Intermediate/Drop-in Students: Check here before coming to class so you don't make a wasted trip!   Hello, and welcome to my new-and-improved website! I'll be using this page to keep my students updated on goings-on at my place. In the event I need to cancel classes I'll be posting the information here, rather than sending out individual e-mails.

October 13, 2008 After a very long illness, my ex-mother in law (who I've remained close to) has passed away. Her services are Wednesday afternoon and evening so I'll be canceling class at the park district this week, and adding an extra week.   Oct. 3, 2008 Major Dog Party Announcement: Dog Halloween! Wednesday, Oct. 29 we are celebrating Dog Halloween at the Annerino Center in Bolingbrook. This is a COSTUME PARTY, so dogs and people please dress up! Treats are welcome--for people and pets--so if you'd like to bring something, let me know. Anyone reading this (including you doggy-school drop-outs) please come for a visit! It will be so much fun you'll be lured back to dog school!   September 18, 2008 We are having a great time at our new dog training location, the Annerino Center in Bolingbrook. It is a little strange not to be having class on Thursday night, after all these years, but it is worth it to have the huge facility! Please come drop in and check it out if you are a doggie-school dropout! Once you give it a try you'll be hooked, and your dog will be back on the canine academic track! (Or at least improving with obedience and behavior.) Class meets from 7:00-9:00 PM, and the fee is 78.00 for 6 lessons. You do not have to take the lessons consecutively--you can get them over a period of twelve weeks (ten are still left!) So if you have been hemming and hawing (do people still say that?!) about it, come visit and I'm sure your mind will be made up by the great and educational time your dog will have. This is especially nice for the cold and icky winter months when my training room becomes even more claustrophobic and the parking more challenging. I'm going to post some video footage of our lessons to help motivate you and show you what you've been missing! Last night we practiced heeling and then worked on socialization by having the dogs each take a turn going through our distractions gauntlet. Finally we had "dog races," where the students had their dogs perform Sit, Stay, and Come in our version of the Kentucky Derby. See you soon!   September 4, 2008 Well, I nearly lost my entire website, and did end up losing a month of updates--which never published, apparently, due to server problems. So, hopefully this one will actually work! Now that it is fall, I'm hoping we can focus more on applied obedience and hopefully get some good field-trip weather, too. Don't forget, next Wednesday intermediate class meets at the new location--the Annerino Center in Bolingbrook. The class time will be from 7:00 until 8:30, and the beginning class that was scheduled didn't fill, so it will just be us. I thought it might take a while to get a new park district program off the ground, and I was right; there were not enough signed up so we canceled the class for the first session. This gives all of us a chance to bone up and refine our training, and will give me an easier night, so I'm looking forward to it! As for tonight--I'm canceling class! I'm getting rain leaking into the training room. See you Sunday or next week   August 2, 2008 We finished our second "Happy, Healthy Pet" dog training DVD for the Wiley book series, and despite hot weather and inexperienced dogs, everyone did a great job! We should get a chance to review it (and have our screening party!) sometime in September. I'll post when I know more. Meanwhile, we've been taking it easy during the hot weather, and have stayed indoors for most of the classes. One of my students is experienced at video taping human athletes and has a good camera, and he has offered to help me tape some of my lessons. We are working on video taping short clips of specific training exercises to post on my website and/ or YouTube, so keep up your practices! We will be changing our long-standing Thursday night advanced training class time to Wednesdays from 8:00-9:30 PM starting September 10 until the Christmas holidays. We will be in a new location, too--which is why we are willing to change the day and time. We will be in the Bolingbrook Park District's Annerino Community Center, where we will be training in a very nice, very big, gym! Here is a link to the directions: Annerino Center I'm sorry if Wednesdays won't work for you; hopefully with this much lead time you'll be able to juggle your schedules to allow for this change. Sunday classes will continue to meet at my place, or on field trips once it cools off a bit! See you soon!   June 15, 2008 Happy Father's Day, to any dads reading this! There is no class today--Sunday. Dave's daughter Kelsey is graduating from college and we are attending the ceremony.  I'm going to be filming the next "Happy, Healthy Dog training DVD in a couple of weeks, and need to locate canine talent, ASAP. I'm going to need to feature five dogs this time: a beagle, a basset hound, a cocker spaniel, a bulldog, and a Pembroke Welsh corgi. We have some possible candidates for three of the breeds, but still need to locate a basset hound and a cocker spaniel. It is getting down to the wire--filming is the week of either 7/14 or 7/23. That's not much time! As a result I'm looking at rescue dogs for back-up. If I have to use a rescue dog, I'm hoping I'll be able to rehome him or her right after filming. (This sort of idea can get me into trouble). Please let me know either are a breed you have always wanted--I can help you find one and obtain a crash course in free dog training with a famous dog training expert (me!) June 2, 2008 This coming Saturday we are going to go on a fund raising pet-walk adventure, for TLC animal  Shelter in Lockport.  Please join us if you can--and be sure to wear your green shirts! Here is a link to the site where you can get all of the information: http://www.tlcanimalshelter.org The intermediate class will still meet on Sunday, even though we are doing the pet walk on Saturday, but I'm not sure if it will be a field trip or not--I need to wait to see how the weather goes. Meanwhile I have some great news for next fall. We will have an indoor facility--a gym!--to use for classes on Wednesday nights. I'll still offer the Thursday class, out of respect for tradition and for people whose schedules won't allow for Wednesday training. But it will be so nice to have a bigger indoor space for the cold months! I'm going to be doing some classes for the Bolingbrook Park District, and as a result will have the gym. There will be a beginning class through the park district from 7:00-8:00, and then the intermediate/advanced classes get to use it for open training from 8:00-10:00. Now I don't want to get my hopes up, because I've not seen the facility yet, but I'm told it has a rubber gym floor. This might even let us give some agility training a whirl!   April 26, 2008 My very dear friend, Dr. Tom Eganhouse, passed away early this morning, and already the world feels emptier without him in it. (But I know heaven is a fuller place!) His energy, presence, and love of life were huge, and the absence seems vast. Tom cared passionately about others, both people and animals. He worked hard to make a difference, to make any life he touched better; and he did so quite successfully, with unwavering, loving, commitment. Whether it was sharing his stories, his humor, his most excellent veterinary knowledge, his steadfast spirituality, his empathic support, his deep insights, his strong opinions--if you knew him, your life was improved.  What a great example for how to live a complete and caring life! How lucky I am to have been one of his friends.   March 25, 2008 Happy Spring! If you are a dog-school dropout, it is time to dust off that leash, get that dog off the couch, and get back to training class! See you soon! (Sundays 9:30 AM, Thursdays 6:00 PM for intermediate/adv. drop-in training) February 12, 2008 I am happy to report Steph is OK and was released from the hospital today; she is back at school and Jake and I are home. The treatement was totally effective, and 100% of her bloodclots are gone. She had no further PE's, and she had a corrective procedure (a stent placed in a major vein that was being collapsed by the artery above it) which, along with blood thinners, should reduce her risk of it happening again. Phew! What an ordeal. I'm so happy and relieved she is OK! I'm also thrilled not to be sleeping in a chair in the ICU waiting room! See you at class. February 9, 2008 Sorry for the delay in updating; it has been hectic, and I've had no computer access. I drove through the fog Monday and when I got to the hospital learned Steph had had a pulmonary embolism and her thigh had a "sizeable" clot. After five days of zero communication with a difficult (snotty) doctor and a mean nurse (typical response: "there ain't nothin' there" when I pointed out increasing inflamation). LUCKILY a second doctor took Dr. Evil's rounds on Friday and when I showed him her worsening leg (and she was in increasingly terrible pain despite TONS of drugs) he reacted in a startled, urgently concerned manner. She was immediately transferred by ambulance to Peoria (OSF Medical Center) where she is being treated for clots that had not only continued to propogate but are so extensive they are massed from her knee to her belly button(??!!). To further complicate matters, it was hoped a temporary filter could be placed in her vena cava to prevent further PE's, but she has too big of a vein for it to be safely fit. She is actually being given a treatment that is part of a research study (EKOS) where, through an angio line, a drip of clot busting chemical is delivered with the help of ultrasound impulse directly to the clots. There is a risk of bleeding at the entrance site, because her blood is so thin; and there is a risk of the drug causing unwanted bleeding within her body--but it is her only option, so this is what must be done. she had the first treatment as soon as she was transported here, and another one this AM. The doctor was very guarded and obtuse about her prognosis yesterday, but just a few minutes ago called to let me know that while assessing the clots during her second treatment, they seem to be reducing (yay!). Monica came yesterday, to join Jake and me. He has been a little trooper--and this has been very trying. We were initially put up in a guest house on the Macomb hospital's property, and now we have a Holiday Inn in Peoria. Jake was able to sleep in for the first time today because I left him in the room with Monica. I'm writing from a computer in the ICU waiting room, where I'll be spending the next few days at least. She is to be kept in ICU until the clots are down or she is off the machines to break the clots. Meanwhile, needless to say all classes are off for a while. Also no daycare or boarding; I'm sure you all understand. I'll update again if there are any changes; otherwise hopefully see you soon. Please pray or think happy thoughts for Steph! February 4, 2008 Well, no classes for the rest of this week, after all. Stephanie is in the hospital in Macomb with a blood clot in her leg, and has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis. VERY scary, and Jake and I are leaving in the morning (it is just past midnight now) to be with her. She is going to have to stay in the hospital for at least five or six days, and we are going to stay until I am sure she is OK. I'm bringing my laptop and will update.     