An Interview with Liz Palika
By Roseann Fucillo
This article first appeared in June 2006 AKC GAZETTE

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Liz Palika, a well-known dog writer and recipient of numerous awards, has written over 1000 magazine articles and columns and has just released book number 53.  She is the owner of Kindred Spirits Dog Training in Vista, CA where about 1000 dogs and their owners are seen every year. She has been training in northern San Diego County for almost 20 years and focuses primarily on pets, from problems of the newly adopted to those used for therapy. Her facility also trains dogs for fun agility but no longer handles any for competition. 

I asked Liz what led her to become a trainer and a writer.  “I trained my own dogs. My first earned a UD and was a certified search and rescue dog.  He carted, caught Frisbees and even went on to the World finals, and more.  My neighbors asked for help and it just kind of grew from there. I also always wanted to write and enjoyed it. A college teacher told me I couldn’t write, and so I stopped. Then Beth Donnelly, who had been writing the toy dog training column for Front & Finish wanted to quit and asked me if I wanted to continue the column. With much trepidation, I took it over. That was the beginning when I found out I could write and that people enjoyed my writing.”

Liz had a Papillon that earned his Ch, UD, OTCH points, CGC, and was a wonderful therapy dog. Knowing her training experience, I asked her what specific personality traits one should look for when evaluating a Papillon puppy for obedience and performance events. “Contrary to much public opinion, I like a very middle of the road personality. I do not like the puppy with the most drive, or one who is the most hyper, because I also want the puppy to be very social, able to get along with other dogs, and be easy to live with.  Right now my youngest dog, an Australian Shepherd, is only two and is everything I could ask for. I told his breeder I wanted a middle of the road type in dominance, assertiveness, and in drive. He is doing fun agility, therapy dog work, rally, obedience, carting, and herds on a daily basis.”

When asked if there were some sort of a test to evaluate a puppy when visiting a breeder,  “I have used tests previously but now I trust the breeder more; she has been watching these puppies daily. I also trust my gut and my intuition.”

As for the age range she preferred when purchasing a puppy for performance events, Liz prefers obtaining them at 9 to 10 weeks. 

Is there anything that you would hope a breeder would do to prepare a young Papillon puppy for their new performance home?  “All I ask is that they start socialization to things at home, and crate train the puppy. That’s it.”

For a simple training exercise that you could do with a puppy in his first training experience, Liz suggests it should be solely teaching the “watch me” with food treats.  “I want him to learn to look at me when he hears his name and to look to me for direction.”  This is sound advice for any puppy, all breeds and for any form of competition.

Published with permission from the AKC GAZETTE.  This article is not to be copied, whole or in part, without written permission from the author.

Roseann Fucillo