tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478498273083616832024-02-20T13:04:01.737-08:00The Greyhound Beckett & his Dog TreatsI'm just a gal getting by with her dog. To help me get by I *try* my best training and bake a lot of dog cookies - for aforementioned training. Also, since they don't announce these things like they should, I have the best dog ever (it says so right here on my coffee mug).Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-44179811137204555042013-04-24T05:38:00.002-07:002013-04-24T05:38:58.327-07:00SadI haven't written in a very long time.
I'd like to blame the baby or my busy life, but the truth just hurts. In April last year Beckett was diagnosed with bone cancer. At only 7 years old - we declared war. We went with amputation, chemotherapy, and joined a clinical trial investigating a new therapy.
The amputation was hard on all of us. With a new baby and the vet appointments things were to hectic to spend time doing much of anything. Beckett was a trooper. However, Beckett was never quite back to himself and just before his very last chemo treatment we found out why. The cancer had out maneuvered us - it was in his other back leg.
There wasn't and isn't enough tears.
Even now there is so much pain. Of course there are many awesome memories, but I miss my puppy.
When it gets easier I'll write about the choices we made in order to help others.
I love you Beckett.Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-51224698222789306972011-12-29T13:55:00.000-08:002011-12-29T13:59:13.785-08:00Year 3About a week over due, I should probably be thinking about the baby. Instead I’m going to write about my dog. <br />
<br />
This month marks my 3rd year together with Beckett. I’ve been thinking a lot of where we were and where are.<br />
<br />
I have a greyhound (in case you couldn’t tell) I love doing things with him, it is one of his greatest qualities, I can do a lot with him. This year we managed to squeak by with a APDT rally title for level 1 and umm… well that is it officially. Unofficially we have volunteered at gift wrapping at Barnes and Noble, went to the dog show (volunteering), we go to the dog park, dog class, we have been to people’s houses, we have to peoples summer houses, and of course we had the canoe incident. <br />
<br />
I simply like spending time doing things with my pooch, even if it is just hiking through the dog park trying to induce labor. I also like training and dog classes, it gives us time together to build a better bond and my dog has fun. <br />
<br />
The reason I’m thinking about this is well when I first got Beckett we talked to a trainer and I was telling her how so many people spend class time trying to get their dog to not do things and I spend all my time trying to get my dog to do stuff – how I wanted to do more with my dog. Under her breath she said if I wanted a dog to do things maybe I shouldn’t have gotten a greyhound. (We didn’t end up taking a class there).<br />
<br />
I love my dog and I love that he is just as inactive as he is active, that we can watch a movie or go for a jog - he really doesn’t care which. I love that he doesn’t need a lot – that whether in a tiny city apartment or a suburban house all he wants is a comfy place to sleep. It wasn’t like I wanted an agility champion or busy as I am I should have one (and if I did I’ve seen proof on utube of greyhounds doing some amazing agility work). <br />
<br />
I just wanted to do more. I felt like he deserved it, that learning and doing things would enrich his life. I guess I felt that training isn’t only for the dogs that NEED things to do - dogs that have challenges, but also for the dog who would be just as happy to lounging on the couch. And yes we have done quite a bit of lounging in our years together... <br />
<br />
Now at year 3 I can see I made the right choice. Beckett is happier than ever before, we have a great relationship – it was good to begin with and now it is great. Sure maybe all the enrichment has given him a better sense of problem solving - like how to move a chair a few feet in order to get the treats that were on the top shelf, but luckily most days he is too lazy to cause such mischief. I mean someone has to guard the couch!<br />
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I know we as a family (my husband, my dog and I) will face the new aspects of life like we have the others; building on what we have, growing together, and of course with lots of dog cookies. Luckily we have a great foundation and I make awesome dog cookies.<br />
<br />
I guess what I'm saying is, "Beckett I'm glad you picked me! Happy Adoption Day!"Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-83118949252723223632011-11-11T04:55:00.000-08:002011-11-11T05:04:40.009-08:00Dog & BabiesSo no I have no vanished from the Earth. Beckett and I are still here and if you couldn't tell by the title things are about to change for us. Unfortunately for me what was promised to be only so many weeks of endless nausea and vomiting turned out to go on and on and on... Blogging was not my first concern. Luckily a couple months ago I turned the corner, but that meant catching up on everything else I had let slip (and I had let everything slip). <br />
<br />
Beckett has been amazing with the changes so far, but even as I had stop blogging it didn't mean I was not trying to prepare Beckett (and myself) for what is ahead. A nearby training facility offers Dog and Stork seminars, I marked them on the calendar and went to the first one I could manage (physically). <br />
<br />
Anyways, I thought I would write a little about it. <br />
<br />
First and foremost what the best part of the dogs and storks lecture was the lecturer, she felt real. She gave practical advice, understood that at some point we will become overwhelmed and offered to be our resource in anytime of need. "Call" "I've been there, I've had those days when you don't think you can manage, and I want you to know you can call me and I'll help or if I can't, I'll find you the resources you need." For someone like myself so far from family and my support network that sort of reassurance is priceless - and a wondrous thing for a stranger to offer. <br />
<br />