February 3, 2008 We are back from Mouse-Land, and I need a vacation to recover from my vacation! Once again we hit all four parks and just about every ride, and I can honestly say I'm Disney-ed out.  It  was fun to spend time with Monica and Jake (Steph couldn't go because of school), and nice to have warm weather and to see green trees and flowers; it was a shock to come back to lots of snow and cold. Dave survived the home-alone challenge here in Peggy's Animal Adventure Land, and so did all of the creatures. I think he may need a vacation now... So anyway, now it is back to work for me, and hopefully you are all practicing your stand/stay exercise--because it is also back to school time for you!   January 17, 2008 Well, the good news is, Dave is fine--no broken ankle, just a sprain.  That means no crutches/cast for him, and no cancelation of Disney vacation #2 for Jake and me--YAY! The bad news: I have a BAD cold, but better now than while on vacation--but I am canceling for tonight so I can be sure to kick it. See you Sunday.   January 13, 2008 Time for my monthly update, and not much news to share. One happy note: Jake and I are (correction--might be) going on a short vacation, revisiting Disney World from Jan. 27-Feb 1, so classes for those dates will not be meeting. Dave is going to be (correction: might be) holding down the ranch--provided he doesn't have a broken ankle! This morning during my intermediate class, right after bringing me my coffee, he slipped and fell in the laundry room, turning his ankle under himself. (I thought I heard an expletive...then thought "nah." Turns out--yep. He says he let several fly.) Luckily he didn't have a heart attack, because it didn't cross my mind to go see what had happened. He thinks it is just a sprain, but I'm pushing for x-rays--it looks bad, but he seems able to walk on it without the pain I'd expect from a break. If  it swells more, I'm taking him. In the event he DID break his ankle we will just delay our vacation (smart me--trip insurance!) and go later. I guess that's it!     December 6, 2007 Sorry, big time lapse on updating. Mark your busy December calendars--it's that time again: Dog Christmas! We have two party dates, and you are welcome to come to one or both. Just remember you have to bring a (cheap) wrapped dog toy for the dog gift exchange, and also a dozen each of people and dog treats. Please keep them clearly separated; I've made some mistakes when selecting tasty-looking treats for my vegetarian self. Thursday's party will be December 13 at 6:00 PM, and Sunday's party will be December 16 at 9:30 AM. I ho-ho-hope you make it! (Don't forget to decorate your dog!) As for NEWS, well--hmm, anyone who really cares knows most any remotely interesting detail of my life since I feel compelled to share it with my classes every chance I get. But let's pretend you are not one of those people rolling your eyes and thinking "here she goes again." Let's pretend this is actually exciting NEWS in Peggy World: OK, Roland the Rat has been very sick, and is still showing symptoms, but now rather than pneumonia he seems to have a cold in his big rat snout. So I still have him in the ICU in my bathroom, and I give him medicine and treats and change his bedding a lot so my bathroom doesn't smell like rat poop. You wanted to know this, right? Roland looks like a little polar bear, or a golden retriever rat; I call him my "golden Ratriever." That is about it on Roland, except here is a (blurry) picture of him in his little hospital bed: More about animals: A few weeks ago I looked out the window at my ponies in the backyard and noticed what looked like a dog--a very red dog--trotting through their back pen, where they were hanging out. Since there shouldn't have been a dog in my pen I was suddenly attentive to the details, which brought into focus a FOX! A big, pretty red fox, who stopped and sat and looked at the ponies. Bretta, the little 30" female miniature horse wisely moved away from the  nearly-as-big-as her carnivore (I really don't think they eat horses). Flash, our bigger pony (who was best friends with Joker the German shepherd until Bretta came along) was not intimidated. In fact he was really curious, as was the fox. Flash lowered his head and extended his nose trying to sniff the fox, who sat staring then play bowed with a wagging tail, and then playfully or experimentally tossed a clump of poop (perhaps to see what the pony would do?--Like spook?) Flash was unconcerned, so the fox sat again, scratched, stretched and wagged some more, and then went on its was, trotting toward my yard where it intercepted me, staring at it (I'd snuck outside, undetected--yes, stealthy as a fox!--to get a closer look.) Unfortunately Dave was coming out through the kennel to feed the ponies just as the fox spotted me and it took off. Dang! I wanted a closer look; it was really beautiful. So, I spent the next week or so telling the above story to my captive student audience, and checking out the window frequently, hoping to see it again. I finally gave up, and of course the fox came back! I happened to glance out the window and saw a red butt with a bushy white tipped tail twalking away from Joker's pen. Joker was outside, and not barking, so this came as a total surprise; are they FRIENDS?! Why wasn't he barking?! Weird. Anyway, the fox was in my back yard!! I instructed Jake to grab my camera, and I crouched at the window facing into my yard. Here is the rest of my story: And finally, we have had our first snow day! Jake's friends came to the door to see if he could come out and play: So that's it for now; I have more pictures to post, from out Halloween party (because I'm very lax about updating) and I'll try to get to it soon. See you at class or... whenever!   October 17, 2007 Thanks to all of you for your kind words of support for Jake and Mighty.  I know you'll be pleased to learn that last night a boy who needed a puppy of his own met a puppy who needed a boy of his own. These photos will substantiate: Jake and Zorro have found each other, and it is true puppy love! (And yes, Jake got a haircut!)   October 13, 2007 Sunday intermediate/ drop-in class: we will meet tomorrow at my place, but the following Sunday, October  21, we will meet in Naperville at the River Walk, in the parking lot by the bell tower (on the north side of Aurora Ave. about two blocks west of Washington.) I'll be getting there a bit late--and maybe even a lot late if the train is late. I'm going to visit Steph at college, and supposedly get back to Naperville at 9:30. BUT, since there is a possibility I'll be late, I'd want you guys to just work on obedience and meet & greet manners while you wait. If I'm going to be REALLY late I'll let one of you know by cell phone so you can tell the others. This whole thing is also weather contingent--if it is pouring, just don't bother. If it is grey and nippy--wear a jacket, but don't wimp-out! Bring long leashes as well as walking ones, so we can improve our dog-racing/ come-when-called skills. Beginners--if you want to give this a try and have been practicing your training so far, come on along! So let's plan on 9:45, and hopefully I'll be there on time. See you tomorrow, at my house, at 9:30.   October 11, 2007 Well, I have some very sad news to share. After just three short months of sharing our lives with Mighty, he is gone. He died Tuesday morning, suddenly and unexpectedly, in Jake's arms. We'd been aware there were some possible heart issues we were just beginning to investigate, but apparently his congenital heart defect was very serious. Tuesday while Jake was getting ready for school and caring for Mighty, he suddenly collapsed, and he died in Jake's arms on the way to the vet. As you can imagine we are just devastated, but Jake had this to say "We gave Mighty the best life we could, for as long as we could, and he gave us the best dog we could have, for as long as he could, and he died in the best place he could--in my arms." So, are you crying now? What an awesome dog he was. I'm so thankful for all of the things he taught my son in such a short period. Watching my little boy and his little dog was a huge joy and my memories of Jake at the age of nine will always include Mighty. The special relationship they had, from start to finish, was a rare thing. Their reciprocal adoration gave Jake such a great first dog experience. I know that sounds strange, considering how many animals we live with, but none have ever been Jake's own, special dog, and soley his responsibility. My dogs do, of course, love and tolerate Jake, but they do not seek him out, wait for him, follow him, or express the total joy Mighty did everytime Jake approached him. They slept together every night, and Jake took full responsibility for all of Mighty's care. He did a great job, too! The whole experience has been so positive for Jake that I believe he will be a true dog lover for the rest of his days, largely thanks to Mighty. Mighty not only introduced Jake to first-dog love, he also introduced death as a sad but acceptable and normal closure to life, and as something he didn't need to run from. He stayed strong and brave for Mighty, and he can be proud he was with his dog all of the way, petting, thanking, and saying goodbye to him. I think it was good he was there for Mighty, soothing and reassuring him, and that he had full closure. I'm glad he didn't have to come home from school to find his dog had died, and that he was able to say goodbye. I think this will help him deal with future deaths in a likewise brave and positive way.   