Peer Pressure, 12/3/23
It's been awhile, and we're sorry for that. Bert had some head injuries, and Irina has had to deal with some seasonal illnesses. Plus, just trying to manage our respective lives and businesses. We initially hoped we could provide a weekly comic, but that might not be likely given all we're balancing. But we're committed to continuing this comic!
Onto … Peer Pressure!
We all get annoyed by that term “peer pressure." It hearkens back to those days when well-meaning but naive people warned us about others. And we all use it a bit don’t we (ever said “Everyone’s doing it!”)?
Same thing with dogs. That is why group classes are so important in dog training. Dogs do want to do it like everyone else, to be like all the other dogs. They are social animals at heart and want to please. Good training is based on good relationships. As this comic shows, dogs want to be like other dogs and dogs learn from other dogs.
Just a little peer pressure goes a long way in dog training! A great, well-behaved dog is a dog that learns from other dogs and also behaves in group settings well!
Tales of the Shadowhunter, Part I 9/18/23
First, this one took us a little longer, but only because myself and the artist were traveling and dealing with some other family and health challenges. Given our upcoming schedules, we might shift to an every other week for a while!
But we are proud of this one! It's based off of real-life dog, Oso Unali, who is a Bordoodle (Border Collie x Poodle mix). He's about 27 lbs. And EVERY night, he chases shadows! Some nights, it's very cute. Most nights, well, it's just annoying!
But that little dog sure does believe he is protecting us! So, we just had to make a comic out of it!
I'm sure your dogs also have alter egos as well! We love their cuteness and their innocence!
Stay tuned - there will be more Tales of the Shadowhunter to come!
Play, Play, Play, Work! 9/3/23
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Rising Son is based on Adria's scent alert dog, Rising.
Rising is a 3-year old Black Labrador/Golden Retriever mix. He alerts to Adria's seizures. - POTS, MCAS, and Ehler Danlos Snydrome, which leads to seizures. Rising alerts 15-30 minutes in advance, and even more amazing, he can actually tell Adria which medicine she should take for which kind of seizure! Adria also has about 15 food allergies, including corn, soy, dairy, beef, pork, and more, so her diet is limited, and Rising can detect those allergens and tell Adria whether it is okay to eat it.
This amazing talent of Rising's allows Adria to drive, live independently, and work for Dog Training Elite. Without Rising, ADria might never leave her room.
When we say that scent alert dogs save lives, we mean it! When we say, every percent matters, we mean it! Rising is our flagship dog for our Center for Scent Service, and this comic is a way of illustrating what a scent alert dog can do!
Yes, they will break play to alert. Yes, they will come out a nap to alert. Yes, they will wake up in the middle of the night to alert. Yes, they will whine and cry and bark while in a kennel to alert. We've heard stories of scent alert dogs alerting houses, blocks, cities, and states away!
To find out more about how this works, check out our blog entry on this!
We had two versions - a vertical (on FB) and a horizontal (on IG).
Only Teach Them What You Want 8/28/23
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The inspiration for this comic came from an owner who had a large dog - like Mastiff or St. Bernard, I don't remember - who acted like a puppy still! He got into their lap and they had replaced like 3 couches! The owners totally knew they were responsible and asked DTE to come out and help. And we did! The dog is much better now and feels more secure ... And the owners are much happier with their dog!
But this phenomenon is kind of funny since we as humans love the puppies and their cuteness. However, we can get so caught up in the moment that we forget that the cute little fluffball grows into a large dog with a bit more strength!
So we took a bit of a different tone on this comic as we poke a bit of fun at ourselves! When our dogs are adorable little puppies, we forget they grow up to become full size dogs! And some of those cute things are cute when they are full size, but annoying and frustrating.
This is where training comes in. We should absolutely be teaching our puppies good habits, socializing, and boundaries while also cuddling and having fun with them! But as they get older, we need to teach them when those behaviors are appropriate, and when they are not.
It's kind of screaming. When we're little, we scream a lot. That's not acceptable when we get older, unless we're cheering our favorite sports team or enjoying a concert or trying to get our friend's attention across a crowded room! Same with cuddle, lap, get on the coach, and greeting people - there's a time and place!
