This page is a personal introduction of me. I will update it with all the news of my new television show. I will keep you posted on my dogs' and their agility accomplishments and any new commercials or films they are involved in.

I studied for four months, hours and hours a day, I had books in every room and car so there was never a moment when I wasn't reading. On September 15th I took the test to be certified as a professional trainer. I studied learning theory, animal behavior, training methods, etc. The test took four hours and I passed! I am now officially certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers! My official title is Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed!

I have always had a love for dogs and everything about them. In 1998 I was at a dog show and there was a demonstration of a new dog sport called agility. I decided to look into it and I have never looked back. My first agility dog was my Pomeranian, Tanu. Not your average agility breed. But she taught me a lot. We learned it all, good and bad, together.  She became an agility Champion and I became a handler. I started training agility in 2006. I have taken my Jack Russell Terrier to the title of Master Agility Champion 8 and he has qualified for every AKC National Agility Championship competition since the age of two; he is now nine years old and is already qualified for next year’s competition.

In '05 I began studio training and have been teaching it since '06. I have worked in television, movies, student films, commercials and print work with dogs.

List of credits:

• Soldat – student film for USC
• H & R  Block – commercial
• Southern California Edison – training film
• ABC Television – General Hospital
• Sleeping Dogs – feature film directed by Bobcat Goldthwait
• Jane Austen Book Club – feature film directed by Robin Swicord
• Washington Banks – commercial
• HBO/Cinemax – The First Time – series
• ABC Television – Big Shots - series
• Rockport Clothing – commercial
• Boneyard Bash – student film for USC
• American Express - commercial
• Nutro Dog Food – photo for dog food bags and biscuits
• Fortiss – print ad for flea product
• Browntrout – print for calendars and phone books
• Dog World – magazine photo shoot
• Jupiter Images – photo shoot for stock pictures
• Boxed In – short film directed by Christopher Wolfe
• “Cop Dog” –  movie - assistant dog trainer
• Orange County Choppers – catalog shoot
• Path Lights – student film for Chapman College
• Dog Tales – interviewed by Alex Paen for story on Chihuahuas
• Animal Planet – interviewed for story on dog agility
• French TV – interview for French television show on studio training
• "Pit Boss" - series on Animal Planet, dog handler/talent

In 2008 I started a training company, Furry Visions Dog Training, to add basic obedience and AKC Canine Good Citizen training, testing and certification to my agenda. I have a training field on my property in Agua Dulce, California. It is 70' by 100' and contains all professional agility equipment.  It is lighted for night training.

I started working with pit bulls in '08 for Linda Blair’s Worldheart Foundation. My job is to prepare the dogs for adoption into homes with other dogs and children. Socialization is the most important part of the dog’s training. He must feel comfortable with cars, small animals, children, other dogs and then we start adding basic obedience commands. It has been a very rewarding job when I see these rehabilitated dogs go to their new forever homes. Every time one of these dogs finds a new forever home it helps to break the chain of the stigmatism attached to this breed. 

• I belong to the Teamsters Local 399 Union
• Licensed by United States Department of Agriculture
• A member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers
• I am a Certified Professional Dog Trainer
• I have attended four Powerpaws Winter Camps with instruction from the top trainers in agility from around the world
• Had a booth at the Pet Expo USA in Valencia, CA in May ’09
• Exhibitor and live stage performer at Rescues on the Runway Benefit in
  Valencia, CA
• Attended the 2009 Association of Pet Dog Trainers Annual Conference in
  Oakland, CA

I have brought my chihuahua, JD, back to agility now that he is past the terribe twos. His first show was last weekend and he got his first two legs in Novice Preferred Jumpers with Weaves. And of course he draws a crowd of admirers whenever he runs. He has trouble making time, so I think his last show will be next weekend. He has learned some new tricks - scratch, take it and hold it.

Boxed In
JJ had a part in a short film, "Boxed In" directed by Christopher Wolfe. It premiered at the Detriot Film Festival on June 25th 2010.

My 14 year old Pom, Tanu (pictured left), is prepping for her first movie role. She was in an American Express commercial a couple of years ago, but this is her first big role!

Path Lights
October 27th was a screening for the short film "Path Lights" that my two Jack Russells were in. It was very impressive and the boys looked great. The link below will take you to the video. 
"Path Lights"

The Monster Harley Dude had a great trip to Oklahoma for the AKC National Agility Championships. In the state competition Harley finished 13th out of 76 dogs in all jump heights. In the 8" division of the Championships there were 97 dogs and Harley finished in 20th place! He has been competing since the age of one and has qualified every year for the Nationals since the age of two and is already qualified for next year's competition to be held in Lexington, VA. Now, his brother, JJ, is another story. I laid him off for a year to try, try, try to get some control without losing his drive. We are close. He is running better, I can sometimes even get a rear cross in without a spin. He has the speed, I just need to keep his focus.

The boys finished a short film last month where they both got to be the hero. And the other film that JJ did last year is almost out of editing. His little face is still on the Nutro Max Mini Chunks dog food and biscuits and he also the face and scratcher for Comfortis, a flea medication.

Training Tips

TRAINING TIPS
Getting Started in Agility
By Candy Clemente
furryvisionsdogtraining.com
661.478.8609

There are many things you can do with your dog before he/she is old enough to start obstacle training for agility. The first and foremost is to establish a bond with your dog, communicating with him/her, playing games to promote drive in your dog.

