Discover K9 Dog Training

2010-01-03T14:49:00.001-06:00

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/military-9863-dogs-ceremony.html

Military monument goes to the dogs (with VIDEO)

Comments 2 | Recommend 4

August 01, 2008 8:42 PM

Mona Moore

Daily News

Five of military's finest were honored Friday with a retirement ceremony at the Air Force Armament Museum.

The ceremony was louder than usual, with an audience of the four-legged variety contributing to speeches and applause. But who could fault them?

The ceremony celebrated the careers of five military working dogs: Jacco, Deny, Blesk, Max and Marco.

It also honored K-9 units from law enforcement and the military with the dedication and unveiling of the museum's newest addition, a bronze monument.

"Faithful Partner - Guardian of the Night" was sculpted by Susan Bahary to honor and remember all working dogs, their handlers, trainers and veterinary staff.

"I hope ‘Faithful Partner -Guardian of the Night' does justice to all of our country's courageous and dedicated handlers and working dogs, and that it will be a source of healing and inspiration for generations to come," said Bahary.

"We owe a lot of dedication and support to dog teams," said Lt. Col. Timothy Meserve of Eglin Air Force Base. "They basically save people's lives."

"They're an invaluable asset to everything we're doing, both in the global war on terrorism and at home," added Maj. Keith Williams of Hurlburt Field. "Their impact is huge. Most people don't realize that."

Military dogs are trained to detect drugs and bombs. They also act as deterrents when on patrol.

"The way they detect it is with their nose. The way we detect it is by blowing it up," said Tech. Sgt. Rebecca Lind, Hurlburt Field's kennel dog master. "They're an invaluable tool in the field."

Most military dogs serve eight to 12 years before being adopted by military personnel.

"These dogs and handlers deploy as a two-person team to Afghanistan and Iraq and completely depend on one and other," said Kelly Hooker who headed fund-raising efforts for the $50,000 monument. "They have a strong bond - especially after deployment."

Volunteers worked for more than a year to bring the monument to the museum. They collected most of the $30,000 needed for the first phase of the monument from dog handlers nationwide.
Daily News Staff Writer Mona Moore can be reached at 863-1111, Ext. 1443

2010-01-03T14:39:00.001-06:00

http://www.eglin.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123086686

(Rickey & I were very happy to play a small part in helping with the adoption of MWD Lex to Fallen K9 Handler Dustin Lee's Family.)

Man's best friend receives top honor

Posted 2/19/2008 Updated 2/19/2008 Email story Print story

by Staff Sgt. Stacia Zachary
96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

2/19/2008 - EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Military working dog handlers killed while supporting Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom were honored in a ceremony at the Air Armament Museum Feb. 16. Also remembered are the military working dogs injured and killed in the line of duty.

One dog in particular was the center of attention. Lex, a German shepherd military working dog veteran, received a commemorative Purple Heart medal for the injuries he sustained in combat. Nearly a year ago his handler, Marine Corps Cpl. Dustin J. Lee, was killed while Lex was critically wounded in a mortar attack March 21, 2007, in Fallujah, Iraq. Never leaving his fallen master's side until battlefield medics separated the pair, Lex survived the attack but still has shrapnel in his back. While deployed, Lex's primary role while serving in the Global War on Terror was a bomb sniffer.

Lex was stabilized after several surgeries and returned to Albany, Ga., where he continued to recover from his wounds including 12 weeks of physical therapy. Before the attack, Corporal Lee had plans of adopting Lex after he was retired from his seven years of service. Those plans quickly changed after the mortar attack and Lex instead found himself training new military working dog recruits.

Knowing their late-son's wishes, Corporal Lee's family petitioned for eight months for the right to adopt Lex into their family. With the help Vietnam-era working dog handler John Burnam, the recovering K-9 was finally adopted and sent home to live with Corporal Lee's family in Mississippi just in time for Christmas, Dec. 21, 2007. Lex is the first Marine Corps Military Working Dog to ever be retired into the care of the deceased handler's family.

