Northwest 4H Dog and Rabbit Project

Next meeting Monday May 18th 7pm at West Elementary School.
Last meeting of the year

The most common AKC show ring patterns cheat sheet.

DAY 5 – MAKE ENGAGEMENT PART OF DAILY LIFE

If engagement only happens during “training”…
your dog learns it’s optional.

👉 We don’t want part-time connection.
We want it built into everyday life.

Simple ways to do that:

🔹 Doorway pause
No barging out.
Connection first → then access.

🔹 Name = orient
Say it once.
Dog turns → mark & reward.
Stop turning their name into background noise.

🔹 Sniffing as a reward
Connection → release to sniff.
Now the environment works for you, not against you.

🔹 Re-engagement through movement
Dog drifts → move, don’t nag.
Let them choose to come back → reward it.

🔹 Food bowl focus
Pause → eye on you → then feed.
Connection opens doors (and dinner).

🔹 Play, pause, reconnect
Game stops → dog checks in → game restarts.
Connection keeps the fun alive.

🔹 2-minute sessions
Twice a day.
No pressure. Just connection.

Key takeaway:
👉 Dogs don’t separate “training” from “real life”…
so neither should you.

Build engagement into the little moments…
and it starts to show up everywhere.

🌟 We’re already planning the 2027 Texas Bluebonnet Cluster of Dog Shows, and we can’t wait to see everyone again! 🌟

📅 Mark your calendars: April 8–11, 2027

This will be the show to be at — exciting competition, great friends, and memories in the making. Stay tuned for more details to come! 🐾💙

Works for dog and rabbit shows!

Who is showing this weekend? 🙋‍♀️

📅🤠Mark your calendars and get ready for the 2026 State Fair of Texas! For more information, visit BigTex.com/livestock.