We know winter is over when the baby pools come out at Margots. In an attempt to convince spring to stay, I got one of them out for the dogs to play in.
Rugby LOVES the water probably because he knows he can get dirty much more quickly when he is wet. Last year Ellie would only get in if we begged her to but today she was going in and out and running around like crazy in between. Pete was the happiest that the pool came out for sure.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Cleaned Up
Rugby and I signed up for a 12 week "run-through class" at a local club to give us one more place to do get our obedience practice in. Basically we just show up and call patterns for each other. There is an instructor but no instruction is given.
He was looking kind of rough Monday night since he was outside helping us re-do our front planter for the spring time and was a brown dog from the knees down. We couldn't show up to the first day of the class looking like that.
I think Rugby looks like a rat when he is wet so I have refrained from photographing him in the bath for this long, but I couldn't resist any more!
Now that I sit here thinking about it, I think it was more a reflection of ME than anything else. I handled him differently today than I usually do. I can't really say WHAT I did that was different but obviously he didn't like it. Next week I am going to pay close attention to what I do and treat the class more like a show. The only other difference I could think of is that we ran a B pattern instead of an A pattern... but we run B patterns in Thursday night class all the time, so why would that matter?
He was looking kind of rough Monday night since he was outside helping us re-do our front planter for the spring time and was a brown dog from the knees down. We couldn't show up to the first day of the class looking like that.
I think Rugby looks like a rat when he is wet so I have refrained from photographing him in the bath for this long, but I couldn't resist any more!
...Look at that EVIL eye he is giving me!
So Rugby can have some dignity still - here he is all dry and clean.
Good thing we are going to this class because it is going to make us focus on not forgetting our open stuff. We have been working so much on utility, and less on open - it showed today. His heeling was wide, and lagged in some places. His fronts and finishes were just...weird today too. It definetely wouldn't have gotten us the scores we got the other week. At least he "qualified" in all the exercises.
I was so dissapointed we went back in the warm up ring once we finished and it took me a bit of time to get him back to working normally. I know we can do much much better than we did today. Mediocrity is not okay.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Just Keep Driving
Being prepared for the worst is a dog owners responsibility. It is my responsibility to everything in my power to make Rugby successful at surviving in society. That includes training him NOT to act like a little dog (which will quickly lead to his being eaten). That includes training him to be attentive enough to me to be able to call him off dangerous situations, or send him away from me for the same reasons.
On my way to work Saturday I saw the potential death of two very good looking dogs. The first was a jack russel, all white, with a harness on. The second was a boxer, also white, with a flat buckle collar on. (while I don't mind flat buckle collars, I do mind untrained dogs in flat buckle collars)
The boxer and the JRT were walking towards each other on the sidewalk, and the boxer's owner was having an increasingly hard time maintaining control over her dog. Being that the dog was not well trained enough to ignore the distraction that today took the form of a JRT, and that he was wearing a flat buckle collar - the owner had set this dog up for failure.
The JRT owner was ahead of the game only in that he recognized that the boxer posed a serious threat to his dog and had moved 4 ft over into the grass, and shortened the leash up to allow the boxer to pass. Even though he had moved over, the dog was on a harness - which as typical of dogs on harnesses - meant that the JRT was not under any sort of control either. He was at the end of the leash barking at the approaching boxer. In this way the JRT owner had also NOT set his dog up for success.
If he planned to leave the dog on the ground, the only chance the JRT had was if he quietly waited in a down-stay immedietely next to, or preferable behind the owner. By putting the dog in a harness, he took away his only available means to correct the dog for this unwanted and extremely dangerous lunging behavior.
I slowed my car almost to a stop, ready to yell at the man to pick his dog up, waiting for the events to play out. I could imagine only two scenarios if things continued the way they were going....
1) Boxer owner would lose control, and boxer would charge JRT and attack... dragging his owner along for the ride.
2) Boxer owner would mainting control untill they passed the JRT at which point the boxer would very likely back out of his collar and charge and attack the JRT... leaving his owner chasing and yelling after him.
Unfortunetely, scenario 1 was playing out before my eyes and I held my breath for the catastrophe that awaited. At the last second the man hoisted his dog above his head as the boxer drug his owner over and began to circle the man trying to get the JRT. At this point I drove away since the JRT now had his owners height at his advantage.
