in charge" as I yelled NO and HEEL to no avail. How embarrassed I felt as Villa barked at all the other dogs and strained at the end of her leash as though to attack them.

By the end of the demo, it was clear that the dog that was acting up was clearly OUR dog, Villa! So off she went with Kate to do some work and exercises. After about 5 minutes, I was invited to participate. How great it was to walk around that area with her, and have her finally paying attention to me! I was in charge! What a difference. I learned so much that first day and knew that I couldn't afford NOT to sign us up. It was that clear. Truely, once you get a glimpse of what you and your dog can do with the proper teaching, you will be astounded and hooked! Its a great feeling of accomplishment and the dogs feel so much more sane with clear limits and rules.

Now Villa is not the "stressor" that she once was for me. I know that I can walk her with or without the leash and trust her to stay with me, ignore distractions and obey me without question. Her home manners have improved also! Villa does not chase the cats anymore, and she stays out of areas of the house that I do not want her in. (no more baby gates for us) There is no counter surfing or begging at the kitchen table during dinner. Even my 11 year-old son, can ask Villa to sit and stay for her food dish. She will not budge until he releases her.

It is such pleasure to live with an animal. They are here for us unconditionally, for comfort and security and companionship. My relationship with Villa has changed dramatically after enrolling in Fast Pup Dog Training. We now can enjoy each other's personalities and play together without fear of all the bad behaviours. I can take Villa on walks/runs and be at ease. My children can take Villa to the school park and throw the ball for her and not fear she will run in the street or attack any animals they might meet. If I had one piece of advise for your future clients, "you owe it to your animal to at least come and see what the training is all about. And you owe it to yourself to give your dog the opportunity to have a better future. It really is worth it! Good luck!

Special thank you to Kate J

Sincerely

Kelly and Sean Buchanan

and kids

and Villa

Fast Pup Tacoma Changes Lives of Pit Bull & Disabled Owner

When Scott, who uses a wheelchair and has limited use of his hands. brought his dog Puka to us we loved her gentle, sweet temperament. But Puka was not obedient. If Scott dropped her leash by accident, she would slowly wander off--ignoring his calls to come back to him. Below is his testimonial about Fast Pup Dog Training.

My name is Scott and my dog is Puka--an American Staffordshire Terrier. When I got Puka she was a hundred miles per hour, back and forth, I couldn't control her. She was so strong, so fast, and just full of energy. I am in a wheelchair and this was becoming a problem. It was making it hard to take her anywhere. So we enrolled into a dog training class. It was six weeks of hard work working with a leash. After six weeks we made a little progress. Being in a wheelchair also made it hard to hold the leash control Puka and manuever my chair. There has to be a better way!!

I was online looking for Remote Training for Dogs. Up came a free seminar at The Sportsman Store in Federal Way. Puka and I are there! We got there and Kate saw me struggling with Puka. Kate took Puka and started working with her. That was all I needed to see. We signed up right there and started training the next week.

Puka and I got our Remote and Training collar and went to our first class. This might sound crazy but OUR LIFE CHANGED! Puka and I picked up on the training immediately. I couldn't wait to show everybody, how good, the wild and crazy Puka was obeying and listenig to me. It was 180 Degrees! She is by my side and does whatever she is told.

These days Puka goes everywhere with me. From to the park to the grocery store to the mall to the lake. It doesn't matter because she is so well behaved. There is nothing better then when your dog obey's and listens to you in any public situation. Everywhere, I mean eveywhere I go people tell me "I wish my dog would do that", "Wow ! your dog is so good", "My dog could never do that". That is what I thought until I started Fast Pup Dog Training!

I cannot thank Kate and Fast Pup Dog Training enough for really CHANGING MY LIFE and making my wish come true!!! MY DOG OBEY'S ME!

The Fast Pup Dog Training is the BEST PURCHASE I've made for my dog and myself ever! If you are tired of being embarassed because your dog pulls you down the street or you can't control your dog around other dogs and people in public. This training is the way to go. If I can train my dog being in a wheelchair, it can work for anybody and every dog!

