Small Things

Happy Memorial Day everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic long weekend of playing with your doggies.

My parents came to visit this weekend, which means the pups were on high alert at ALL TIMES in case of free food. Maxwell was especially excited about visitors, and barged into their bedroom on Saturday morning to jump on them and ask for snuggles. The pups even got presents from them: a squeaky tennis-ball-like bone for Maxwell, and a dried meat-bone for Sadie. Sadie was so in love with her gift that she ate the whole cow bone in a few hours, and proceeded to make herself sick. Somehow she ate the thing Friday night, went running with Maxwell and me on Saturday morning, went to class, and only then started puking on the carpet. She's fine now!

Both dogs had good classes. Maxwell was a little rocket through the jump-and-tunnel sequence, though for some reason he was being finicky about entering the tunnel on my left side. I was extremely proud to be announced as a perfect example of giving a body cue to my dog to slow down during the run. Truthfully, though, I didn't do anything consciously. I think my puppy and I have just worked so much together that I intuit the signals he needs.

Sadie was less enthusiastic in her running, but I'm making her stick her contacts. I've started running with treats again, but only to reinforce 2-on-2-off. She's learning, I think, but she isn't as quick to pick things up as Maxwell. She did take some nice weaves, and actually charged the dog walk for a change.

I also got to run a black Lab in Sadie's class, as her owner has an injured foot. This dog has the drive of Maxwell, and the experience to strategize on-course by herself. This makes her quite a challenge, as I don't think as quickly as she moves! I love running her for that very reason, though I'm not as clean a handler as her owner, since I'm not as familiar with her needs and quirks. For example, we had a reasonably nice run going, then I ran around a jump at the end instead of rear crossing her into the tunnel. Why? Because I was too busy worrying about keeping up with the dog, and not planning ahead. I think it's a really good learning opportunity for me to run other dogs, though I hate to do so under such circumstances. I much prefer when my fellow students and I 'trade' dogs for a run or two.

I was very excited to rearrange the dog cupboard last week. I know that sounds pathetic, but I really like taking care of the pups. They get frozen Kongs pretty much every workday with part of their breakfast kibble, some canned pumpkin, some wet food (recent addition), and occasionally a treat in the middle. Plus they have their own jar of peanut butter, their meds (such as the heartworm preventative), grooming tools, etc. So feast your eyes on the most organized dog cupboard in the Northeast!

So much FOOD!

I also finally got sick of hanging the leashes, collars, harnesses, whatever on the door knob to the coat closet. We always have to move something out of the way to actually close the closet,  things fall off when you open it, and it was just generally a pain. So now we have nice metal hooks on the wall, right as you enter the apartment! The pups each have their own hook, and they are right where we unleash them anyway. It's perfect!

Organized dogs. Who knew?

 

Next, I'm very excited to say that I finally subscribed to Clean Run Magazine. It's all about agility, and I've heard it's really, really good. Definitely not biased by the fact that Mrs. Trainer occasionally writes for them, or that the woman who introduced me to Aussies is their layout editor... Certainly not. But I am very excited, and should get the first issue in early July. I'm not sure why I never subscribed before, so I suppose I just came to my senses. By the way, that link actually take you to their store. I've gotten some awesome stuff from them, like antler chews that even Sadie hasn't destroyed yet!

My final news is that we finally found a nice dog park nearby!  I know Mr. Trainer isn't a big fan of dog parks, since you never know how the other dogs are going to behave, but these guys like to be allowed to run free once in a while. Maxwell especially craves some good games of fetch. It was too hot today to do much, but I can imagine it's a fun spot in cooler weather. It cleared out at one point, so I set up my new jump and put the pups over it a few times. Nothing like practicing in a new place! (And yes, I packed a jump to go to a dog park. Don't judge me!) At less than 5 miles to drive, we'll certainly be going there again.

Stay cool!

Saturday Special

I've got a few really good links for you today. This first is a wonderful demo of how to use clicker training to teach a dog to accept nail trimming. Definitely one I need to apply to Maxwell, who 'tapped out' last time I clipped him.

The second is a nice clip by Dr. Sophia Yin on how body movement affects your partnership with a dog, much like a pair of dancers. Also from Dr. Yin, a PSA animation on dog bite prevention.

And to end the day with a few minutes of cute, a very large dog and a very small cat.

Too Bad About the Handler...

Sadie had a USDAA trial today in Dover Plains, NY.  We were up at 5:20 after a mere 4.5 hours of sleep (why do I do that to myself?) and on the road by about 6:15. I'd meant to leave by 6, but the GPS couldn't find the trial address, and our internet conveniently died when I tried to print the Google directions. Luckily, the site was only an hour and 10 minutes away, so we weren't late for check-in.

Our first class was Standard. She did pretty well, though somewhat disconnected. Nowhere near a Q, but not terrible considering. No weaves, no A-frame... but yay a teeter! Down on the table? No problem! The judge for that ring was really nice, too. After Sadie had clearly missed too many things to Q, she told me to go ahead and get what I could.