The whole episode made me beyond angry. Did those owners realize how close both of those dogs had gotten to death in that instant? The boxer certaintly couldn't hide from animal control for too long since they would surely put him down should he have even mouthed the JRT's owner in his attempt to eat him. Did those owners NOT realize how much of the blame was to be put on THEM for using inadequate equipment, not handling the dogs properly and not training them? How are dog owners not capable of reading their own dog's body language and intentions? Since when does dog ownership not include training? Since when does dog ownership not include MANNERS at the very least?
Should either of the owners not learn from the entire episode, it reinforced the fact for me that the odds are against us, and training and ever mindful management is essential to ensure he lives a long and healthy life.
On a much happier note - it is official now! Rugby got his CDX certificate in the mail yesterday!
On my way to work Saturday I saw the potential death of two very good looking dogs. The first was a jack russel, all white, with a harness on. The second was a boxer, also white, with a flat buckle collar on. (while I don't mind flat buckle collars, I do mind untrained dogs in flat buckle collars)
The boxer and the JRT were walking towards each other on the sidewalk, and the boxer's owner was having an increasingly hard time maintaining control over her dog. Being that the dog was not well trained enough to ignore the distraction that today took the form of a JRT, and that he was wearing a flat buckle collar - the owner had set this dog up for failure.
The JRT owner was ahead of the game only in that he recognized that the boxer posed a serious threat to his dog and had moved 4 ft over into the grass, and shortened the leash up to allow the boxer to pass. Even though he had moved over, the dog was on a harness - which as typical of dogs on harnesses - meant that the JRT was not under any sort of control either. He was at the end of the leash barking at the approaching boxer. In this way the JRT owner had also NOT set his dog up for success.
If he planned to leave the dog on the ground, the only chance the JRT had was if he quietly waited in a down-stay immedietely next to, or preferable behind the owner. By putting the dog in a harness, he took away his only available means to correct the dog for this unwanted and extremely dangerous lunging behavior.
I slowed my car almost to a stop, ready to yell at the man to pick his dog up, waiting for the events to play out. I could imagine only two scenarios if things continued the way they were going....
1) Boxer owner would lose control, and boxer would charge JRT and attack... dragging his owner along for the ride.
2) Boxer owner would mainting control untill they passed the JRT at which point the boxer would very likely back out of his collar and charge and attack the JRT... leaving his owner chasing and yelling after him.
Unfortunetely, scenario 1 was playing out before my eyes and I held my breath for the catastrophe that awaited. At the last second the man hoisted his dog above his head as the boxer drug his owner over and began to circle the man trying to get the JRT. At this point I drove away since the JRT now had his owners height at his advantage.
The whole episode made me beyond angry. Did those owners realize how close both of those dogs had gotten to death in that instant? The boxer certaintly couldn't hide from animal control for too long since they would surely put him down should he have even mouthed the JRT's owner in his attempt to eat him. Did those owners NOT realize how much of the blame was to be put on THEM for using inadequate equipment, not handling the dogs properly and not training them? How are dog owners not capable of reading their own dog's body language and intentions? Since when does dog ownership not include training? Since when does dog ownership not include MANNERS at the very least?
Should either of the owners not learn from the entire episode, it reinforced the fact for me that the odds are against us, and training and ever mindful management is essential to ensure he lives a long and healthy life.
On a much happier note - it is official now! Rugby got his CDX certificate in the mail yesterday!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Promotion
We worked on our scent articles today, and we have officially started working with THREE articles! He was amazing. For the first time he sniffed an article, passed it up and brought back the correct one! What a wonderful glimmer of hope that he can do this utility thing after all!! One small step in the right direction!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
We Got Skipped
Spring is skipping us here in Maryland, apparently. It has been in the 90s all week! While I am glad that this means no more snow for quite a while, it also means I have to take more breaks when working outside.
Rugby started protesting the first day about the heat by not sitting, or sitting then popping right back up. I took this to mean the pavement was burning his reproductive organs! He is a baby though because when I realized what he was doing I took my shoes off to see if it really was hot and... it wasn't. So I made him sit a couple times before we called it a day.
Since then we have redesigned our daily work schedule to accomodate the heat. Instead of one 45 min session a day, we are splitting it up into three 15 min sessions a day. Since it is hot and we are working on harder Utility exercises the three sessions will make sure I don't fry his brain or his rear end!
His scent articles are very interesting. I THINK he is actually getting it. We took a break to focus on Open, then he was on drugs for his itching so it has been a while before we worked on them. We started last week again with a quick review of the beginning material to see how much he remembered. He has a good memory and we working mostly at where we were before now.
