What Age Do They First Go in Heat?

[Christ Follower]

So kinda weird topic, but I was just wondering if you all knew around what age the average dog goes into heat. I thought it was 18 months or so, but my little Lilo (boxer) is only a year old and we THINK she may be starting. It may just be a false alarm though.

Anyone here breed their dogs?

 

[imported_heather9892]

ours went into heat at 6mths
sorry but not likely a false alarm

 

[imported_heather9892]

trust me you'll know lol

 

[Christ Follower]

I don't think she is in heat yet afterall. So now I have no idea what I saw that appeared to be drips of blood going out to the back yard. Hmmmmm........

 

[chef_kimmo]

Maybe she had a young start that wasn't really a start.... You know how young girls may have a false start and then don't really start till months later.

not sure if I said that were it makes sense but ....

 

[Christ Follower]

Maybe she had a young start that wasn't really a start.... You know how young girls may have a false start and then don't really start till months later.

not sure if I said that were it makes sense but ....

That's what someone else told me too.

 

[Christ Follower]

Still thinking it was a false alarm.

 

[chefkathy]

Helping consultants with bookingsOkay, problem here.One of my team members called me last night because she has run out of bookings. This is very rare as I am usually the one calling her. She says she has tried everything. She says she has asked everyone. I asked her what she says to them. I was trying to ask her questions that would lead her to her own solutions. I tried to give suggestions that built upon what she was already doing. In the end, her attitude was very negative. I think some of the things we came up with would work if she would actually try them. I just get the feeling that she is not giving it her all. It sounds like she never got out of her circle of family and friends and now has called upon them so often to stay active that she doesn't want to ask them again.So....tell me how you help consultants with bookings. Or any advice you might have for my situation. A lot of the suggestions in the Guide to Supporting New Consultants are things she could do AT THE SHOW to get future bookings, but she has no shows period.

 

[chefkathy]

bumping...help me!

 

[ChefVee]

So, she says that she has gone through her "List Of 100" and absolutely no bites? I find that hard to believe.
You might want to do some role playing and get her to call you and pretend that you are a potential host. Maybe it is something she is saying, or not saying, or her attitude or SOMETHING that is causing no one to book although she claims that she has exhausted everything.

It sounds like she THINKS she has done everything she can... but hasn't.
You might want to also get her to 3 way call a potential host with you so that you can see how she goes about the call (My Director did that with me years ago). You can just mute your end so its like your not there!

 

[finley1991]

Also, have you tried the, "If you did know what to do to get bookings, what would it be?" I actually tried it with a consultant and she came up with some ideas on her own.In the end, was she having a bad day and PC got the short end of the stick or is she going through something??

 

[micocina]

Sounds like she has to work on her attitude first before she even tries to get bookings. It sounds like she's in a negative place right now. When you're in that place it's easy to say you've tried everything. People complain about how others have it easy or everything seems to go "their" way while they struggle. The funny thing is they say this then sit and watch tv for hours or do nothing about the goals they set. I've been guilty of this.

I agree with Colleen you may want to brainstorm WITH HER and ask her to step out of the box. Look for leads in her kids' friends' parents. People love gifts, she may want to give an additional gift for bookings or just be sencere and tell people that she needs to re-establish her biz and needs help. I plan to do that next month. Low on shows here too. Past hosts will be hearing from me!! If she does go back to friends and family one more time she may want to stress that they invite people they don't know mutually so she can get new blood.

 

[chefkathy]

Also, have you tried the, "If you did know what to do to get bookings, what would it be?" I actually tried it with a consultant and she came up with some ideas on her own.

In the end, was she having a bad day and PC got the short end of the stick or is she going through something??

Thank you Colleen! I'll have to pull up my notes from that retreat again.

 

[chefkugler]

What is this "If you did know what to do to get bookings, what would it be"? Please share.

 

[finley1991]

What is this "If you did know what to do to get bookings, what would it be"? Please share.

It was something we learned at Nancy Jo Ryan's retreat last fall... a lady from the DSWA was our speaker and one of the coaching techniques she taught us was that... basically when a consultant has an issue and we are coaching them we will say something like, "What do you think you can do to generate more bookings?" The consultant's response is generally, "I don't know..." and our response to them is, "If you did know, what would it be?"

Anytime we ask a questions and the answer is, "I don't know..." she coached us to respond with, "If you did know..."

PS: This technique TOTALLY works!!!! I don't know how but try it next time because it will blow your mind!

Also, it works on all ages for all situations... I tried this with my 80-year-old dad and a computer problem he was having and it also worked with my 5-year-old nephew. It gets to the point where it's fun!!!!

HTH

 

[PampMomof3]

Thanks Colleen! I'm going to have to try it with my kids as well!

 

[cmdtrgd]

This technique allows the person to step outside their "doubting" self and try something new. It takes the fear of failure out of the equation. It also allows them to offer a suggestion they have been kicking around in their head without the possibility of being told it was wrong.

 

[chefkathy]

Well, this particular consultant is most likely phasing out of the biz. She is purchasing a restaurant and I'm sure she'll have little time for PC. However, this situation shows me that I am not serving my consultants well in training them. So I have scheduled a "Consultant Boot Camp" training coming up in a month. I'll just do the Cook & Book. I've actually never done it before! I have done most training over the phone b/c my team is so spread out. Time for something new!

 

[DebPC]

Thanks for sharing! Great technique!

 

[baychef]

Well, this particular consultant is most likely phasing out of the biz. She is purchasing a restaurant and I'm sure she'll have little time for PC.

However, this situation shows me that I am not serving my consultants well in training them. So I have scheduled a "Consultant Boot Camp" training coming up in a month. I'll just do the Cook & Book. I've actually never done it before! I have done most training over the phone b/c my team is so spread out.

Time for something new!

Love this idea, Debbie! I may have to "steal" it!!! I bet you are correct that she will phase out of the biz if she is buying a restaurant. If she is runs her restaurant correctly, she won't have time to think let alone do parties. Hope she realizes that if she can't get bookings, she may not do well in the restaurant industry either.

And thanks to all for sharing the Nancy Jo Ryan training. Great ideas!:chef:

 

[pamela]

procure or borrow, Ann! never steal!

 

[its_me_susan]

I have one consultant like that too. What I do is walk my talk ~ and I '"offer the opportunity" to at least 3-5 people whenever I go "out of my world". What this means is that when I leave town to shop or run errands (every other month - but if I need bookings I'll stop procrastinating my errands and do them). Before I went to Disney I filled my PC tote with 5 catalogs, put on my PC shirt and took the kids to toysRUs - asked the cashier with the nice smile of she'd ever heard of PC. She is a seriously thinking about joining now! I went into Sears to look at Lands End bathing suits for me and the kids ~ deposited another 2 catalogs/collected info, etc. I tell my team it IS scary the 1st time, but each time it gets easier and truthfully it cracks me up (b/c I am a shy person when I don't know anyone), so i challenge myself.

It's a numbers game and the more you offer, the better your chances. In Florida, the 1st night we had the most amazing waitress with the nicest smile and personality! I told her I was determined not to work on vacation, but that I needed to offer her a job! She got all excited, was looking for a way out, statred calling me Mamam and when I got home, I spoke to her grandmother and she is likely going to sign.

Tell her to look for fairs, or to join you at one and come and meet people with you. To donate to fundraisers, join a book club or a mommy's club (meet new people at activities that interest her), I have been leaving catalogs at the gym in the family dressing room when the kids and I go off to swim. When I go back in, people are looking through them or one is missing. She can "bless a business" with cookies and leave catalogs.

What about the neighborhood thing?

At the end of the day, we just have to bless and release. We aren't responsible for their motivation. We can only do so much. I believe the person you referred to (if you DID know, what would it be?) is Julie W. One of the important things her leadership workshop taught me is that we can only offer our support and enthusiasm. But we are NOT responsible for their success (and most importantly their failure).

<can you tell I'm frustrated?>
:chef:

 

[Christ Follower]

Just an update on Lilo...

She is in fact finally in heat. Only 2 more to go and we can breed her! She just turned 1 a couple months ago and we are going to wait till she's 2. I don't like this part of the process but oh well.

 

[smilesarepriceless]

i was glad to see this thread..I similarly am trying to help some of my team find bookings, and help them see that they are out there, they just have to dig a little deeper to find them.

I am doing my first cook n book too next week as well..

 

[Gagescorpages]

I am dealing with someone JUST LIKE THIS. The negativity is making me crazy.
Time for me to grow my team!

 

[chefkathy]

Wow, thanks for bumping this up. I never did do my "boot camp" because NO ONE was coming.BUT....I've added some new gals over the past few months and we're going to try to do a training this on Saturday. I put feelers out to see who would be available and I think I have 2-3 who can come.

 

[finley1991]

I'm doing a booking blitz this afternoon. Opened it up to the TEAM, only 2 responded. Didn't surprise me though. All I can do is work with who wants to work.

Get this though... I actually called EVERYONE on my team last week. One I spoke with (she signed in July) WANTS to do shows but just can't ask anyone to host because of her pride... so what she "would prefer is that if any other consultants schedule shows and then for some reason, don't want to do it, just to call her and she'll do the show. That happens right? Or maybe if they have more shows scheduled than they can do, she'll just do them. Can't someone else just schedule them for her?"

I was thinking, "Do you even understand how this all works?" I suggested that she not rely on that because in the 7 years I've been in MI, I've done that twice for another consultant so it's not really a reliable way to manage your biz and that people will book shows with HER because they want HER.

Ugh.

 

[Mel5497]

Get this though... I actually called EVERYONE on my team last week. One I spoke with (she signed in July) WANTS to do shows but just can't ask anyone to host because of her pride... so what she "would prefer is that if any other consultants schedule shows and then for some reason, don't want to do it, just to call her and she'll do the show. That happens right? Or maybe if they have more shows scheduled than they can do, she'll just do them. Can't someone else just schedule them for her?"

:bugeye:
I honestly don't know what to say to that.

 

[BethCooks4U]

:bugeye:

I have no response either.

 

[dannyzmom]

:bugeye:
I honestly don't know what to say to that.

Yep - that one would leave me totally speechless...

 

[Koolotus]

hmmmmm. I know how she feels, I used to feel that way to, I don't like to beg and I don't want people running the other way when I come. But what I have found is that when I genuinely offer something of Value to my guests I am Happy and PROUD to be able to do that.
Maybe if she is taught to give valuable advice or recipes she can take more pride in what she does.
A bit of training on the $2 a serving meals and Host coaching so she fully understands everything a host gets should help her

 

[PampMomof3]

oh wow Colleen!! That's CRAZY that she even thinks that way!!

Good luck with her! Is she one of the ones that keep in contact and likes to learn from you?