"To look into Lex's eyes is like seeing Dustin's spirit with him," said Rachel Lee, mother of the late Corporal Lee. "Every day he brings happiness back to our family. He lets us play with him, care for him and love him and in a very big way, we are still able to love our son. Having Lex with us now is the reason I can continue to have faith in this cause. He gives me strength."

The ceremony today served as a tribute to all military working dogs and the crucial role they play in supporting the military police and providing protection for servicemembers.

"These dogs are the greatest tool to have on the front lines," said Tech. Sgt. Gary King, 96th Security Forces Squadron military working dog handler. "They save so many unsuspecting lives because they can tell where hidden caches of weapons are or hear an enemy hiding just steps away. They truly are heroes in every sense and I am proud to be a handler."

"Lex has an amazing spirit and he truly loves people," said Kelly Hooker, Discover K9 Dog Training owner in Walton County and coordinator for the military working dog ceremony. "He really is man's best friend and his is a story so many of our dogs share."

Mrs. Hooker and her husband, Staff Sgt. Rickey Hooker, a dog trainer with the 96th SFS, have also adopted a military working dog named Jacco.

Recently, a bill was passed unanimously by both the Senate and House of Representatives and signed by President George W. Bush authorizing the construction of a monument commemorating the military working dogs like Lex.

"It's an honor to have Lex as an icon for working dogs," said Mrs. Lee. "It is important we show respect for these war dogs and today is a wonderful way to acknowledge the devotion these dogs give so fully and faithfully."

Military working dogs have been officially in service since World War II under the Dogs for Defense program and more than 100, 000 have served in the defense of the United States of America.

Happy New Year 2010!!!

2010-01-03T08:36:00.003-06:00

We hope everyone has enjoyed a wonderful Christmas season and is looking forward to 2010!

If you were given or purchased a new puppy for Christmas, we can help get you off to the right start with your training. We will be glad to speak to you about professional training that can begin as early as 16 weeks. Fortunately for you, your puppy is ready to learn a few things even at 8 to 16 weeks. You can work on things like crate-training, puppy manners, and leash training that will build a foundation for years to come.

Give us a call and we will be glad to discuss your puppy's needs. Remember your dog will be with you for the next 10+ years, take the time to invest in his future so you will all be happier.

Call us at 662-419-8718

or email at

kellyandrickey@yahoo.com

info@discovercanine.com

Kelly & Rickey Hooker

2008-09-06T16:07:00.003-05:00

Protection Dogs
DISCOVER K9 can also locate and train a Family or Business Protection Dog to provide security for individuals, families with children, business professionals, corporations and anyone that would like to feel more safe and secure.

If you would like a dog to protect you and your family, we can help you find the perfect match. Protection dogs can be a great deterent to crime; but they have the skills and training necessary to back up their threatening appearance with force.

We sleep better knowing our family is protected by a working dog - you can too.

Family Guardian
Personal Protection
Executive Protection

Reference provided
IF we don't have what you are looking for, we can find a dog and train it for you.
We have 4 Belgian Malinois 1 year old dogs that have started Working Dog Training.
These dogs have been handled and socialized around adults and small children since birth. They show all the characteristics needed for Personal Protection Dogs.

Capone (pictured above) is capable of being trained as a Dual Purpose Police Dog.

Please contact ASAP to inquire about purchasing and training one of these K9s.

mailto:info@discovercanine.com

850-401-1265

Mississippi - Tennessee - Alabama Dog Obedience Training

2008-09-06T15:57:00.005-05:00

Discover K9 Dog Training

Is happy to announce that we will soon be offering our unique and successful training to Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama.

We will be opening Discover K9 in Northern Mississippi.

Serving areas such as

Tupelo, MS

Oxford, MS

Memphis, TN

Birmingham, AL

and surrounding areas.

We Train All Breeds & All Temperaments.
In-House Training starts at 4 months - NO dog is ever TOO OLD to learn.
We specialize in Difficult-to-Train Dogs
Talk to us as your 1st Choice in Puppy Training or your Last Resort for you Problem Dog.
2 Week Basic or 30 day Basic & Advanced Obedience Programs available.

If you live in these areas, please email us at

mailto:info@discovercanine.com

You may also call our Florida business number and leave a message and we will call you back

850-401-1265

We look forward to working with clients in these areas.

