Our Story
Welcome to Toflaki (pronounced toe flaky) Dog Training, named for the two boys who inspired me to become a trainer
Mister Toby is the black miniature poodle and Mr. Flaki is the white Bichon/Poodle mix. They came to me in January 1999, adopted from the P.G. County SPCA and life has never been the same!
Soon after they arrived, it became clear that training was needed. Never having trained a dog before, Mr. Toby and I started a local obedience class in February. He was wonderful and excelled as we both learned the basic exercises. Before long I learned about competition obedience, the American Kennel Club (AKC) and obedience titles. Our first experience was earning the AKC Canine Good Citizen Award in October 1999. We went on to earn the United Kennel Club (UKC) Companion Dog Title (UCD) in September 2000 in one memorable Labor Day weekend. We did it in three straight trials with two first places and one second place.
The AKC Companion Dog Title (CD) came soon after in October with one first place. We also won lots of special prizes for highest scoring dog in different categories. We went on to earn an additional CD leg with a 3rd place finish and 3rd place in a run off (our first ever) in the non-regular Rally class.
After all that, he is now known as UCD Mr. Toby, CD, CGC!
We’re currently working towards the next title, Companion Dog Excellent (CDX), getting ready to compete in Rally when it becomes an officially titled class in January 2005 and starting Agility training.
I credit Mr. Toby with teaching me the joys of competition obedience and the communion you can achieve between dog and handler. He is a joy to work with! Be sure to visit his page for photos.Mr. Flaki started obedience class soon after Mr. Toby, but it was a very different experience! Where Mr. Toby naturally focused on me, Flaki was more interested in the world around him. And he reacted to it – strongly!! The same techniques that worked so well with Toby, didn’t with Flaki. He earned his CGC in June 2000, but it took much longer.After awhile, it became clear that something else was needed with Flaki. The traditional training methods I had learned weren’t working with Flaki. So I started my search that eventually led me to clicker training and yet again, life has never been the same!What a joy! To take a dog from being totally focused outward and shape him inward. To take training that had become a struggle of wills and make it something he asked to do! And they both ask to train in no uncertain terms! The techniques I learned not only turned Flaki around completely, but helped Toby as well especially with the challenges the CDX presented.I credit Flaki with forcing me to find a better way and I will always be grateful to him for it. I also credit both of them with giving me a broader experience with dogs that has helped me in my teaching.This new path led me to the whole new world of Operant and Classical Conditioning, B.F. Sinner, Bob and Marion Bailey and Chicken Camp. Yes, training chickens! Along the road I’ve made some wonderful friends and training partners, ended up teaching basic and sub-novice level classes and private lessons as well. I’ve become an official CGC Evaluator and have also started the process to become an AKC obedience judge. And, with the help of my friends, formed a non-profit club called Calling All Dogs in order to hold an AMBOR (American Mixed Breed Obedience Registration) Trial. As I learned with Flaki, the mixes have much less opportunity than the purebreds. So we held a Trial with ribbons, prizes, an AKC judge, etc. for mixes only. It was a major success and I hope to continue to offer this in the future.And now we have a new addition, Random Wind Kara Vica at Toflaki!
Kara was born on February 6, 2008 at Random Wind in Fairfield, Connecticut. Her breeder is Leslie Newing, her sire is Joshua, CH. Random Wind in Your Dreams and her Dam is Erin, CH. Songbird Escape to Random Wind. She came to Toflaki on April 14, 2008 to join Liane and Mr. Flaki. Be sure to visit her page for pictures and videos.You can find links to all of the organizations mentioned here on the Links page.