Snooker was next. I almost had a panic attack at the start. We got to the line, got the "Ready" signal, had the leash off, and "WAIT A MINUTE!" That was the judge, saying a bar hadn't been set. So now I have distracto-dog, on the start line, with no treats. Her attention visibly waned as we waited. Luckily she pulled herself together and ran really nicely. Unfortunately, I tried to thread her between two jumps to get back to a red, and she took one of them instead. The extra obstacle got us whistled off with a mere 9 points. If I'd been smart and run her around the jump, I'm sure we would have finished, if not Q'ed.

The third run was Performance Grand Prix. I have to say, that was a challenging course. I wish I had a copy of the course map to post, because it's tough to describe. Suffice it to say, I'm not sure I would have been able to handle it successfully. I say would, because Sadie decided to run off anyway. We only got 2 or 3 jumps, missed the weaves entirely, and got excused. I guess it makes sense to allow less leeway on the Grand Prix, but it made for a short run!

The final course was Jumpers. I was thrilled when I heard that USDAA Jumpers doesn't have weaves. It was a flowing, not terrible hard course with only one lead change. I am extremely proud of Sadie, who ran like a champ. She only had one refusal (which doesn't count in her level of USDAA anyway...) and one wrong course. And that wrong course? A million percent my fault. She was running confidently and following my directions perfectly, even when I sent her over the wrong jump! We finished strong and happy. It was definitely the best trial run she's ever had, and it wasn't even a Q. BEST. EVER.



Another great thing about USDAA? We can place without a Q! So I have a pretty blue rosette to hang. We'll just pretend the only other 22" dog didn't scratch...

Max was really good at the trial, too. He was relaxed, rolling around and sniffing all the doggies. He was moderately attentive, and getting treats for following cues. He was giddy with joy when another handler let him play with her dog. They were a great pair, and would have been the best of friends if they could have played off-leash. At the rate he's going in training and hanging out at trials, he's going to be a real competitor once he's ready to trial!

Now both dogs a passed out; Sadie from exhaustion, and Maxwell from mild fatigue and boredom. A good day all around!

Defeat, Snatched from the Jaws of Victory!

This has been a tough trial.

It's Sadie's first time running AKC outdoors, and there's a million things going on. Two rings running, people and their dogs milling around, loudspeaker announcements, and new smells are just a few of the things she needs to work through.

I entered her in JWW, STD, and FAST on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Yesterday she completely blew me off in jumpers. We started together, ran a few jumps... kinda. Then we did some stuff... kinda. Then we finished together. FAST was pretty good, especially considering I didn't even know the rules until that morning. We ran strong, even getting the send bonus, but just couldn't stay connected enough to get the 50 points or finish in 30 seconds. Standard was awesome except for one little problem. She launched off the A-frame a few inches too early. So yesterday was one bad run, and two almost Q's.

Today was even more heartbreaking. In FAST we were together, we were focused, and we were accurate. I even managed to follow my plan! Too bad she refused the dog-walk on the bonus. We got a little lucky that the timer didn't work, so she couldn't time-fault. Standard was next. We hit our contacts (yay!) but had three refusals and went over time. Then jumpers. Ah, jumpers. The one run I was really counting on, and her chance for her first title. We went in strong. One refusal when she disconnected a little, and a moment of panic on my end when she got distracted by something outside the ring, but otherwise the course flowed like water. BUT SHE WOULDN'T WEAVE! Everything after the poles ran like she'd been born doing agility. Her finish was just... magnificent. So our card says "R, F, W." The F and W are, of course, the non-weaves. So friggin' close! If she'd weaved, it would have been a Q and her NJP title.

At least we won the NQ raffle today. Got a bottle of wine, a squeaky toy, a roll of poo bags, and a handy carabiner.

I know I should be thrilled with her performance today. Her jumpers run really was pretty spectacular outside of the weaves. But it's frustrating to know we were that close to the title and just couldn't do it.

Tomorrow I'm volunteering at the trial, but not running, so Sadie gets a day off. I'll bring the pups to hang out, and I organized a pot-luck lunch with my classmates. Then we have one last chance to get her NJP this weekend when we run again on Sunday. Pray it doesn't storm!

"My vet said..."

What do you say to somebody who starts every other sentence with "My vet said..." and ends it with something you wholeheartedly disagree with?

As BF and I were walking the pups this evening, we met a guy walking his 13-week-old Ridgeback. "Cute" doesn't even begin to describe the pup. The second thing I noticed was the collar. The shiny, puppy-sized choke chain. On a 13-week-old dog! He at least switched the leash to the flat collar so the dogs could socialize.

I got the guy chatting about the pup, and learned a bit about his training preferences. Basically, if the vet said so, that's what he does. Dog eating foreign objects off the ground? Leash correct him. Dog starting to guard food? You're not correcting hard enough. Holy frijoles, Batman! This guy is going old-school hard-ass on his poor puppy!

I asked if he was taking the dog to classes. He said no, that his vet said (there we go again..) that the walks and going to work with the owner were enough. Apparently his vet used to train police dogs in Canada. Hm... now things are starting to makes sense.

At least the guy was able to say "I know any trainer I talk to is going to tell me I'm doing everything wrong." Great. NOW CHANGE!