Back to the class. The presentation focused mostly on babies, was packed with advice, and tips for keeping things safe. A lot of it seemed like common sense, but it felt good to have everything all in one place. It had a lot more helpful tips compared to some of the other prenatal classes I took (which costs hundred of dollars). In fact, I can't think of a better use of 25$. The presenter took time to ask questions, make sure we understood, and offer advice on our specific situations. One couple had a dog that was hyper, another a barker, and so forth. She spent time with everyone.<br />
<br />
I have to tell you though, my main concern with Beckett is not babies or children (of course these are also a huge concern) but what makes me the most nervous is that in between toddler stage. Beckett is very nervous around those oddly moving small tippy things. Adding to his already nervousness is when I volunteered as return coordinator for an adoption group I had two main return causes - the first was toddlers. <br />
<br />
For some reason I assumed it would be babies, but it wasn't. Of course like in all things there was a spectrum. People who had put every effort into making their dog comfortable with the new life situation and people who didn't, but the end result was the same - they felt it was best for the dog. <br />
<br />
Still I'm happy I have Beckett here and I'm sure we will make things work. Together we have been through so much, coming off the track, graduate school, living in the city with roommates in a apartment, moving, new house, having a husband around - if we've made it this far together...<br />
<br />
Still I'd love to here advice - how have you managed to make dogs and children work?Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-59572435723970056572011-07-07T18:19:00.000-07:002011-07-07T19:43:01.426-07:00The StormI take my dog for granted. <br />
<br />
There it is. I may joke he is the worlds best dog, but he is far from perfect, even despite what other people may say (it is easy to confuse lazy with well behaved).<br />
<br />
To be honest he probably isn’t the worlds best dog because I’m not the worlds best trainer (I don’t even try to be). I just do a few minutes every day, read books when I have time, and get advice from people who are more talented at it then I. However, all that work adds up and it has made a difference (<a href="http://thegreyhoundbeckett.blogspot.com/2009/12/adoption-day.html">see old post</a>). What I took for granted is what a difference it has made.<br />
<br />
This past weekend my husband, Beckett, and I went canoe camping. It was hot and muggy when we headed up north and by the time we reached the landing we were excited to get into the water. The canoe loaded, we took off. We weren’t on the water long before it began to sprinkle, so we started towards the next first camp site - 2 miles away.<br />
<br />
Then things changed. The first sign was the lightening, at which point my husband and I put on our life jackets (Beckett was already wearing his). Just as I finished buckling my pfd the wind hit us. It hit us hard. Within seconds the canoe was in the water and we were suddenly in some sort of survival movie. It was scary. I’m a great swimmer and even with the life jacket there were times I struggled to keep above water. I remember reaching to see if the dog was afloat (those dog life jackets are no joke, I don’t think Beckett would have made it without one) then swimming to rescue the packs, then the shore. As I managed some Olympic like swimming to grab not one but both packs and stay above water my husband managed to grab the canoe (my husband even held onto his paddle), but everything else was gone. <br />
<br />
Lightening and thunder were assailing our senses even as the wind and hail were pelting our bodies. If I was a dog I’m not sure what I would do, but I can tell you what Beckett did - everything I told him to. When I told him to “stay close” he stayed close, when I told him “jump” he jumped onto the slippery water shore, when I told him to “down” he went down. <br />
<br />
Our list of items was short, wet tent, wet clothes, wet cell phone. As for the dog, the list was shorter, no leash, no treats, no clicker, only history and trust. I am so thankful that apparently that was enough - at least for Beckett. <br />
<br />
Once we found a spot near the shore we waited until the worst was over. Even then - though the worst of <a href="http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/article_e43f62ca-a4c8-11e0-98b2-001cc4c03286.html?mode=story">the storm</a> was over our trip was just beginning. Over next day or so we somehow managed to get somewhere safe and from there get home. <br />
<br />
I’ll save you from the details. The rest of the affair is a long wet story involving more canoeing not being able to find help, the onset of dusk, more rain, more wind, more storm; ending with eventually finding a campsite setting up tent and trying to stay warm until morning.Once morning came we had another adventure trying to get home through dozens of downed trees. Through it all, which by this time added the growing list of crap Beckett dealt with children, chainsaws, different cars, and getting back into the canoe (even I didn’t want to get back into that canoe) Beckett was at his best. The only time he didn’t immediately do as I asked is when he finished peeing before coming over. <br />
<br />
At the end of it all we made it home scratched, sore, but safe and sound. (Beckett’s vet checked him over Monday)<br />
<br />
I guess I just never thought that all that the training had made such a difference, it didn’t seem like very much just a little everyday, a couple books, a class maybe two (if count the amount of time I spend talking to friends I would say two classes probably equates to one). I can only say it was worth it. Beckett amazed me, I had no idea how much I took for granted and how good of dog he can be. I also had no idea how awesome those K9 life jackets were, I’m going to go write a review for mine right now.Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-69624850353498268022011-07-03T07:08:00.000-07:002011-07-03T07:35:17.840-07:00Lure CoursingEarlier this summer, Beckett and I went to the local greyhound pets of america greyfest. Usually so much fun, this year it was cold wet and rainy. However, the low turn out meant that the lure course was almost empty. I let Beckett run twice. He loved it! though I worry that at the age of six, he might not be in shape for it next year (even though we run 3 or 4 miles every other day I guess my running is more like his walking at a moderate speed).<br />
