The DogSmith Blog

Lara in a short video that shows how cute she is and how far she has come. She is happy and relaxed and actually responds to her name and to a simple cue to ‘sit’ This was a dog that was so scared for so many months she would curl up in a ball and [...]

What a great team of people head up New Spirit 4 Aussie Rescue FL, I always feel so proud to help dedicated rescue persons in a call to “Rescue Action” This great Red Merle boy was located in a high kill shelter in North West Florida, the shelter manager worked with New Spirit to get [...]

Here is Lara working with Rachel, The DogSmith Palm Beach County Florida. Bailey is working with Susan, Rachel’s partner. You can see from the video that Lara is still uncertain at times but doing a great job with Rachel.

Now don’t get me wrong, Lara is a great jumper. Ask my husband to describe her behavior each morning when she greets him. What Lara was very scared of doing was moving toward or in-between the two uprights of a single Agility jump. I have wanted to teach Lara to jump for many weeks as [...]

A very short video. One minute we are all sitting in the training area just ‘taking five’ and the next minute Lara runs up to Rachel and targets her hand. Look at the surprise on Rachel’s Face, she wants to give a big WhooHooo but anyone who is used to working around Lara knows everything [...]

Lara is welcome to stay in our home for as long as it takes to find her the perfect home. A home with patient and understanding owners who will enjoy what she has to offer at the speed and pace she can offer it. Owners that are prepared for the first few months to work slowly with her and to build a loving and trusting relationship before they expect anything from her. Owners that are prepared to give her adequate exercise and mental stimulation in a safe environment while she assimilates to her new home. Owners that can wait for the day when she feels safe enough to give back the same amount of love and trust that they have put forth first.

Lara was pooped, not just covered in it but mentally and physically pooped.

Lara, her first day at school

We often talk about the importance of socializing dogs and why it is so important when dogs are young and in the ‘explore everything – no fear’ period. This becomes so obvious when you are faced with an older dog that has had limited exposure to almost everything. Even the smallest of things become a [...]

New Spirit 4 Aussie Rescue is an all-volunteer non-profit 501(c)(3) organization serving Australian Shepherds and Aussie
mixes in the eastern half of the United States