This is really cool this place allows us to promote dog related sites. I didn't see this until today. Anyway, I will fill you guys in on my dog related website.
http://www.trainemtasks.com
http://www.facebook.com/trainemtasks
How my business came to be is kind of funny. I had created the task cards as they are now called a couple of years ago because with Lars, I had started to get overwhelmed with how much stuff we had to work on between obedience and agility. I would get frozen with what to work on and then just fall into things we could do well because they made me feel great about where we were and avoid stuff that really needed work. On the flip side of that...if something showed up at a show or class that we needed a little bit more work on, I would become obsessive about getting that right. Both myself and Lars would become stressed over me hammering, hammering, and hammering what was broken in our routine. I made sure that I added some "Play" cards in the mix of my "prototype cards" because I had gone to a seminar about building drive in your working dog. Play was something that was talked about a lot and how important it is to build a dog's relationship with you. Especially in competitive obedience, engaging play isn't something people really spend time doing with their dogs. I created two large bags with all of these cards on them and kept adding cards as we progressed in skills and experience. I won't train without pulling cards now because it really helps me plan on what exactly I am going to work on - whether it be small pieces of that exercises, the entire exercise as it would be done in a show, or games based on that exercise.
Now that I have two dogs and both at very different levels of obedience and agility...I am using the task cards to teach Ocean higher levels and more technical handling skills. Of course he can't do a complete Utility Obedience exercise or Excellent/Masters agility stuff like Lars can, but I will start working the foundations of it with him if a harder card is pulled. I think the task cards will have him more prepared for higher level work sooner than Lars was because I was adding those cards as Lars and I advanced on.
One more reason why I like using the task cards and especially in obedience is as Lars is in the proofing stage now of Utility, they make sure we work on stuff he knows and knows well. Despite him being a very confident dog, he does stress some when we do all new stuff. He really likes it when I throw in exercises he knows he can do 100% with the new stuff...it keeps him motivated in his work.
So, fast forward to this summer and I was discussing training blogs and journals with a bunch of people and some how the task cards came up. I think it was someone asking how do you collectively decide on what to train. I brought up the task card system and people told me I should make those and sell them because they would buy them. I found that idea to be very interesting and I just filed that away in the back of my head. With my day job, I was thinking about making a change and I decided that I should test the waters with the cards. I spent most of my free time in July - August making cards in different forms, researching materials, and other business issues and ideas. I opened my etsy shop at the end of August and pitched the idea to a bunch of my training friends on Facebook.
Train 'Em Tasks has been very well received by those friends of mine and the sales started to roll in. Once I saw that the task packs and bags were useful to people, I decided to formally launch the business and created a website, twitter, and facebook page. From the response I've gotten from those who have ordered task packs (both friends and strangers,) I have a product that could really be something successful. So, I'm thinking of new ways to being to take tasks to higher levels like someday having a stand alone store along with Etsy, being present at large dog shows/trials as a vendor, having my task packs offered at training facilities or pet stores. That's sort of the big picture I have as I am working on small picture things and developing Train 'Em Tasks.
Right now, I offer tasks packs for basic and puppy obedience, AKC rally-o, agility, AKC competitive obedience, CGC/CGCA, and Therapy Dog Testing prep.
http://www.trainemtasks.com
http://www.facebook.com/trainemtasks
How my business came to be is kind of funny. I had created the task cards as they are now called a couple of years ago because with Lars, I had started to get overwhelmed with how much stuff we had to work on between obedience and agility. I would get frozen with what to work on and then just fall into things we could do well because they made me feel great about where we were and avoid stuff that really needed work. On the flip side of that...if something showed up at a show or class that we needed a little bit more work on, I would become obsessive about getting that right. Both myself and Lars would become stressed over me hammering, hammering, and hammering what was broken in our routine. I made sure that I added some "Play" cards in the mix of my "prototype cards" because I had gone to a seminar about building drive in your working dog. Play was something that was talked about a lot and how important it is to build a dog's relationship with you. Especially in competitive obedience, engaging play isn't something people really spend time doing with their dogs. I created two large bags with all of these cards on them and kept adding cards as we progressed in skills and experience. I won't train without pulling cards now because it really helps me plan on what exactly I am going to work on - whether it be small pieces of that exercises, the entire exercise as it would be done in a show, or games based on that exercise.
Now that I have two dogs and both at very different levels of obedience and agility...I am using the task cards to teach Ocean higher levels and more technical handling skills. Of course he can't do a complete Utility Obedience exercise or Excellent/Masters agility stuff like Lars can, but I will start working the foundations of it with him if a harder card is pulled. I think the task cards will have him more prepared for higher level work sooner than Lars was because I was adding those cards as Lars and I advanced on.
One more reason why I like using the task cards and especially in obedience is as Lars is in the proofing stage now of Utility, they make sure we work on stuff he knows and knows well. Despite him being a very confident dog, he does stress some when we do all new stuff. He really likes it when I throw in exercises he knows he can do 100% with the new stuff...it keeps him motivated in his work.
So, fast forward to this summer and I was discussing training blogs and journals with a bunch of people and some how the task cards came up. I think it was someone asking how do you collectively decide on what to train. I brought up the task card system and people told me I should make those and sell them because they would buy them. I found that idea to be very interesting and I just filed that away in the back of my head. With my day job, I was thinking about making a change and I decided that I should test the waters with the cards. I spent most of my free time in July - August making cards in different forms, researching materials, and other business issues and ideas. I opened my etsy shop at the end of August and pitched the idea to a bunch of my training friends on Facebook.
Train 'Em Tasks has been very well received by those friends of mine and the sales started to roll in. Once I saw that the task packs and bags were useful to people, I decided to formally launch the business and created a website, twitter, and facebook page. From the response I've gotten from those who have ordered task packs (both friends and strangers,) I have a product that could really be something successful. So, I'm thinking of new ways to being to take tasks to higher levels like someday having a stand alone store along with Etsy, being present at large dog shows/trials as a vendor, having my task packs offered at training facilities or pet stores. That's sort of the big picture I have as I am working on small picture things and developing Train 'Em Tasks.
Right now, I offer tasks packs for basic and puppy obedience, AKC rally-o, agility, AKC competitive obedience, CGC/CGCA, and Therapy Dog Testing prep.