Yesterday we were outside and I made the first one easy. Yes! He got it. Moved on to the second one - not so fast! Yuck! He went for the wrong one. Third one he got right again. Fourth one...he actually got the wrong article in his mouth before I could stop him. I told him to spit it out and he did. I repeated the command and he looked at me like, "Are you kidding, I just had it in my mouth" So I told him one more time and he looked down to see the right article and brought it back. A light bulb clicked just then! I changed both articles so they were fresh and we tried again. This time he got THREE in a row right without any help from me. I was shocked honestly and stopped then.
Later that afternoon we took them out again. This time he wasn't getting them right as aften but his way of working them had chaged. He wasn't rushing out there to grab it like he does his dumbbell and I was able to stop him from getting the wrong one with just my voice. He was slower and more deliberate. He did get some of them right too, so I am taking this as progress. I interpreted his different working style as him actually thinking about what was going on this time.
I forgot to work them this morning and by the time I remembered we didn't have anyone to scent the 'other' article for us so it will have to wait till this afternoon.
--------------
THE STAND!!!!
If you go back to the beginning of this blog when Rugby was still a puppy you will find post after post after post on me trying to get Rugby to stand on his own - and failing at it. He held a very nice stand stay, and as soon as my hand was on his side he would pop up without me having to lift him BUT that was as far as we could ever get. I ALWAYS had to reach down and at least start to place him in a stand before he would do it by himself.
The other day I was thinking about how Rugby has gone over a year now and STILL wont stand up on his own and it made me angry! I can teach him to all sorts of random things but I can't teach him to stand?!
So I started playing around with ways to get him to do it on his own. I could not very well lure him into a stand with the touch command because I very specifically want him to stand by keeping his front legs in place and walking 'out' with his back legs from the sit. That would be counter-productive to this task.
A side note-
We have been working on backing up in heel position since that is a Rally exericise and although it would be fairly easy for rugby to back up in heel position it is not so easy to get him to do it without sitting once he got there. So without thinking about it effect on the stand I started last week rocking my weight back on my left foot, giving the back command and as soon as he moved backwards just one step releasing him and running forward ( to prevent the sit). Today we were backing up two steps and running forward.
Then it hit me - if he backs up from a sit, I will be getting the correct stand motion from him, and with the "back" work we have been doing he should be able to resist the temptation to sit. To help him out I looped the leash under his belly so if he went to sit I could catch him without having to bend over. Then I remembered when we first started articles transistioning from fetch to find through a combination of the two words.
This time as I began to back up with my left foot I said "backstand" and had to hold his back end up with the leash (since he was convinced he needed to sit). I told him he was really smart and we did it again. And again. And again. Then I focused on fading out the "back" and the leash. By the end of our session I could say "stand" and move my left foot back just a smidget and he would stand up - ALL BY HIMSELF.
Phew how long did it take us to get to this point? I imagine just a couple more days of this and I won't have to move my foot anymore either.
Sorry that was so long and boring, but how could I keep that to myself?!
RUGBY STOOD!!!!!
Rugby started protesting the first day about the heat by not sitting, or sitting then popping right back up. I took this to mean the pavement was burning his reproductive organs! He is a baby though because when I realized what he was doing I took my shoes off to see if it really was hot and... it wasn't. So I made him sit a couple times before we called it a day.
Since then we have redesigned our daily work schedule to accomodate the heat. Instead of one 45 min session a day, we are splitting it up into three 15 min sessions a day. Since it is hot and we are working on harder Utility exercises the three sessions will make sure I don't fry his brain or his rear end!
His scent articles are very interesting. I THINK he is actually getting it. We took a break to focus on Open, then he was on drugs for his itching so it has been a while before we worked on them. We started last week again with a quick review of the beginning material to see how much he remembered. He has a good memory and we working mostly at where we were before now.
Yesterday we were outside and I made the first one easy. Yes! He got it. Moved on to the second one - not so fast! Yuck! He went for the wrong one. Third one he got right again. Fourth one...he actually got the wrong article in his mouth before I could stop him. I told him to spit it out and he did. I repeated the command and he looked at me like, "Are you kidding, I just had it in my mouth" So I told him one more time and he looked down to see the right article and brought it back. A light bulb clicked just then! I changed both articles so they were fresh and we tried again. This time he got THREE in a row right without any help from me. I was shocked honestly and stopped then.
