Calling Dogs Off

I had a discussion with a friend the other day. His dogs are hunt-test trained (or in training) retrievers. Despite our differences regarding training methods and choice of dog sport, we have discussions about end-result-behaviors pretty successfully. Most recently, he gave me some wonderful advice on Bailey's directed retrieve problem using a common hunt-test drill. I applied it a bit differently than he'd advised, but the basis was the same.

One of our last discussions has still got me a bit confused though. The topic was calling dogs off a chase.

I said I can call Bailey off chasing live animals. She used to run the 80 acre farm at whim and thus had zero impulse control, because I'd never asked her for it. My friend looked at me like I had twelve eyes and said "of course you should be able to call your dogs off a chase." When I began working on the call off, I was new to clicker training and still had that knee-jerk collar correction habit. Bailey and I weren't communicating very effectively, but I'll be darned if I was going to give up and use any kind of physical pressure to get this end result!

I happened upon a post by someone on the original SitStay forum (the cause of my online dog community obsession) suggesting the use of a whistle as my recall cue, because it's not something the dog hears daily and can be loud enough to break through to the brain when a dog is focused on chasing. I don't remember all the details of my training plan (and I'm sure it changed almost daily) but in the end, I could call her off prey (with a whistle) when she gave chase. She also developed impulse control to the point where she was able to see a running animal and NOT give chase.

I never used an e-collar on her. I never attached a long line so she would hit the end and "learn her lesson." I never (intentionally) set her up to fail.

So why shouldn't I have been ecstatic I achieved this end result without inflicting pain? Apparently this is impossible without using force. I don't know about you, but I do know that at least one person has trained his dogs to do far more amazing things without the use of force and pain.

Parade of Veterans

The MMBC NADAC trial had a Parade of Veterans. Each participant wrote a short bio of their dog and sent in a photo. At the trial part of the bio was read while the dogs did a short series of jumps and a tunnel. At the end we received liver brownies made by Lefty's mom... Buzz thinks they're the BEST THING EVER. The MMBC website will have all of this and more when the webmaster gets time, but I wanted to post ours here. Oh, and we got super cool shirts too!

Buzz is now eleven years old and his days are spent sleeping with feet sticking straight in the air. Despite his lack of activity during the day, he still comes alive when we show. I am so happy to be able to work with him, to feel good every time we come out of a ring, that was my only goal way back when. We are still learning new things together while continuing to play old games. He continues to love agility (at 12"), obedience, rally, and tracking. His favorite thing to do is curl up with me on the couch in front of a fire, as close to me as he can be. My heart dog who taught me about good training and how it can build a working relationship from nothing. Thanks for everything old man, you stuck it out with me and look at where we are.

The Bailey Dog is a goofy one. An odd duck from the minute she came home but, well, she fit right in. She is my mud princess who wishes she didn't get all that hair from her daddy for me to play with. My right hand gal on the funny farm, she always makes me laugh, and always wants to be a part of whatever ANYONE is doing. She doesn't stand by the "I can't do it" excuse, as she'll always find a way. She does agility, obedience, rally, tracking, and hunting but her all time favorite activity is chasing bumpers in the water. She will retrieve for as long as you will throw and never loses any excitement for the game. Bailey crept into my heart when I wasn't looking and it appears she's there to stay. She's my Novice A dog and we've come a long way baby.

MAC AKC Standard-Bailey

Bailey *sigh*

Where should I start?

Bailey has been incontinent to some degree for as long as I can remember. It got better when we moved and they lived inside completely. Since last fall it has gotten worse again. The only thing that has changed is she started Thryroid meds but I can't remember when exactly her incontince got worse, or what I think is incontinence.

While I was in NY she peed on my bed. She's not supposed to be on my bed without being invited (that's another issue) but yeah... peed on my bed, through the comforter and mattress pad. *shudder* ugg!!!

Two weeks ago we ran a CBC, general health profile, took a urine sample, and rechecked her thryoid and everything came back normal/good. We decided to try Proin (an incontinence supplement). Saturday, at some point she peed on my bed again... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGG!!! This time it was a LARGE amount and got on my mattress *shudder times a million*

She's become hyper sensitive to the oven (gas) and the microwave, but everything is checking out normal. The vet thought it could possibly be diabetes insipidus because she has a really low urine specific gravity but she just consumes a lot of water, always has.

Crate while we're gone is dry. Nighttime is about 85% I'd say. But we're used to that, to some degree.