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<center> The pictures (<a href="http://sarahbethphotography.com/">Sarahbeth Photography</a>) were amazing. </center><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3Lp2tmN_Se2yYzfFcobCYPvJ_i6XARo3ndAZ1HnESZuqDyxMiuSb3q1kXQOLE7ve7TkvdmFq_dTyRFkVuY2vlTE-i1xws7ezn-um-21VoZmjoq9ptsMFA1goCXvtr3sP_WygRXDbiAs/s1600/sarah_beth_photography__minneapolis_pet_photographer_2_16894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="267" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3Lp2tmN_Se2yYzfFcobCYPvJ_i6XARo3ndAZ1HnESZuqDyxMiuSb3q1kXQOLE7ve7TkvdmFq_dTyRFkVuY2vlTE-i1xws7ezn-um-21VoZmjoq9ptsMFA1goCXvtr3sP_WygRXDbiAs/s400/sarah_beth_photography__minneapolis_pet_photographer_2_16894.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GPq6-l0nbaJ_4K5vatOojQ2Xyw-P8XuGdrY48VUrhHlbG9X8TpzNHT0qetRwo3OdrctxIXEDO-hmUyGKzqdq9QIBm_1KOVfF5CMg6YXTJ0o_4cvNknyPlDQYFv1j5Gdr7ikpN36EgDU/s1600/sarah_beth_photography__minneapolis_pet_photographer_2_17023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="267" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GPq6-l0nbaJ_4K5vatOojQ2Xyw-P8XuGdrY48VUrhHlbG9X8TpzNHT0qetRwo3OdrctxIXEDO-hmUyGKzqdq9QIBm_1KOVfF5CMg6YXTJ0o_4cvNknyPlDQYFv1j5Gdr7ikpN36EgDU/s400/sarah_beth_photography__minneapolis_pet_photographer_2_17023.jpg" /></a></div>Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-91572629971742062302011-05-08T06:51:00.000-07:002011-05-08T06:51:29.899-07:00Sleeping Dog TeethYou think he would know better by now then to fall asleep when I have a camera in hand....<br /><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6XGeVB5VzmRQ-VrQ_-w5Y3qwdek34KEDmbd_ZU7rx_eObSlN3uCraUPJx1WhOvfYJ6Ho3oNMKQghol0IhZCI9E9dxzrG7GJso_YywhtGJdU8qBQl5VjzT1Gz0H-FelTDVLs0wK6InYo/s1600/IMG_7829.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6XGeVB5VzmRQ-VrQ_-w5Y3qwdek34KEDmbd_ZU7rx_eObSlN3uCraUPJx1WhOvfYJ6Ho3oNMKQghol0IhZCI9E9dxzrG7GJso_YywhtGJdU8qBQl5VjzT1Gz0H-FelTDVLs0wK6InYo/s400/IMG_7829.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-80724216668561443402011-04-19T15:12:00.000-07:002011-04-19T15:12:47.783-07:00APDT Rally Trial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP3TC5qKmetFES91gLitrEZY-akicFIP0oQHRgdYjrpRqbhHSpw77ojuHdPE7GTnZv2Q6iXGG4u6TPuhI0rAS1xRhm2ulDPF8paDexfr0OAfVOHcp2nsy5lbJ1qFwm_zCWG8cykLTI1o/s1600/BeckettSophieRibbon2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP3TC5qKmetFES91gLitrEZY-akicFIP0oQHRgdYjrpRqbhHSpw77ojuHdPE7GTnZv2Q6iXGG4u6TPuhI0rAS1xRhm2ulDPF8paDexfr0OAfVOHcp2nsy5lbJ1qFwm_zCWG8cykLTI1o/s400/BeckettSophieRibbon2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
This weekend Beckett and I went to a APDT Rally Trial, it was our second attempt at the whole affair and it went really well. This time I knew that one trial a day was enough, so we did one trial each day. We qualified on both runs, was in 5th place on one of the days, and got our RL1. However, the big news is we won the Sophie award! The Sophie Award is given out by the <a href="http://www.mnmixedbreedclub.org/">Minnesota Mix Breed Club</a> to the Level 1A team who best exemplifies teamwork based on the relationship they have in the ring. Team work and relationship?! those are my goals! I was so happy.<br />
<br />
Everyone there was very friendly and supportive. Though I have to thank my friends for their support especially <a href="http://reactivechampion.blogspot.com/">Crystal</a> for taking the time to go over all the signs with me (once again) and Laura for the video below.<br />
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<center> <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LEOwYz1-2l4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><br />
The run itself isn't perfect, but I was happy my dog was happy what more can one ask?Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-10869969198703232712011-04-07T18:38:00.000-07:002011-04-07T18:38:45.143-07:00Rosemary Mini Quiches For Dogs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZo7LoQlvctdIiQUtPVUU69qPlppnmbB0Q8Yh8RyvNq4M2IMOpLEYDAwupZwFbVrsLRh1jzVX2_qfwzKrD25UUOFT2dZmLBYm_of3Dl9vh_jgtT6VRjo8I68ujbuutWqxqMTkCPR8ApFI/s1600/mix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZo7LoQlvctdIiQUtPVUU69qPlppnmbB0Q8Yh8RyvNq4M2IMOpLEYDAwupZwFbVrsLRh1jzVX2_qfwzKrD25UUOFT2dZmLBYm_of3Dl9vh_jgtT6VRjo8I68ujbuutWqxqMTkCPR8ApFI/s400/mix.jpg" /></a></div><br />
These are easy and are darn tasty.<br />
<br />
3 TBL olive oil<br />
1 TBLS fresh rosemary<br />
1/2 large sweet potato<br />
1 regular potato<br />
pinch of salt<br />
1/2 cup white flour<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
<br />
Pre heat oven to 350 Fahrenheit<br />
<br />
Dice the potatoes then microwaved them with a little water (or you can cook the potatoes anyway you like.) Once soft put the diced potatoes plus olive oil, rosemary, and pinch of salt into the blender. Add just enough water so that blender makes the potato olive oil mixture into a smooth even consistency (like a thick cream soup).<br />
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To the blended potato add the two eggs. <br />
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Separately mix the flour and baking powder together, then add the mixed flour and baking powder to the potato egg mixture.<br />
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Spoon that into a mini-muffin pan and bake for 15-20 min at 350 F or until puffy. Once you take them out of the oven they will fall a bit, but they are still really good. I should know I ate two of them. The dog ate three.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVx2mMpNLXs7TtexW23JN_SekGYOM5tStWflsnbCGuxTAl0NLsx0Ec5UE_fDmVD8IHmkxP7Hc8RTTsp3TrmbC3ERyqJL3-Y2z9DbsuKvdkgAUnB-pkAEyKjLLl39J5ZJZoIUITnTXHsik/s1600/quiche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVx2mMpNLXs7TtexW23JN_SekGYOM5tStWflsnbCGuxTAl0NLsx0Ec5UE_fDmVD8IHmkxP7Hc8RTTsp3TrmbC3ERyqJL3-Y2z9DbsuKvdkgAUnB-pkAEyKjLLl39J5ZJZoIUITnTXHsik/s400/quiche.jpg" /></a></div>Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-83749836793158877682011-04-04T19:33:00.000-07:002011-04-04T19:47:11.756-07:00Zink Day One Part One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOT7dnBog7GSLbT_0hcOFxIxlbLSPgsfe3OzkOIaOym-rGir4GwzJHrngyj7vU6YGY5upAeCSI9SUGEnzaHClzC4ApX0RdJLgEPzZLE23p0N3_40D98mcYoiuT68rLF4NKMSlZ58tgKtc/s1600/Becket+Structure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOT7dnBog7GSLbT_0hcOFxIxlbLSPgsfe3OzkOIaOym-rGir4GwzJHrngyj7vU6YGY5upAeCSI9SUGEnzaHClzC4ApX0RdJLgEPzZLE23p0N3_40D98mcYoiuT68rLF4NKMSlZ58tgKtc/s400/Becket+Structure.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Chris Zink<br />
