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Laurie + Tango Certified R.E.A.D. Team Members

Laurie and Tango passed the exam and are now ready to begin the exciting R.E.A.D. Program. The mission of the R.E.A.D.® program is to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of registered therapy teams as literacy mentors.

The Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) program improves children’s reading and communication skills by employing a powerful method: reading to a dog. But not just any dog. R.E.A.D. dogs are registered therapy animals who volunteer with their owner/handlers as a team, going to schools, libraries and many other settings as reading companions for children.

Laurie Luck Elected President Of Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)

We are very excited to announce that the Board of Directors of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers has elected Laurie Luck to serve as President. CCPDT is an international testing and certification program for professional dog trainers.

The CCPDT's certification program is based on humane training practices and the latest scientific knowledge related to dog training. Competence and continued growth in training practices is promoted through the recertification of qualified professionals.

ZOey's Dawg Stop is SDU's Newest Location!

SDU is proud to announce we've added a new location for group classes - Zoey's' Dawg Stop in Urbana! The classes will launch on May 1, so if you're interested, sign up now!. Zoey's Dawg Stop offers a wide selection of holistic food, supplements, and other natural products that support and complement a holistic, natural lifestyle for your pet.

Stop in and see their selection of healthy kibble, raw food, treats, and supplements—products that provide your pets with a healthy, nutritious diet free of by-products, wheat, corn, soy, chemicals, and artificial preservatives.

And of course, Zoey’s also offers tasty, delicious, and most importantly, healthy, wholesome treats for your canine and feline friends.  They also carry a great selection of beds, clothing, bowls, and other unique items—for pets, and their people.

Zoey's is located in The Villages of Urbana, across from Giant, and next to Chevy Chase Bank. For more information and store hours, click here.  

Zoey's Dawg Stop is open Monday - Friday 10-7, Saturday 10-6, and Sunday 12-5. 

Tango + LauriE Are Delta Registered Pet Partners

In March, Tango and Laurie passed the Delta Pet Partners Skills Test and the Pet Partners Aptitude Test, and are eager to begin working with the Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) program.
 
The mission of the R.E.A.D.® program is to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of registered therapy teams as literacy mentors.

The Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) program improves children's reading and communication skills by employing a powerful method: reading to a dog. But not just any dog. R.E.A.D. dogs are registered therapy animals  who volunteer with their owner/handlers as a team, going to schools, libraries and many other settings as reading companions for children.

Today, hundreds of registered R.E.A.D. teams work throughout the United States and Canada. R.E.A.D. is one of those ideas that, in the words of Bill Moyers, "pierces the mundane to arrive at the marvelous."

Stay tuned to this spot - we'll keep you updated on the program. If you're interested in volunteering with your dog, let me know!


Laurie is Maryland's First Karen PryoR Certified Training Partner

A clicker-trainer for 15 years and dedicated to the most recent developments in the dog training and dog behavior fields, Laurie is thrilled to continue to expand her horizons. Just graduated, Laurie is excited to be involved and associated with the Karen Pryor Academy. The Academy builds on decades of scientific research and practical development by behavior analysts, ethologists, clicker trainers, and TAGteachers around the world, culminating in a groundbreaking curriculum unlike any other.

The Academy believes that great teachers possess both a solid knowledge of the science that governs learning, and honed practical abilities in both training animals and teaching other people to train animals.

The Academy was created in part, to ensure that those who call themselves "clicker trainers" are held to the highest standard. Because the popularity of clicker-training continues to grow, sometimes trainers will say they use the clicker, but will also use punishment-based methods as well. Just because a trainer says they use a clicker doesn't mean they are a true clicker trainer. Karen Pryor's program is the first program to guarantee the quality of clicker trainers and hold them to the highest standard.

SDU Attends CVC East Veterinary Conference

A lifelong learner, Laurie's always looking for opportunities to learn more about dogs and their behavior. She attended the CVC East conference, held in Baltimore, MD, on April 29. Keeping current on the latest research and findings in the field allows Laurie to keep YOU up to date, as well!

Laurie's Work with Service Dogs Highlighted in National Magazine

Laurie was interviewed about her work training Labradors as service dogs for the Popular Dogs series Labrador Retrievers. Laurie gives a "behind the scenes" look at what goes into training a Lab for service work. Laurie talked about the qualities that make a good service dog, as well as some things that might disqualify a dog from service work. Look for the magazine at your local PetsMart and Petco stores!

Laurie and Tango Head to Cleveland, Ohio

Road trip! Tango and I can't wait to head out on the road again! This time we're headed to Cleveland, Ohio to attend the premier clicker-training event Clicker Expo.

We love traveling together AND learning together! I enjoy taking Tango with me (he's the yellow Lab at the top of this page) -- we have a terrific time. We both get to let off some steam, as well as relax.

Be sure to stay tuned to the April edition of Your Smart Dog because I'll tell you all about how much fun we had and all that we learned! (Don't subscribe to Your Smart Dog? Click here, it's free! And you're sure to be "in the loop" when it comes to all things dog.)

Laurie Represents the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers at Super Pet Expo in Edison, NJ

I traveled to New Jersey to help educate dog owners about the importance of working with a certified pet dog trainer (CPDT). Over 24,000 pet owners attended and many of them had their dogs in tow. It was wonderful to meet so many dog-loving people and help educate them about how to choose a trainer for their four-legged friend.

 

Honeydew and Laurie Luck Educate the Government about Service Dogs

The Department of Commerce invited Laurie Luck and Honeydew to their headquarters in Washington, D.C. to speak about the service dogs, the work they do, and what it's like to train a service dog. Honeydew had her first experience with the Washington Metro area transit -- her Metro train experience was a valuable learning experience. Laurie is happy to report that Honeydew faced this challenge admirably and passed with flying colors. While at the Department, the pair also paid a visit to the Child Care Center so the children could get an up-close look at a service pup in training. It was hard to tell who was having more fun, Honeydew or the children.

Laurie Luck and "Nemo" Featured on Charlottesville, VA, news for their work with Service Dogs of Virginia

Learn more about Service Dogs of Virginia and watch Laurie and Nemo work together. Using clicker training, trainers teach the dogs behaviors that enable them to help mobility impaired people. Watch the video clip to see some of that training in action and to hear Laurie's experiences with raising (and having to give up) service dogs.

Smart Dog UNiversity wins international Award

SDU's newsletter was chosen as a 2006 APEX award winner. Real Life Rewards -- Use Them Everyday was chosen as a winner in APEX 2006. the 18th Annual Awards for Publication Excellence is an international competition that recognizes outstanding publications from newsletters and magazines to annual reports, brochures and Web sites.

According to the APEX 2006 judges, "The awards were based on excellence in graphic design, quality of editorial content and the success of the entry in conveying the message and achieving overall communications effectiveness." Learn more about SDU publications here.