We're entertaining the thoughts of diabetes insipidus or psychogenic polydipsia (drinking water out of habit). Before we do a modified water deprivation (to see if she's concentrating her urine) we've increased her Proin dose (it's actually doubled--she was started at a low dose) and we'll see if that helps. Sunday night we had another episode so I know it's happening (at least sometimes) when she's awake. She went into my bathroom to hide when we started the oven and peed on my rug while laying down. Definitely leaking, not squatting to pee.

She's also sporting brand new truck pull ups (the person who recommended pull ups to me years ago said to get boy ones, as there's more in the front and seem to make the fit better... we never tried girl style but boys work)... heh, she looks very silly with trucks on her butt! I'll try to get a pic, if she doesn't plan to kill me in my sleep for it!

We're coping, just going back to what we used to do. Diaper on when traveling and in the house after any activity that will cause a deep slumber as that relaxes all muscles and her chance of leaking is increased. No access to my bed/room/bathroom.

I don't even know what half of the numbers on her bloodwork mean, so I'm not posting those (there's a bajillion anyways).

Will try to get a picture of said truck butt very soon... it's funny!

Winter Gear

Saving the rant for another day regarding dog boots but here are three pictures from our walk, braving the elements this morning. I love Fido Fleece and Muttlucks... Pet Edge muttluck wanna be boots are a waste of money!

Ma! I need FOUR BOOTS!


OOh, what's THAT?!


I'm warm, I want to WALK, HURRY UP!

Six Things I Like, by the Princess Pig

Bailey was tagged by Strata of It's a Spring Thing to fill out this "Six Things I Like" survey. She sends kisses to Strata because he's super cute!

1. My frisbee


2. Hoovies


3. Aroooooing


4. Water


5. my Planet Dog Orbee fetch ball


6. rolling in the grass


Bailey's tagging Tessie, Frodo, Kiba & Dance.

Bailey-agility photos

Here are the professional photos I ordered.

(what? she CAN jump properly?!?!)



click to make full size

Bailey's Thyroid

Recheck says she's right in the middle, where she should be. We're going to continue with the Thyroxine. Next recheck isn't for a couple of months now.

YAY! I really hope this helps my little girly boo dog. No creature deserves to feel like she has been.

Treatment

I talked to my vet today and convinced him it would be a good idea to try treating Bailey for hypothyroidism (classified as a low normal, without external physical symptoms). We will be starting her on a "half" dose of Soloxine as soon as my mom can get to the vet. After twenty days we'll be doing a T4 check.

I'm crossing my fingers we see a positive change and my little boo dog doesn't feel like she needs to be the hallway monitor anymore.

More OFA Ramblings

There are two PRA affected dogs submitted to OFA (free submission for affected dogs, Bailey is one of those two affected dogs submitted) and twenty-one normal or carrier dogs. Someone was compiling a database in our yahoo group but that hasn't been updated in many months. My dogs aren't in there and they were tested over a year ago now.

I am absolutely thrilled that people have submitted results, I just wish more would. It seems to fall into the same category as failing hip and elbow results where many just cover it up because then no one will have "information" to judge their breeding decisions on.

I know a few people are still waiting on accurate paperwork from the lab and that's no good either! Hopefully we'll see an increase in submitted results soon. Both of my dogs are in there, and that's all I can do.

Bailey is the most health tested dog in her OFA "family" which is interesting as she's spayed. At least her relatives are in there for something though.

Hopefully next summer I can "do my part" and have both dogs blood run again to test for PFK. It's the same price as the PRA test we ran and at the time PRA information was more important so I had to decide. Their blood is banked for life (as long as I don't use it all up) so I just have to pay the fee to have the test run. Right now there's more important things to spend money on so it's still waiting (which is probably the mentality people have who haven't submitted their PRA forms to the databse, so I do understand but it doesn't change my desire for more ESS in the OFA databse for PRA).

Low Normal...

Why couldn't the vet actually look at the paperwork when I called him about her results.

A package from my mom came today and it contained Bailey's official thyroid results from MSU. First of all, it was kinda cool to see how the paperwork was all official and contained ALL of her information in addition to the "official result" they sent to OFA. MSU is cool! :-)

Free T4 range is 8-26. Guess what her reading is? Yup, 8. Can we say "VERY low normal" yes we can!

Free T3 is low too (4.2 with the normal range being 4.5-12.0).

KV is sending me Dodds stuff so I can write letter to vet and send information with it about treating low normals. Only glitch is she doesn't have power right now, so it'll be a few days.