<br />
Day One<br />
<br />
Dr. Zink started out the day discussing her opinions on spay & neutering (against neutering, might suggest spaying after the 3rd heat), animal rescue (more complicated than you may think), and conformation structure (which breeds towards extremes and extremes do not make for good movement). Her arguments were well researched, supported with scientific evidence, and clear diagrams. However, I won’t spend a lot of time talking about them instead focusing on what I thought was more interesting. (That is what happens when you do the writing, you get to make the executive level decisions).<br />
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Zink talked about the importance of health, mentioning the propensity for overweight dogs in America which puts significantly more strain on a dog’s body and overall health. She (obviously) supports training, conditioning, and feeding appropriately. <br />
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Chris briefly discussed the reason behind dog sports, which she believes mainly consists of the building and growth of a relationship. (I couldn’t agree more, but I think that kind of growth is found in any training assuming it is has a foundation of positive based communication).<br />
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Next up were the slides, more slides, followed by the furious note taking, and even more slides. <br />
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Let’s start out with structure. There are three primary body types, the ectomorph (such a Greyhound), a endomorph (Bull dog), and a mesomorph (Retreiver). Zink spent a good length of time discussing how moderate structures make for the best structure to have in most dog sports and her concern for American dogs, which seem to be leaning more and more to the extremes. Out of the three, the endomorph has the highest potential for injury, not that she suggests they don’t do sports but that they instead use common sense (I don’t think she said common sense, but again I get to paraphrase), thinking about the environment and impact of that environment. Avoiding high temperatures, mat covered concrete surfaces , and paying special attention to the dogs weight and condition. <br />
<br />
For simplicity dogs can be classified by a height to weight ratio. A dog like Beckett who is tall, I would say 30 inches (but I can’t estimate for crap so who know what that number actually is) and a weight of 75lbs would have a ratio of 2.5. Dogs with a weight height ratio of 3.5 or higher will have a higher chance of injury (and as such should use more caution). She goes further to suggest that the jump height for many endomorphs is simply too high and should be lowered during training (and in competition, but she doesn’t make those rules).<br />
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From there we talked about angles and structure. In case you are puppy hunting; Zink suggests evaluating a puppy at 8wks (why get a puppy when you can get an already grown dog and a good night’s sleep?). <br />
<br />
We started with rear structure; a dog like Beckett has a reasonably good amount of rear angulation. Whereas a dog like a German Shepard has even more rear angulation. We learned to distinguish rear leg angulation using the working dogs - though a picture and straight hock can give you a good idea (see attempted picture above). Imagine a line going straight up out of the perpendicular lower part of the leg, the closer to the back bone the less angulation a dog has. Some angulation is good, increasing the potential for propulsion but too much can effect stability. Additionally more angulation has a faster ground speed, but is harder on sharp turns, can contribute to less accurate sits, slower downs, and slower ups from a down. <br />
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Even more important in movement is front angulation. The front legs bear more of the pressure and weight, are only attached by soft tissue (as such more easily injured), and cannot be as easily conditioned as the rear legs. Zink’s ideal front leg angle is a 30 degree angle away from the vertical. Again we used the working dogs to get a feel of the front structure, I found when feeling the dogs for the front leg structure the hardest part was getting the head straight above the neck, if the dog was stretching for a treat or eating from a hand it was very easy (for me) to significantly misread the angulation. Once the head is straight above the neck use your thumb and index finger to locate the highest point in the shoulder blade. Straight shoulders are especially difficult for a dog, giving it more concussion on the bones, less muscle development, can cause malformation of the toes, but it does cause a dog to be more comfortable with it head held up high (like you always see on the dogs shows on TV). (In case your wondering Beckett has good amount of front angulation, but it is hard for me to see since his head isn't in the right spot).<br />
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More to come.Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-30310824322681402702011-03-27T19:01:00.000-07:002011-03-27T19:03:47.866-07:00Zink Seminar: The logisitics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfq2En87JFZc9H2dHJQEN2Al7NKJcr5MsAKnnfe053S2u1viV9SERkB7CagR6BLYRTS2N3vMdJSg7nmpp-_E4yGcyoQsNaP86f41cCEzMfnjjGQD9O7zxadU1rwV1BrpRhyphenhyphen82RAg6Yog/s1600/IMG_7782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfq2En87JFZc9H2dHJQEN2Al7NKJcr5MsAKnnfe053S2u1viV9SERkB7CagR6BLYRTS2N3vMdJSg7nmpp-_E4yGcyoQsNaP86f41cCEzMfnjjGQD9O7zxadU1rwV1BrpRhyphenhyphen82RAg6Yog/s400/IMG_7782.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Beckett and I went to our first working seminar, Dr. Chris Zink, "Coaching the Canine Athlete." Okay, so calling Beckett a athlete is a lot like calling my young cousins art work a master piece... Not to say there isn't any truth to it. My cousins work does look better then some modern art I've seen. And Beckett has done rally, some lure coursing, and he is my jogging partner which gives him between 9-15 miles a week 9 months of the year (we don't run in the winter). <br />