Thanks Kate,

Scott Bottorff

Fast Pup Dog Training At 20th Annual Bremerton Blackberry Fest

Fast Pup Dog Training will have their dogs at the Bremerton Blackberry Festival on Labor Day Weekend, September 5th -- 7th. Fast Pup Dog Training specializes in off-leash control, aggression, and extreme behavior problems. Please visit our website or check out our Videos on our YouTube Channel:

Fast Pup Dog Training Channel

A Gathering of Fast Pup Dogs

Come by and meet our dogs! They will be waiting with a wag of their tails. We all look forward to meeting everyone!

Fast Pup Dog Training at Tacoma Fall Home and Garden Show

October 15th --18th

Do you have problems with your dog at home? Fast Pup Dog Training, Tacoma, will have their wonderful, obedient, happy, tail-wagging dogs at the Tacoma Fall Home and Garden show. Come by the exhibit and pet our dogs. Talk to our trainers. Take some candy from our dogs as they carry baskets of gift candy through the show.

Our trainers have fast, easy solutions to your biggest dog training problems. Visit our website or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x_tJExmunk to find out more. We look forward to meeting you!

Fast Pup Retriever Training at Cabelas Lacey Waterfowl Classic

September 19th & @20th

Tacoma retriever trainers, Fast Pup Dog Training, will be at the Waterfowl Classic at Cabelas in Lacey on September 19th and 20th. Kate Johansson will be conducting retriever training seminars throughout the weekend. Please bring your retriever for a free assessment.

Tacoma's Fast Pup Dogs Earn AKC Hunting Retrieving Titles

Fast Pup Dog Training, Tacoma, clients earned their AKC Junior Hunt Titles last weekend. From left to right are Cindy Olson & Rainy, Dennis White & Colby and Kate Johansson & August. To earn an AKC Junior Hunter the dog must pass four marking tests on land and water. Great Job Everyone! Congratulations!

Where To Turn When Dog Is Aggressive

Cindy, John and Cole with Buddy

(See Testimonial Below)

Fast Pup Dog Training, Tacoma www.fastpupdogtraining.com recently was called for help with an aggressive Lab/Shepherd mix. "Buddy" had been taken in as a rescue and although he was very loving and affectionate around the house, he had been becoming more and more territorial about people visiting his home. Additionally, he had been developing aggressive behavior when one of his owners, Cindy would try to walk him on a leash.

At Fast Pup Dog Training, we get calls frequently for help with aggressive behavior. We believe that most of these dogs can be trained and rehabilitated. We teach the owners how to interrupt and redirect behaviors so that the dog will lose bad habits and replace them with better ones.

Testimonial from John & Cindy:

"We just want to give a big thanks to Kate at Fast Pup dog training. Our family has a Lab/German Shepherd mix that was having aggression problems when other people would approach us or our home. Our vet recommended a couple of different trainers for our problem. The first guy was all about the money and how there was no guarantee that he could correct the issues. We contacted Fast Pup and spoke to Kate. At our first meeting she explained how her training worked and showed us her dogs in action. At first we thought “yeah, right” but when we saw her 6month old lab respond and obey her commands, we knew she was doing something right. When we discussed the price, at first we were “WOW”, but then came to realize it was an investment we were willing to make. We never thought that our dog would listen to our commands and walk off leash, but we were wrong. I’m happy to say Kate was correct, that it only took a couple of sessions before we saw results! Our dog now sits in the front yard with all of the neighborhood distractions and lets people come over and say hi. We can honestly say this was a terrific investment, and we are so happy with the results."