SCVKC Agility

We came home with two more green qualifying run ribbons as well as a second and fourth place. She has 2/3 NJP and 1/3 NAP Qs now.

I'm so happy about how well she worked for me. Coming home with 7/8 Qs is an amazing feat! What a good girly!

She's tracking like a maniac now too. Class tonight was SO good, and I'm SO sad I leave for school on Sunday. I'll definitely be tracking her when I'm home though. We all really enjoy it!

thryoid and shows

We drew blood last Thursday for a thyroid test going to MSU (and then on to OFA) but the vet didn't know it needed to be overnighted, so it didn't arrive until Monday, long after it needed to be run. Thankfully they're not charing me for a redraw, I just have to bring her in on Monday, but that means that I won't get results until I'm at school. That's somewhat frustrating.

GOOD NEWS!
We showed at the TCVESSA obedience and rally trials today. It went SO well. We had obedience first and we QUALIFIED in Open A! That's our first Q and our second time in the open ring. VERY good girly! 190/200 and 3rd place.

She also qualified in rally Excellent B and Advanced B for her second QQ!

I am just THRILLED she qualified in Open! YIPPY! :)

Bailey CD RE TN-N

Friday, August 15, Bailey qualified in Rally Excellent with an 88 and Rally Advanced with a 96 to finish her RE and gain her first RAE double Q!

We have Rally and Obedience on Thursday and Friday for the TCVESSA shows. I hope we can put in good performances there too!

photo update

Buzz


Rasza & Rascal


Rasza & Rascal


Baby


Bailey


Bailey


Buzz


Bailey


Buzz


Bailey (rolling & smiling)


Silly Buzz!


I actually got pictures of EVERYONE in a single day! We had a lot of fun yesterday, and I'm going to have even more fun playing with these pictures again!

MAC USDAA & C-WAGS

I volunteered at the MAC USDAA agility trial last Friday and Saturday. It's always fun to see old friends, make new ones, and watch all the amazing dogs and their handlers. I did some ring stewarding, timing, scribing, and leash running. Of course I timed the hardest classes... ever... heh. I was in the P3/Masters ring and timed Snooker and Gamblers. It's really not that bad, but I had to remember to switch the time for the horns and do manual start/stop on some runs... It was definitely a learning experience. I've now done all jobs at a trial except score table. I'm sure that someday I'll get to do that though!

A couple friends and I do our own C-WAGS "shows" online every once in a while. It's good for making me train specific behaviors if nothing else. The current part I'm working on isn't going very smoothly. It's a modification of the utility directed jumping.
Explained:
Go Table / Jump / Jump - This challenge requires that the dog leave the handler
go out to the table, sit or down, and take the directed jump.

Ring set up includes:
An agility type pause table set at 2nd base – approximately 20’ away from Home Plate. The pause table will have two heights; 4” for dogs that jump 12” or less, and 12” for dogs that jump 16”.
Two jumps set approximately 20’ apart: 1st base and 3rd base. Any combination
of bar jump, high jump, broad jump or agility style jump constructed to be stable and safe for all dogs may be used. * See jump height table in the obedience rules. (A 6’ - 9’ tunnel may replace either or both jumps).
◊ This challenge begins with the team in heel position at Home Plate - opposite the
pause table.
◊ On order from the judge to “send your dog”, time will start and the handler will send their dog across the ring to the table where the dog must either sit or down –
judge’s predetermined position.
◊ When the dog is positioned, the handler will call/send the dog over either the right or the left jump – handler’s choice.
◊ The dog should go straight to the jump, over it and return to front position.
◊ Without instruction from the judge, the team return to original starting position and perform the same sequence again EXCEPT if the dog “sat” on the table the first
time then it must “down” on the table the second time (or vice versa). If the dog
was sent to the right side jump the first time then the dog must be sent to the left
side jump the second time (or vice versa).
◊ Time stops when the dog sits in the front position the second time.
◊ Handler may not leave Home Plate. (Hysterical, desperate gesturing by the handler
at Home Plate will be ignored by the judge and a source of entertainment for the
gallery.)
◊ Retry – Unlimited retries allowed within the time limit. If the dog takes the
incorrect jump, the team will have to begin from Home Plate, resending the dog to
the table and then the correct jump.
◊ “Fouls” – Will be incurred if the handler leaves Home Plate; If the dog takes the
incorrect jump.
This challenge will be considered Passed if: the dog goes out to the table, assumes the correct position, takes the correct jump, goes out a second time, assumes the correct second position, takes the correct second jump, the handler does not leave Home Plate, and the dog gets back to Home Plate and sits before the 60 seconds is up.

