A new show for Sparky

You couldn't tell by the look of it, but right now we're doing important work getting ready for anther season of Sparky Shows! Even though the stage is covered with snow, we are inside working hard to create a new Sparky Show for next year. This means we are busy writing a new script and coming up with new behaviors Sparky can do in the show. A lot of people are surprised to know that Sparky's training continues year round, not just during Sparky Shows. There are several reasons we train her year round. First, we train her to perform a number of medical behaviors that make visits with the vets not scary and just a normal part of her day. Second, training is an important way to build a trusting relationship between Sparky and her trainers. Finally, depending on how challenging the behavior is, it can take weeks to years to learn new behaviors. That means that some of the behaviors we are teaching her now, you won't see in a Sparky Show until 2010! And on that note, I must get back to work because Sparky is ready for her afternoon training session!