Rickey & Kelly Hooker

Discover K9 Owners & Trainers

Extreme Aggression - Dog Behavior Modification

2008-09-05T11:08:00.004-05:00

This is a video of Bokkie a 140 lbs South African Mastiff that came to us with EXTREME people-aggression.

How to Teach Children to Avoid Dog Bites

2008-03-05T08:20:00.006-06:00

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT DOG BITES:

1. "My dog has NEVER bitten anyone, he is safe around kids." Just because a dog has never bitten anyone, doesnt mean that it won't ever. ALL DOGS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BITE, GIVEN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES. That point should always be remembered and especially taught to children. Children - especially small ones- should NEVER be left with any dog while unsupervised.

2. "My dog just bit my neighbor's child, should he be put to sleep?" or "My neighbor's dog just bit my toddler, I think it should be put to sleep." Just because a dog bites once, doesnt mean that it is a lost cause and should be put down. The dog is not always to blame; the circumstances have to be considered.

It is our responsibility as dog owners to be able to control our dogs regardless of what distractions are happening around him. It is also our responsibility to our dog to keep him out of situations that may cause problems.

For example, do not let children play rough with your dog. Your dog will naturally want to play rough too, but the dog will almost always be the one that gets in trouble.

Do not let strangers approach your dog without your approval. This includes strange dogs. It often seems like dog owners lose their common sense when it comes to socializing dogs. Last year we were at a doggy event with our 2 VERY friendly labs, but we kept them near us and out of other dogs faces and out of the faces of children. Even though we have never had a problem with either, we tried to use common sense and avoid any possible confrontations. One dog owner allowed her dogs to jump on ours and she laughed and said "I really like to socialize my dogs as much as possible." This is not the proper way to socialize a dog. This is the way to get your dog put in it's place by a more dominant or fearful dog.

Fortunately for her, we had complete control of our dogs and knew how to respond to the situation. But if our lab would have jumped on her smaller dog, I guarantee she would have considered herself blameless.

The same is true for children. We have to be vigilant as dog owners to not allow children to get in the face of our dogs. For the safety of the dogs and the children. The very things that children often do around dogs are the things that set dogs off and that is why so many children are bitten.

To humans, it is nice to smile and look each other in the eyes. To dogs, these things are threatening. Dogs are naturally pack animals - it is instinct. In a pack, the most dominant or pack leader will stare at the less dominant dogs. The less dominant will look away; if not, a fight will often follow. Same idea with smiling; to humans it is a friendly way of saying "hello, I want to get to know you, I wont hurt you." Guess what a dog sees --- TEETH.

If you are having problems with an unsocialized dog, fearfulness, aggression or just need help with obedience, please see our website for more information on our training services.

http://www.discovercanine.com/

info@discovercanine.com

Animals we have helped Rescue, Train and Place in Forever Homes

2008-03-03T15:09:00.003-06:00

Rescue Dogs - We helped find Forever Homes for several dogs over the past year
Category: Pets and Animals

From time to time, we take in dogs that we feel we can train and rehabilitate in order to place in a forever home.

Over the past year, we have done that for 7 dogs. It isn't always easy and it takes a lot of time, but it is worth it. We only wish we had more space and time to do it more often.

Piper- Female Belgian Malinois - from the puppy program at Lackland Air Force Base. She was and awesome dog that the Lackland Dog Training Center unfortunately washed out before they gave her a chance to excel. She was adopted by a local handler and was just too much for them to deal with at home. We took her and found a guy that competes professionally with working dogs and he gladly took her. Hopefully I can give updates on her success soon.

Bella - Female Yellow Lab - sweetheart, but her owner had to move unexpectedly and couldnt keep her. We took her because she was an awesome puppy that DID NOT belong in a shelter. We considered keeping her for ourselves, but she needed more love than we had time to give. So when a friend expressed that they wanted us to help find a lab for them, we suggested Bella. It was a perfect match for their family of 5. Lots of love and lots of kids to play with.