We had a funeral, and buried Mighty in our backyard, near Joker's outdoor area, so he can be his "guardian." Mighty really liked to run over there and pee on Joe's fence, so we thought it was a good spot. We've cried a lot, but now we are moving forward. Jake hopes to rescue another Chihuahua who needs a loving home. I don't think he is being fickle; I think he is young enough to accept what happened as hard but natural.  None of us could ever forget Mighty, but Jake has lots of love to give to a dog of his own, and having experienced the completion a dog gives, is at a loss now. We all think Mighty would want him to give his love to another dog. Hopefully in the near future Jake will be rejoining dog training class with another dog of his own--who will be just as special as Mighty, but in his own unique way, and who will be the lucky recipient of my son's great love and care. September 4, 2007 Turns out I had the deadline wrong--my final book draft was due today.  So, with the pressure sort of off,  I took it a little easy; saw a movie ("3:10 to Yuma" sneak preview--two thumbs up!) with the family, wrote some more,  got some sleep, and then...ta-da!  As of 6:30 PM tonight--right on schedule--I am FREE!!! FREE!!! FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My final draft has been shipped and I am FINISHED writing that book. Phew! Feel free to congratulate me; I sure am!   August 27, 2007 Well, after more than a month of no posts--I'm back! Jake just got on the bus and left for his first day as a fourth grader (?!--wow he is growing up FAST!). Summer went fast and uneventfully, other than Jake's adoption of Mighty at the Chinatown Summer Festival. They are best friends and today will be hard on Mighty. He is lying on my bed right now looking a little depressed--or is that just exhausted/relieved and catching up on some much needed Jake-free R and R?  Maybe both. Mighty walked with Jake and me out to the bus, and tried to go with when Jake got on (proving the importance of leashes). As for me: I'm going to be back on my head, so to speak, the rest of this week, because the second half of the book I'm supposed to be working on is due on September 3. Time to get back at it, I guess. Regarding classes, we had a nice walk around the neighborhood with the Sunday intermediate group--and those of you who feel it is time to get "back to school"--DOG school!--should consider hopping in. We meet at 9:30 at my house, and any cancelations are posted at the top of this page--but you know that, don't you! Saturday drop-in is suspended for now, as is Wednesday drop-in. For now there are just two choices: Thursday at 6:00 PM and Sunday at 9:30, and both are open to anyone whose dog has had some beginning training with me, and won't actually inflict harm on other dogs/people. If in doubt, call me and we can discuss options. That's it! See you soon..? PS--Puppy-people--we need to set another date, post 9/3, to celebrate the monkey--I mean BOOK--off my back.   July 14, 2007 Oops--long time no post! Sorry! I guess no news means--no news. Here is a little bit of news: Im judgeing the 2nd Annual Chinatown Summer Festival Cutest Pet Contest! Feel free to visit (if you dare--it is pretty wild!) and bring your dog for the ultimate test of your training and socailization skills. Or just come yourself and visit me! I'll be in the booth right next to the main stage. Any beginning students reading this, your class is still meeting tomorrow with apprentice dave taking a shot at doinf some training practice with you. It won't count as one of your actual lessons, so consider it a free extra practice! See you soon (or tomorrow?!) Peggy   May 12, 2007 Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers out there--even you adoptive dog mothers! This is your day, too! I do hope your "kids" don't try to make you breakfast in bed. Teddy was recently overheard suggesting all of her dog friends get out into their pretty gardens and dig up some flowers for their "moms." I tried to convince her a nice walk would be more appreciated, but she was certain the ONLY way to say it is with flowers. So, prepare to be doing some planting tomorrow--REplanting, that is! Just remember, it's the thought that counts. Now on the other hand, if your dogs DON'T dig up the flowers, you can appreciate how well trained they are instead of bouquets with roots and soil clumps still attached. (Clearly it's late and I'm over-tired.) So, on a slightly less bizarre note ( I think?) I'm getting ready to be a STAR--woo hoo! OK, not exactly a star--but a featured dog training-person in a commercial DVD, featuring guess-who's training system--Cesar Milan? Nope. Monks? Nope. English Lady? Nope. Pet Psychic? Nope. Give up? MY training system! Yay me. But not JUST me! This video will also feature some REAL stars--my student dogs Jessi, Jack, Sky, and my own little Princess Tiger Lily, along with some helpful human students: Nicole, Jenna, and Greg; Ken and Barb; Kathi; and my daughter Monica. Jake will be on hand as an extra, and I'm sure I'll figure out a way to manuever him into at least one scene. My movie making adventure should be fun, provided I don't develop total stage fright and freak out and become unable to speak into a camera. OK, I hear you thinking "Peggy...unable to SPEAK?!...HAH!" But the CAMERA thing seems very daunting. I'm even comtemplating making a happy face mask to attach to the camera so I can be speaking to "someone." Wish me luck. See you soon!   April 17, 2007  Disney World was really, really fun! I didn't even mind the long lines, baking sun, or super-barf-inducing roller coasters. No, I didn't throw up a single time. Just eight days of Mom-and-Jake bonding, with none of his five sisters allowed! Dad stayed home to hold down the ranch (again!) but he claims he hates vacationing so--that works for me! I'm getting ready to start a serious update on this website, so be on the lookout for a new photos page, and also be sure to send me your photos, funny stories, training experiences, endorsements(!)--whatever. I have some puppy news: I'm caring for a baby boxer puppy named "Princess Tiger Lily." She is at least temporarily mine, and will be one of the dogs to star in the upcoming commercial dog training DVD I'm about to begin working on. We wanted to give her a Disney princess name to go with Belle. While "Tinkle-bell" was both fitting and tempting, Tiger Lily won out thanks to her brindle stripes, which give her a rather tiger-ish look: So here is some actual news: Puppy Ladies / (Puppy People?)--it is time for another dog-free adventure for fun, food, and well...fun. We will be meeting 7:30 PM this Friday, 4/20 at Home Run Inn Pizza--again--because last time we went there it was pretty...fun. They also have...food; pizza, actually--surprise! Great choice, eh?! For those who don't have a clue (about where HRI is), it is located at 75th and Lemont Rd. within the strip mall on the south-east corner. Though it is in a strip mall, please wear clothes. No, I'm not funny in the slightest, but this is MY news page and I get to say whatever I want! PLEASE don't forget about my upcoming (Sunday 4/22 at 1:00 PM) Frisbee Clinic with guest trainer Tony and his wonder dogs! I'll feel super-stupid if I'm the only one attending. Fine: I take back my sneering about being able to say whatever I want here on my news page; it is OUR news page, OK?! I DO respect your intelligence and ability to train your dog! I DO think you are "getting it!" You DO have a clue--several clues! I DON'T care if you take "strip" literally and as a verb. OK--that's too far. No stripping. (Irish Catholic Guilt Warning! Warning! Guilt trip ahead!) But really, Tony will feel sad and his border collies will have big tears in their eyes if they come to put on a show and nobody is here but me. So--SIGN UP!!! If you are a big chicken--I mean bashful--come without your dog (1/2 price!). I'm done groveling.   March 21, 2007 Happy spring! I've not had time to e-mail directions to Candy's dance studio so I'm just going to post them here. Please note: This is where we are meeting Sundays ONLY, and I'll post in the marquee above if we are NOT meeting there. This Sunday I'm giving it a try to see how the floors work for dog paws and if the improvement in space and parking justify getting out of bed and driving there rather than stumbling from bed to the puny but convenient training room I have right here.      Directions: Lively Arts Dance Studio                          919 A West 55th Street; Countryside, IL                          Get to intersection of Willow Springs Road and 55th street;                          Go EAST on 55th street (toward Chicago) and you will see the strip mall on your right.                           If you get to Brainard Ave. (there is a Jewel on the corner) you have gone TOO FAR!                          