THE FAMILY DOG
Dog Training for the Whole Family
 
Roxy’s Gone to the Dogs 4.23.10 My UPS guy is always the first to know... when it's London or Maddie's birthday, when we're getting ready for a Roxiticus Sunset Party, or when Roxy's got a new obsession. This week, the packages started coming in from Amazon."How to Raise the Perfect Dog" by the Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan. I also ordered his six DVD Boxed Setas "a present for Maddie." But who am I trying to kid? I can't stay focused on work and I become easily distracted by making plans for puppy. Something even cooler than getting all my puppy books and videos quickly from Amazon Prime (free trial membership)... I've found a kinder, gentler local dog whisperer right here in Mendham, New Jersey: Justine Schuurmans from TheFamilyDog.net. She's a fellow Mendham Township Elementary School mother who contacted me about a fab new company that my local readers need to know about. More details later on their better, safer, positive -- consequences and kindness -- training techniques. The Family Dog is a local Morris and Somerset County service just like Super Nanny or Nanny 911, only for dogs! What I've learned from my Dog Whisperer books and videos so far is that while it's great to take your new puppy to obedience school, it's the people who really need the training, and most families need help where it counts - at home. That’s where The Family Dog comes in.... two fun-loving, long-time professional dog trainers who are juggling a full schedule, with four dogs and four children under six between them. They both teach classes at St. Huberts, but realize that families need a different kind of help. Maddie and London are so psyched... Justine is going to come to our house for a private session before our puppy arrives to give all of us the info and training we need to set off on the right foot. She's even going to bring one of her own dogs to coach us and let the girls practice on, so they will be experts when their cockapoo puppy, Peanut Butter, arrives. So much is in the preparation!http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FHow-Raise-Perfect-Dog-Puppyhood%2Fdp%2F0307461297%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1272070743%26sr%3D1-1&tag=roxitidesperh-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FHow-Raise-Perfect-Dog-Puppyhood%2Fdp%2F0307461297%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1272070743%26sr%3D1-1&tag=roxitidesperh-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Foffer-listing%2FB0038L69KI%3Fie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1272070982%26sr%3D1-3%26condition%3Dnew&tag=roxitidesperh-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Vfw5StcsXZ4/S9JFp2dF7KI/AAAAAAAACjQ/K0z6K9i67ps/s1600/mulberry_farm_cockapoo.pnghttp://mendhamnj.roxysbestof.com/http://www.thefamilydog.net/http://www.thefamilydog.net/http://www.thefamilydog.net/http://thefamilydog.net/Pre-Puppy.htmlhttp://roxiticusdh.blogspot.com/2010/04/roxys-gone-to-dogs.htmlshapeimage_5_link_0shapeimage_5_link_1shapeimage_5_link_2shapeimage_5_link_3shapeimage_5_link_4shapeimage_5_link_5shapeimage_5_link_6shapeimage_5_link_7shapeimage_5_link_8