You will start with the foundation of all training, basic obedience commands – sit, down, stay, heal.  Once the dog understands the basic commands, you will start to build on the three “D’s”- duration, distance and distraction. Your dog needs to be able to maintain his/her sit, down and stay through all three. You will start with duration, building up the time the dog must maintain his/her behavior by very small increments of time, gradually increasing the time he/she remains in that position.  If he/she starts to slip, go back to the shortest time span and then work your way up, setting your dog up for success. Keep your training sessions short and fun. Dogs do not learn by drilling for long periods, they will shut down. Always end the training session on a positive note. Lavish your dog with praise and treats. When he/she performs exceptionally, make the reward exceptional, we call it “jackpotting.” Do this for both sits and downs. Start teaching your dog a release word, such as “okay”, so that he/she knows when he is allowed to break his/her position. Pick a word you like and stick with it, consistency is very, very important in training your dog.

Once your dog is holding his/her sit, downs and stays for 3 to 5 minutes, start adding the distance between you by gradually stepping away from him/her while the dog holds the behavior, be patient, inches at a time until you start measuring the distance by feet. Also do with both sit and down.

Now you are ready to add distractions. This will take you back to step one in both time and distance. With him/her sitting in front of you, toss a toy and tell the dog to stay, reward the dog immediately if he maintains the behavior, if he/she breaks, take him/her back to the position and start again. Once you have the dog maintaining the desired position, raise the ante, toss a cookie and expect the same criteria as before. If the dog breaks, start back at square one. Good foundations take time to build and if you allow little cracks in the behavior, your dog will never stand on a solid foundation and all further training will suffer. Your dog can be perfect.

Play games with your dog – fetch, tug, chase, recalls. Your dog should have a solid recall under all circumstances. When you call your dog, he should ALWAYS be rewarded, even if you are calling him from digging up your roses. If you feel you must discipline him, DO NOT call him, go get him/her. Your dog’s life could depend on a solid recall.  Make it a great and wonderful game for him/her to return to you.

Start teaching lefts and rights. Have your dog on your left side with a treat in your left hand. Lure his/her head away from your body to the left and as he/she turns, say “left.”  You can also have your dog sitting at your left side and toss a toy to the left and as the dog retrieves it, say “left.” Do the same for the right side. Once the dog gets the idea, start adding in obstacles. In the house you can use a small waste basket and place the toy on the other side and send your dog to retrieve it using the “left” or “right” command.

Always add play into your training sessions, for some dogs, the act of playing is a great reward. In everyday life, you can add simple training, when your dog wants to go outside, ask him to sit before you release him out the door. When you feed your dog, ask for a down/stay until you release him/her to dinner. Training should always, always be fun, never work and never boring. Mix things up – train a little, play a lot; train a lot,  play a little.

Teach your dog to “target” to your hand. Holding a small, good treat in your hand, as your dog reaches in to take it, say “touch.” If you use a clicker in your training, click and treat as his/her nose touches your hand. Practice this several times a day until just by putting your hand out, your dog comes over to touch it. You will be able to put your hand out and say “touch” and your dog should come over immediately and touch it. You can transfer this “touch” command to the contact obstacles in actual agility training. But the hand touch is useful in other ways, such as a start-line ritual.

Build focus with your dog by teaching the “eyes” or “look” command. Start with your dog sitting facing you. Have good treat in your hand and take it from your dog’s nose to your nose, when he/she makes eye contact with you, use your command. Practice this several times a day and start increasing the time he/she maintains the eye contact by withholding the treat for longer and longer periods of time. Once you have solid eye contact for 2 to 3 minutes, start adding distractions, a toy on the floor, a treat. If the dog breaks the eye contact, go back to the beginning and hold out for perfection. This can be used in many circumstances, like getting your dog to focus on you when there is a threat from another dog, etc. But it will be a good tool in agility in many ways.

Practice restrained recalls with your dog. If you are alone, take your dog by the collar and hold tight. Toss a toy as far as you can and say “go” and release him/her. Get the dog really revved up to go get it. “Ready, steady, go!” This will really come in handy in agility when you are on course and your dog is ahead of you and you can tell your dog to “go on.” If you have someone to help you, have the other person hold your dog while you run away calling your dog, run back and touch the dog and run away again; then the handler will release your dog while you are running away. This creates drive and focus on you.

While you are walking your dog on a leash, as you make a turn away from your dog, exaggerate your movement with your shoulder, using your shoulder to pull the dog into the turn and add the command for the directional – “left” or “right.”

Practice what will become your “lead out.” Leave your well trained dog in a sit/stay. Walk away without looking back; take just a couple of steps. Go back and reward your dog for staying. Gradually increase the distance you go out, but always, always go back and reward your dog for staying. NEVER pay your dog for coming to you or getting up. Your goal is to be able to run away from your dog while he/she maintains the behavior. This will be the foundation for your start-line stays. There will be courses where you will need to leave your dog at the start and lead out two or maybe three obstacles, before releasing your dog to start the course.

For dogs too young to start actual jumping, you can start with “jump bumps.” You can buy a couple of 8’ plastic rain gutter material and cut them into four foot lengths. Lay them out on the ground in three to four foot distances and trot your dog over them. This teaches them to use both their front and rear legs efficiently.

Exercise to build muscle is important. Take your dog up and down stairs. Walking, jogging with your dog builds strength and stamina. Never work your dog right after eating; this can lead to bloat; besides a hungry dog is always eager to work for food.

Spending time with your dog strengthens the bond between you; and when you are on an agility field, you are a team, working together for a common goal...to have fun!