Thanks again,
John & Cindy--Puyallup, WA

Fast Pup Dog Training Saves Aggressive Shepherd Mix

I first learned about Kate and Fastpup Dog training when I noticed an exceptionally well behaved Border Collie at the dog park. This dog was doing exactly everything it was told and was not distracted by anything. I was so impressed I commented to the owner. He then told me about Kate and her training technique. I did some research on the Internet and contacted Kate to set up a demo. My husband and I were at the end of our leash with our 1 year old 65Lbs mutt, Snoop. We adopted him from the Humane Society at 3 months and up until about 5 months everything seemed ok. Then we started to notice his aggression. I started to bring him to the office, but too many people complained that he was loud and out of control. Several guests indicated they were scared of Snoop and he was politely asked to leave until he had better manners. We knew we needed some help, but we weren’t sure where to go. By 8 months Snoop had completed your standard $130 basic and advanced obedience, but his aggression was only getting worse. We had the trainer from the obedience school come over, but that didn’t help. It was pretty much a waste of $120. I was excited to see Kate’s demo, but a little scared of the cost. When we first arrived at the demo, Snoop didn’t waste a second. He started barking, growling, lunging and even tried to bite Kate. Needless to say, no one wanted to come near him. Within a few minutes I was in tears. I was embarrassed that I had no control over my dog, I was sad that he tried to bite someone and I just felt so defeated. I did my best to keep Snoop under control and watch the demo which was very impressive. All the dogs did as they were told even with Snoop as a major distraction. Even though the demo was great, I wasn’t convinced that Kate would be able to help MY dog. I had no proof that any of these had been aggressive in the past. So, Kate said if I put the collar on Snoop, she would do a demo with him and me. Within less than 10 minutes, we were sitting back down and Kate was petting Snoop…the same dog that tried to bite her 20 minutes earlier! We were sold! Snoop has now been in training for about 4 months and we have a completely new dog. We can have Snoop off leash and we are confident that we have complete control over him. We can have guests come to the house and we are completely confident that Snoop will stay on his bed and let our guests come into the house without being barked and growled at in the face. We still have work to do, but we’ve seen a HUGE improvement and it’s been worth every penny. In fact we were so happy we just signed our 3 year 65 Lbs old husky mix, Shorty, up for training as well. Shorty is not aggressive, but has her own issues. Shorty has NEVER come when called and is a terrible leash walker. She pulls on the leash so hard that I had to have acupuncture for my shoulder and she gets very excited to see other dogs and tries to run over to them all. She has been in training with Kate for 4 days and already we’ve seen a huge improvement. We have a dog who comes when called and behaves nicely on a leash. We look forward to being able to have both Snoop and Shorty off leash and responsive very soon. Fastpup Dog Training is the way to go!

Robyn (Kent) Eddison

HP Sales Specialist PSG| Softchoice

Client Computing Solutions Group

Direct: 206.709.9015

Toll free: 888.607.7638 ext. 4265

robyn.eddison@softchoice.com

For immediate product assistance, please visit the HP HUB - http://portal/sites/hp/default.aspx

Fast Pup Dog Training Helps Douge de Bordeaux

We were referred to Kate by a close friend of our breeder. Keona, our Douge de Bordeaux, was beyond my control any more at 1 yr of age. He was a beautiful, headstrong in your face 145 # puppy. We had been through 2 different companies in town that were positive, reward-type training--but our puppy was not ever treat motivated.

We had come to our breaking point when Keona was big enough to jump at me, especially from behind, and attempt to knock me off my feet. This, of course, was unacceptable--as was the extreme pulling when trying to walk on a leash (and just forget about coming when being called.) We finally contacted Kate late January '09, and we have been so glad we did. With Fast Pup Dog Training & Kate's help our now 150+ puppy comes when called, walks nicely on leash and off, and has not jumped up on anyone since starting training in February '09!

Keona is now becoming a great Douge and we are so glad we made the investment into the Fast Pup Dog Training. Comparing the cost of the most recent class we went to prior to Kate, we have more then gotten our monies worth. For anyone who is trying to justify cost--Kate is so much more then we can describe (as words are sometimes not enough.)

Kate, we can not thank you enough as you truly saved Keona from going back to the breeder. He really is turning into one of the best dogs we've had...

Eryn & Kurt Mueller Keona and the girls...

