Seeking out a little more dog behavior advice and help for Gracie!

You may remember that we blogged about the AKC GoodDog! HelplineSM not too long ago.

The AKC (American Kennel Club) announced a new AKC GoodDog! HelplineSM that offers live telephone support from a team of dog trainers to help individuals with dog training, dog behavior problems, advice and more.

The trainers include several that practice positive clicker training, that matches with our philosophy; and some even have some are involved in sports like rally, dog agility and more.

About a week after we first posted, we attended a Twitter chat with one of the trainers from the helpline. We were very impressed with the advice she gave to the chat attendees on dog training. There were lots of questions and all were answered with a positive and fun approach. We even retweeted many of the Q's and A's.

We've been thinking about how we could use the service since the AKC was kind enough to sign us up. For years, we've had a challenge in getting Gracie to focus when she's otherwise engaged. (See that wild, a little fearful, crazy look in Gracie's eyes above?) We've tried a very wide variety of training tactics - from modified Ruff Love, to recall work, to Mum working to be more fun than whatever Gracie is interested in.

Some of it's worked, but we still have situations where Gracie is so focused and over the top on something else that she completely tunes Mum out. And when I say completely, I mean completely!!!

We'll be anxious to get some additional advice that may help with Gracie's issues. And the neat part is the service is completely ongoing throughout the life of your dog once you sign up, cool huh?

The AKC GoodDog! HelplineSM service is $79.99 for the lifetime of your dog, and with that you receive:

• A toll-free number
• Knowledgeable trainers
• Unlimited number of calls

We think with the trainers being super positive, like we like, it's a pretty fun, easy, inexpensive way to get some good advice whenever you need it.

When you get a chance, check out the AKC Facebook page, and follow them on Twitter, too!

"I am blogging on behalf of BlogPaws Pet Blogger Network and the AKC. I received compensation for my time from the AKC for sharing my views in this post, but the views expressed here are solely mine."