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I suppose we are in the intramural dog sports league which would be easier if they had an intramural level, but they don't, and the seminar was close by, and my friend was going, and I've always wanted to go to a working seminar. You know what? don't judge me, I went with Beckett my lovable cuddle champion.<br />
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I imagine one could easily tell I was the least experienced dog person there with a working dog. It was obvious from my general ignorance in everything agility related that Beckett was not a rising or even would-be agility star, from his form it was probably even more apparent that he did not pull, mush, or do field work. I was the black sheep with my own brindle greyhound. Why don't they have intramural dog sports? All the fun with out so much of the competition?<br />
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I think I may have gotten my preconceived notions of what a dog seminar would be like extrapolating on the veterinary lectures at the greyhound expo. The expo scene was like deja vu of my scientific lectures, rows of chairs, projector screens, power points, people occasionally nodded between furiously scribbled notes; the difference from my scientific lectures, aside from the location - there was no fancy convention center or hotel ball room, was the dogs lounging over every available floor space. <br />
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My self created fantasy of the seminar had me taking notes like the amazing student I am (doing what I do best), with my dog by my feet doing what he does best (nothing). It was going to be awesome! Except, it was going to be not like that at all. Oh, the place had all the trappings, the notebooks, the projector ect., but the dogs, they weren't sprawled on the floor they were crated in the other room separated by a pair of closed doors.<br />
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I mean Beckett is crate trained, but I've never had him in a different room from me for so long. I brought the fabric crate - what if he tore through that? (which experience has taught me not only is he capable of doing, but costs 60$ to replace.)<br />
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My heart was suddenly beating loudly, I'm wasn't sure, what if he broke out, I could put him in the car, but it is still a bit cold for him. I took a deep breath and to be honest I totaled up the monetary cost of the whole thing, (cha-ching; seminars are not cheap). I decided to keep Beckett busy in the crate with a frozen kong and a bully stick. If he gets out, he gets out, I'll take him home and we will call it a weekend. (At least I'll get to that laundry that has been piling up).<br />
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The first break was 2 hours after the doors were closed.<br />
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I was sweating bullets. What if they had an intercom I could just imagine it, "Could the women with no real reason to be here come chase down her dog who escaped from his crate to the amusement of everyone, then maybe take a quick pop math test, Thank you." Of course, reality is Beckett comes when he is called so I wouldn't have to chase him anywhere and I'm reasonably certain that I'm passed the age I ever have to take a pop math test. <br />
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The two hours took what seemed like forever to pass - even with the good sized amount of knowledge I was trying to absorb. When we finally broke off I was happy to find Beckett safe and sound inside his crate. He seemed to be a bit nervous, panting a little, but otherwise was his normal self.<br />
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My previous fears were not as crazy as you may have thought, the dog next to us broke through his fabric crate and was being packed up. However, there was no announcement nor did they make the owner take a math test.<br />
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The day had two breaks and a lunch. Beckett was out and working for maybe 20-30 min of that time the rest of the time he was crated. By the end of the first day he was amazing in the crate obviously at ease, though I myself was still nervous. He was well behaved always was able to follow commands, and though he wasn't an athlete he was an amazingly good dog.<br />
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The second day was much like the first with some more working time in the afternoon. I'll save the actual content to blog about later, which was really informative, I am really glad I went.Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-79685012660564509442011-03-26T15:20:00.000-07:002011-03-26T15:20:39.108-07:00Where are the cookies?No cookies?! Blame nefarious combination of my work schedule and the long lingering death grip of winter. The once picturesque blanket of snow is now suffocating the ground keeping me from my lovely seasonal vegetables. The carefully persevered winter squash? Gone months ago! The only things left from the last growing season are one slightly dry but still good sweet potato and one white potato. At least I have my potted herbs.Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-32960752803836201222011-03-01T20:52:00.000-08:002011-03-01T20:52:23.883-08:00A Book Review, "Train your dog like a Pro" Jean Donaldson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7IsgXilXgThNznqMkJJ-TuSPx87R75li7qkVURp-kPQffEYzIeyobMaRDIOZR5wA-0dFbxbXMlDI7gvP8nm4zSTLnCvrCVsUeEtBpbRS2Z-jfILejQn4Ygr-RzAkW2NUvOJHAla5Z_jI/s1600/IMG_7769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7IsgXilXgThNznqMkJJ-TuSPx87R75li7qkVURp-kPQffEYzIeyobMaRDIOZR5wA-0dFbxbXMlDI7gvP8nm4zSTLnCvrCVsUeEtBpbRS2Z-jfILejQn4Ygr-RzAkW2NUvOJHAla5Z_jI/s400/IMG_7769.JPG" /></a></div><br />
In keeping with my news year’s resolution; wait was reviewing books part of that? I can’t remember. The truth is I’ve been swamped at work. We’ve had to stop fostering, my husband was taking up all the dog slack and though he was a good sport about it, with no end in sight he started getting understandably cranky. Still, enough about my personal life and more about the subject at hand, Ms. Donaldson’s book, “Train your dog like a Pro.” <br />