Fast Pup Dog Training Attracts Out Of Towners

Because our training methods are so effective, fast and gentle--and because our techniques are so different from other trainers, Fast Pup Dog Training has many clients from out of town. We have clients from Alaska, Medford, Port Townsend, Soap Lake and Portland. Pictured here are Chris & Lauren (Left) with their two English Setters "Kenai" and "Rangeley" from Bonneville on the Columbia River. Robyn & John with their dog "Snoop" are currently residing in Seattle, but will be returning home to Toronto sometime this year.

Fast Pup Dogs Score At Rainier Hunt Test

Rainy Day Keepsake, (Rainy) owed by Jim and Cindy Olson, Weedhaven's Colby Jack, (Colby) owned by Dennis and Clara White, along with August of Horn Creek, (August) owned by Kate Johansson all passed their third leg of Junior Hunter last weekend at the Rainier Hunting Retriever Club's Fall Hunt Test at Bob Pepper's Farm. Moody's Red Beans and Rice, (Beans) owned by Kate Johansson passed her first Junior Hunter test at 7 months of age. Mahogany Run's Rascal's Rosie SH, (Rosie) owned by Kate Johansson passed her second Master Hunter Test.

Tacoma Dog Trainer in Kent Cornucopia Days Parade

The Fast Pup Dogs on the way to the Kent Cornucopia Days Parade in July.

Tacoma's Fast Pup Dog Training 3 Passes Year Mark

Kate is shown here in 2007 working with "Grip," a six year old Pit Bull. Grip had become more and more territorial in his front yard. When the neighborhood kids came home from school in the afternoon, he would frantically run back and forth along the chain link fence in the front yard, barking, growling and biting at the fence. He also was big on fence fighting with other dogs. At Fast Pup Dog Training, we specialize in tough cases. If you have a dog that needs help--even if you have taken him to other trainers, you owe it to yourself and your dog to call us for a no cost, no obligation evaluation.

Fast Pup Dog Training Takes Pup to Mark Fall Hunt Test

Ms. Beans (7 month old Labrador Retriever Pup) ran her second Junior Hunt Test at the Rainier Hunting Retriever Club this weekend! It was only for training--just to get her started getting used to handling excitement around a crowd, gunshots for other dogs, having to wait in holding blinds for her turn to go, and so forth. But she surprised us!. She did a fabulous job on marking in the land series. She dug out the ducks just as pretty as you please and brought them back like a pro.

The water series (on Jig's Pond at Bob Pepper's farm,) was a little more tricky. The first mark landed behind a huge floating log. Most of the dogs swam around it and that caused them a big hunt. Beans had a big hunt too. She stayed out looking everywhere for a long time but then came all the way back to her handler without the bird. (YIKES!) When she was encouraged to go back out and look for the bird she jumped in the water and snapped off a lilly pad with her teeth and tossed it back to Kate. What a little clown! Then, with a little more encouragement she took off back to the fall. This time she climbed over the log and was right on line with the duck. She grabbed it proudly and brought it back all full of herself. Then, she got to go out and get the second water mark--which she nailed. She came up the hill from the pond and kept turning back--looking longingly at the water. That was WAY fun!

Sorry Ms. Beans! That's all you get for today. We will be training Friday and we will have another hunt test this coming weekend. This one will be the Evergreen Golden Retriever Club's Fall Hunt Test at Bob Peppers Farm.

If you need help with your retriever or any other dog, please visit our website: www.fastpupdogtraining.com or Call Us! (253)569-0411

Testimonial From Jaguar Woman

Dana is seen here practicing directional casts with her dog Xena.

Here is a testimonial from Dana of www.jaguarwoman.com

(Please scroll down for one of Jaguar Woman's fabulous digital paintings of a Golden Retriever!)

"Fast Pup Dog Training is the training system I'm enrolled in with my big, 90-lb. Shepherd mix, Xena. I'm about 4' 10 1/2" and 62 years old and she's an energetic, rambunctious girl who wants to gogogo! She's also my personal bodyguard who is with me 24 hours a day, so I want her with me wherever I go, in many circumstances. I also want to be very close to her emotionally and have her under easy voice control. I don't want to wrangle or wrestle or repeat myself!

