Pay attention, puppy

The purpose of Saturday's seminar was to teach you how to teach the dog to pay attention to you.  If you ever see an Obedience trial, you will notice that the dog's gaze is completely fixed on the handler's eyes.  This type of deep interaction makes for a more responsive and obedient dog in trial, the field, or just around.

The instructor's method was heavily food (treat) oriented.  She instructed that the treat to the dog should come from your mouth, rather than from your hand.  Optimally, you would have a treat in your mouth and spit it into the dog's mouth.  Most normal people would not do this, but instead would have the treat in their hands.  The trick is to give the treat to the dog by moving the hand from the mouth to the dog's mouth.  There is no real deep reason for this except that (voila) the dogs eyes are on your face as the source of the treat, and not on your hands as you dig a treat out of your pocket.

There are pluses and minuses to a heavily treat-oriented training regime.  I use treats, of course, but not extensively.  However, now when I do give them, I will fake that they are coming from my mouth and require Larsen's attention to my eyes.  I won't just dig one out of my pocket and hand it to him.

Obedience class

 

Larsen and I will attend a 3-hour obedience class today.  We've attended other classes, not quite like this one, but basic doggie training etc.  They are really quite a good time.  You find that the dog really puts out mentally and is exhausted when he comes home - - much more so than the little bit of physical work would indicate. 

Meanwhile, Aki will be hosting little Lieson.  Lieson has not had an opportunity to meet the 100 people that she needs to meet in her first 3 months to be properly socialized.  I am sure that the two will have great fun while Larsen and I are at work.  

Discipline

What's the right way to discipline a dog, anyway?  I told Larsen "here, boy" and he came to me with his chewy into the kitchen, and then just kept on going.  Through the dining room, up the stairs, and into the bedroom.  I quietly walked after him (he knew he was in for it).  I grabbed him by the scruff of his chest hair and throat (he didn't have his collar on) and marched him down the hall, down the stairs, through the dining room and into the kitchen and told him to sit.  He whimpered and fought a little along the way.  But, look, he is a 50 lbs spaniel.  He goes through the thickest, thorniest brush to pursue his birdies.  I hurt him by maybe pinching a chest hair?  Gracious.  His fighting was a little pro forma, too.  I mean, if he really went after me, he could tear me to shreds, I'm sure, so he wiggled and mouthed but that's it.  I am sure he was acting, but still, it had its intended effect.  That discipline stuff does not come naturally to me.  Not at all.  I don't like to do it.  I'd like to have a good, sweet, obedient dog without the trouble of making it happen.

Shooting tip

This is a good tip from Shotgun Life.  When we miss a target by shooting behind it (and it is always behind), we think in terms of getting out in front, not improving overall mechanics:

The 3 Most Common Mistakes in Clays Shooting

Feb. 16, 2010 An experienced instructor also understands that a student's problem rarely stems from incorrect lead. Lead, however, is the first place everyone goes -- kind of like a shade tree mechanic who changes the spark plugs on a car that needs a transmission overhaul. Let us repeat: In our instruction, we find that one of three things is most often the root of the problem. In order of frequency and importance, they are: 1. Lack of focus on the front of the target. 2. Lack of tempo -- not moving the gun with the speed of the target. 3. Poor gun mount -- not mounting the gun correctly to the face. It is more important to know why you missed than where. We even tell our students it is irrelevant where you miss. The only way to get more consistent is to understand why. This clays shooting insight came from the book "If It Ain't Broke, Fix It!" by Gil & Vicki Ash.

Tell Randy he dropped his wallet

People line up on both sides of the divide when it comes to pure breds and adopted dogs.  I'm as biased as the next person, no doubt about it.  My heart goes out to those who adopt those little mutts from the pound, although, by the same token, there is no extra moral credit given for adopting a mutt compared to buying a purebred.  Both are legitimate choices with pros and cons in my opinion.  I'll write a longer post on this one day and solicit some other views.  My sister Les has a retired racing greyhound.  I'd like to get her views on the issue as well.  

The receding past

During the past weekend, Aki, Kim, Meghen, and many other Welsh Springer people visited the estate sale of Mr. Francis P. Fretwell.  Mr. Fretwell was owner of Monfret Kennels in Greenville, which bred champion standard Poodles.   Mr. Fretwell also was former president and governor of the Poodle Club of America and the Italian Greyhound Club of America, according to his obituary.  

His estate's library was claimed to house the largest privately-owned collection of dog books in the world.  The estate selected the weekend of the Greenville dog show for the sale, which seems like something that Mr. Fretwell would have approved, given the congregation of gundog lovers at his former home.

Kim picked up a signed first edition from George "Bird" Evans among numerous other treasures.  Some of the dog books, including training books, were copywrited in the late 1800s and early 1900s and had interesting photos to match the elegant writing of the time.  There were beautiful gundog prints, trophies from bygone hunting tests and trials, gundog magazines and carefully archived newspaper articles.  