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Donaldson is (as one might have easily gathered from the title) not writing for the professional dog trainer, but for the rest of us, even the most work laden-time crunched-not excited about dog training among us. <br />
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If you’ve read canine texts, you might be familiar with the image of the rural farm house, the grass laden fields, the lovingly described pack of dogs, the lesson-teaching-well-meaning-personal-tales, all the things that bring to mind a natural connection between the writer and the canine psyche. Well, you won’t find those here. Donaldson isn’t verbose on her own relationship with the canine species instead leaving those cozy hearth scenes on the editing room floor in order to get straight to the point, training your dog. <br />
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To be blunt, I’m not sure if Donaldson is a natural savant of the dog world, but I can tell you she seems like natural at teaching people how to train their dogs. The training instructions are clear, well-described, and already broken down into small easy to digest and accomplish bites. Instead of a book, it is more like a work-book; and as such it is your own actions - your own success that keeps you coming back.<br />
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Donaldson starts off with simple instructions and goes above and beyond to give you several different explanations in case the first one doesn’t fit with your learning style. Yes, she actually discusses different learning styles. Furthermore, Donaldson approaches several aspects of dog training that are commonly overlooked by similarly presented books, time management, self- encouragement, motivation, involving family members, and if your still not able - with no condensation or judgment exploring other options such as having a professional do the training for you.<br />
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The chapters themselves are well organized, moving and building from the simple to the more advanced behaviors. However, even the most complicated sections cannot shake off the ubiquitous aura of simplicity. Which as you might imagine has the potential to be a complete bore, but almost surprisingly, it isn’t. I personally found the book pretty compelling. I loved reading the multiple explanations of the same concept unfold and found that the simplicity that flowed throughout actually tied the book together and kept the reader from ever feeling overwhelmed. <br />
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The only part I wasn’t a huge fan of was how late in the book the clicker was introduced. I understand, not everyone wants or is on board with a training aid. After all it is one more thing to buy and carry around, but aside from that little tiny afterthought I was really impressed. Now the best part. It comes with a DVD, A DVD which… I haven’t had to time to watch… yet. <br />
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I originally borrowed this book, but three fourths the way through added it to my must purchase list and now that I’ve finished reading it there is no doubt it is worth the money. It’s a perfect addition for anyone looking for a simple well thought out guide in order to start training their dog ... like a pro.Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-27187596352074216802011-02-10T20:06:00.000-08:002019-04-20T21:46:53.945-07:00Teaching your greyhound to sit (from your couch).How to teach your greyhound to sit aka an lazy way to have your dog approximate a sit all while sitting on your couch.<br />
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Now I want to be upfront about this, if you are thinking of doing competition with your dog something such as obedience, this isn’t for you. However, if you are thinking it would be sort of nice if my greyhound could “sit” and don’t really want to look at those other posts, then this post is for you! <br />
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The end result isn’t all that pretty – but it will do. The directions below are fairly simple and require little work on your part and are well suited if you are not particular about what your sit looks like and or are not the best trainer (ie. me). <br />
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Also it doesn’t require you to physically manipulate your dog in an awkward uncomfortable way, which I’m just not coordinated enough for - even if the idea appealed to me. It does require you to use a clicker and for your dog to have an idea what a “down” is. Oh and treats, this is me, so of course there are cookies -when are there not?!<br />
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So the pre-requisites (The click and The down).<br />
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The clicker or maybe a retractable pen that makes a noise, something. I know I know, I’m also not a fan of having one more “thing” and usually I would say try instead using the word “Yes” but in this particular instance I think you’ll find it super duper helpful to use the clicker or pen; you can buy clickers online or get them at your local pet store. They don’t bite, I promise. If you are to lazy for that try without - can’t hurt. I support lazy.<br />
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<b>The Click.</b> Since you’re here and since your already reading this I’ll tell you how I do it. I have a bunch of the awesome treats cut into bite sized pieces mixed with some ordinary kibble. I click then quick, like a ninja on amphetamines, I get that treat or kibble to the dogs mouth. Click – Treat – Click –Treat. You get the idea. I can tell I’m done teaching the dog what the “click” means when I notice a physical reaction to click, you’ll see it in their ears, or mouth, or eyes, even their whole body. <br />
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<b>The Down.</b> Once you have a clicker the “down” is also super easy. I suggest doing it the lazy way - by sitting on your couch while watching TV. You are watching your favorite episode of friends, the one where Joey gets his head stuck in the thanksgiving turkey and you see your dog starting to lie down. You say, "down" and as he or she lies down you click and toss a treat from the awesomeness that is your comfy couch. Your dog gets up, gets the treat, looks around to see if any more tasty morsels might fall from the sky. When nothing happens he or she eventually lies down again. <br />