Call me on my cell if you get lost: 708-323-2722     Tomorrow (Saturday 3/24) is another "come when called" clinic, at 11:00 AM. If you decide to come, please bring your long leash or retractable and also a favorite toy (if your dog HAS a favorite toy!). Frisbee clinic will be on Sunday, April 22 from 1:00--3:00, meeting at my place if the weather is nice, and at Candy's studio if we get rained out here. We are planning on 1:00 PM, and you are welcome to come with or without your dogs. Tony will give a demonstration and then work with you and your dog if you'd like pointers on how to get started teaching your dog to catch a disc! Even if you don't think your dog is "ready," this is one I'd suggest giving a try. It will be interesting to work with a guest trainer and compare methods, and even if you just come to watch it should be fun and entertaining. I've finally renewed my status as an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator (I'm not big on taking tests and staying current on things like that) so now you can put that CGC title you've always wanted on your dog! I'll be scheduling a CGC test day sometime in early May; please drop me an e-mail to let me know if you are interested. Well, that's it. I'll try to get to the updates with photos, star student stories, and endorsements soon; if you've not sent me these things please do so! See you at dog school! March 15, 2007 Spring break is upon us, and my kennel over-floweth with dogs! I am going to have to cancel ALL daycare from 3/27 through 4/2. I'll resume on 4/3, and no need to call; just go back to your normal routine. As for boarding: I'm ditching Dave to go on vacation with Jake (Disney World at spring break--now you KNOW I'm crazy, just in case there were any tiny remnants of doubt). Dave will be holding down the ranch for the dates I've just mentioned, and because he'll be run ragged I'm asking for all drop-offs and pickups to be down in the afternoon/evening, between 4:00 and 7:00 PM. Sorry for any inconvenience, but he has too much to do in the morning to handle the interruptions of comings and goings while he is tending to all of the critters. You can reach me anywhere in the world--even at Disney World!--by calling this number: 708-323-2722. Please don't hesitate to call if there is a problem or a plane you are about to miss; It will ring Dave's cell phone and if he fails to answer it will also simultaneously ring mine. I'll come up with a solution even while fighting my way through the mouse-ear wearing hoarde, and coach you through it. Happy St. Paddy's day!   March 5, 3007 What?! Another update?! Yes, indeed--another update. CONGRATULATIONS to Barb and Alfie, who passed their Edwards Hospital Therapy certification test! They join Joanne and Bo as Sunday students to have earned a yellow stripe on their leashes! Watch for "star student" updates in the near future to learn more about their accomplishments! Speaking of Sunday classes, we are about to move the Sunday intermediate/advanced class to a new location. One of my students owns a dance studio in Countryside, and she has kindly offered it to us for Sunday training class! We can now allow big dogs to join back in on Sundays, since there are actually two separate rooms we can conduct classes in. Wimpy dogs and owners need not fear--they can work in their own studio and I can move back and forth between the two practicing groups! So--if this sounds like bunches of fun, let me know and I'll count you in and e-mail directions. We will begin at the dance studio on Sunday, March 25--YAY!   March 2, 2007 (Don't forget--no classes tomorrow!) So here is some actual news: I have a new phone number: 708-323-2722. I still have my old number, too--(630-739-2273)--but the new one is a cool beta test version of an internet phone that rings all of my phones (home, business, cell) and also sends me an e-mail message with your voicemail attached. In otherwords, if you REALLY want to get in touch with me, that is THE number to use!  Next, I have a request: I've been a very, very bad website developer and maintainer and in order to raise my self esteem and give my self some positive reinforcement I need to get on the ball and update some of my webpages. To start, I need some ENDORSEMENTS. No, I'm not paying for them, and they have to be legit! (OK--I can ask, though, can't I?  Please say nice things about me!) Additionally I need many, many (all of you!) STAR STUDENTS to submit your dogs' photo(s) and training success stories, as well as some heartwarming, or amusing, or shocking details regarding their behavior and life before you came to me. Well, that's it for now!       February 19, 2007 Drop-in classes are meeting indoors while the weather is cold and snowy, but don't let that deter you! We are working on improving socialization by playing "pass-the-puppy"--having classmates take turns handling each others' dogs, as well as taking a closer look at specific obedience traiing skills. I'll be posting new dates for focused training clinics including "come-when-called" and "sniffer-dog." The first sniffer dog workshop was fun, despite the cold weather. The photo pasted below will give you a good idea of how much fun your dog could have if you were to go all the way and make a career out of scent work. Take a close look at the look on the dog's face before you decide to sign up for law enforcement tracking: Yeah--wow!--maybe not so much fun after all. (Sorry--gross, but funny; I debated posting it. Obviously funny won.) Well, luckily for your dog, OUR sniffer training is all play and no work. Phew! See you soon. February 12, 2007 Let's see--news. OK, here is an announcement, which could count as "news:" There will be no Saturday class on March 3, because I've been invited to observe the Edwards Hospital therapy dog testing. Several of my students will be there auditioning; I wonder if my being there will help or hurt their odds? We will soon find out! Bretta is here. Ask me to introduce you to her; I guarantee you will agree she is absolutely the cutest animal you've ever met (well, next to your own, anyway). Who is Bretta, you might ask? Hmmm...I'm inclined not to answer, but instead require you to guess. Get it right, you may meet and cuddle/adore her. Get it wrong and I'll be compelled to tell you anyway, so you can cuddle/adore her! She is really THAT cute; and if you know me, you know I'm not one to gush. Now you are thinking "Wow, that Bretta, whoever she is, must be REALLY cute!" Right you are; I'm STILL gushing! Puppy Ladies--Friday, 2/16 at 7:00 PM, at TGI Fridays on the south side of 75th street, between Lemont Road and Fairview. All of the intermediate level classes are practicing fast downs, long inplied down-stays, come, and stand-for-examination. Feel free to jump in if you've done your "101" level training! You will catch up fast. Check the schedule page for times and days. Thats all the news for now!    January 26, 2007 I've FINALLY added the "Leash Ranking" page to this website! There is a new link in my index, just above the e-mail link; check it out and start practicing! Tomorrow is the first "sniffer dog" seminar, from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM. We need to at least start indoors (and if it is freezing out, stay indoors), and it is probably going to be VERY "cozy" in my training room. Please bring a comfy blanket or dog bed or ?? for you and your dog to share, because my guess is some of you will be sitting packed like sardines on the floor. What an opportunity to prove your dog's improved socialization skills! Yippee! To help make sure your dogs aren't overly enthused while hanging out in a tightly packed group with their human and canine classmates, I strongly advise you participate in class and/or playgroup at 9:00 and 10:00 to get them settled down for the seminar. So, here is what you need to bring (a big duffle bag would be helpful): * blanket or dog bed--keep in mind, it could be for both of you! * a dog toy with a packet of scent material inserted inside. Use a toy that has a Velcro tummy pouch and slip a small beanbag of scent material inside. Alternately, cut a slot in a tennis ball and then push a length of nylon stocking loosely filled with the scent material--coffee, tea, an herb, a spice, whatever--into the ball. Be sure the ends of the nylon are knotted to prevent leaking. Put your scented dog toy and also a baggie of extra scent material inside a small Tupperware container.  * two similar/identical dog toys that are not sniffer-scent contaminated, contained in a separate Tupperware container * three brown paper bags, preferably grocery size * a permanent marker * leather leash plus second long leash (10" or more) or, training collar, buckle collar, and--not necessary yet but will be when you start to work outside in the spring/summer--a harness, standard nylon is fine * three personal items you don't care about possibly losing/ruining, such as: an old leather billfold; an old leather key fob; a leather glove; a sock (lightly worn, not clean--but please, not with fumes rising from it, either). Keep them in a large Ziploc storage bag. * well cooked, crumbled bacon in a small pocket-sized Tupperware type snack container * IF you have time and can find them: MANY (a box, if you can find it) of disposable nylon gloves--NOT latex!--We don't know if anybody is allergic to latex, and don't want to find out the hard way! I'm going to go shopping in a few minutes and will try to provide some, but it might be good if you have your own. * waterless hand wash * empty, rinsed out metal coffee cans, if you have them, to donate to the class If you want to train like the police bloodhounds do, wear a shirt with a chest pocket, and keep your small bacon container in the pocket. That's it! See you tomorrow!     December 27, 2006 I'm enjoying my much needed holiday break, and gearing up for a new year of dog training, play classes, and daycare with all of my canine friends. Speaking of friends, many thanks to all of you for a great year, and also for many nice gifts for christmas. I've got enough Starbucks credit now to keep me wired until...well, until March, when my BIRTHDAY rolls around again! As for next year: We will resume classes staring with a new intermediate drop-in training class on Wednesdays at 6:00 followed by a play class at 7:00, both starting January 3. Let me know if you are interested. Our Thursday intermediate class will pick up at 6:00 on 1/4, and the weekend classes will resume on 1/6 and 1/7. My schedule for classes is posted on my "schedule" page of this website, in case you are losing track. I'm accepting e-mail's indicating interest in participating in my two hour "sniffer dog" seminar which will be held on Jan. 27th from 11:00 until 1:00, following play class. The cost will be $30.00 per dog/family. The "Puppy Ladies" social club wants to hang out again--How about at Home Run Inn at 75th and Lemont Rd., Friday January 5th @ 7:00 PM? E-mail me if you are interested! (If you are not yet one of the "puppy ladies" but are now terribly interested and can't wait to join, let me know! And if you are a guy and still want to join we can consider allowing you in, but--you have to be man enough to handle being called a "puppy lady.") That's all for now. Happy New Year!   