The good news: you know that post where I wrote about my goals and dreams as a dog trainer, and how one of those goals was to go through the Karen Pryor Academy someday? Well, “someday” became this day. Right now. Last month, to be exact. That’s right: I am officially a student of the Karen Pryor Academy.

Many trainers that I look up to have taken the KPA course and become a Certified Training Partner. It’s something that, like I said, I have always put on the agenda for someday down the road. Through an awesome twist of fate, though, the stars aligned and I enrolled this Fall. Come February I will, fingers crossed, have the initials KPA-CTP after my name – but I have a lot of work, learning and practicing between now and then to make that happen!

That brings me to the bad news. . . I have to cut back the blog again. I know, I know. I just went down to Tuesday/Thursday! But KPA is a big commitment, and a heavy course load. That is why it will be such an accomplishment, after all. Between my 9 – 5 job, my clients for Dog Latin Dog Training and making an effort to still maintain a bit of a relationship with my friends and boyfriend (I am still 23 after all!), I will need to devote pretty much all my free time to KPA. So, I will promise you this: Wednesdays. I will still be here every Wednesday. I might even be here a bit more than that! I’m kind of just going to promise Wednesdays and then post additionally as the mood strikes me.

I’ll leave you with a bit more good news. KPA requires me to have a dog to take through the course who I practice new skills with and use during our two-day long testing weekends. Well, since I don’t have a dog of my own I was in a bit of a pickle. Yet again the stars aligned and a handsome little pup named Paco crossed my path. His family lives about seven minutes from me in DC, and, after recently adopting him, they were looking to get him some training.  Hooking the two of us up was the perfect solution: I get my training partner, and he learns lots of awesome new skills. Win-win! Best part (in my opinion)? Paco is a pittie mix! Who knows what the heck he actually is – but he’s got short brown fur and a big blocky head so you know I love him.

I will be writing more about Paco, my experience with KPA and of course other dog topics as I go – so stay tuned. I might be here less, but in my opinion the blog just got very interesting! I hope you agree.

See ya Wednesday.