Kira - a black German Shepherd: Kira was a gorgeous, extremely smart GSD with a huge amount of drive to work. Kira's original family, like so many others, were just not prepared for the demands of a high-drive German Shepherd. We took her and trained her in drug detection in which she excelled. She is now a working Police Narcotics Detection Dog in Alabama. Her first night on the job, she found drugs and hasn't slowed down since. (photo above)

Emmy - Black Lab & Old Bones (Choc Lab)- I found her on the side of the road, no houses in sight when she was only about 10 weeks old. She was "traveling" with an old, old, old dog that I ended up calling OLD BONES. When I first saw them, he was lying in the middle of the road and I had to stop to keep from hitting him. I couldn't tell that it was a boy - and the baby puppy was all over him - like she was trying to get him up. I just guessed that it was the mother and baby and that someone had thrown them out. I loaded them up in my car and took them home. To my surprise when I got home, I found out that the momma was not a momma at all. I cant imagine what the story was, but the baby loved him dearly and didn't want to leave his side for long. He had on a collar, but the phone number had been disconnected. I kept him for a few weeks, but he was just too old and to unhealthy. He had to be put to sleep. The baby, ended up becoming my daughter's baby and still is. I don't know where she came from, but she is the best Labrador Retriever I have seen and is now our family.

Tobey - young German Shepherd - lively GSD that didn't acclimate to living in a backyard that wasn't supposed to be dug up. Although he was house trained and loved being with the family, "mom" wasn't so happy about him being in the house. The reality of having a house, a yard, 2 kids and a dog didn't work out. It took a while but he finally found a forever home with a new loving family that didnt value grass and flowers as much as the dogs.

Maxie - Young Female German Shepherd: Maxie was a very expensive GSD from a working dog line, but unfortunately, she was too much for the family to handle. Like many working German shepherds, she had a high amount of drive. She needed lots of energy and lots of attention. The original owners decided that they could not keep her and asked us to help find a home. We kept Maxie for a few months and worked with her through advanced obedience training. We recently found a great family that were looking for a dog just like her. She couldn't have been better matched for this family. The greatest thing was seeing her meet them for the first time; she acted like she had known them forever.

----more to come

Personal Protection Dogs

2008-03-03T12:38:00.003-06:00

We can help match you to a Personal Protection Dog that is suitable for you and your family.

We also can provide Executive Protection Dogs for business executives or high-profile clients that needs an extra deterent to crime.

With all the terrible things that are happening all around the country, it is nice to know you can have your own personal protection dog to protect yourself and your family.

We currently have 4 Belgian Malinois Puppies - born July 2007 that have already started their "basic training" for protection dogs.

Contact us for more information or to put down a deposit for one of these dogs.

These puppies have been raised around a family with small children. They were handled by us from the first day and have bonded well to humans. They all show the right amount of drive necessary to become working dogs.

We affectionately call them our Mali-Gators or Land Sharks!!!

2 Males - Capone, Viper

2 Females - Sophie & Tia

are available NOW!

Dog Trainer - What to look for?

2008-03-03T02:31:00.002-06:00

What you should look for in a Dog Trainer

1. Does the trainer have real-world, quality training experience and do they have the education to back it up?

* Has he/she engage in continuing education?
* Has he/she trained and worked under some of the prominent dog trainers in America?
* How long has he/she been training dogs?

2. Classes Vs In House Training

Many people enroll in group classes because they think it offers improved socialization and interaction with other dogs.
It IS important to socialize your dog with other dogs as a distraction, but only after the learning phase of training has taken place. IN-HOUSE training offers the unique option of having a professional train your dog. It takes much longer for your dog to learn appropriate behaviors than it does for you to learn how to handle him or her. In-House or Doggy Boarding School allows your dog to be with a professional during the most important learning phases. Then we teach you how to maintain the training.

3. Does the trainer have experience with puppies as well as difficult-to-train problem dogs?

We have trained puppies from 4 months and up as well as dogs of all breeds and temperaments including dogs that other trainers have turned away.

4. How much should you expect to pay?

There are times in life when you don't want to make your decision based on price and hiring a dog trainer is one of these times. Our dog training programs offer customized education for you and your dog. Our advanced training program is designed to work for the life of your dog. We don't want you to have to redo the training in a year. We offer free refresher training so that you can come back to us as often as you want to work through any new problems that might come up. This is a one time investment that will help your dog become a valued and welcomed part of your family for many years to come. Please contact us for specific pricing.