December 12, 2006 Ho, ho ho...woof! Yes, it is that time of year again, when dogs of all ethnic and religious backgrounds get to celebrate the holiday we call "Dog Christmas!" Thursday, 12/14, Saturday 12/16, and Sunday 12/17 are ALL dog party days, so be sure to bring a (cheap) wrapped dog toy or bone to put into the dog-gift-exchange pile! You can also bring dog cookies and even people cookies (clearly separated on different plates!), provided you do not think it is funny to play "trick-the-trainer-with-the-dog-cookies-that-look-like-people-cookies" game. Don't forget to decorate...your dog!   November 9, 2006 Classes are all doing great in response to my push for more structured, drill-team style obedience. We are still having fun with recess times, but all of the dogs (and owners!) seem to be quickly improving skills and responses thanks to our more intensive practices. This is the time--right before the holidays!--to raise the bar a little bit. I know your guests will be raising their glass to your training success rather than raising their eyebrows at your dog raising holiday-hell. Keep up the good work--you are my advertising! Saturday we will be putting some of this to the test as we head to the Naperville Riverwalk (weather contingent). If it is nice out come join us at about 9:00--9:15 AM. October 7, 2006 If you have been contemplating repeating beginning class, now might be a great time...for you and ME. I've started a new class on thursday at 7:30, and it is off to a very bumpy start. I think my students could use some support and I know I could! There were only three puppies in the new class, and after an extrodinary lesson one we are down to just two. So, if you want to review or just have some...uh...fun, feel free to join us. (Please!?) Let me know if you'd like to come. Next, I now have a puppy in need of a home. His name is "Tug" and he is half bulldog and half beagle. Very cute, strong, pushy, and in need of training, but sweet and lovable too. He was wisely surrendered by his concerned owners after he was bitten badly by his older dog brother--a beagle who didn't like sharing his turf with a younger but bigger new sibling. Anyway, I brilliantly offered to take and rehome him to a responsible new family--that MUST train with me in order to deserve him. Let me know if you know someone who'd love Tug and give him a great home.     September 19, 2006 Tomorrow my oldest daughter, Monica turns 21(!), and even though it is her birthday--wow, do I feel old! She and I have been working together to build a second animal related business--Teacher's Creatures. We have been taking our many small animals to schools and giving presentations to help enhance teachers' lesson plans while adding interest and excitement for the students. Now we actually have our own classroom at a local junior high, which we are decorating and setting up with cool interactive learning stations. Once we get set up with secondary habitats at the school we can easily transport the animals to their temporary housing, but then bring them back home with us at the end of a visiting day. To this end, I am posting a request: If you have any old (but unbroken) aquariums or terrariums, lighting, etc., we would sure appreciate you donating them to us! Thanks! Meanwhile, dog training continues and seems to be going very well. I'm proud of my students--canine and human--for stepping up performance to meet my newly raised bar. I think a little bit of pushing toward "personal best" will be good for everyone, but most especially good for me, as you will all be better advertising! See you soon.   August 29, 2006 Jake is back in school (third grade!), Steph will be leaving to start college this week (college?!), and beginning Sept. 18th Dave switches to working days (after many, many years working third shift.) Soon week days will belong to just the animals and me! Yes, I have mixed feelings, as it is the end of an era. But my animal friends--yours and mine--have always helped me through every event in my life, and now they will help me get used to an otherwise empty house.  (OK--so it isn't even remotely empty, due to Peggy's Ark--and we now have a small parrot with a loud voice to fill the silent vacuum that will be created when Stephanie and her oboe go off to music school. ) Meanwhile, there are some changes relating to my business: short term, there will be no classes at all the rest of this week. I'll be resuming my training schedule starting Tuesday, and the move to the new Saturday intermediate training and play times of 9:00 and 10:00 respectively begins September 9th. Longer term, daycare will stay pretty much the same. I have to get Jake on the bus at 7:30, and drop-off times can be from 7:45 until 9:30, with pick-ups still after 4:00 unless otherwise agreed to. The only possible snag: Jake misses the bus, in which case I'll leave a note and set up the kennel so any expected dogs can be admitted by their people while I'm running him to school. My cell phone number is in the kennel just above the phone, so you can also call me in those hopefully infrequent "where's Peggy?" situations. That's all for now!   August 21, 2006 Tomorrow (Tuesday) is Dave's birthday, so be sure to tease him if you are here! Back to business as usual, for the foreseeable future. Because the news was so good with regard to my county issues, there of course needs to be some offset to keep balance in the universe. So--here is the latest (and though an inconvenience, no big deal) news; I have a new e-mail address-- dogimprovement@aol.com  My e-mail caught a nasty virus which caused it to start replicating and multiplying any e-mails I tried to delete. I switched to a new server in hopes of outrunning the virus, but it followed. Along the way, over 500(!) unread e-mails popped up in the second server's in-box. Wow, all of the people who claimed to have sent me e-mails I never saw weren't kidding! (Sorry!) I couldn't open them, so--lost in space forever. Also lost are any emails recently sent to me, so please resend them if you are reading this. Additionally, I need to start from scratch creating client folders, so please send me an email with your dog's name, breed, age, and all of your contact information. If you could put all of the services you use in the subject line, it will help me organize this information more quickly (example: daycare tues, drop-in training thurs 6:00 and sat. 9:30, boarding 10/31-11/2) Put all of the dates times right in the subject line--meaning if you are attending several classes, go ahead and list them all--I'll just save your same e-mail in all of the associated folders.  Sorry for any inconvenience! Last "news:" I am adding/changing the intermediate schedule slightly as follows. *Saturday 9:00--training *Saturday 10:00--play Sunday 9:30--training Thursday 6:00--training Wednesday 7:30--training          *beginning the Saturday after Labor Day, the 9:30 class will be changed to 9:00 in order to allow me to add a second "play class" at 10:00; students are welcome to come for one or both   July 27, 2006 Due to some sort of scheduling conflict, the visitor is still not here--an hour and a half late. ETA is now 5:30--YIKES! So, no class tonight, and I sure hope you are all checking this site for updates!   July 22, 2006 This coming Thursday I'm not going to be able to do any daycare--sorry about that! We are having some county-related vistors (who were supposed to come today, but then--because I was totally ready--rescheduled) so it has been moved to Thursday afternoon. Since the whole inspection thing should take about 15 minutes, we should be fine for class Thursday night--but check the marquee (above) to be sure before you make the trip.     July 17, 2006 The pet contest in Chinatown was a great idea that just happened to occur on a day that turned out to be ...         HOTTER THAN HELL!!         So, we did our judging thing (of the 12 poor baked dogs that showed up), and then beat feet (in melting shoes) out of there. Perhaps next year the event will fall on a cooler day--maybe in the fall? I'm sure the event planners were disappointed in Mother Nature's timing for a heat wave. Now, though disappointed you didn't go, aren't you also sort of proud of yourself for protecting your pet from the high-noon burning inferno? As you should be! (I know you'll be there next year.)     July 8, 2006 Well, here is what you have been waiting for all summer! It's time to come on a REALLY cool field trip! I am one of the judges--not implying you have a better chance of winning, but I do know YOUR dog is REALLY cute (and well trained, of course). Keep in mind, this is NOT for the meek or fierce (dog)--just the friendly, middle-of-the-road sort who needs to gain some cultural sophistication as well as enhanced socialization. So, if you are brave and your dog is relativley crowd-proof (or you WANT your dog to be relatively crowd-proof by the end of the day), come and join me! I'll be in a booth just in front of the main event stage, with some of my own cute dogs. But not to worry, they are not allowed to enter the competition! June 20, 2006 Happy summer! We are back in full swing with "drop-in" classes, and are working on walking, boundary, and staying skills over the next few weeks. All beginning class graduates are invited to join us; come give your dog a summer training "tune-up!" We meet at my house: large/enthusiastic dogs on Saturdays at 9:30; small/meek dogs on Sundays at 9:30; ALL dogs on Thursday at 6:00 PM--but please be considerate--if your dog has shown ANY history of aggrssive behavior toward other dogs for ANY reason class participation must be approved by me first!   April 27, 2006 Today I'm testing my "cancellation notification system," and I sure hope it works! There are NO CLASSES TONIGHT! Today is Jake's birthday (8th!) and I'm taking him on a date. The weekend classes are also changed: There is no Saturday class, and we will be meeting on Sunday at 9:00 at the Naperville Riverwalk, in the bell tower parking lot. This is on Aurora ave., west of Washington St. I hope you all do check for updates, or you'll be in for a surprise this evening!