Oh, and exercise? Mr. Wonderful Vet said he should start jogging. With the 13-week-old puppy. Yeah... let's fast forward 5 or 6 years to our first hip surgery, shall we?

So let's see here... We've got a 13-week-old pup who already:

• Guards food
  
• Is being taken for sustained runs
  
• Is on a choke chain
  
• Gets physical corrections, not treats, for training

I was very careful not to say he was doing anything wrong. I did point out that his methods were old-school, that many trainers are moving to positive reinforcement, and that PCOTC has great trainers and awesome classes. Hopefully the next time I see him I'll have some trainers' cards on me.

What would you have said to this guy?

1 + 2 = 11.5

That is, one human plus two dogs equals eleven and a half miles.

I've started running again. I'm determined to get out no less than 3 times during the work-week, plus a short anti-Maxwell-zoomies run on Saturday mornings. I even have a wager with a guy at work. If I can do that for two months, he owes me a coffee. The tally so far? Four 2.5 mile runs before work, and 1.5 miles this morning.

It's been great for the dogs, too. Maxwell is much calmer after the runs, although he's ready for round 2 within minutes. It seems to carry through the day, so he's not completely bouncing off the walls when we get home from work. AND... he pulls much less when we run than when we walk. Sadie is lazy, pure and simple. She move juuuuuust fast enough to keep up with me, and is ready for a nap as soon as we come in the door.

I think I see an extra large double-shot mocha in my future...

Success is Having Fun

This past Sunday was my first NADAC competition, held at St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center. I entered all six events offered that day, despite not knowing the rules to half of them. This was intended to be practice for me and Sadie, and hopefully help her learn to relax more at trials. It was also the first trial for two of my classmates, and second for another (and the first was long ago).

I got to the trial site in plenty of time to set up, despite getting lost on my way there. I got both dogs settled into their giant soft crate and myself set up with a folding chair. Of course, when Mr. and Mrs. Trainer got there, the area I picked was too close to the road. So I moved next to their tent, and the others came and set up nearby as well. We ended up moving around throughout the day to keep in better shade anyway, even with the three tents!

Of the six runs, we only NQ'ed two. Of course, the other four were eliminations... Since we had never actually done hoops before, it was no surprise that she was clueless in the first run - hoopers! Our other "special" run was regular (akin to Standard in AKC). And by special, I mean we didn't run. Sadie fixated on the previous dog, and would not give me any attention. She ended up running to the fence to look over it for the dog, then running out the entrance. Loose, crazy Lab running through the trial site was not good.

After much soul-searching and consultations with my trainers, I decided to attempt our final run. The plan was to see if she could focus, and make an on-the-spot decision whether to run or thank the judge and walk out. Sadie decided to cooperate! She seemed ok, so I just tossed the leash and ran. No sit, no wait, just move. We by no means finished the course (that's what happens when the dog pees in the corner...) but she moved well and followed direction. It was a hell of a relief, and I was beyond glad we could end on a high note.

Here are two of our better runs. We almost Q'ed in tunnelers, but Sadie's little pause in the corner cost us course time. And pay special attention to the jumpers run at 0:27. I consider that the highlight of the trial.

 

Tunnelers: We'd have Q'ed if she hadn't forgotten why we were there for 6 seconds...

Jumpers: This way is definitely faster!

On an even better note, everyone else from the club ran really well. My trainers took home a handful of ribbons (surprise surprise), one first-timer Q'ed with his BC, and the second-timer got 4th place and a Q with her Lab. Though the Beardie didn't Q, he did a fantastic job not mugging his handler the whole time, and seemed quite happy on-course. Even if his handler was "too slow"... I think she'd need steroids to keep up!

I know Mr. Trainer is very worried that I'm upset by Sadie's results. While I am disappointed we didn't get any Q's, and was not pleased with the run-out, I think the day was a success overall. I had fun, Sadie got some good outside practice, Maxwell got to hang out at a trial, and my friends all ran well. It was even sunny. Note to self - pack sunscreen!

Punk'd

I've often called Maxwell "Punk" as a goofy nickname. Now I know just how appropriate it is.

I trained the pups tonight in exchange for their dinner. Given his, er, issues with the bedroom A/C, I decided to work in there for a while. Luckily he thought nothing of it when I gradually moved the training into the bedroom. We ended up working in the small open space (maybe 3x8?) between the bed and the wall with the A/C. Sits, downs, stands, ups (onto the bed), etc. Nothing he doesn't know cold already.

After a few minutes, I noticed him glance at the A/C. It was a slightly worried "Is that thing dangerous?" look. So I did what any good clicker trainer does. I clicked. And it worked! He glanced happily at me for his kibble. After that I clicked any glance towards the A/C.

Then he ignored a sit cue. Unusual for him when in "work mode." But you know what he did? He NOSE TARGETED THE A/C! Huge click/treat for that. And even better, he kept offering the target. I turned it into a game, where I'd look at the A/C, and he'd have to target it to get kibble. We got to the point where he had to take a few steps to reach it, and then come back for the food.

I love my little punk.