5. What is the trainers guarantee policy?

We guarantee that when your dog completes his/her training, he will know the commands discussed, he will have the ability to focus on you and fit in with your family. Once you take him/her home, it is your responsibility to keep practicing to help he become better and better. But dont worry, because we will teach you how to do all of those things. If for some reason when you get your dog home he/she is not responding the way he should, we want you to call, email or meet with us as soon as possible to get you on the right track. We want you to be satisfied with our services - we depend on it! For the life of your dog, you can continue to return for refresher training at no cost to you.

6. Does the trainer understand the different phases of learning.

There are 4 phases of Dog Training:

a. The Learning Phase - This is when your dog actually learns the desired behavior and what you expect from him.

b. The Reinforcement Phase - This is when your dog learns that you expect him to do the desired behavior in a variety of different places.

c. The Proofing Phase: This is when your dog learns that you expect him to respond to commands around any and all distractions.

d. The Maintenance Phase - This phase continues for the life of your dog. Your dog can always improve and get better and the more you practice and make training a part of daily life, the better he/she will respond to you and your family. But dont worry because we will show you how to do that.

7. Does the trainer understand the use and importance of both positive and negative motivation training techniques?

There is a trend in the dog training world that tells people they should only use "positive training techniques". And although that sounds very nice, it doesn't really make sense in a dog's world. What "only positive training" means is that you never give a dog a correction. Imagine I am giving you directions to get from Florida to New York, but I only tell you when you are going in the right direction and I never tell you when you are going the wrong way. You will either get lost or it will take you a very long time to get there.

This is the same with dog training. We have often asked "positive only" trainers what they do when a dog makes a mistake, they always change the subject or they say they will use a choke chain (which is negative motivation training). Last year, we had the opportunity to work with an awesome Great Dane. He jumped and lunged at the front door of his home and dogs across the street. He was difficult to walk because he became agitated when runners or bikers went by. He was 3 or 4 years old and had recently been taken to a pet store training class. After a few sessions, the trainer asked the owner not to come back and recommended that they put him on PUPPY PROZAC until they could find someone else to help them. Well when I went to their house to meet them and pick him up, I was expecting a monster. But what I found was a big sweetheart that just didn't understand what he was doing wrong. The petstore trainer had advised the owner to distract the dog when he started jumping and GIVE HIM A TREAT! Well guess what happened, he thought he was being rewarded for jumping at the door. Fortunately, I brought him to our house and the first night he was acting like an angel - without the sedative. After a month of training, we were able to take him to a dog park off leash with dogs running everywhere. He loved it. To this day, he is still one of my favorites.

8. Does the trainer offer customized training programs based on your needs and the needs of your dog?

We do. We will discuss this with you prior to the beginning of training. We will always work on obedience, socialization and manners, but we can also work on specific problems such as aggressiveness, shyness or timidness, excessive barking, jumping, mouthing, biting, jerking on the leash and more.

9. Does the trainer charge for Results? or number of sessions?

What happens if you pay for 6 sessions at a pet store approved class and your dog doesn't learn what you hoped it would? You have to sign up for more sessions, RIGHT? We dont do that. If have 2 weeks or 30 days we dont think your dog is where it should be, we will offer to keep the dog. Recently we had a very sweet, but immature Mastiff, he just didnt progress at the rate most dogs do. After 30 days of training, he was not at the point we expected him to be, so we kept him until he was ready. After we spent the extra time with him, he was excellent. It just took him longer than most; but we didn't charge double the training fees.

10. Does the trainer offer free refresher training for the life of your dog with advanced training programs?

We do and we encourage you to return at least once a year for a refresher session with you and your dog.

We believe in our training so much that we offer you a LIFETIME GUARANTEE. Once your dog completes our Advance Obedience Program, we don't think you should EVER have to pay for obedience training again. At any time, you are welcomed and encouraged to come back to us; whether it is the next month or 3 years later. We will always work with you to get your dog on the right track.

Please go to our website for more information:

http://www.discovercanine.com/