Rovers in the Rink

September 11, 2011 final class for this group of
Super Recall in the rink.
Missing from photo: Shammy, Tashi and Blake.

Murphie.

As the summer season comes to a close, so are rink classes coming to an end. What great fun it has been to train in the rink! Exercises requiring tons of space have been a lot of fun to work on in this big big space!

Nacho.

I am hoping we can go back next summer and repeat the same.

Retrieving, working on interactive dog-human play, simple off-leash follow-the-person exercises have been favourites.

Chief Takoda.

Final class and graduation also for the Rink Manners class.
Missing from photos are Bonita and Blitz.

Manners participants have had an ideal space to work on Recalls, Loose Leash Walking and much more. During the final class we made an attempt at some Level 1 Rally'O exercises.  Great troopers worked through gusty winds and laminated Rally exercise signs flying all over the place :-) Oh sigh...Rally is best done on a wind-less day outdoors - or indoors altogether...

By the end of Manners class we were practically in the dark. As the cold winds and threatening sky draped in over us on Sunday evening, I was happily thinking my grateful "goodbyes to the rink"...and looking forward to fall and winter classes indoors!

On the road...

August 2011, hanging out on the beach. Katherine's Cove by Lake Superior.

Almost five weeks were spent travelling and on the road this summer. Tenting, driving, tenting some more, swimming and spending time with the kids - and with Pinot, who got to come along as a solo dog for the journey.

Maggio came along for a similar trip two years ago and after about 5 days, he told us very clearly and every single day, that he really did not like being away from home for that long and that he found it rather stressful. This time we made different arrangements for him - he spent most of the time on a small farm with friends and his good dog-buddy as well as some time at home here in Banff. When we returned home, he was happy, relaxed and I sincerely believe it was the right decision to make for him.

After the somewhat stressful experience of travelling with him a couple of years ago (and realizing HE was really not having the great time WE had hoped he would have), I was honestly not sure what to expect with Pinot and how she would find it to be on the road for such an extended period of time. But I needn't have worried about her. She turned out to be the most fantastic traveller and blossomed, matured and bonded with all of us in more ways than one. It was truly satisfying to see the relationship blossom between her and the kids individually, and it was fantastic to see the kids all take such a new interest in her. Maybe she has lived a bit in the shadows of Maggio because he has always been there, too, since her arrival...now she was put in the spotlight.

I have reflected a lot over what the difference is; what it is that makes one dog so able to be such a great traveller and the other become nervous and find it so stressful to be away from the familiar? I speculate and guess - but think there are a few things at play that go way deeper than their upbringing and training. The ability to relax and turn "off" when appropriate and needed is just one. Pinot demonstrated this in a remarkable way on a daily basis; how she could be with us almost everywhere, all day long - but without becoming too aroused/ stressed or concerned with her surroundings...yet take it in, and then able to just turn it off and relax either in the midst of the commotion or as a result of it at the end of the day. There was a great balance; and it seemed that all the stimulation of continually being somewhere new, but feeling safe with us, just added to her content state - made her tired but happy. What a blessing to have this experience together! It was a great journey on so many levels. Many reflections, some new-found insight and also more questions; so much to learn!

A sad goodbye...to our beloved Bandola, the cat.

It has been a sad couple of days in the Young household. We had to say goodbye to our faithful cat companion Bandola yesterday. We have had Bandola for 14 years - she was adopted from the Fredericton SPCA and at the time between 1 and 2 years old.  Bandola lived to be between 15 and 16 - a long, wonderful life, really - so it was not out of the blue and she had really slowed down over the last 4 months or so...but over the weekend things took a quick rapid turn for the worse and she stopped eating. I took her in to the vet in the am and her heart was basically failing her. Our vet also suspected a tumor in her rib cavity - it was very tight and "full". Not many options for a senior citizen of her age.

After the exam and many tears in the vet clinic, we brought her back home to give everyone a chance to say goodbye - more tears - and with the thought being we would have her at home for a final sleep in our bed overnight. But she basically collapsed on us at home; trying to drink some water and almost falling into the water dish...then unable to drink and just laying down, resting her head on the edge of the dish. There she lay; still breathing, not seemingly distressed  but unable to move. It was painful to watch, so Steve, my husband and Fenja (8) took her back in to the vet clinic the same evening and she was put to sleep. I have cried so much I feel like I will dehydrate and become a paper tissue soon.This cat - and her "sister" Cassis (14) who is still around, were both unconventional wedding gifts from Steve to me; groom's Wedding gift to the bride. They were the First of our Young Family. She was appropriately named Bandola by us after the wine region Bandol, in southern France - where Steve and I honeymooned after getting married in 1997. (And as far as Cassis goes: Cassis is a tiny little fishing village near the same region, by the gorgeous Southern coastline of France). 