Let's love our dogs ... and let's love them even more when we teach them when the cutest things ever are appropriate!
We had two versions - a vertical (on FB) and a horizontal (on IG).
It's So Easy! 8/21/23
At our wonderful training center, we see this all the time! Dogs think the first skill or task is so hard! But, by the end of training in our facility or even in home, they have it all figured out!
Whether it is heel, a U-turn, a down, a place, or like illustrated here, a sit, it's all about building confidence in the dog! (Just like in people!)
Sit illustrates this best - hard to sit, hard to sit a few steps away, really hard to sit far away without a leash, and then sit is really easy!
What we LOVE are looks from the dog, like "What? Is this supposed be hard?"
It's inspiring to watch dogs confidence soar, and even more fun to challenge the dog and build their confidence, so by the end of it, getting on a fire hydrant are no big deal at all!"
Always A Party! 8/13/23
One of the beautiful things about dogs is that no matter what, they always love greeting us, no matter how our day has been, how we feel, or what is going on!
I saw somewhere that dogs are always ready to party. I tried to capture that idea here - they are always so happy to see us every time! It is a dog's unending love and devotion, and we absolutely crave it! It's why dog's are human's best friend! They are loyal, and their love is unconditional!
I love my dog Binh An, and often he is my best and most loyal friend. And I don't have to do things for him like I have to do for people. He just loves me because I'm me!
I hope your dog loves you like this - like every time you greet them, it's ALWAYS A PARTY!
P.S. - Visit here to see Binh An in his rainbow colors! I love the attention he gets when he's dyed in (pet safe) rainbow!
Whatcha Doin'? 8/6/2023
Every dog owner can relate! Your dog (or dogs) follow you everywhere! The couch, when you're sleeping, when you're reading ... even the bathroom! Why do dogs follow us everywhere?
Dogs are social animals. Dogs are designed to be our partners, support, and helpers. They depend on us, not just for food, shelter, and safety, but also for worth, value, and purpose. And they get that by constant reassurance that we offer them - praise, playing with them, giving them a job, telling them they are good dogs, petting, snuggles, and more!
So if they are following you everywhere, it is not only because they love you (they do!), but it is also because they want to know you are pleased with who they are and what they are doing for you!
Even in the bathroom!
Who is Really the Alpha? (7/29/2023)
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This is the third in the weekly comic series. The above version is the one created by our artist Irena from Kyiv, Ukraine.
A bit more about Alpha: It's natural for us to assume that the biggest dog is the alpha in pack. However, as owners with 3 or more dogs know, it's often the smaller dog. Why is this?
Because smaller dogs need to be more assertive and make more noise to be seen and heard. Step on a small dog and they might need to go to the vet! Step on a big dog and, well, you might need to go to the vet! Small dogs need to be more dominant for more attention and to survive.
So, if your small dogs bark more, seem like they want your attention more, or are more energetic, well, that's normal. It's because they need your protection more! And they are the Alpha!
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We used this comic to spec out artists and found the amazing Irena! The original illustration above by Adria Ballard, one of the founders of Dog Training Elite Denver and an amazing trainer in her own right!
The little dog is modeled after Snickerdoodle, a Border Collie/Poodle mix (i.e., Bordoodle) that was Adria's first service dog and the inspiration for Dog Training Elite. She naturally alerts to seizures and protects Adria while she is in one.
In a home with 10-14 dogs any given day, Snickerdoodle, now 4 years old, is very much the alpha!
And Adria is also an amazing illustrator in her own right!
It's the second comic, this one featuring our wonderful partners at Dog Training Elite Denver! Five days of in facility training can be intense, but the dogs love it, and this comic shows why!
Day 1 - nervous, but learn Off, Come, Quiet
Day 2 - build confidence with Place
Day 3 - more confidence with Sit at a Distance
Day 4 - Heel off leash is fun but exhausting
Day 5 - Down but they don't
Here at Binh An's Buddies, we like to flex our creative paws while educating a little and having lots of fun training dogs! One of our founders and owners, Bert, has experience writing comics, so he started working with an artist from Kyiv, Ukraine (true story) to create the Binh An's Buddies - The Comic Strip! Here is the first edition, to be released Sunday, July 16, 2023!
Binh An, of course, is