April 15, 2006 We are meeting today at 9:00 AM in Naperville, at the riverwalk bell tower parking lot, located on the North side of Aurora Ave. across from Naperville Central High School. From Washington go North on Aurora Ave., to just past and across the street from the Naper Settlement. It is a beautiful day, so hopefully you'll join us!   April 8, 2006 Our field trip was great fun, and impressive too! Lots of dogs and people in a huge gymnasium (THANKS, Steve!) and everyone looked really trained; yes, I mean EVERYONE--people and dogs! I was impressed and proud. So now, on to the next challenge: We are going on a walk around a quarry lake in Lemont on Sunday, leaving my house around 8:40 in a convoy. Such dedicated dog owners! I've never been to this place, suggested by Tucker and family, but it is supposedly very pretty, not too gruelling of a walk, and it is my understanding the trail is cleared and paved with gravel. Wear those hiking shoes, though, just in case! Also: keep in mind if the weather gets really cold or bad, we will be staying at my place and will reschedule this field trip. See you tomorrow or Sunday, or BOTH--weeee, fun!--no sleep either weekend day!     March 12, 2006 More updating!  WOW! Regarding our First Annual Field Trip: Thanks to our generous host, Steve Humphrey, we will be meeting on Sunday, March 18 at **8:30 AM** (WHAT WAS I THINKING??!) at Willowbrook High School, located in Villa Park. You can get directions to the high school at their website: Willowbrook High School. Please bring your regular training leash as well as a retractable leash. Try to encourage your dogs to FULLY relieve themselves at home, but just in case, please also bring POOPY BAGS!  Regarding "Peggy Fest"--oops, I guess St. Paddy's at the Kerry Piper might be NUTS--I forgot to consider the HUNDREDS of DRUNKEN PARTIERS who might be crowding my good time! There will be a tent outdoors full of loud drunk people wearing green and listening to rowdy music, and also entertainment inside, with loud drunk people wearing green listening to MORE rowdy music. I hate being thrown up on--so, though it really should have been MY festival, I've decided to pass on my own party at the Kerry Piper--and instead have my OWN party, at my house. So, if you get sick of people getting sick on your shoes, hoof it (or drive) on over to my house around 7:00 PM, where we can have a mild, boring, undrunken, intellectual and stimulating but vomit-free good time--and do wear green!                                                                                                                         March 8, 2006 I'm still able to access my control panel...almost scary; two months in a row I'm able to update?--amazing! So, some news: We have a site for the first field trip of 2006 lined up, which will be to a high school gym in Villa Park, on Sunday, March 19 at 8:30 AM. ALL intermediate students, and any beginners who have completed at least the first five lessons of training, will be welcome to join us for some indoor training fun in a BIG area--for once! I'll update with directions as soon as it is confirmed that we can meet there. On a personal note, I've finished auditing the University of Chicago animal behavior class and successfully gave a presentation as a guest lecturer. I was scared s***less, but pulled it off, so--yea me! I'm bragging, here, but what the hell--it was a big deal to me so I'm positively reinforcing myself. Feel free to join in... Oh, another personal note (how can I forget): We are entering into that sacred time of year known as "Peggyfest" which begins today, pauses on St. Paddy's Day, and then continues until March 26th, when I'll celebrate one of the same birthdays I've been enjoying for a few years now. For some of us time does NOT march on; it just plays around in March. I'm going to be hanging out with my family at the Kerry Piper in Willowbrook on 3/17, to enjoy the potato soup and Irish-ish music, so if you feel like joining us at "Peggyfest" let me know, or just show up--wearing green, of course! Finally, I have a client who needs help finding a home for their dog. It looks like mostly dachshund, male. Supposedly the dog is great with kids, is housebroken, and really obedient. Believe it or not, he has to give the dog up because it "stares" at his wife in a way that makes her "uncomfortable." Whatever; wow, poor dog. If you'd like a new little friend to love and snuggle, give it some thought. His picture is below:         February 17, 2006 Yea! I can edit my website again! OK, so here are some news items of sorts: 1. We are talking about a "dog show" for all of my students, sometime this Spring. There will be some pet-trick competition and some obedience competition--just basic stuff as per our dog classes, for both beginning and intermediate students. If you have any suggestions, or if you want to sponsor a class or offer a "prize" let me know! We are thinking about doing this on a Saturday, or Sunday--but I'm still looking into indoor facilities and available dates so I'll have to update when I know more. 2. I'm creating a "report card," based on an aptitude test for all students, to be taken voluntarily. I'll post the test on the homework site as soon as I get it written, so you can practice! 3. I'm finally over my evil pneumonia, so classes are going to be building back up along with my strength. Hopefully we will be going back on our "field trips" with dogs as soon as the weather is nice!   December 19, 2005 Well, our dog Christmas parties were very fun! Thanks to everyone who gave me a teacher gift--you get an "A" in class! Speaking of class, I'm adding another intermediate class and doing a slight restructuring of the one at 9:30 on Sunday. Starting January 7th, I'll be once again offering a Saturday morning drop-in ($10.00 cash pay-as-you-go) intermediate class--and this will be for training only, with a special emphasis on application and handling skills. We will start working on tracking and fun sniffing games as well as build improved responsiveness to the basics: controlled walking, come when called, wait and stay, heel, sit, and down. When everyone passes a competency exam they will get a training level promotion! We will also set up a "dog show" day so you can show off your pet's best tricks! This won't happen until spring, but it's time to get serious about training and start practicing NOW! The Sunday class at 9:30 will become our "play class" with the emphasis being off-leash playtime and a little bit of training reinforcement--but mostly socialization. No dogs with aggression problems or questionable social skills will be allowed to attend the Sunday morning class. If you are in doubt about your dog's ability to play well with others you can schedule a short (30-45 minutes) private lesson with me ($30.00) and we will test your dog with several of mine. Thursday 6:00 class will stay the same as always--some training, some play, and lots of fun. Finally, I'm going to be back at the Lemont Park District in January, and will offer an intermediate TRAINING class from 7:30 until 8:30. This will not be drop-in training, but a scheduled 6 week class with an intense pace--all training, for people who want their dogs to actually obey commands and graduate with a diploma! I don't offer this very frequently, but it is a good opportunity to get your dogs off the couch and working in a bigger room than I can provide at my place. I'll accept registration by e-mail, so write to me if this sounds like something you are interested in and I'll give you the schedule and directions. The fee is $90.00 for the course (I have to pay the park district a cut, so it is a little more $$ than my drop in classes); however we do have actual parking and a large room to train in, so I guess it justifies the extra expense? Please continue to check the scrolling marquee at the top of this page before coming to class each week, to make sure there are no cancellations. EVERYONE who reads this and has any interest in any of the above mentioned classes--please e-mail me so I can add you to the correct class list. Be sure to include contact information, including your phone number. I look forward to working with you and helping your dogs improve! See you next year! Peggy   December 13, 2005 Happy Holidays! It is time for us to celebrate again--and not just because I finally updated this so-called news page, but also because it is nearly time for Santa Paws to visit all of the good dogs and puppies! Our dog school holiday parties will be this Thursday at 6:00 PM and Sunday at 9:30 AM. Please bring a wrapped dog gift (cheap toy or bone!) to share, and some cookies too--people and/or dog!  