It's heart wrenching to think back of the big life events we have shared with these cats. Bandola has been around for the birth of all three kids, has lived in every house we have owned together, has moved with us several times and basically across the entire country and rightfully held the title "Queen of the Household". The kids don't know a life without her - for them, she's always been there. She was the one who really taught the kids what it means to respect and listen to an animal and how a cat says "That's enough" - we could never have asked for a better teacher. She herself went from fearful, hissing, scared around people when we adopted her, to loving, loyal, seeking out attention and insisting on her daily cuddles and snuggles during the (sometimes) least convenient times. It is amazing what a big hole and void she leaves. Tiny and fragile little thing she was at the end, but a tiny thing who has taken up a big space in our home and huge space in our hearts.

Bandola will be missed and thought of often and with love. It has been a true blessing and honor to share these 14 years and be loved back by a cat like her.

Rovers in the Rink

Tonight the Wags' Summer Programs kicked off...in one of Canmore's RINKS! Wow - how amazing!  It really is pretty fantastic to realize how big a rink is when you put a few dogs in there and start to talk....people actually come CLOSER to hear what you are saying! And THAT'S a new concept to me :-)

The SUPER RECALL group will be working a ton on play and games; specifically tug and retrieve...and trying to get "ultimate control" of these games. Such as; can the dog hold a sit while you throw the toy waiting for a release word? And what about calling the dog back to you BEFORE he gets TO the retrieve item? That will be some of the challenges we'll work through in this six week class.

The MANNERS group has a lovely mix of young dogs who will no doubt go far. If the stuff tonight is any indication (which usually it is) of the raw material we're working with - we'll have a lot of fast learners doing a lot of pretty cool stuff by the end of this class. I will try to have my camera with me to share some successes....I am thinking there will be many moments to celebrate :-)

As a final note - if you know of anyone wanting in on an outdoor training class...we can accommodate for late-comers and there are still a few spots open! Train your dog this summer!

recent class participants

No words needed today. Just sharing some random photos of class participants.

 

 

a lesson in sheltie grooming

Today, Pinot and I visited Ann McMillan (Gratia shelties) in Calgary to get a few pointers on grooming and keeping a "non-show" sheltie looking like a nice, cared- for sheltie.

Pinot, my sheltie, is not ever going to be shown in the conformation ring - I got her to be my  "training" and "agility dog" - but I still like dogs to have a clean and well-cared for look and knew I had a bit of a learning curve ahead of me in regards to what to do with all of that sheltie coat...

What a great educational journey this was today! And what an amazingly friendly and helpful breeder Ann is! Thanks to this little lesson today, I think I now have the very basics (that is the absolute minimal basics) under my belt to know some ABCs for how to keep my sheltie looking good....what to do with all that hair on sheltie "pants".... in what order to use combs and brushes for best results, what to do with the hair under and on top of their feet as well as...the thing that has puzzled me the most: the ears and the "uncontrollable hair fire" coming out of the insides of the ears...

Below, a few photos....

At home I always brush and groom the dogs on the kitchen floor, so this was actually the first time ever for Pinot to be up on a grooming table.



Slowly getting used to the idea of being up here...



Here...the lesson on the "rear end"...



Then taking a look at the current "state of the ears"...(and part of Pinot's ear reality is that, because I just could not stay motivated to keep up with the glueing of the ears...the result is this unique "one UP and one down" ear style...which might actually make it easier to groom and cut as there is no real symmetry anyway :-)

And after Ann's nice and quick "touch up"...wow - what a difference that made!!



And feet... a few great tricks there that I definitely will remember to put to good use :-)



Rear



Front



 

Meeting the resident shelties...and asking "Are we DONE yet? Going soon?"

At home... posing for a final "that's that" photo. I just LOVE THOSE EARS!!! What a difference that made! Thanks, Ann - you made my day!

Toys in training

It's been a while since I have had time to blog. Much time lately has been dedicated to my own dogs and - in particular, agility training. In these travels, I have, though,  carried my camera around with me on a few occasions...and thought it's time to share some fun photos.

In any dog training (but especially agility!) There simply is no substitue for developing a really phenomenal Game of Tug and Retrieve.

If you are really lucky - you'll have a dog who is interested in toys already and you can just start playing :-) If you're not so lucky - it can take considerable effort on your part to develop the Game. I should know :-) I have a dog of each kind...Maggio - nuts about toys and a born retriever from Day 1...Pinot - not so sure about actually gripping hard and definitely not a born retriever. It took me a good 9 months + of dedicated WORK to build the desire to play with me to the point that she will now play anywhere and tug fiercly.

The dog in the photos here is Nacho - a born tugger...who's owner is working on getting a consistent retrieve... (it's definitely coming!) Isn't it fun though how you can see the joy in the game?!

And this last one blows me away. What an expressive face!

"And you think you're ever gonna get this toy back again?" "IT'S MINE!"

Oh the moments a camera can capture :-)

In Nacho's case - he is in great hands and worked by an owner who is not put off by such shows of "attitude". The work and training goes on. After return of toy to handler, some more tugging, his handler will take possession of the toy, run another little sequence with him and reward again with a game before ending the session. Dog gets put away - toy gets put away. There is no debating who is truly in charge of the toy or the game. Nacho knows that, and is happy to come out and continue working the next time.