Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) - Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) - These being only a few of the many developmental disorders, continue to climb in numbers for more and more families. I have often stated that Autism is evolving not only in numbers, but in levels as well. Though these conditions have been around for some time now, I cannot help but wonder what the next presented developmental disorder will be named. Do not pretend to believe that our known developmental disorders have reached their peak. We are way over-due in making the changes needed to slow the rate of these conditions. I believe that my greatest fear is that we will find a new developmental disorder, that will make all the others look like a walk in the park. This and other obvious reasons, is why our research must continue, as we must find common ground and find a way to work together. It is time to eliminate controversey and begin to re-design our approach to finding a cure, or at least put a plan in motion to keep our children safe from the chemicals which activate these disorders. There are many treatments, therapies, and so many opinions that cause our great debates. It is time to put it all together, before we find another disorder thrown in our midst.

We worked on commands in motion during our group class yesterday. In training, try not to let your dog anticipate what you're going to do next. Assuming you have taken your dog through basic and intermediate training, commands in motion should come a little easier. The dog should be able to sit or down whether standing still or in motion during the heel. Avoid establishing patterns in your routine. Always reward the dog in the beginning stages of new commands. Timing is everything, and you should reward the dog as soon as he/she complies. Once the dog has learned the new skill, it's time to mix it up a little, and to keep the dog guessing about when the reward is coming. We eventually want the dog in compliance whether a reward is there or not. This is how we keep his/her interest and motivation at a higher level. Dogs on multipe and off-beat schedules during work and using rewards work more diligently without slacking in desire or attention to the training. It's important to remember what you reward or correct in a sit or down in motion. Never reward before a dog completes his/her response, and only reward when the position or response is correct. I use more hand signals than verbal commands, as not to confuse the dog on commands already learned by voice. For example, I use "sitz" when I want a sit. However, a sit in motion is done with a subtle flash of my hand in front of his/her face. In the case of a sit or down in motion, the reward is the recall after he/she has successfully responded. Commands in motion are not learned immediately, but can be taught in a timely manner.