Ho-ho-hopefully you'll be able to make it!   June 17, 2005 Time for our big vacation to Ireland,Wales, Scotland and England! Woo-hoo! We will return on July 4th, and classes will resume that week. See you soon!   April 6, 2005 My very sad news: Fifi has died. She developed a serious infection which was antibiotic resistant, and last night she succumbed to it.She was 12 years old. Fifi was Stephanie's first dog and best friend, and the two of them had many great adventures and times together. We will all miss her terribly. Because I'm pretty devastated, and also because I failed to do my tax accounting while tending to Fifi, I'm not going to start the new Wednesday class tonight. We will begin next week instead. Since it is difficult to figure out and coordinate all of the individual blocks of time online, I'm going to start with an "open house" next week. Just come anytime between 6:00 and 7:30 and we can get you signed up. Bring your dog!     March 5, 2005 Happy New Year, a little late. I'm not going to even bother to make excuses. Needless to say, a lot has been going on. The puppies have all gone to their new homes, but I've not been able to update their page AT ALL either; when I finally get to it I'll post a note here so you can see how cute they were! The two new play classes are both a big hit (small dog play class on Saturday mornings at 9:30, and large dog play-class on Sundays at 9:30). As the weather improves we will be starting back on our "field trips" for dogs. Because these "drop-in" programs are so popular, I've decided to add another evening class--Wednesday nights from 6:00 until 8:00. This one will be different: I'm going to structure it as a clinic-type class, (just training, no play) where people can bring their dogs for hands-on help at both the beginning and intermediate levels. I'll set up group exercises for everyone to practice while I pull out individual students for 10 minute intensive one-on-one instruction and/or help. Nobody will need to come for the whole two hours; I'd like anyone interested to send me a request for their preferred "block" of time--6:00-7:00, 7:00-7:30 or 7:30-8:00. You can stay as long or short as you'd like, but by setting you up in a block, we can avoid long waits. The cost will be the same as for all of my drop-in training: $10.00 per lesson.   Speaking of my drop-in classes: Thursday's intermediate class at 6:00 March 17th will be our annual (OK--FIRST annual!) St. Paddy's Day dog party. I'll provide the green dog water; you bring the Guinness! Be SURE to wear GREEN, and know at least one Limerick to recite for the class while we cry in our beer. Alternately, a fine Irish blessing will suffice. Worst case, be able to recite at least one line of either Joyce or Yeats. Being able to swear in Gaelic earns extra points. Bringing *genuine* Irish soda bread will buy you an "A" in class. So will Irish beer. See you at dog class! Dec. 6, 2004--at 3:00 AM! Well, it's four boys and one girl (sadly--a fifth boy didn't make it). I think Buddie's all done now--I sure hope so, because it has been a LONG day! The puppies are very big, and all seem healthy so far. I thought she'd have way more, because she was SO HUGE this time; I think it was because the puppies are all whoppers! Buddie had a very hard and exhausting time with labor, and the poor second-born was the one who didn't make it. He was very big, breeched, and hard for her to deliver. He was fully formed and very beautiful, and seems to have died from a placental abruption not long before she finally got him out. Such a shame; but we were very worried that might not bode well for the remaining puppies. Luckily they were all born without any major trouble--other than poor Buddie being very tired trying to get them all out! I'll update on the golden achiever site when I've had some sleep! Dec. 1, 2004 Hello again, at long last! I've been writing a chapter for a series of dog breed books over the last couple of weeks, so I've been even more busy than usual. I'm quite proud to have been asked to do the writing, which is for the "Happy Healthy Pet" series of breed-books. The publishers will reuse my training chapter in all of the books, and it is really general (beginner) material. The cool part is: I'm replacing the work of Dr. Ian Dunbar (big name in my business!) So, maybe that means now I'll be a "big name"!?? Doubtful--I lack the necessary ambition. But still, it was cool to be asked to do it, I cannot lie! Now let's hope the final version retains some recognizable semblance to the work I submitted to the editors...I've been known to give some rather interesting advice in published works. When you read my stuff and think "Wow, that doesn't really sound like something Peggy would say..." I probably DIDN'T say it! Very vulnerable feeling, what with my byline attached and all...but a good step toward writing a real book! Maybe one of these days I'll actually get around to doing that, and both of you "Peggy's News" readers can have signed copies as a reward for your loyalty! Speaking of my news, I've got quite a bit to share, and I'll begin with the much-anticipated NEW SCHEDULE for intermediate and drop-in dog play/training. We will now have the following options available: Thursdays at 6:00 PM--Intermediate level drop-in training class, with some play. In

April 14, 2004 Yes, hard to believe, but--I'm actually posting AGAIN! Here is some "news" for my so-called news page: I'm opening a third intermediate (application/play class), on Wednesday evenings at 6:00, beginning May 5.  Please write and let me know if you have interest in attending; it will be another drop in, pay-as-you-go ($10.00 cash) class. It will probably be all walking/training and little to no play--so "coffee clutchers" beware!!   April 12, 2004 Posting twice in one month--can you believe this?!  Now, if only this streak of good luck with my webhosts will continue! Five of our six puppies have gone to their new homes, and puppy number six is due to go in the next day or so. It was quite a fun experience, though a lot of work toward the end, with cleaning up after them. I have to give credit to Dave--he did most of the "dirty work," while I got to focus on the fun stuff--playing with the puppies! We are sure going to miss them! We are talking about the possibility of repeating this breeding one more time, in a year (giving Buddy a needed rest between now and then), so keep it in mind in case you regret not having gotten in early enough dibs the first time! I will be posting our most recent puppy pictures soon, so be sure to check their website once in a while: www.goldenachievers.com Shu Shu, our Chinese crested, sort of had her thunder stolen by the birth of the new puppies; but I'm about to put together the "Shu Shu page" at my OTHER website--the narcissitic one where I get all anthropomorphic about my many pets! While on the subject of Shu Shu, I have to brag--she is REALLY smart, despite being follicularly challenged and rather unusual looking. Perhaps she is an alien whose intelligence has accidentally been revealed to me during her studies of our species? Anyway, she learns tricks really quickly, and I'm beginning to practice what I preach with her on the "real" training stuff, too. She makes a great distraction in my intermediate classes--all of the dogs want to see if small, mostly hairless, aliens taste like cat! Well, that's about it from me for now; I'm so stunned at being able to post here that I can't think of much to say. See you in class!

April 6, 2004: "There's no place like home-page; there's no place like home-page..." Oh, my! ... I'm back! (And it's about time!) I'm not going to say a single mean or complaining thing about my $4.00 per month webhosts because I know-- 1. I'm getting what I'm paying for, and 2. I don't want to make them mad and have nasty things happen to my cheaply hosted website! So, perhaps now I'll get around to selecting a new pet of the year...I mean MONTH! Maybe I'll even put up some new pictures!

Buddie and Rowdy are EXPECTING! Their puppies are due February 16th, 2004. They are accepting inquiries from people who will provide their babies with loving homes and lots of visits back to see Mom, Dad, Peggy, and family. We will be having a puppy shower soon!