It's a lot of fun... but I don't have a table so I was using the lid of a storage bin. I got that cue semi-solid "on" coupled with a "go" to indicate moving away from me but I just can NOT get a solid "sit" out of Bailey when she goes out. Right now I'm testing out a 'wait' when she reaches the lid then a sit, which seems to be working... if she hears the 'wait' cue! I've got a bar jump and a broad jump out there. Need to pick up my old weave poles from the farm to use to mark the outsides of the jump so I'm not teaching the dogs to cut the jump early (again... I think we finally worked through that).

The two other exercises for this "show" are relatively easy. Right turn, back up two steps in heel position as well as a cloverleaf figure 8. I just need to get cones/pylons/something to make my cloverleaf then I'll video that one too.

picture update

Rascal boy


Buzz


Buzz weaving!


Too dang cute!


Bailey dog chomping on something

Agility AND Tracking!

Buzz and I had our first agility class last night since last August. It was so fun to see everyone again! I got to meet Echo (a friend's pem puppy) and hold her. She's absolutely cute and full of herself... just perfect for a puppy.

Buzz ran three GREAT sequences for me. I was so pleased with his enthusiasm and drive and WEAVES! This is the first time he's seen twelve in a LONG time, and while he didn't get all twelve, it was very close. We're still working on building muscle memory as well as endurance. I know we'll get there!

I'm so glad he's still happy and willing to play games with me.

Bailey and I have tracking tonight. It should be a good class. I got a few pointers from Piper and Echo's mom last night so I'll try those out and Bailey always seems to do better at class then at home too. It's probably the difference in smells/person laying the track.

Talked to mom today too and hopefully we'll be going to Duluth for the DKC show on July 13. I'm crossing my fingers that Bailey continues to be healthy and not limping and we can run at the MAC AKC trial on the 12 then head up to Duluth Saturday night for rally and obedience on Sunday. The plan is for STD, JWW, and FAST agility on Saturday at SoccerBlast and then Excellent B, Advanced B, and Open A for rally abd obedience at the DECC.

It's fun to be addicted to all sorts of dog activities! If we can add hunting sometime (maybe next summer) then I think I'll finally be doing all dog sports I've ever wanted to do (and there will always be more to add).

tracking class #2

Our second tracking class was tonight. I went early so I could work her heeling with distractions and work Buzz. She was good, still takes her a while to focus on what we're doing, but it is improving.

Buzz had a really good stay, wanted to check everything out but kept his butt planted. I also got about ten steps with direct eye contact right from the first step off. Lots of improvements!

Tracking class-
first track was good, didn't stop for food drops, nice find
second track was even better... and I was good about letting her find the track again herself
third track we introduced a corner-triple laid and she NAILED IT! Super exciting!
fourth track was too much and had to help her along... should have stopped after #3

Tracking Is Fun!

tracking, foot targets, and weaving

Bailey has been working on foot targeting (for go-out, utility work) and tracking. Today I finally got a REAL foot target on the ground. I was very, very excited. I need to watch more closely, but I think I'm also getting a nose target with it... hah. I was able to back away slowly and she kept returning to the target on the ground and it's nice that I can hear when she hits it. Helps me a lot because it's hard to see her going out there so fast!

I'm thrilled that she's enjoying tracking so much! Yesterday I recruited my brother to lay a track. Sent him to drop the first article then walk fifteen steps in a line, drop the second article and retrace his steps (a double laid track). Since we've been working on article indication more than actual tracking, I didn't put food on either article. She missed the scent the first time (but I got a down indication on the start article, so that was super cool and rewarded that from my pocket), so we restarted and she nailed it the second time. She actually pulled me from behind to the end article. Lots of treats for that, it was so cool to see her work (and skip over the food drops on the track... heh).

Buzz is learning how to weave. I know, sounds silly but he hasn't ever had consistent practice. He CAN weave, but not confidently or fast. I started last Friday and he's been weaving for his breakfast and dinner every day now. The weaves are still slow but today he got his entry and stayed in both times for his breakfast today. Very cool! I'm hoping by mid june he'll be more confident and have more speed, but we'll see. I need to remember to ONLY do two and if he pops out, remove poles so he can succeed and still end there. I really have a tendency to ask too much of him all at once. I forget WHY we're doing remedial pole work... heh, need to keep sessions short and the rate of reinforcement HIGH!

Off to look for more jobs today!