Aki says it was overwhelming, but that it was also a fascinating glimpse of the old gundog world.  The photos, prints, and stories are a gentle reminder that our own beloved campaigners too soon become part of this receding past. 

Snow dog

Ok, I swiped this from Meghen's web site (www.statesmanwss.com).  This is Copper from the "Yes" litter (Chance x Clover).

Copper enjoying his first snow. February 1, 2010.
Photos courtesy of statesmanwss.com.

Who was that little dog?

Maddox, a littermate of Tatum, Susan W.'s latest pup, stunned the field by winning Best of Breed on Sunday.  The little year-old (+/-) puppy trounced heavyweights Larsen, Starbuck, and Clover.  Afterword, Maddox rolled on his back to accept a congratulatory tummy rub.  The magnitude of his accomplishment hadn't fully sunk in, but he knew something good had happened and that everyone was happy, and that was good enough for him.

(I foolishly kept my camera by my side instead of recording this great win so I don't have a photo.)

Sometimes you're the windshield

 

Larsen (L) lines up against Starbuck (R) in Greenville.

Sometimes, you're the bug.  Larsen played the bug today.  Meghen showed up with Starbuck in tow and proceeded to take Best of Breed.  Larsen came in 4th.  I'd love to say that it was all the handler's fault, since someone pinch-hitter for Katie, but the lady did a very fine job with the dog.  I always want Larsen to win these beauty pageants because I want the world to understand what a wonderful little guy he is.  But different judges look for different aspects of the dog.  (Some breeders think Larsen is too big, for example.) 

Sly the boykin takes Best of Winners

On an altogether more upbeat note, Kim's boykin Sly took Best of Winners for a 5-point major win.  Sly has 8 points now and he's only been in two different shows (understand that any one weekend will have 2 or even 3 shows, like this one, so I mean something like 6 total showings for little Sly).  Sly's wins are coming right here in the middle of boykin country against some good competition.  We had a nice time cluck-clucking about the fact that some of those other boykins had probably never had a mouthful of feathers.  They were lap dogs!

Kim's boykin Peach didn't win anything, though she is a fine looking critter.  Kim thought that her sun-bleached kennel coat didn't help.

Kim's dogs might be a little country, but they certainly move with verve and assurance.

Friday Best of Breed

It was a small field, but Larsen won Best of Breed and advanced to the Sporting Group. Of course, he got mopped up in the gundog group, but to me, he looked awfully good.

Aki and I had dinner with Susan (breeder) and Kim (trainer at Kamp Kimmy).  First cocktails then dinner, talking hunting dogs, training, and life in general the whole time.  Wonderful evening. 

The ayes have it

Larsen poses after his win.  (2009)

Unlike the sequined Las Vegas Elvis-look that Larsen sported in his 2009 Greenville showing, Larsen today still looks like a rough kennel dog.  His elbows are stained red from resting on his concrete kennel pad.  His haircut looks homemade, despite Penny's wonderful intervention.  She at least gave us the broad contours of a dog.   But what can you do about bald spots that were cut away because of matting?

I voted not to take Larsen to Greenville this weekend, and Aki voted to take him.  The ayes are in the majority, and so off we go.  Once nice thing is that Susan W. will be there with her camera, and maybe we can meet for dinner etc.

Larsen's win at Greenville last year put him over the top and gave him a major and his championship.  This time, it is just a practice run, more or less, to get him into the show ring in the event that we take him to Nationals this year.  Of course, I hope he does well against the other 4 dogs in this match.

B-Side

What seemed to be an afterthought can turn out to be very important.  Of course, it helps if the A-side is good too.  This was the B-side to "I Want to Hold your Hand" (1964).



Ringo really gets into his drum kit.  George hides behind the amps.  Check out that girl's glasses at the 2:30 mark.

The Brit wins Sporting

Looks like the Brittany won the sporting dog group and advanced to the finals where he was beaten by some sort of scottie dog.  The Welsh Springer Spaniel representative had a tail.

Jopa Blue at Westminster (2010)


The Welsh representative in group, Jopa Blue, was bred by Shannon Gandee.  Shannon is the WSSCA head of placing stray, recovered, etc.  That's a real job, and so it is a welcome win for Jopa Blue to get to group finals.

10     Ch Heatherstone's Jopa Blue
Breed: Spaniel (Welsh Springer)
Sex: Dog
AKC: SR 27980705
Date of Birth: June 27, 2005
Breeder: Shannon M Gandee & Valerie L Younge
Sire: Ch Lynlee's I'm A Believer
Dam: Ch Geltman's Guest O'Lalley's
Owner: Kate Sinclair-Dun

Here's the link to the video of the Welsh judging:

http://video.westminsterkennelclub.org/player/?id=1202180#videoid=1202225

Westminster

Sporting group tonight.














