Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

Fun, Fun, Fun….Day Three Hundred, Twenty Six

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If anyone had popped their head into the Mellow Mutt during Thursday night’s drop-in obedience class they would have seen dogs wandering and running freely, two and three people working with one dog and moms in tunnels.

It was the best class and the most fun I have ever had at obedience class.

We started out with our typical ‘Downs,’ and ‘Stays.’  After the potty break Sara decided to take out some agility equipment.  The tire,  tunnel and a short tube were brought out.

Some of the pups were old pros at the equipment and were running through the tunnel and having a blast.

There were a couple of dogs who were a bit shy of the equipment  or had never seen it before; those were the dogs who made the night fun.

This is Paxton

I’m not sure if Paxton is pure lab or not, but I’m fairly certain he has some lab in him.  He is a very sweet boy who was initially very shy around other dogs, but has grown tremendously since his mom started working with him.

Paxton had never seen agility equipment before and so was understandably a bit hesitant.  At first they were trying to force Paxton thru the equipment and I kept my distance.  Instead I focused on Delilah and running her through the tunnel to get rid of some of that lab energy. 🙂

No way am I going in THERE!

Then I noticed Sara and mom were trying to lure him with treats, that’s when I dropped Delilah’s leash and jumped right in. 🙂

We tried coaxing Paxton into the tunnel by throwing some treats just inside it.  Paxton’s mom was inside the tunnel at the far end with treats in hand trying to encourage him through.  He wasn’t having any of that.

I decided I would go through the tunnel and with treats in hand, work my way backwards bringing Paxton with me.  When I was about two-thirds of the way through I heard Hubby shout, “Keep going Honey, there’s a dog behind you.”

What I learned is I cannot crawl faster through an agility tunnel than a dog.  I burst out of the end of the tunnel and said, “Which of you a*holes sent their dog through the f*cking tunnel while I was in there?”

Laughter all around and apologies from Brockway’s mom as the Malamute came out behind me. 🙂

 

Finally we decided to straighten the tunnel and shorten it and by using treats to lure Paxton in, we got him through the tunnel!   Yeah, it was so rewarding and everyone was excited that he had done it!

Okay, it's not so scary when I'm focused on the treats.

Next up was Miss Maggie, a shy Golden Retriever; and she wanted nothing to do with the tunnel.  Class was probably over by this time but we were so excited with Paxton’s success; we had to try Maggie.

Miss Maggie at our outdoor obedience class.

We shortened the tunnel up until it was just a bit longer than Maggie herself; I sat at the entrance to the tunnel with Maggie and her mom and I fed her some liver treats.  Then we put some just barely inside the tunnel, then a little bit further and a little bit further.

After a minute or two of this, I moved to the other end of the tunnel and reached through with my hand full of treats and offered them up to Maggie. Tentatively she put her head in the tunnel and I moved my hand back and ever so slowly, following my hand Maggie went through the tunnel!!

When she reached the end and her head was clear I gave her the treats. We gave her lots and lots of praise and love; while she stood with her butt still inside the tunnel.

After class I heard many comments about what a fun class it had been.

I would have to agree.

This is the Saturday morning blog hop hosted by Two Little Cavaliers, go on hop along.

You can get your code here.

 

Day Three Hundred, Twelve

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A while back I wrote a post about an elderbull with medical needs. At the time Love and a Six Foot Leash, the fostering family were holding a raffle to raise money for Lady Zabora’s medical expenses.  Their goal at the time was to raise enough money to provide for Zabora’s medical expenses so the family who brought “Zee” to her forever home wouldn’t have that worry. 

The donations made from that raffle went above and beyond the fundraising expectations; in fact so much so that Zabora’s medical needs will be met and there is money left-over.  Think for a minute just how amazing this is.  But it gets better!  And this is the part that really blows me away.

Yesterday I received an e-mail from Love And A Six Foot Leash, that opened like this “We have sent Little Zee off to her forever-home with a hefty “dowry” for her vet, and even got to pay for a training class at her neighborhood training facility. But even after all of that, plus all of her medical bills, we have a substantial amount of money left over– this is why I am writing you today. What should we do with the excess money?”

The e-mail then went on to give four ideas for use of the excess money which were all phenomenal ideas and then asked for input!!  I’m amazed and humbled by the honesty and sincerity exhibited by Love And a Six Foot Leash, they could very well have made the decision themselves as the best way to use the money, instead they reached out on a personal level to find out what other people thought.  (I’m thinking I might have to suggest they run for congress.) 🙂

I shot her back a quick e-mail and let her know I supported option #1; which was to sponsor a 10 for $10 day at their local over-whelmed shelter.  In this event they will ‘spot-light’ 10 of the dogs who have been at the shelter the longest and the $150 adoption fee will be reduced to $10.  Hopefully this will make room for 10 more dogs to get an opportunity that otherwise wouldn’t be available to them.

If you are thinking that finances are tight, the economy stinks and you don’t have any money to give, keep in mind my humble donation was $20.  But when combined with $20 (or $10 or $5) from someone else, well we DID make a difference! 

A while back I received a phone call from the Humane Society asking for a donation to help stop puppy mills.  At the time finances were REALLY tight and I said to the woman, “Listen if I had $10 a month to spare, it would certainly be to STOP PUPPY MILLS, but I don’t.”  At the time I couldn’t even make a commitment of $10 per month. 

I can however make a commitment to do what I can, wherever that may be; and I am trusting in a higher power to guide me to it.

This is the Saturday morning  BlogHop, hosted by Two Little Cavaliers, you can get your link here.

 

A Good Dog Trainer…Day Two Hundred, Ninety Eight

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I was blessed to find Sara when I was looking for a training classes for Sampson.  Sara is one of those dog trainers who understand people.  She trains dogs in traditional training methods, and she recommends what she thinks will work for your pet but won’t MAKE you do it her way.  She is wise enough to understand that not all methods work for all dogs.

Even though Sara does not use treats in her training classes, she does not discourage me from doing so.  Most of the dogs know I have treats because after class I am very free with whatever I have left.  On Thursday night; we did some heeling work, but we also practiced a lot of the down and sit stays.  I was amazed with Delilah because while she will do a down at home, she really fights me in a training class, but she was so good that night!!  She went into her downs very easily (of course I had treat in hand to reward her.)  Her stays had me a little confused; at times she got right up and followed me, or came to me without being called, but then there were the times when a lot of dogs were getting up and she just stayed there!  I really cannot figure her out.

There was one funny incident when one of the women called her dog and he got up and came to lean against me.  That would be my Brockway;  the outrageously HUGE Alaskan Malamute.

The whole point of this post is to remind you how important it is to feel comfortable with your trainer, if your trainer is forcing you to do something you don’t feel is right for your dog, then you should find another trainer.

This is the Saturday morning blog hop hosted by Two Little Cavaliers…..hop on.

You can link up here.

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