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When the dog lies down again, you say, "down" click and toss the treat from the cozy fort you’ve made of the couch cushions (after all it is a re-run) and whole process starts anew. Soon your dog will spot a treat in your hand and think, “you know when I lie down that delectable tidbit has fortuitously ended up in my general area; it might be coming from that appendage with the nifty opposable thumb.” “Hhhhmmm If I lie down now I might get that scrumptious delicacy.” Or he or she might just think “FOOD” and hope that since lying down has worked before it might work again. Either way good enough. You can find great books on how to better train your pooch this is the quick and dirty.<br />
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<b>The Sit.</b> (Finally) Now your dog either knows the word down or you’ve done the above and he or she will go down in the hopes food will spring forth from your hand. You’ve got a treat, the awesome kind, the kind your dog LOVES, I mean LOVES. You can then ask your dog to down or you can wait until he or she tries to see if down will release the food from your hand. <br />
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You wait tensed, clicker/noise thingy in hand and at the ready. Your dog thinking something is broken, after all he or she did what you asked but did not receive aforementioned treat of greatness -usually the dog tries again. (Or if your dog is well trained, you can ask them to get up, but if you have a well trained dog you should probably have quit reading this by now).<br />
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Back to the moment. <b>This is it the instant you have been working towards - </b>the wait is nearly over - for as he or she gets up<b> there will be a split second when their butt is on the floor and their two paws are straight pulling off the ground. </b><br />
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<b>Click! Now! (Yes! Now!)</b><br />
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Right at that moment! Then as quickly as you can get a piece of that treat into their mouths, think big muscled man crammed into a telephone booth changing into tights and wearing his underwear on the outside, fast.<br />
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If they have stood up, that is cool make sure to give them the treat they earned but wait until the moons align and the moment happens again. Now if you dog is so busy chowing down your treat that they have stayed with the butt on the floor by all that is sane keep shoveling the food into the cavernous stomach that is your dog. Feeding him or her like the vending machine for the last bag of overpriced tasty-tasty chips. Anyways, you get the point you keep giving them the kibble treat mix until the dog’s butt comes up off the ground at which point you stop. <br />
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Then you start the cycle starts anew. <br />
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Now by the end of a week with a few minutes here or there and no real effort I’m guessing you’ll have something that looks like an approximation of sit. You will at some point, have to add a label, either the word "sit", if you want to be conventional, or maybe a hand gesture (maybe one that won't get you in trouble). <br />
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If you are more motivated I would say two days and four friends episodes just training on commercials. It might not be pretty, but don’t worry you have a greyhound most people will be so impressed your greyhound can sit they won’t be picky about it, but like I said there are tons of awesome resources that will help you to achieve a precise beautiful sit – this isn’t one of them.<br />
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Below is a picture of my foster after two sit training sessions. And this is why all my dogs sit with one front paw further out than the other. It isn't really a sit as much as a half down.<br />
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Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-77528481222628645962011-01-17T18:32:00.000-08:002011-01-17T18:35:18.373-08:00Beckett: The not-so-natural agility dogOn Sundays Beckett and I go to class with some of our favorite people. It is a pretty low-key easy going shaping class (my kind of place). Last week we were in the aglity room - our regular room was rented out. Since there was all this new equipment around I thought a nose touch on some the equipment would be something new to shape.. Beckett had his own ideas - which were much more entertaining to watch. I quickly forgot about shaping anything and just starting giving him treats for being so cute.<br />
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The video is thanks to Robin Sallie, she has awesome blog at <a href="http://raisingk9.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://raisingk9.blogspot.com/</a>Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-12737339178075468752011-01-12T18:18:00.000-08:002011-01-12T18:45:10.548-08:00Greyhound living in a City Apartment Part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5a_0ZKDmpCAl-rbtaxi8J4WyxFkDl44V9IHKuRl5_Pk5SpRwnCwyslgIXclzbthXslRPZAC6REnStY8UwlAaZOpt8nxmL28Au4d3MuEPp_Tpk2k94gff25skF_Px6k97KKkubdPOq4M/s1600/IMG_4237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5a_0ZKDmpCAl-rbtaxi8J4WyxFkDl44V9IHKuRl5_Pk5SpRwnCwyslgIXclzbthXslRPZAC6REnStY8UwlAaZOpt8nxmL28Au4d3MuEPp_Tpk2k94gff25skF_Px6k97KKkubdPOq4M/s320/IMG_4237.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Owning a greyhound; in a city apartment; versus a house.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I live in a traditional house at least I have for over a year now. Traditional meaning one house two families, two people in one half, two people in the other, but separate from one another and the house comes with a fenced-in back yard. However, for years before “the house” I lived in a apartment. “The apartment” was specifically one house,12 apartments, each containing 4 people, no back yard, and though it is not attached to the houses next door you can read what the person is typing on their computer through the window. In my apartment I had access to one bedroom (it held one twin sized bed and potentially one greyhound sized dog crate with no floor space, and no other furniture). It had a living room containing one futon and TV (on a stand), it had almost no floor space and one sat only a foot away from the TV when sitting on said futon. I lived there with three other (awesome) women, in what you might correctly imagine very cramped space.<br />