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Peanut Butter’s Progress 6.12.10 Hard to believe it’s been three weeks since we drove up to Mulberry Farm in Duchess County, New York to bring home our beloved cockapoo puppy, Peanut Butter. You can see from the photos that little Peanut Butter has settled right in with our family. As I write this post, Rex is out in the garden, London is on the couch recovering from a sleepover party, and Peanut Butter and Maddie are cuddled up for a nap. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing. In fact, despite all of my previous research, I’m still wishing for a book called “What to Expect When You’re Expecting… A Puppy!!” Lucky for us, we’ve had our own personal PuppyNanny911, Justine Schuurmans of The Family Dog, to help us every step of the way.  Scroll down for more details on each of our “Private Lessons.”  Serving Roxy and family right here in Mendham, NJ as well as those of you in Morristown and Morris County, NJ, The Family Dog is a local Morris and Somerset County service just like Super Nanny or Nanny 911, only for dogs! What I’ve learned from my Dog Whisperer books and videos so far is that while it’s great to take your new puppy to obedience school, it’s the people who really need the training, and most families need help where it counts - at home. That’s where The Family Dog comes in…. two fun-loving, long-time professional dog trainers who are juggling a full schedule, with four dogs and four children under six between them. They both teach classes at St. Huberts, but realize that families need a different kind of help. The Family Dog is the only dog training company in the area that is specifically designed for FAMILIES! When I first spoke with Justine, I realized that their approach is really designed to fit in with my busy schedule…and, as I remind both my loyal readers and my mother, I’m not really a housewife, nor do I play one on TV… I’m a full-time investment banker and mother of two. Clearly I need to make time for our new puppy, but it is great to know that Justine understands and can help me to develop a schedule that enables the whole family to share the responsibility for Peanut Butter. No matter how long you’ve had your dog, The Family Dog has a program that will ensure the best possible future for him or her. Justine and/or her partner, Leah Hatley (who is based out of Morristown, NJ), can help prepare you and your family for a new dog, give your puppy the best start in life, create good habits for your adolescent dog, and help your children learn the best ways to respect and nurture your four-legged friend. Each of your training sessions will be conveniently held in your own home.
That means NO traveling, NO scheduling conflicts and you will be practicing in the place you need it most! So far, we’ve had three “lessons.”  Justine met with our whole family before Peanut Butter’s arrival to do some puppy-proofing around the house.  She brought her own dogs to coach us and gave London and Maddie a private session before our puppy arrived with hands-on practice. We had all the info and training we needed to set off on the right foot. So much is in the preparation, and and we were writing our term paper on the night before it was due.  That day, Justine emphasized the importance of socializing our puppy before she’s 16 weeks old, including a “Puppy Bingo” game for London and Maddie to check off important “meetings” such as a toddler, a deliveryman, a motorcycle, and an elderly person (now that my mom is in a rehab/nursing home facility, Peanut Butter has become one of the most charming and popular visitors). A few days after Peanut Butter came to live with us, Justine came to meet our new puppy, and showed London and Maddie how to teach PB to sit, using “meatball” treats. We learned that Peanut Butter is a really, really smart dog.  The girls learned the difference between kid vs. adult responsibilities, and Justine gave us a dry-erase schedule to post on our refrigerator to keep track of PB’s “activities.”  When we struggled with accidents in the house, Justine told us a fabulous story about the Planet Dogtronis that made PB’s potty confusion completely understandable.  She also taught London and Maddie how to turn into “the Grumpy Old Troll” when Peanut Butter nipped, jumped, or got too excited. The next lesson started with a family meeting to address our housebreaking concerns.  From the beginning, Justine had encouraged us to follow the tried and true crate training method, but I had rebelled against the crate due to a bad experience in my past.  Over the first two weeks, she continued to work around my issues, but when PB continued to make mistakes (”The world is my toilet”), Justine convinced me to borrow her crate for a week to give it a try…it worked so well and quickly that we made a quick trip to Petco for short-term crate of PB’s very own.  After dealing with the “grown-up” issues, we moved on to the fun stuff.  Justine showed the girls how to teach Peanut Butter “down” and “wait” (for her food) and “roll over.”  By the end of the lesson, London and Maddie had Peanut Butter eating out of their hands….literally and figuratively.  If only “pee OUTSIDE” were so simple. In between lessons, Justine has been available for puppy emergencies (e.g., evil Petco salesman who refused to leave the aisle unless I bought a hideous cage instead of a plastic crate) by phone and email.  Stay tuned until next time, when we conquer puppy separation anxiety on the grown-up wish list and swimming and “fetch” on the kid wish list. http://www.mulberryfarm.com/http://thefamilydog.net/http://www.thefamilydog.net/Home.htmlhttp://www.thefamilydog.net/Home.htmlhttp://www.thefamilydog.net/http://thefamilydog.net/Pre-Puppy.htmlhttp://mendhamnj.roxysbestof.com/shapeimage_9_link_0shapeimage_9_link_1shapeimage_9_link_2shapeimage_9_link_3shapeimage_9_link_4shapeimage_9_link_5
We need Puppy Nanny 911… stat! 4.23.10. Lucky for Roxy, we have just such a service right here in Mendham, NJ… Justine Schuurmans and The Family Dog to the rescue!! Justine is a kinder, gentler local dog whisperer (more details later on their better, safer, positive — consequences and kindness — training techniques) right here in Morris County, NJ.She’s also a fellow Mendham Township Elementary School mother who contacted me about a fab new company that my local readers need to know about. The Family Dog is a local Morris and Somerset County service just like Super Nanny or Nanny 911, only for dogs! What I’ve learned from my Dog Whisperer books and videos so far is that while it’s great to take your new puppy to obedience school, it’s the people who really need the training, and most families need help where it counts - at home. That’s where The Family Dog comes in…. two fun-loving, long-time professional dog trainers who are juggling a full schedule, with four dogs and four children under six between them. They both teach classes at St. Huberts, but realize that families need a different kind of help. The Family Dog is the only dog training company in the area that is specifically designed for FAMILIES!  When I first spoke with Justine, I realized that their approach is really designed to fit in with my busy schedule…and, as I remind both my loyal readers and my mother, I’m not really a housewife, nor do I play one on TV… I’m a full-time investment banker and mother of two.  Clearly I need to make time for our new puppy, but it is great to know that Justine understands and can help me to develop a schedule that enables the whole family to share the responsibility for Peanut Butter. No matter how long you’ve had your dog, The Family Dog has a program that will ensure the best possible future for him or her.  Justine and/or her partner, Leah Hatley (who is based out of Morristown, NJ), can help prepare you and your family for a new dog, give your puppy the best start in life, create good habits for your adolescent dog, and help your children learn the best ways to respect and nurture your four-legged friend. Each of your training sessions will be conveniently held in your own home.
That means NO traveling, NO scheduling conflicts and you will be practicing in the place you need it most! Maddie and London are so psyched… Justine met with me this morning to do some puppy-proofing and she’s coming back to our house this afternoon for a private session before our puppy arrives to give all of us the info and training we need to set off on the right foot. She’s even going to bring one of her own dogs to coach us and let the girls practice on, so they will be experts when their cockapoo puppy, Peanut Butter, arrives. So much is in the preparation, and now we’re writing the term paper on the night before it’s due! http://www.thefamilydog.net/Home.htmlhttp://www.thefamilydog.net/http://www.thefamilydog.net/http://thefamilydog.net/Pre-Puppy.htmlhttp://mendhamnj.roxysbestof.com/shapeimage_10_link_0shapeimage_10_link_1shapeimage_10_link_2shapeimage_10_link_3