February 12, 2004 Sorry to anyone who showed up last Thursday! Don't forget to check the scrolling marquee at the top of this page before driving out for intermediate classes; it's easier for me than having to contact everyone who might show up! So, the puppies will be here ANY DAY! We are very excited, and poor buddy is HUGE. I remember feeling like that...big and pregnant...and I'm glad it is a thing of the past! The vet thinks she'll have 7 or 8 puppies! Wow; now that is an experience I'm happy to say I've never had--a litter of babies. Yikes, I can't even consider two of Jake; seven is beyond comprehension.  I've started making yet ANOTHER website, www.goldenachievers.com, for the puppies. You'll be able to see photos of them as they grow, and of course there is this huge risk you may find yourself falling in love! In case that does happen, I will be accepting reservations once we have them safely born. So, if you have really been wanting that second (or third, or fourth...) dog, now might be the time--once the pictures are up, I think they'll be spoken for quickly! January 22, 2004 Happy Chinese New Year! It is the year of the monkey, though for me it is the year of the Chinese dog--as in Chinese crested dog. Yes, once again there is the pitter patter of little paws padding about our house, occassionally pausing for a piddle. Thank goodness I went for hard floors throughout my entire home! Mostly we are making it "outside"--meaning to the papers I'm spreading on my training room floor for the time being, since it is WAY too cold outside for a four pound bald dog! Shu Lien, known as "Shu Shu," is one of those little dogs that have no hair on their bodies but sport a flowing mane, tail, and leg furnishings. They look like little horses to me, though they just look weird to most people. This breed is hypo allergenic, meaning I can cuddle to my heart's content without pausing for the athsma inhaler or the Benedryl (yes, ironically, I am allergic to dogs)! I won't bore you talking on and on about how adorable and fun our latest addition is; but if you ask me I'll show her to you! January 4, 2004 Happy New Year! Back in the saddle for me--vacation is over. Classes resume beginning Tuesday. We had great holidays, and lots of family fun. It was nice to be home eating constantly. We went to the movies a bunch of times (our poor dogs, sadly, had to stay behind), and saw "The Return of the King" three times (on three different days, at least!) All 3.5 hours of it. Came home and played Jake's new "Lord of the Rings" Monopoply game. Actually we played it every day. We also played Monica's "Lord of the Rings" Trivial Pursuit game. Watched extended versions of "LOTR" movies 1 and 2, as well as the extra discs. I took down all of my decorations and tree while the "LOTR" soundtrack was blasting from one of the kid's bedrooms. Despite attempts to resist their influence, I can now recite every line from all three of the "Lord of the Rings" movies. My children are "Tolkies," and they are trying to suck me in! I called my Mom to complain and seek moral support, but she couldn't talk because she was...WATCHING HER NEW "LOTR" DVD! When I think about how weird all of this is, it makes me nervous; but then I eat a few pounds of leftover Christmas chocolate and feel fat, which distracts me from feeling weird. Knowing the differences in the types of elves prancing about in "Middle Earth" cannot be healthy. Time to stress that I'm just kidding--I might be scaring away prospective clients! My kids go back to school tomorrow, and it is back-to-school time for dogs, as well. I'm looking forward to seeing my students again. When you do come back to class, please be sure not to talk about anything that pertains on any level to "The Lord of the Rings!" Thanks.   December 11, 2003 I am a negligent newsletter editor. Sorry. OK, so here is an update: Fifi is pretty much back to her old self, except for that--she is now a slightly older-seeming self than she was before this illness. She got groomed yesterday, so now she is a fresh and pretty poodle for the holidays. Grooming always seems to improve her attitude, and yesterday she even did her famous circus poodle trick--jumping through Stephanie's arms! She is still sleeping more than she used to, and does have some strange tremoring in the back legs at times. But since I thought that was IT a few weeks back, I'm not complaining! Fifi has asked me to invite you all to her (two) annual Christmas extravaganga(s), to be held next week during intermediate class times. If you decide to come, please bring one wrapped dog toy for the gift exchange, and also one dozen each of dog and people cookies (on separate plates, please!) for our cookie exchange.

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 18, 2003 Great news; Fifi has made an almost complete recovery!  She had been demonstrating some extreme neuological symptoms, but also had a fever, hinting at some sort of infection (encephalytis?). Luckily she responded to high powered antibiotics, and we are all very relieved. She's still not her usual prancing-poodle self, but based on how she's doing she should be soon. November 10, 2003 Hey, long time no update! Sorry about that; we've been super busy and I keep back-burnering this oh-so-important and highly read newsletter. Speaking of news, I am worried I may soon be sharing some that is of the worst sort. Fifi, our 10+ year old standard poodle is very ill, and I am hoping and praying that it doesn't mean what it might. I am not good with permanent goodbye's, and not ready to say any just yet. We are off to see the vet at 3:00, and I'll be sure to post an update. I can't think of anything else to write, so that's it for now. October 7, 2003 I know there will be much disappointment about this, but I've decided to back up the date for our first annual dog show (big sighs of relief from my students reading this). I do want to take the pressure off my nervous students who may be taking this more seriously than they should; but I also want more time to get it planned out. I've decided it will be an indoor event, and most likely we'll hold it at the Lemont Park District. It might be a nice thing to do in January or February, to offset the "winter doldrums." I'll keep you all posted. I've been working on my other website, and if you get a chance to take a look, please let me know what you think. I've added new pictures of our horses, including our pony colt Flash's first steps just a few minutes after his birth. I've also been working on pages for my dogs, but I'm realizing this is a big (and silly) task, and it's going to take a long time to complete! Speaking of taking a long time, I've finally begun working on adding video streams to this site, and I've got two new ones up. I'd appreciate hearing from people who take a look (or try to) so I can figure out if there are any glitches. Finally, I need a new "student of the week." Will someone please step forward and proudly volunteer your canine/human team for the honor? Otherwise, I'm going to start drafting! Well, that is about it from me. See you in class!   September 26, 2003 Hello! Long time no update, huh? That is because, once again, my webhosts were having a bit of trouble keeping my site functioning properly. Interestingly my "I'm leaving you" letter worked in a way the "I really need help" letters did not. After waiting for weeks for a reply to my many polite requests for help, I took the gloves off and insulted them slightly, and then said "I'm breaking up with you." I INSTANTLY received two pleading letters begging me to give them another chance ("please, PLEASE" is a direct quote). Better yet, I received a $ refund of some of the $ I've spent on them, in their efforts to convince me to give them "one more chance." Best of all--OK, tied with the $ refund--they got the stalled websites back up and running the same day! Of course, this means they are capable, so the next time the start blowing me off, I'm breaking up with them right away! I feel like I should be taking my webhosts to Dr. Phil. I'm SO losing respect for them, yet I think I've become codependent. Wow, this could become a veritable cornucopia of behavioral fun for me! Poor guys... OK; about the dogs! They are infinitely more interesting than the webhost saga. I have another "great" idea. This one is on a grander scale than the Pet Parade. Dog TV. Specifically, a dog soap opera. Like: All My Puppies. Or: The Young and the Leashless. Great idea, huh? Once I get done with the "other" website maybe I'll start scripting the pilot. You laugh; I can hear you mocking me now, and calling me a kook; but just wait. The hollywood types will know a good idea when they see one. Let us not forget behind the Love Boat there was a brilliant writer who had a dream... Yep; couldn't stick with the decaf thing. Saturday intermediate class had a bit of a soap opera situation develop; I think I'll work it into my script. A pet superstore in the area was our target location for a "dog improvement" field trip. I had a hunch it would be a good idea not to practice our training in or immediately in front of their store. So we trained in a big, highly visable (and obedient, I might add) line right in front of the neighboring electronics superstore (no free advertising on Peggy's site!). Well, about ten minutes into a decent practice, Mr. Important PetSuperstore Manager came out in a bit of a frothing tizzy, rather concerned that what we were doing wouldn't "be OK with corporate." As he stood sputtering two inches from my face, splattering me with spittle, I wondered if he'd had his shots, but was polite enough not to inquire. He was upset enough such an inquiry could have inspired a bite. Instead I explained politely that we were actually in a pet friendly strip mall, as proven by his pet friendly superstore, and in front of a store which was none of corporate's business. I thanked him for his interest, explained that we were all loyal PetSuperstore customers. I added we were more than willing to shop at the equally pet friendly, new PetSuperstore just down the block in another strip mall, if our gathering together to go shopping in his superstore would cause corporate further concern. Mr. Important PetSuperstore Manager became unsure of himself at this point, so I offered to call and give him my phone number so that he could keep me posted about his impending conversations with "corporate." My class proceeded over to the neighboring new coffee and baked food products store, where we were given permission by the management--hey, that deserves a plug, doesn't it--we proceeded to Panerra Bread on 75th Street in Darien and hung out at tables in front where we drank slightly caffeinated beverages and socialized our dogs. Way down the way, I noticed a certain visibly agitated managerial sort coming out of a nearby PetSuperstore to observe us. I thought it would be rude to wave, since he was working and would be unable to join us. I did keep my word, though, and gave him a call when I was driving home after the lesson. He had calmed down slightly, and I was very gentle with him, but I did bring up one impo