Over the course of her 7 years, I've I've used a variety of training methods to accomplish both good discipline and strong emotional bonding, but nothing has given me the confidence and freedom that Kate's methods have. In a short time, I've gained a rapid increase in both confidence and easy control with Xena, especially off-leash voice control reliable long term sit/stays and distant recall. I know that I can place or move her where I want, past many different distractions, without having her lose her focus on me.

Her enthusiasm grows and she just gets happier with her work outs. Because the results happen so quickly, my own enthusiasm grows too. She actually gets to do more because she has more control over herself. She's using her mind, not just wildly dissipating energy and adding to my bicep tendonitis, LOL. With or without a leash, she's always at my pace, on the flats, over rocky terrain, or on a staircase. She's still getting even more focused physical workouts, and we both feel more confident in different environments. Hence, we're even closer emotionally, which is the ultimate goal: we get to go places and do a lot more together because I have no concern about losing control of my dog in new situations and embarrassing ourselves or offending people or, even worse, creating danger. She pays attention to me because it way more interesting and fun that way.

"Xena"

When I call Xena for her training, she's very eager and runs right to me and sits down in front of me with her happy face on. Xena and I can't say enough about this training and my other 5 dogs (all Chihuahuas) are standing in line for their turn! Maximum happiness is our goal. Dogs and people can't have it without confidence and self control, eh?"

Visit www.jaguarwoman.com for more wonderful digital paintings.

Fast Pup Dog Training at Meeker Days

June 19, 20 & 21, 2009

Friday 12:00 -- 9:00
Saturday 10:00 -- 9:00
Sunday 10:00 -- 5:00

Tacoma dog trainers, Kate Johansson and "Fast Pup Dog Training" will have their dogs at the 70th annual Meeker Days Celebration this weekend in Puyallup. Please bring your dogs by to say "Hello" at our booth and watch for us with our dogs. We would love to meet you and your dogs.

Kristie Baird of Dock Jumping Labs

Kristie Baird, from www.dockjumpinglabs.com and Fast Pup Dog Training have formed an alliance. www.fastpupdogtraining is sponsoring Kristie and her champion Dock Dogs competitors, Buddy & Henna. Kristie is also training her youngest dog, Mossy, for retriever training with Fast Pup Dog Training.





Here are some of Kristie and her dogs' accomplishments:

Buddy's is the 2008 Big Air Super Elite National Champion. Here are some of his other titles:

~ #1Ranked Chocolate lab in the world for 2008

~ #1 Ranked DockDogs Regional Big Air Dog 2008

~ #1 Ranked DockDogs Regional Extreme Vertical Dog 2008

~ Northwest Challenge Extreme Vertical Oregon State Record Holder

Henna is the 2007 Extreme Vertical Cadet 2nd place National Champion and ranked in the top 3% for Big Air worldwide in 2008.


Kristie is shown her with her dogs Henna, Mossy and Buddy. Currently (this week) we are working working with Kristy and Mossy on "Swim By."

Dog Training Testimonial from Jim & Cindy Olson

When our black lab puppy Rainy was five months old we decided that we were not doing well with obedience training so we contacted Kate Johansson , we had seen her several years earlier at a sportsman’s show. We had a lab previously that was trained for hunting so we were familiar with electronic collars and invisible fence collars. When Kate offered to add retriever training to our obedience training, we decided to see if we could avoid sending Rainy to “doggy boot camp” otherwise known as professional gun dog trainers. My husband was not sure the concept would get the job done but he has since changed his mind. Yeah, no two months of boot camp for Rainy!

We started a regular routine of retriever training in January 2009 and Kate has been training Jim and me on how to handle a dog as well as working with Rainy. We have since realized that professional trainers, the “doggy boot camp” kind, do not spend much time with the owners to show them how to handle their dog. There seems to be a whole new vocabulary when training a retriever and all three of us are learning it together. I have also come to understand that obedience is a key ingredient of retriever training so we can do both types of training at the same time.