973.910.0DOG

http://baskingridge.patch.com/articles/ymcas-strong-dogs-day-part-of-daylong-celebration#photo-7893390

The Somerset Hills YMCA put out a community-wide invitation for "Party Animals Wanted," for a full day of events on Saturday. The day started with the second annual Strong Dogs Day, which ran from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the property outdoors at the main Somerset Hills facility at 140 Mount Airy Road.

Strong Dogs included multiple activities, exhibitors and educational opportunities for dogs and their family members. The Strong Dogs event was slated before the rescheduled Flag Day 5K race and one-mile walk, and the Somerset Hills YMCA's 60th anniversary picnic.

The Flag Day race and walk, now in its tenth year, benefits Community Hope’s Hope for Veterans Transitional Housing Program for homeless veterans, including those at the veterans facility in the Lyons section of Bernards Township.


The YMCA's 60th anniversary celebration was an invitation to the community to join a family-style picnic, games, giveaways, a bouncy castle and more. The free barbecue, open to all members of the community, was catered by The Ridge Tavern and the Shop-Rite.

Justine Schuurmans and Leah Hatley

from The Family Dog

This fall second grade students studied "communities' as a unit in  social studies.  Students discussed their roles in their community and the jobs of community workers. 


Mrs. Schuurmans, a parent of one of our second grade students and co-owner of The Family Dog in Mendham, volunteered to give a talk about her job as a dog trainer. Accompanied by her 4 year old rescue dog Camby,

Mrs. Schuurmans gave a presentation on "Bow Wow Know How". 


Students were taught what kind of dog to approach, what to do if they didn't want to meet a dog, and how to go about meeting and greeting a dog for the first time.  They were also wowed by Camby's sweet disposition, exceptional behavior and many tricks.

Bow Wow Know How