Tuesday, February 16
Sporting, Working and Terrier Groups, Best In Show
8-11 p.m. (ET) live on USA Network

A return to civilization

Aki takes an initial whack, to Larsen's consternation.

After four months as a kennel dog, Larsen looked more like a small bear than a spaniel.  Aki took an initial hack at his coat, and then, graciously, Penny W. offered to come help.

More snow stories

Larsen springs through the snow at JL Lester (2/12/2010)

On Friday, the 11th, Aki and I quit work early and tried to leave Atlanta before the traffic got bad.  So did everyone else.  Our normal 55 minute trip became about a 2+ hour trip, primarily due to traffic.  It was worth it.

Valentine's day

 
Give your puppy a hug.

Saturday, and a real Valentine

Marilyn and Cathy tote chukars to the field on a sled at the hunt test on Saturday.

 

Georgia was a winter wonderland on Friday and Saturday.  With the threat of snow, Aki and I shut down the house and fought the Friday afternoon traffic to get Cedartown on Friday ahead of the snow.  We were caught in the snowstorm, but more on that later.

Susan W., the breeder of our little dog, brought chili, and the Holiday Inn Express that we stayed at was kind and resourceful enough to let the group use the hotel breakfast room as our "party" room to have cocktails and eat dinner.  But Saturday, the hunt test is the real story.

Hunt test weather

Cold.  Maybe not Marshfield cold, but cold nonetheless.  I've put the thinsulate liners into my boots and have some of those chemical foot and hand warmer in my backpack if I need them.  I've got the thermos filled with hot sugary tea and put on my blaze orange stocking cap.  The gallery at JL Lester stands atop a hill, and the dogs work in a lower bowl of an area.  As a spectator, there is not much to do but stand in the wind and watch dogs work.  There is a lot of standing around.  I've got a lunch packed because the lunch at the test seems pretty deadly:

Saturday’s lunch will be a chicken breast wrapped in a half slice of bacon and slow-cooked in a dried beef/sour cream/mushroom soup sauce; barley casserole; water/soft drink; and an as-yet-to-be-named dessert. 

 Kim will run Larsen, especially today, the first day of the HT.  So, I'll be back in the pack trying to avoid eye contact with my own dog. I hope I get some decent photos.

I got him.

Events took a turn, and it is a long story, but Larsen is, right now, watching the world go by from the window in the extra bedroom where I work.

I got a call from Kim the trainer yesterday afternoon.  She was on I-20 at mile marker 138 and said that Larsen had not come around and was back to his old habits ever since I visited.  Basically, this means he looks at her and says that he doesn't have to do anything if he doesn't feel like it, and that she would have to pretty much start over.

Here's what it is like

Here's a good thread that describes what it's like hunting with a spaniel.  In fact, it is a pretty good description of what happens when you go for any cross-country walk with a spaniel. 

http://www.uplandjournal.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard312a/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=2;t=55659;


We're at the HT.  We'll report more later.(see new post)

Hunt Test at JL Lester

Adara follows the action.







Start times are at 8:30am EST on both Saturday and Sunday. Juniors run first, then Seniors, then Masters.  34 total dogs will run on Saturday and Sunday, with a somewhat different distribution:

	Sat.	Sun.
Juniors	14	15
Seniors	9	9
Masters	11	10

Larsen runs 14th on both Sat. and Sun. in the Junior class.

JL Lester is east of Atlanta and south of Cedartown, Ga.



View Larger Map

Mutt central

My trip to Sumter, SC two weeks ago was my first chance to see Larsen since October 9. The little mutt was a fuzzball. In part, that is because Larsen has a lot of coat.  And, in part it is winter, and Larsen is living in a blue barrel in a kennel in what are basically freezing conditions.  As a result, he has really fluffed out a protective coat. When we get him back, we have to change him from a kennel dog from the Call of the Wild back into a suburban bowser.  Now, here's the plan.

Rally winners

Donna W. with Logan             -    Excellent A
Mary with J-Clarke                 -    Novice B
MaryAnne B. with Chance      -    Novice A
Susan R. with Cecil                  -    Novice B

Congratulations to all.

An alien has taken over my loving wife.

I've been married for 25 years, and dated Aki for 6 years before that.  So, Aki has a dinner at the fashionable Bones Restaurant and she leaves me with -- what?  A piece of fish and some brussel sprouts.  Yes.  11 brussel sprouts.  She said that one time I said I liked them, or didn't mind them, or didn't hate them or something, so, there they were.  When did I ever say that?  Is negative times an answer?

