Poodles, Dog Agility, Dog Training… and Knitting

Archive for December, 2011

Dancer got a Q in NADAC Jumpers (and I have proof)

Saturday, December 31st, 2011 Posted in life with poodles | Comments Off

Video here: Dancer runs Jumpers.

2012

Friday, December 30th, 2011 Posted in life with poodles | Comments Off

I have always liked to use the end of one year and the beginning of the next as a time to reflect on what's gone well (and what hasn't) and to plan for the coming year. So: 2011 has been ...

Operant dogs….

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011 Posted in training | 1 Comment »

The word "operant" in the context of dog training, means a dog that actively tries to figure out what you want as soon as you bring out your clicker and treats, and then tries to give you what you want, ...

Enthusiasm

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 Posted in training, trials | Comments Off

I started to write a post about how I trained Rush to go to yet another foot target, but in between the first sentence and the second sentence, I went to the bathroom and when I came back I realized ...

Working on a right turn

Friday, December 16th, 2011 Posted in training | Comments Off

I know lots of people who can say "right!" and their dog turns right; they say "left!" and their dog turns left. With Elly--agility dog number 1 and a wicked sense of humor--I relied entirely on body language. With Dancer, ...

Two-tunnel games

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011 Posted in training | Comments Off

I set up two curved tunnels, like this: (----25----) where there was about twenty-five feet between the ends of the tunnels. For Rush, I stood in the center, like this: (----+----) and I sent Rush to one end of one tunnel, then did a front ...

WAG NADAC trial

Monday, December 12th, 2011 Posted in trials | Comments Off

I took Dancer and Rush down to Monmouth for the WAG NADAC games trial this weekend. Rush was not participating, but he got to sleep in a hotel room (on the bed, no less), run in the fields, play with ...

Height/weight

Friday, December 9th, 2011 Posted in life with poodles | Comments Off

Rush weighs 45 pounds today; he appears to be two inches shorter than Elly, so around 21.5". Hard to get him to hold still to be measured properly.

Note to self:

Friday, December 9th, 2011 Posted in life with poodles | Comments Off

Going to an agiity trial in December and January? Pretty much guaranteed to have icy roads or cold rain or both. You might want to think about that when you're planning things next year.

Oops.

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011 Posted in off topic | Comments Off

I've been doing hill repeats up Mt. Tabor of late. I realized that walking the dogs was definitely keeping them fit, but wasn't really improving my fitness, because it wasn't quite enough stress. I talked to Jay about it, and ...