I need to drink it. Need to get my buzz on!!!
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30Jan
Tags: simply funny
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28Jan
Dealing with the Dog who VibratesIn Agility, we talk a lot about getting our dogs’ drive up, about how to make them run faster and have more fun and win more titles. So we play with our dogs, and work them up, and get them ready to rumble! but sometimes I’ve seen dogs that aren’t revved- even if they’re bouncing off the walls- they’re stressed! The high pitched yodelling whine isn’t a happy sound from these dogs, it’s an ‘oh, what am I doing, what’m I DOING?’ cry, in response to which their owners egg them on, to encourage even more ‘drive’. Then they wonder why the dog goes off course, and seems unable to hear them! or, worse yet (and I actually saw this this weekend) the dog goes and sits by the ring gate, just begging to be let out, this isn’t fun, momma.
I’m not trying to say that we shouldn’t play with our dogs, or work on drive, or talk in fun high pitched voices! we should! *If* that is what our dog needs and likes and that revs them up. I have a dog that a ‘let’s go!’ means I have a wiggling mass of puppy all ready revved up and hyper and WHERE is what he is supposed to do? Let’s go! My other dog actually needs calming and much ear stroking before her run or else she won’t hear a word I say. Often, zoomies upset the handler, and the dog comes down from their stressed ‘high’ to a stressed owner, and that makes it even more stressful!
To help your dog deal with stress, it’s best to start early- before they get too stressy! In class, don’t rev him up to stress. You can tell they’re getting upset if they’re;
- yawning
- sneezing
- complete inattention
- won’t look at you, even if you say their name
- excess barking
- that crazed look
This dog is not hearing you. Settle the dog down by stroking their ears, and speaking to them in a calm voice. Don’t overdo though, or the dog will think you are rewarding their stress behaviors! I find that if ear stroking doesn’t work, a short walk and/or doing tricks for treats can help! You don’t need your dog to lie down and be silent- you need him to be focused on you and thinking. Asking your dog to shake and giving him or her a treat may be enough to ‘snap them to’. Other dogs may need some relaxing ear petting, a short walk, AND a trick or two.
Evaluate your stress- are you upset, anxious, annoyed or twitchy? My emotions trickle down the leash, I swear! My dog was literally vibrating and screeching at me yesterday as we waited hours and hours for our turn to come in training! (there was some scheduling issues and we actually went home without our second run. He was miserable, and so was I.) but that was my fault! he felt upset because I was angry, cold, hungry, and stressed! He didn’t know why, but he took my feelings and ran with them. I calmed down as soon as I got back in my car, and lo and behold, he stopped yodelling, shaking, and chewing his feet. He lay down and went to sleep, exhausted. I knew I needed to get a better handle on myself next time.
If your dog consistently stresses, talk to your trainer and see what you can do to help your dog not to react that way. It may be environmental factors, allergies, or a physical problem. But in most cases, training and cheerfulness will succeed in keeping your happy go running agility dog happy to go running!
Tags: agility training
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27Jan
I'll hold the list, 'kay?
Part 1: The List
First, congratulations, you’re there, you’ve trained hard and you made it, you are an agility competitor! So lets talk about how to actually survive your first agility trial experience.
It’s a good idea to pack your car the night before. Make a check list so you don’t forget anything. Here’s a list of stuff to consider taking with you, but you can add to this list or delete from it as you wish.
For your dog…
-Collar and leashes for your dogs – good idea to bring a spare.
-Crates
-Tent or canopy if you need it for shade/rain.
-Water and food for your dog.
-Your dog’s bowls.
-Towels – I use old towels/blanket in my crates and they are also good to have if it rains.
-Paper Towels/Garbage bag – I had a dog that got car sick. I don’t travel without these!
-Small tarp, use as ground cover to put your crate on.
-Portable fan for the crate.
-A favorite toy or ball or tuggie for your dog.
-Treats/rewards for your dog.
-Your dog’s registration papers – you will need this when you get measured the first time. –
-Record of Rabies vaccinations- many venues require them, so a copy of those is a good idea.
-Your Dog – don’t forget your dog!!For you….
-A change of clothing, even underwear, seriously.
-Extra shoes and socks. (Nothing is worse than falling in the mud or getting soaking wet and you forgot extra clothes to change into, you will be miserable all day!)
-First aid kit, aspirin, Tylenol, any meds you need, etc.
-Food, drinks for you.
-A chair for you to sit by your dogs crate or ringside.
-A camera to record the event.
-Directions to the trial site – I forget these once, and got very lost!
-Some money. Trial vendors have great stuff!(Part two)
~ Thanks to Linda Freed at http://agilityteamair.wordpress.com/ for the above entry~
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26Jan
Planning ahead is the key to a stress-free trial, and a stress-free trial means a better run! Many people who are new at agility trials (or even hard core competers) can find the start gate area stressful, and depending on how organized the club is, sometimes confusing. Here’s a list to get you started on keeping this part of competing stress-free.- Plan with the Catalog. One of the things you can utilize is the catalog you get when you sign in. Bring a highlighter and mark your name in the running order. Tear out the sheet and keep it in your pocket. You should then be able to stay away from the congested area near the gate steward (where the sign is showing the running orders) and simply keep an eye on the dogs in the ring (comparing to the list in your pocket) to quickly get an idea of when you’ll be called to run.
- Early Check in. Check your dog in before his or her division starts! Don’t last second sign-in, it’s not fair to the steward or other competitors.
- Dog Protection. If you are in the congested area, it may be a good idea to tuck your dog between your legs, (Train this at home, though some dogs take to it naturally) or leave your dog in his crate so he doesn’t get stepped on and frustrated.
- Stay clear of the stampede. Come early to the trial, get signed in and figure out where you are in the running (see tip one!) and then get away from the stampeding area. Go for a quick walk with your dog if you’re late in the running, or have trick time ringside if you’re early in the running.
- Buddy System. If you have a cohort (and personally I love to trial WITH someone- we can talk about the course and Q’s and NQ’s and… I like to have an agility buddy!) pick which one of you goes and gets things in the trample zone, while the other stays with the dogs!
- Warm up Jump. Don’t hog the warm up jump. It’s discourteous and adds to the chaos. 5 or 6 times, a few minutes at best, should be sufficient.
- Socialize elsewhere. No socializing in the high traffic areas! You’ll make things harder on everyone else, and isn’t it a pain in the butt to have to walk around a large knot of people in front of the Stewards’ table? I know I get annoyed with it.
Share your tips with us! We’d love to know how you avoid bruised toes at trials!
Tags: agility competing
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25Jan
You want your dog to have drive, and you want him to be excited about agility. But do you want your dog to run wild, screaming “FREE AT LAST!” the instant his leash is off? No, you don’t, and not just on the course- think if he was getting out of your car in the pet store parking lot! You can prevent this bad behavior easily. Teach your dog to ‘wait’, every time you remove his leash. Sit your dog, say ‘wait’ as you remove the leash. If you need to replace the collar you can, and if you want to release him, you can. Wait gives you time to Sit your dog, and make certain you have his attention before you take his lead off and hand it to the ring steward. Practice this a lot in class, and only when he’s waiting for your command to ‘go!’ does he get a treat and to run the course. For more information on start lines staying, go here!
Tags: dog safety & health, dog training
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