top of page
Search


Cues in Action! Verbal Marker, Clicker, Environmental Cues, Targeting, Redirecting, Click for Calm
#Maremmasheepdogtraining, #positivereinforcementtrainingforlgds, These six-month-old pups traveled with me all the way to South Dakota....

Cindy Benson
Sep 12, 20218 min read


Introducing Eight-Month-Old Maremmas to Goats
On this day, we introduced two of the Sarika pups to goats for the first time; it was a first for the goats too! We always do...

Cindy Benson
Sep 9, 20211 min read


How to Teach a Dog to Touch a Hand Target
#bensonmaremmastraining, Hand targeting is a great skill to teach pups. It has many practical applications. Examples would be moving dogs...

Cindy Benson
Jun 27, 20211 min read


Selection Process for Pups and Owners - "See The Dog"
A baby dog, full of promise. But who is he? What does HE need? ****Dog wanted for lifetime position – must be perfect!*** Most breeders...

Cindy Benson
Jun 20, 20216 min read


Training Rosie – Then & Now – Shaping
“You would be fascinated to know the science behind why the way you train works.” This statement is why I am a clicker trainer. It was...

Cindy Benson
Jun 3, 20219 min read


Resource Guarding Is Not a Dirty Word #2- But What Do You Do If the Dog Is Really Awful??!!
In the first resource blog (the one in the first part of the title of this one), I explain why animals guard resources. OK. Then I...

Cindy Benson
Jun 2, 20218 min read


Resource Guarding Is Not a Dirty Word
#resourceguardingLGDs,#Maremmasheepdogtraining Resource guarding is one of my favorite topics is talking about LGDs because it is so easy...

Cindy Benson
Jun 1, 20216 min read


Learning the Skill (Art) of Shaping
In the video above, I am using shaping to work with eleven dogs, all at the same time, from outside their fields. Using shaping, I am...

Cindy Benson
May 30, 20217 min read


What a Dog Learns From An E-Collar
He learns he is not safe in his environment. He learns associations with things in his environment. ***He does not learn what he should...

Cindy Benson
May 30, 20218 min read


Introducing 11-Week-Old Puppies to a New Field
This is a new pasture for the ranch. It was a great place for puppy exploration without the super steep banks that their last...

Cindy Benson
Apr 12, 20211 min read


Vinny Meets the Goats - Safety Line & Shaping
Vinny is a sixteen-month-old Cameo x Milan pup. He had never seen an adult goat until we brought him to this pair of retired dairy goat...

Cindy Benson
Apr 11, 20214 min read


Compassionate Use of Electric Fencing For Maremmas
I really dislike using electric fencing. In the title of this blog post, I almost feel like the words "compassionate" and "electric"...

Cindy Benson
Apr 5, 20217 min read


Fencing Options & Considerations for Maremmas
I truly feel that most of the success of LGD management involves the management of the environment the dogs live in, in a variety of...

Cindy Benson
Apr 4, 20218 min read


The Grooming Series - Maintaining Maremmas with a Plan - ***Read This One First ***
I typically have sixteen to twenty adult Maremmas guarding our property and livestock full-time. Grooming them used to be the most...

Cindy Benson
Apr 3, 20214 min read


Criteria For a Perfect Grooming Area - The Grooming Series
A good grooming area has easily accessible power sources. This stall has two plugs just above where the white cord is. My blower hangs...

Cindy Benson
Apr 3, 20213 min read


Clippers - Selection and Tips For Using Them - The Grooming Series
I'll start this blog by saying that I am routinely humbled by clippers. Clippers like new blades, clean hair, clipper lubrication, a...

Cindy Benson
Apr 1, 20214 min read


The Secret to My Grooming Success - This Magic Blower - The Grooming Series
I have used a cattle blower for years on my donkeys. It worked great on them and did me absolutely no good with the dogs. Yes, the hair...

Cindy Benson
Apr 1, 20214 min read


My Favorite Grooming Tools and How I Use Them - The Grooming Series
In no particular order here..... The de-tangling spray is not brand specific for my use. I have several brands I use that I feel perform...

Cindy Benson
Mar 31, 20214 min read


Partial Late Winter "Triage" Clipping - The Grooming Series
I am going to let the videos tell the story for this blog. Details about the clippers I am using can be found in the clippers blog. I do...

Cindy Benson
Mar 25, 20211 min read


How To Wash a Dog in the Field - The Grooming Series
I wash most of my dogs in the fields they live in because that is fast and easy for me, with the added bonus that the partner dog is...

Cindy Benson
Mar 25, 20211 min read
bottom of page