Thank You Social Media: Making it easier to find this dog trainer

Wow, after wrapping up my Social Media Marketing class last night at UCSB extension with the Wild Web Women, I realized that I now have so many social media platforms, that I was starting to become a bit scatter-brained. So, since my new round of dog training classes is beginning this Sunday April 19th, I thought, what a great time to put together a list of how to find me! So, here it is! I took liberty of adding Poncho's info too...he likes to make himself available also. 

Official IC Website: http://inquisitivecanine.com/

• For information on services, schedules, events, where to contact us, FAQ’s. 
  
• A little about Joan and the Inquisitive Canine, our approach, methodology. 

Joan’s Blog: http://dogtrainingventura.blogspot.com/ 

• For dog training tips (from the human perspective)
  
• Information on upcoming events, including those outside the Inquisitive Canine
  
• Commentary on the latest and greatest social topics
  
• An all around fun place to share with the community
  
• The perfect place for friends, clients, and the general public to make comments! 
  
• A great place to send questions! 

Poncho’s Blog: http://ponchosprose.blogspot.com/ 

• Poncho’s own dog training tips (from the dogs perspective) 
  
• Information on events at the Inquisitive Canine, and those elsewhere
  
• Commentary on the latest and greatest social topics.
  
• The perfect place for friends (human and dog) to make comments or send questions. 
  

Noozhawk Advice Column: http://www.noozhawk.com/joan_mayer/

• Dog training and behavior advice column written by both Joan & Poncho the dog
  
• Another great place for you or your dog to send in questions.

Facebook: 

• Joan’s  FB homepage: the place where I’m more of a “dog mom” 
  
• The Inquisitive Canine Group page: for IC students, great place to “meet” other dog folks, have discussions, or set up doggy play dates. 
  
• Poncho the Dog Fan Page: I’m his #1 fan and want to share that. 

Twitter:

• Joan’s: http://twitter.com/joanthedogcoach 
  
• Poncho: http://twitter.com/timeline/home

Flickr:

• http://www.flickr.com/people/joanthedogcoach/ 
  

This Dog Trainer Needs to Refine Her Skills

Okay, before you start saying "What? Huh? What do you mean?" I'm talking specifically about refining my mini-golf skills, not my skills as a dog trainer - I already do that everyday.

Whatever your "skill" is, whether it be dog training, wood carving, snow-boarding, or miniature golf, if you want to do well at something, or achieve the goals you've set for yourself, then you need to practice, practice, and practice again. Remember the old adage, "If you don't use it, you lose it." Well I was living proof of that today...dog training every day, mini-golf, uh, not so much. 

I can't recall the last time I played miniature golf - it's been years, I know that. Well, my good friends, (Wild-Web-Women Lorrie Thomas, Emilia Doerr, Nicki Gauthier, and Pamela Sherman) came south from Santa Barbara today to celebrate Emilia's BIG 3-0 B-Day at Golf 'n Stuff here in Ventura. It was a great time! I think I shot about 100 over par...but hey, it was about having fun, not scoring...good thing because Lorrie even mentioned how it had been so long since she used a pencil and paper (versus computer) that she wasn't sure how the scoring was done, so we decided not to...thank goodness. I think she and I both tried to cheat at some point, and couldn't even pull that off! Duh! 

Anyway, having the club in my hand just reminded me how not keeping up with any skill can make you forget... however, the good thing is that it started to come back towards the back nine. So I know that if I stuck with it, I'd probably do better each time. 

Mini-golf isn't as important to me as some of the skills I teach my dog training clients. I explain that taking one class is great to get started, but it certainly doesn't stop there. Of course they don't have to continue taking classes forever, I don't like to add that type of pressure in. But let's face it, "life is training". We humans go through 12+ years just to graduate high school, then onto college or some type of training to get a job... then as we get older we might go back to school for some reason or another - career change or just for fun...Regardless, obtaining skills takes practice! 

So, if you've already taken your dog to a dog training class, go practice those behaviors. If you haven't, think about signing up at the inquisitive canine... Or, teach them how to golf! Poncho would have been able to retrieve our golfballs today when we accidentally hit them into the brush - good think Lorrie enjoyed the rock-climbing.