Rally finals

Report from Mary J:

Saturday was a great day for Dogwood - all 4 that were entered in Rally qualified: 

Donna W. with Logan             -    Excellent A
Susan R.e with Cecil               -    Novice B
Mary with J-Clarke                 -    Novice B
MaryAnne B. with Chance      -    Novice A

Congratulations to all. This is a great representation of our Dogwood R&Ws in Rally.

The countdown begins (again)

Larsen will be home on Valentine's day after the close of the Hunt Test.

Less than a week away.

A wonderful update to the day

Little Chance got a 96, a win (that is, a first-place finish), and the completion of his Rally Novice A.  It's not entirely clear at this time who else earned a Rally leg, and we will be congratulating those winners, but right now, this is Chance's day in the sun - - and on the couch.  MaryAnne says that Chance is absolutely conked out from the stress.

Sunday spaniels

Some photos from the weekend. The same dogs that are buried in the couch in the evening perform merrily in the ring, in Rally, and in Agility. They are the same dogs that you'll see in the field in hot pursuit of a chukar, bob-white or any other game bird. What great companions!

Adrian's Aero earned his CDX (Companion Dog Excellent, an AKC obedience award) on Saturday.

more pics:

http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii313/fraki22/2010%2002%2006%20Jonesboro%20Show/?albumview=slideshow

Atlanta Dog Show (3)

Starbuck and Susan celebrate Starbuck's championship win. Atlanta Dog Show 2/6/2010.


The point system for a dog show is an exercise in deep space physics. It is the place where parallel universes intertwine themselves in impossibly knotty ribbons beyond the reach of logic. It appears, though, that Starbuck and the ever-willing Clover finished with wins in their respective classes and that they are now champions.

We left before Rally began, but MaryAnne called in to report that Chance got another 2nd-place finish to get 2 legs on his Rally Novice A. What a weekend for that little guy; and he has Sunday yet to go. MaryAnne reports that all of the Welshies, Chance, Cecil, J-Clark, and Logan got qualifying scores and a leg on their Rally championships.

Some scenes from the show:

Atlanta Dog Show (2)

Mary J. steadies J Clarke at the Perry Nationals 5/18/2008.


We're at the Atlanta dog show this morning. We hope to have some good photos & stories to post later today.

This Chance is a sure thing

Chance surveys the garden on a snowy Atlanta morning.

On the first day of the Atlanta dog show, Chance B. pulled in a 2nd place finish in his first-ever Rally (Novice A). His 2nd-place run gave the little scamp his first leg in a Rally title. According to his sidekick, MaryAnne, Chance has taken a moment to admire his trophy, a bone-shaped squeaky toy.

Atlanta Dog Show

Susan W. gets Larsen ready for his first show.

Jonesboro 2007.

The 2010 Jonesboro show:

Shawnee Kennel Club (Friday) 10 WEL SPR SPN 5-4- 1-0
Conyers Kennel Club (Sat) 10 WEL SPR SPN 5-4- 1-0
Lawrenceville Kennel Club (Sun) 10 WEL SPR SPN 5-4- 1-0

Note: The number before each Breed(Variety) indicates the number of dogs entered in that Breed(Variety). The numbers following each Breed(Variety) indicates the number of Regular Class Dogs, Regular Class Bitches,Best of Breed(Variety)(Dogs-Bitches).

The show is a major for dogs, but not for bitches.

There will be four Welshies running in rally:

Chance
Cecil
Mazie
Logan.

We'll try to get some photos for Saturday evening.

More gadgets

The bypass pruners have proven to be handy. The kit folds up upon itself and slips into a velcro case. The pruners are useful to hack through the thorny brush that tangles itself in Larsen's feathering when we are out for a serious run. The blunt-nosed medical scissors serve somewhat the same purpose. You can poke and prod into the tangles and mats without doing any damage to the mutt.

Marbles compass

Some things don't change because they don't have to, like these brass compasses. The compass on the left is from Tru Nord and made in Brainerd, Minnesota. The other is made by Marbles. These compasses use no batteries and do not not synchronize with a satellite. They are waterproof and shockproof. Both of these act as a third layer of safety behind your main compass and (if you have one) your GPS.


There are many, many books and videos on reading maps. The Boy Scout book is about 60 pages and covers everything.


Do you know which way is uphill on the map?

Another age

Red & white dogs from another age. Ready for the rough and tumble still.

Dogs of All Nations (1915), p. 36

***

Dog psychology

Psychology Today publishes articles on dog training? It turns out they do. PT has a regular contributor who provides the latest psychobabble on your little mutt. The techniques seem counter-intuitive. Let the dog chase you. Play tug-'o-war. The main idea is that canine behavior is a process of tension and release. Dogs are designed to work for a living. Take away that need to work, as is the case in most households, and they get tense. Give them something to push against, to work for, and that energy can get channeled (released). One technique is the following: