Strange Relationship...

I'm not really sure what kind of relationship these two have...

...but the pit seems to be okay with the cat being boss!

What To Do With Excess Fur...?

What do each of these people have in common?  Click here to find out.  Oh, and you may as well check out this website too while you're at it.  And, if you just haven't had enough, here is another.  

If any of you try this at home-I expect pictures :)

Sticks and Safestix

For Cheri, there is something thrilling about dragging a big branch around.  She'll break it down while she's running until she's just carrying one small piece.  When she gets a stick that she can sprint with, she will come charging near us and veer away at the last second, probably playing a fun game of chicken with herself.  Unfortunately, there have been several times where she's made it safely past me, but the stick has not and has slammed into my legs.

We typically try to encourage Cheri to carry around toys and discourage her from playing with sticks partially because of that (it's so annoying-and can be extremely painful-especially when wearing shorts!), but more importantly because of a story I heard a few years back.

An acquaintance of mine regularly goes out with his dogs and children to take a walk.  During their typical walks, the dog like to carry around sticks and other pieces of wood.  A few days after one of these walks, the dog started to act strange, not eating and acting like she was in pain.  They kept checking her to see if they could find something wrong, but when they didn't, they finally just took her to the vet.  After an extremely thorough examination, the vet found a splinter the size of a finger in her tongue.  Nobody had noticed it at first because the tongue is one of the fastest healing parts of the body.

Needless to say, I've always been a little freaked out by sticks.  However, when Cheri is off leash and the sticks are conveniently on the ground, it takes some good toys to keep her mind off those tasty, bark-covered 'toys.'

Lately I've heard a lot about 'Safestix,' a toy that is supposed to be just as fun as a stick.  While I don't think there is anyway it would smell as intriguing and taste as good as a real stick, it's still an interesting concept.  I know for Cheri that part of the thrill of the stick is its size-most toys we use are small, but a stick is fun to swing around and drag.

Kong makes one, which can be found online.  The cheapest place I've seen so far is on Ryan's Pets.  There is also this really fun website by Safestix.  And, to be honest, I'm not sure what the difference is between the two brands (they look the same to me, so maybe they are somehow affiliated?), so if somebody finds out, go ahead and post a comment!

I don't know that one of these sticks will ever be able to replace a real one-but I know that this dog sure looks like she's having fun!

Credit for this lovely article goes to: Becca

Imagine Independence

Talking Dog: Body Language

Poster courtesy of: http://blog.jezrose.co.uk/dog-language.html 

More Flyball Fun

Many of you have expressed interest in Flyball.  The biggest flyable organization is the North American Flyball Association (NAFA).  Visit their website for more information about this fun and fast-paced sport.

Run-outs and Refusals

            During our last Zoomdog trial, my dog Keahi refused the tunnel a number of times.  After our trial I walked the course to try and figure out why.  The tunnel was slightly tilted away from doggy at the point of entry.  Also, the tunnel was in such an “easy” and stand-alone spot, that my signals were probably rushed and unclear.  This caused my poor confused (and maybe stubborn) little shortie to refuse the obstacle and loose points and time.

Run-outs are when a dog runs past an obstacle.  A refusal is when a dog balks at or hesitates before an obstacle. Both are common during agility trials and practice.  Here are some things to keep in mind to keep run-outs and refusals to a minimum.

Run-outs

If your dog hesitates before an obstacle, try to figure out why.  Is she scared?  Is she unsure of what you are asking?  Make sure you give clear commands and start working scary obstacles more often in practice to make them more comfortable. 

Refusals

Is doggy refusing an obstacle because she is bored?  Try speeding up the run or making it more exciting with your hands and voice.  Keep in mind that doggy might be refusing an obstacle because she doesn’t have enough space to perform it.  Small dogs may struggle with jumps that are too high and may need a longer run at things like the A-frame. 

No matter what doggy does or does not complete in your trial, make sure to keep it FUN!  If you are not having fun, its likely doggy won’t be either.  Trials are something for doggy and handler to do together that challenge both animal and human brains, allow for a bit of showmanship, and have a good time!

Credit for this  lovely article goes to: Maria

Flyball

Is your dog speedy, ball obsessed, and a good hurdle jumper?  Flyball may be a fun sport for you and your dog to try.  If you don't know much about the sport, here is a good introduction.

Distraction Busters

Jump!  Tunnel! Weave! Where did my dog go?  A number of enticing distractions can happen on and off the agility course.  Sometimes it’s hard for doggy to pay attention to us when there are so many things to hear, see, and smell at agility.  Someone has dropped a treat the size of a pin head on the floor; a new dog walks near; a loud truck goes by... the possibilities are endless!  Since handlers can pretty much count on distractions happening during classes and even trials, here are a few tips and tricks to help you bust doggy out of distraction mode.

• When running sequences in practice, have doggy check in with you after obstacles at times. You can do this using the “watch me” command or by calling their name.
• Practice commands and obstacles in as many different situations and places as you can.
• Ask class members and friends to help out by creating distractions for doggy when you are running sequences and practicing basic commands.  Start out with small distractions at first and then work up to more irresistible ones!
•  Create distractions yourself by playing the radio, inviting human and canine friends over, scattering treats around, etc. while working with doggy.

Remember when trying to desensitize your pup to distractions to be consistent and patient.  Always end on a positive note and reward, reward, reward when doggy keeps her focus on you instead of the bacon on the ground!

Credit for this lovely article goes to: Maria 

Fun Times at the Vet

Slow Motion Chute

This video goes a little slow in the middle, but it's still pretty crazy to watch!

Tug as a Reward

As an obedience trainer, I am hesitant to recommend tug for handlers.  This is especially true for families with children or for handlers who do not have a positive, consistent relationship with their dogs.  However, as an agility trainer, I think tug can be a great motivational tool and reward.

If you have watched agility, either in person or on TV, you will see the end reward of a sequence or competition is often a game of tug.  The nice thing about tug is that it is not a food reward (so your dog doesn't become distracted and they don't get full or overweight from numerous treats) and it is something that you and your dog do together.

There are many different tug toys (not all are 'competition' friendly, but are good for practice).  A handful are shown below.  For actual tips on how to implement tug in your dog's agility, please see a Zoomdog Trainer :)

Many handlers use a special leash or attach "bumpers" to their leash.

I particularly enjoy these.  The product description says:

'These Hi-Drive Tugs are made from the rubber liners used in milking machines. They are run through the dishwasher for cleaning and sanitization, but maintain the seasoned smells your dog will love - earthly barn, hay, cow, and warm milk.'

They even mention that they are dishwasher safe (yum!).

These have a velcro pouch so that you can put smelly treats inside:

Another toy made from recycled materials-this time water went through these hoses rather than milk!

The dog may love this one, but the rabbit who 'donated' his fur sure didn't...

This particular one is stretchy and won't absorb excess slobber: