Wordless Wednesday: Squirrel!!

Ring Stewarding

This past weekend I volunteered to be a ring steward at the Des Moines Obedience Training Club's (DMOTC) local obedience and rally trial. I thought it would be a valuable learning experience and of course I was right :). I am relatively new to the competitive obedience world, well I mean I've been around it for YEARS but I've never actively participated in it or really even sat and watched it. And now I've decided that I should probably see what Monday and I can accomplish in the ring :), so I needed to see what we were up against.

I found my volunteering experience to be very informative. I specifically asked to steward the Novice table so I could watch Beginner Novice (which is where I think I will start with Monday) and also the Rally classes. On Saturday I helped with the paperwork for all the rounds and on Sunday I acted as a post and leash runner. Being a steward also meant I got to see how each round was scored and also to observe the patterns and necessary setup procedures.

I totally found it fascinating to watch the different dogs and handlers work together. There were some good teams and bad teams, a lot of people weren't reading their dogs' signals correctly which made me a bit sad for those puppers. But for the most part, most of the dogs were happy :). A few things I noticed that I will have to make sure I watch out for:

• Anticipating commands. Competitors sometimes forgot to wait for the judge's command and the dogs sometimes acted on the judge's command before the competitor cued the behavior.
• Leash handling. Competitors might not realize how much they use that leash to encourage or control but be aware that the judge does see it and it can be penalized.
• Know and understand the rules. Score sheets for each level are available here so you can look at how much each exercise is worth and what the deductions can entail. Also understanding what type or combination of commands are permitted can either save or fail some exercises.
• Match your energy to your dog. More and more people are using play in their training which is awesome but they forget to realize that sometimes ring stress means your dog would prefer a gentle butt scratch in stead of a muzzle push back or other high energy moves. I'll have to make sure to watch this Monday.

It was a long weekend but I enjoyed it and will be doing it again. I signed up to help in September and then we have the Cyclone Country Kennel Club show in February so I will be back at then as well.

Monday says she's ready to work!

If you have any pointers, we would love to hear them! Wish us well on our beginner novice journey :)!!

We Won Frosty Paws!

Love and a Six-Foot Leash had a giveaway back in January featuring Frosty Paws made by Purina/Nestle. Of course I entered, and hey we actually won! We received the Frosty Paw coupons and the cute little dog mascot back in February. I know, I know, that was SOO long ago! But I wanted to wait until warmer weather was upon us before I gave the dogs some ice cream treats, and I had a hard time finding them at first. I'm sure the dogs wouldn't have minded, but it just didn't seem appropriate in my head :).

This was our prize! Well and the coupons but I already redeemed those! :)

I decided to let Bourbon have the first taste since he is the oldest :). I don't think I would feed these inside unless you had easy to clean floors or maybe served it in a bowl. It does look like regular ice cream, but I have to admit I did not taste it. It comes in two flavors: original and peanut butter. I busted open the original box first.

Bourbon dug right in...

With Bourbon's obvious vote of approval, I decided to let Baron have the next taste. :) I took Baron outside and put him on the tie-out and brought out a dog bowl to put the ice cream in so this time I didn't have to hold it. I thought I would be smart and unwrap the ice cream completely before giving it to Baron. Well that might not have been my best idea...



He horked it down like there was no tomorrow. I don't think he even tasted it!!

Sadly Monday and Rookie will not get to taste test the Frosty Paws because they are on special diets and there is a lot of crap in those ice cream things :). Vito will be getting his share in a few days...after all he did just have a frosty!!!

If you aren't a stickler for ingredients, you should pick up these special treats for your pup! I think I'll be making my own version at home, that way Monday and Rookie can partake as well :)

Story County 4H Fair

This past weekend I spent most of my time at the Story County 4H Fair in Nevada. County fairs are pretty cool, if you have one in your area you should check it out! They aren't as glamorous as the state fair obviously, but they have plenty of fun events (like rabbit hopping) and the kids are always happy to show off their projects. I really think more communities should encourage their kids to participate in 4H, after all their mission is to engage youth in order to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development (which is quite a mouthful!).

The 4H pledge and emblem.

Saturday I spent the afternoon with the Clover kids (kids in kindergarten through third grade which are too young for the regular 4H program). Each year the Clover kids participate in an exhibition show :). It's so cute watching these little kids show their dogs in obedience and conformation. And watch out, a lot of these kids have skills! Sadly, I didn't take any pictures all weekend, bad Erin. I was way too caught up in responsibilities :).

Sunday I spent the whole day 'hosting' the Dog show for all the 4Her's. That was quite the experience. We had four rings going that covered both obedience (Pre-Novice, Sub-Novice, Novice, Graduate Novice, Open, and Challenge Novice) and showmanship with 61 entries. It was a long day, but what a great day! Now that this year is over, I'm already planning for next year :). There will be a few changes to come!

Source: University of New Hampshire extension

To Make The Best Better

The goal of 4H is to develop citizenship, leadership, responsibility, and life skills of youth through positive learning programs. And while 4H still retains a strong connection to agriculture, the organization has branched out over many new fields to encompass the urban youth. So even if you aren't into dogs (GASP) or other livestock, you can still many projects to get involved in. While I was in 4H, I also participated in photography, woodworking, computer science, and crafts. See something for everyone :). But while projects are the fun part of 4H, kids also focus on service and community involvement which I think is really important and something that is missing with a lot of our current youth.

Adults can also get involved in 4H, duh obviously because here I am :). Volunteer leaders play a major role in 4H programs and are the heart and soul of 4H. Ah, doesn't that sound pretty :). But seriously it is a ton of fun and we (volunteer leaders) get to help kids achieve self-confidence and self-responsibility. Can't beat that!

In what ways do you help with your community? Are you involved with a local 4H program?

Wordless Wednesday: A Walk In July...

...means stopping at the corner to sunbathe :)

Tuesday Training Tips: CGC Test Item 6

The sixth in my Canine Good Citizen (CGC) series going through each of the CGC exercises and offering tips for practicing in order to successfully pass a CGC Evaluation. Test Item 5 was covered previously.

Test Item 6: Sit and Down on Command/Stay in Place

This test will demonstrate that the dog has training, will respond to the handler's commands to sit and down, and will remain in the place commanded by the handler (sit or down position, whichever the handler prefers). The handler may take a reasonable amount of time and use more than one command to make the dog sit and then down. The evaluator must determine if the dog has responded to the handler's commands. The handler may not force the dog into either position but may touch the dog to offer gentle guidance. When instructed by the evaluator, the handler tells the dog to stay and walks forward 20 feet, turns and returns to the dog at a natural pace. The dog must remain in the place in which it was left (it may change position) until the evaluator instructs the handler to release the dog. The dog may be released from the front or the side.

So Your Goal: To master a sit, a down, and a stay in either position.

Training Tips:

Most people have already taught their dog how to sit. This is one cue that all owners seems to be able to get their dog to master. If you haven't taught it to your dog yet, the easiest way I have found to teach it, is to hold a piece of food in front of your dog's nose and lift the treat up over its nose and forehead, keeping it relatively close to the dog. The premise - head goes up, butt goes down. Look there's a sit! Remember to praise instantly and give your dog the treat :). Also remember, these cues can be taught several different ways and I am only going to cover one for each here.

Once your dog has started getting the hang of sit, you can introduce the down. Have your dog in a sit, put the food in front of the dog's nose and lower it slowly straight down to the ground (slightly in front of the front paws) and then move it slowly out away from the dog (at floor level) so the whole movement is in the shape of the letter "L". Down is a bit trickier for most dogs, so you might have to lure your dog for a longer period of time than you did the sit. Don't worry, just work on fading out the lure as soon as your dog understands what you are asking.

Consistency with your cues and hand signals is key to help facilitate your dog's learning. Once your dog is comfortable performing sits and downs in your house, take your show on the road! :) Practice these skills in places where people and other dogs are present. The more you practice in the face of distractions, the better your dog will get.

Now onto the hard one - staying! My dogs hate to stay so I already feel your pain :). I've found that my dogs stay better when they are in the down position, but it differs for each dog. So find whichever position your dog feels most comfortable staying in and use that one for the test, but please plan to teach stays in both positions to your dog :). Have your dog in the position you want them to stay in by your side. I use a hand signal when I teach stay (lowering my hand, palm toward the dog's face) and I recommend that for this stationary exercise. Then pivot so you are toe-to-toe with the dog, standing directly in front of them. Remain there for only a few seconds, then pivot back to the dog's side and release them. Remember praise and treat! :) Once your dog is reliable for the short stay with you right in front of them, you can start adding time and distance, but ONLY ADD ONE CRITERION AT A TIME. So if you increase the time, make sure you stay close to the dog. If you increase the distance away from the dog, make sure you keep the stay short. A note to remember, keep your dog on leash or a long line while practicing this so you have some measure of control (and they can't get away if they are in an unenclosed area!).

If your dog breaks the stay, put them back in the place you started with very minimal interaction. No scolding, no rough handling to put them back, just matter of factly return to them and put them back where they started and repeat your stay - just use lower criterion this time when you leave (either less time or less distance away). Stay can take a while to master so be patient and make sure you get a strong foundation built before moving on to the next step. Remember they have to pass kindergarten before they can go to first grade so apply that to your dog training. Master each small step before building on it.

Next week we'll discuss CGC Test Item 7, Coming When Called.

Don't forget to check out the other CGC test items we've covered:

Test Item 1, Accepting a Friendly Stranger

Test Item 2, Sit Politely For Petting

Test Item 3, Appearance and Grooming

Test Item 4, Out For a Walk (Walking On a Loose Leash)

Test Item 5, Walking Through a Crowd

Happy 6th Birthday Vito!!

Today Vito turned 6. I just really can't believe he is that old. It doesn't feel like he's been with me for 6 years but he has, oh dear how time flies!! At the beginning of June I shared Vito's story, remember all those cute as hell baby pictures?!? How did that sassy puppy turn into this distinguished gentleman? I have no idea, apparently it happened while I wasn't looking! Since I was busy all weekend with 4H, I was a bad momma and didn't make him a cake or even find time to buy him one :(. But I think he was okay with our compromise...

Where are we going? What are we doing?
It better be fun, it's my birthday and you owe me!!

He got to ride shotgun (he always rides in a crate in the back but I still have all the 4H equipment back there so shotgun it was!) and had a great time checking out the town from the window. And then we pulled into a drive thru and he got really excited :).

Vito is such a ham!

Best birthday 'cake' ever...vanilla frosty and fries :)

We got the food and headed to the nearest park, hoping to get there before the frosty melted too much! He scarfed it down...

Yum, my favorite!

He should be in a Wendy's campaign :)

Oh, no! It's getting low...

When the frosty got too low for Vito to lick out, then it was my job to take the fries and dip them in the remaining liquid and feed them to him. I took my job seriously of course :)...

Salty and sweet :)

LOL, look at his cheeks!

It got easier to just dip them and then throw
them on the table for him to eat, lol.

All in all, he thought it was quite the successful birthday! A little bit of vanilla frosty, some tasty fries, a short car ride sitting shotgun, some park time, and one-on-one attention with momma. I think that was all the good dog ordered :).

I think he looks pretty proud of himself! :)

Happy Birthday my little Vito man!!