Dog training has been a huge time commitment for us but we both like being outdoors and watching the dogs work, ours as well as everyone else’s dogs. Working with Kate has given us the opportunity to do that on a regular basis. We could stop now and I would have fulfilled by goals, basic obedience and no boot camp, but we are now addicted to training. Rainy got her first Junior Hunter ribbon at about nine months and now Kate and Jim want to continue the chase for more ribbons. Time will tell ----

Cindy, Jim and Rainy Day Keepsake
June 2009

Training Rainy Day Keepsake

As a dog trainer, I love working with dogs. Problems are always fun to solve and any day working with a dog is way better than going to an office. As a retriever trainer, there are dogs I love to work with and dogs I LOVE to work with. My own Rosie is a dog I LOVE to train. And so is this little lab, Rainy Day Keepsake, owned by Jim & Cindy Olson. Rainy has intense drive and a BIG desire to please. She is also very smart. Show her something once or twice, and she just gets it. Right away. This is the kind of dog that everyone who competes in hunt tests or field trials wants to have. A dog like this is very difficult to come by even when you know exactly what you are looking for. The dog could have the best pedigree in the world, but until you start your force fetch and yard work program at 6 or 7 months of age, you won't really know what kind of a dog you have. This dog is a very special girl and I always look forward to our training sessions. Rainy is blessed by having picked her owners very carefully. Jim and Cindy are very dedicated to a regular schedule of training. Every Friday we do yard work and drills. Cheating singles, "two along the shore," baseball, pattern blinds, etc. Then on Saturday or Sunday we go TRAINING! Big stuff on prairies and fields or large ponds. It is a huge pleasure to have owners who are dedicated and who are willing to show up no matter what the weather. This team will go just as far as they want to. And I am looking forward to seeing their success.

Kate Johansson

Retriever Training on a Warm Day

Fast Pup Retriever Training enjoyed a great day on the water on Saturday, May 30, 2009! Colby, a yellow Labrador Retriever was excited about swimming for a retrieve.
http://www.merchantcircle.com/blogs/Fast.Pup.Dog.Training

Fast Pup Dog Training Congratualates "Colby."

Dennis White and his dog Colby recently entered and passed an AKC Junior Hunter test. Congratulations to Dennis and Colby!

www.fastpupdogtraining.com

Fast Pup Dog Training Congratulates "Rainy."

Fast Pup Dog Training client Cindy Olson and her dog Rainy recently passed an AKC Junior Hunter test at Rainier Hunting Retriever Club in Carnation, Washington. This was their first ever hunt test. Great Job Girls! www.fastpupdogtraining.com

Fast Pup Dog Training Tacoma Open for Business

Fast Pup Dog Training is now open for business in the South Sound.

At Fast Pup Dog Training, our professional dog trainers can help you with dog behavior and obedience, aggression, puppy training, house breaking and just about anything that will help your pet or working dog become the best dog you have ever had. Our trainers show you how to train your dog in an effective manner that ensures your pets safety, happiness and obedience. We teach you how to combine the most gentle communications using an innovative method with an electronic collar with proven classic training techniques for the best training experience possible. Fast Pup Dog Training is dedicated to having your dog very well trained –even under the most distracting circumstances you can imagine. Fast Pup Dog Training specializes in results-based dog training to provide you with a happy, tail-wagging dog. After evaluating your dog, we provide a specific, tailor-made canine training program designed to meet the needs and goals of you and your dog. We will train both you and your dog with compassion and patience, and won’t settle for anything less than your complete, 100% satisfaction.

Fast Pup Dog Training at Oregon Hunt Test

Tacoma gun dog trainer Kate Johansson of Fast Pup Retriever Training with Rosie, Joanie, and August at the Oregon Hunting Retriever Club's Memorial Day hunt tests. Joanie (middle dog) earned her AKC Senior Hunter title, August passed two Junior hunt tests, and Rosie passed a Master level hunt test.

Thank you to all the club members, workers and judges who worked so hard to make these tests so awesome. It was a fabulous weekend!