dogsontherun.net

• AKC’s new FAST game, a game of strategy where distance skills are very useful
• USDAA’s Snooker, a game of strategy where control is very useful (not that it’s not useful in FAST too).
• By popular demand, we’ll throw in a tunnelers game, for the blast it gives the dogs.

More information is available at http://www.mountainviewdogs.com.

Words to the wise: Stay home (or just don’t enter) if you are invited to go to an agility trial in an unheated Virginia horse barn during the second week of December. It will take me a while to recover from this one.

The good parts were the dogs’ runs which were exceptionally wonderful, until the afternoon of day #2 when the handler’s brain became mush and she couldn’t form a complete “go tunnel” cue and “table” came out instead — or when she realized she meant to cross behind the weave poles at about the time she reached pole #5 and put on the brakes, causing poor dog to pop out (only two of many issues; it was u-g-l-y). Yet these canines forgive me for all the physical abuse they endured this weekend, crated in a barn with temperatures outside at 20 F and inside probably less. Read more »

As inferred earlier Tuck did not come without issues, and it only took me about a day and a half to find out what the biggest one was. That’s when he started resource guarding, and the biggest resource he was guarding was me. He decided that Libby was not to be allowed near me especially in the study. Needless to say that did not sit well with Libby nor I. I was angry and Libby was upset. It really bothered me to see Libby distressed even though I am a big proponent of letting dogs work out their own order in life. She wouldn’t come in the study with me even when Tuck was crated. At that point I was not sure that Tuck was the dog for me. I had gotten him as a companion for both Liblet and I, and neither one of us was sure that he was a good choice. In fact, I really thought about giving him back to the rescue.

I was raised with the belief that if you bring an animal into your home you should be prepared to care for it for 20 years. The idea of returning an adoptee was foreign to me, yet I really did think about it. I only have room in my life for two dogs. If Tuck wasn’t the right “other” dog there would not be a third. Also I knew he would be well cared for if he was returned. It’s not as if he would be slated for the gas chamber. Read more »

In an email discussion list I’m on, I’ve recently answered some questions about my favorite agility venue and would like to share this info. So here is my USDAA FAQ - which may be added to as more comes up.

Q. With what I can read on the USDAA website, it looks like the dogs run “naked”. At least the people get to wear their clothes. Also looks like USDAA runs all “Starters” together without “A” and “B” classes.I couldn’t find the definition of a Q in the rules, just info about faults and the number of obstacles at different levels. There’s a fault listed as “touching the base of the wishing well”. What is that? Dogs jump through an obstacle that looks like a wishing well? That’s kinda scary.Is there a lot of competition to get into USDAA trials like there used to be for AKC trials?

Is there any etiquette that we need to know about that’s different from AKC, UKC or NADAC? If my dog gets too wild n crazy, may I ask the judge to leave? Speaking of wild n crazy, if my dog is his “usual” self on the agility course, would we get whistled off for lack of control?

A. Do read those rules! But don’t get too crazy with them. The performance criteria change for each level. You’ll be out of starters pretty quick.

Some quick answers:

Yes, the dogs run naked. Collar = elimination. Outta there. Sometimes they whistle you off immediately, and sometimes they don’t. But if they see the collar you are out. They do appreciate it if handlers are clothed, however. Read more »

If there’s a Joon there must be a Benny, so I thought I’d start the Benny & Joon saga. I adopted Benny a week ago yesterday though I have to admit that it wasn’t until Monday or Tuesday of this week that I was convinced I’d keep him. I’m not as web/blog savvy as Averill, so bear with me.

Benny (new name Tuck, but that’s not nearly so fun as Benny & Joon) is an 18 mo. old Tibetan spaniel that I adopted from rescue. Apparently a breeder in the area had to get rid of her dogs due to ill health. What I know is that the person I got Benny/Tuck from had three more, and they all appeared happy and healthy. I love and have loved my shelties, Read more »

Received shipment of Clean Run toys. Nice rabbit tug with two handles, thought Joon might like it.

Anyway, our big session today consisted of working her on leash using handfuls of Red Barn applied as appropriate for desired behaviors. Clicker too, just for the heck of it. She was AMAZING.

Leaving her to wander and explore is obviously a loser at this time. Far more rewarding than she finds me - for now. But with the leash and frequent clicks and treats for the least good behavior, she was really ON. Read more »