Later that afternoon we took them out again. This time he wasn't getting them right as aften but his way of working them had chaged. He wasn't rushing out there to grab it like he does his dumbbell and I was able to stop him from getting the wrong one with just my voice. He was slower and more deliberate. He did get some of them right too, so I am taking this as progress. I interpreted his different working style as him actually thinking about what was going on this time.
I forgot to work them this morning and by the time I remembered we didn't have anyone to scent the 'other' article for us so it will have to wait till this afternoon.
--------------
THE STAND!!!!
If you go back to the beginning of this blog when Rugby was still a puppy you will find post after post after post on me trying to get Rugby to stand on his own - and failing at it. He held a very nice stand stay, and as soon as my hand was on his side he would pop up without me having to lift him BUT that was as far as we could ever get. I ALWAYS had to reach down and at least start to place him in a stand before he would do it by himself.
The other day I was thinking about how Rugby has gone over a year now and STILL wont stand up on his own and it made me angry! I can teach him to all sorts of random things but I can't teach him to stand?!
So I started playing around with ways to get him to do it on his own. I could not very well lure him into a stand with the touch command because I very specifically want him to stand by keeping his front legs in place and walking 'out' with his back legs from the sit. That would be counter-productive to this task.
A side note-
We have been working on backing up in heel position since that is a Rally exericise and although it would be fairly easy for rugby to back up in heel position it is not so easy to get him to do it without sitting once he got there. So without thinking about it effect on the stand I started last week rocking my weight back on my left foot, giving the back command and as soon as he moved backwards just one step releasing him and running forward ( to prevent the sit). Today we were backing up two steps and running forward.
Then it hit me - if he backs up from a sit, I will be getting the correct stand motion from him, and with the "back" work we have been doing he should be able to resist the temptation to sit. To help him out I looped the leash under his belly so if he went to sit I could catch him without having to bend over. Then I remembered when we first started articles transistioning from fetch to find through a combination of the two words.
This time as I began to back up with my left foot I said "backstand" and had to hold his back end up with the leash (since he was convinced he needed to sit). I told him he was really smart and we did it again. And again. And again. Then I focused on fading out the "back" and the leash. By the end of our session I could say "stand" and move my left foot back just a smidget and he would stand up - ALL BY HIMSELF.
Phew how long did it take us to get to this point? I imagine just a couple more days of this and I won't have to move my foot anymore either.
Sorry that was so long and boring, but how could I keep that to myself?!
RUGBY STOOD!!!!!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Utility and Sunshine
I am not sure I can accurately describe Rugby's new attitude lately. It seems after our trials the other weekend, he has been unusually happy and attentive. He was happy before, but this is a different kind of happy. I can think of only one reason for this - he must know he is amazing!
We have been working on our Utility exercises much more seriously since then. I forgot how much more energy it takes to LEARN new things. Now that we are introducing new exercises Rugby demands a nice long afternoon nap to recharge after working.
And just because he is cute....
Lots of studying going on the past couple days, but we will get caught back up soon!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Global Animal Blogging Event 2010
So what is this GABE thing anyways?
GABE was started by Twinkie to bring animal bloggers together. Head over to Twinkie's blog for rules and details on the event. You can join in all the way up to the 10th. After that (both active or passive participants) just browse through the blog links listed on Twinkie's GABE page to meet new blogging friends and leave comments for a chance to win giveways while you are there. GABE ends on the 18th, so comment away untill then.
We thought long and hard and finally came up with a giveway! We will pick the winner when the event closes on April 18th.
Drumroll please.....
We will be giving away a copy of Mud Heaven by Margot Woods.
For a better description of the book than I am capable of giving, visit the link above.
We thought long and hard and finally came up with a giveway! We will pick the winner when the event closes on April 18th.
Drumroll please.....
We will be giving away a copy of Mud Heaven by Margot Woods.
Definetely a good read - Mud Heaven is a compilation of short stories about living with and training dogs from a dog trainers persepective.
For a better description of the book than I am capable of giving, visit the link above. If you didn't know, Margot Woods is our dog trainer extrodinaire (her blog)!!! One of the main dogs of the book is Wrap, Rugby's first doberman girlfriend who taught him a wealth of information about surviving in a big-dog's world. I think some of her roles in the book have a lot to do with why Mister Rugby is so dobe-obsessed these days!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)