• 14Jul

  Blowing Bubbles

  Dog Agility Training, Interesting and Funny 5 Comments

  I can’t have a puppy pool in my yard according to the rules. That’s disappointing, and downright heartbreaking when my hose-phobic dogs are both lying flat on their sides in the 97-degree shade, puffing like little locomotives. It’s too hot to run. It’s too hot to play. It’s too hot to even want to eat!

  I solved that problem with my good friend, under-the-bed storage Tupperware! I filled it with water and then the dogs started to play! It’s not nearly big enough for them to wade in, but they stand in it up to their ankles and the look of relief is adorable.

  Quick is not satisfied with standing in the water. He has to dig in it, and blow bubbles. He loves to blow bubbles! He blows them, runs around the yard at full speed, and then comes back to blow more!

  Heres’ a video link to training your dog to blow bubbles. I’m lucky- Quick does it naturally! I could put a cue to it, but I’m not sure I want to.  Can your dog blow bubbles?  What does your dog like to do in water?

  Are you new to the Agility Fusion Blog?
  If so, welcome!  Here you will enjoy daily tips and interesting news on the subject of agility, dog ownership, and life!  Not only that, but every month we have a contest to win a gift certificate or an obstacle!  Become a member today!  Simply enter your email address here.  You will then be able  to participate in the contests, and will get priority notification of contests and other AgilityFusion news. How fun is that!  Click here for more info. and to sign up.

  

  Tags: dog training, simply funny, videos

• 09Jun

  Addictive? No!

  Interesting and Funny 14 Comments

  What do you mean, it’s addictive?

  That’s what I say as I clutch my cup of extra strong tea and eat my piece of chocolate in the mornings.  Addictive? No. Addicted? Not me!

  Same goes for agility.  You know you’re (not) addicted to agility when:

  • Money is really not much of an object.  You can save to buy what you need (because you do need twelve weave poles…if not two sets of twelve!) and while you’re saving, you have a picture of it on your desktop, to remind yourself.  You have no money for anything else.

  • When you see a row of parking poles, or sticks, or trees, or bushes… or a mental image… you feel the need to weave through it and otherwise practice your handling skills- with or without your dog.

  • When your car has obstacles, leashes, treat bags and kennels in it and you’re okay with it.

  • When you decide another dog isn’t a bad idea- twice the fun, right? And this time you can start with a puppy…

  • Your firewood makes great jump wings or balancing obstacles.

  • So do your potted plants!!!

  • You know unequivocally how high your dog should be jumping in every organization you frequent.

  • You can find your records easier now- never know when you need them for trial entry or class entry!

  • You devote more time to picking treats for your dogs than you do picking snacks for yourself.

  • You probably devote more time to picking out dog food than your own menu planning.

  • Your eyes light up when you meet someone at a festival who praises your dog and complains about their ‘high energy dog, just don’t know what to do…’ a potential convert!!!

  • You suddenly find your dog is the best company you’ve ever had, and you want to spend more and more time with them.

  • You have fifty billion clickers.  You might not use them- but you DO have them.

  I have all the symptoms above- and more.  But I’m not addicted.

  I can handle it.

  Are you new to the Agility Fusion Blog?
  If so, welcome!  Here you will enjoy daily tips and interesting news on the subject of agility, dog ownership, and life!  Not only that, but every month we have a contest to win a gift certificate or an obstacle!  Become a member today!  Simply enter your email address here.  You will then be able  to participate in the contests, and will get priority notification of contests and other AgilityFusion news. How fun is that!  Click here for more info. and to sign up.

  

  Tags: agility beginners, agility competing, agility training, simply funny

• 23Apr

  Fetch-Obsessing

  Dog Training (General) No Comments
  

  Throooow it!

  When I was away on a trip last year I stayed with a woman who rented a room to me.  She owned a black-and-white Boston Terrier named “Oreo”.  Although cute as a button, Oreo had a compulsive disorder that drove me crazy.  He was obsessed with fetching.  It was so bad that I couldn’t reach out to touch him at all.  He would immediately go looking for a ball (or anything really) to drop in my lap or at my feet.  Then he’d jump down, back up, and stare at me with these huge bulging eyes for what seemed like minutes.  The owner loved it when I humored Oreo, but when she left me alone with him I just wanted to… well, sorry.  I know it wasn’t the dog’s fault.  But I think you understand what I mean.

  The owner said she really would like to break him of the habit.  I suggested she only play ball outside, never inside.  He’ll then have to develop a new habit indoors.  Like cuddling maybe?  Or letting you pet him?  Now there’s a wonderful use for a dog!  So she decided to try it.  It took awhile, but he began to settle down.  He continued to hunt for a ball or toy in the house (but she had them all outside), and eventually he gave up.   I knew there was hope for him when one morning before I left he jumped on my bed and surprised me with a big wet kiss on the mouth!  Nice!  But it was good to leave on that note.

  

  Tags: dog training, simply funny

• 08Apr

  Confidence!

  Interesting and Funny 2 Comments

  Now that’s a start line stay!

  

  Tags: simply funny

• 29Mar

  You make me feel so young

  Inspirational No Comments

  When spring comes, I always feel alive and ready for anything. I walk my dogs, I run around like a mad thing, and sometimes I just sit on my porch (which still has snow on it well into April, usually) with my dogs and hug them, looking out at the green starting to show through here and there.

  This video captures the early-spring feeling for me so well that I watch it over and over again! I feel young and like I can do anything, and that there is plenty of time to do it in. I hope you enjoy this film from Drs. Foster & Smith as much as I did!

  

  Tags: Inspirational, simply funny, videos

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