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I’ve been meaning to post about living with a greyhound in a my apartment versus living in my house. There are some differences, but it is hard to say which is better or worse for me or Beckett. It was very different. I’ll break it into a few posts since I tend to ramble on about the subject.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In general the biggest difference is that living responsibility in an apartment means nothing can be put the wayside. Everything has to be dealt with and it needs to be dealt with fast if not prevented. For me that meant a lot of prevention. If you live in an apartment you can’t really risk having a loud barking dog, which means going through the process of treating separation issues before they occur. Living with four people means you can’t wait to find out if your dog resource guards you have to be training him or her from day one. Being in a small space means crate training can be a huge benefit, with so many people coming in and out can you trust everyone to keep chocolate off the table or keep your dog from running out? – it is something that needs to be taught and taught as soon as possible. What you can procrastinate on while living in a house cannot wait until later when your living in a busy apartment. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Some of the more distinct differences for me:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">PART ONE</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">THE YARD (or specifically the lack thereof)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My apartment meant four walks a day everyday. Now my dog(s) only get two. The advantages to a yard are pretty obvious, but there are some advantages to having no yard that I'm going to share. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Routine. When your walking your dog four times a day you need a schedule. After all it is only logical; any attempt to combine all your walks into one long walk means you’d like a present to come home to. So, four walks a day every day, spaced evenly apart, which pretty much means your keeping a pretty strict routine. Additionally, there are lots of benefits to this. Many dogs (and as my Mom assures me children) really thrive on routine and or knowing what to expect. And although the walk itself can be filled with new experiences the simplicity of routine can be very cathartic for many dogs.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Potty. Teaching potty when you don’t have a back yard is a piece of cake (so much so I gave it it’s own paragraph). You go out, you say potty, you give your dog two minutes to walk sniff do what he or she will and if he doesn’t go, you go back in your house and repeat 15 minutes later. When the dog does his or her business you give him or her a party with praise treats and whatever else makes them happy. Living in a house it is just as convenient to simply let my dog back out rather then teaching him potty, but since Beckett already knows the command it makes things so much easier when I’m rushed, or someplace new, or out and about. In an apartment going outside for multiple potty breaks is just annoying if not guaranteed to make you late for anything potentially important.<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Socialization. When your walking 4 times a day in the middle of the city, socialization isn’t just a priority it is an everyday event (whether you want it or not). Every street, every corner, every place has people, dogs, cats, and if your me more then the occasional drunk. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Stimulation. Well I mentioned it before but without a yard means you never avoid a walk cause your sick, it is raining, snowing, and or actually any reason. So every day your dog gets to sniff something new, see new things, and in general get some mental stimulation.<br />
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Exercise. Even four short walks means you and your dog are getting some physical activity every day, no expensive gym membership needed.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">By the way, the picture is of my roommate Charlene with Beckett during one of our long walks. </div>Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-82936529869279472252011-01-02T19:09:00.000-08:002011-01-02T19:12:33.509-08:00Goals?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhokWUriu4FbZCQOFe3B0FMRkBoWBZPDNdrfwY9-y-rHT-TAVv6lRBIDtZZLA-X3nTSQwRO5V2Rs8MDkO-P9pKNun5z_EByMaY5oXKyvS-aDnJrYsGGYA8XKN9or84dPehtyR5ujfojRGI/s1600/IMG_6871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhokWUriu4FbZCQOFe3B0FMRkBoWBZPDNdrfwY9-y-rHT-TAVv6lRBIDtZZLA-X3nTSQwRO5V2Rs8MDkO-P9pKNun5z_EByMaY5oXKyvS-aDnJrYsGGYA8XKN9or84dPehtyR5ujfojRGI/s400/IMG_6871.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I'm not very good about goals. In fact, mine are often fuzzy (see above picture). I'm more interested in the process of having fun with my dog and watching him learn then actual product of training. It is often very nicely pointed out to me in class that goals could be important. I know they are, but my life has so many goals that sometimes I let my dog goals slide. However, this year my friends have inspired me to actually try. I'll set simple attainable goals and try to break them into little accomplish-able pieces. <br />
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Goal One: The whistle recall. I've been meaning to teach Beckett a solid whistle recall. Step One: Buy Whistle; Step Two: Simple one step recalls with awesome treats: Step Three: Repeat everywhere; Step Four: Increase Distance; Step Five Repeat Steps Two through Four Then Repeat with different person doing the whistling.<br />
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Goal Two: Rally. Step One: Think about it; Step Two: Go over signs and flag ones that may be trouble; Step Three: Work on possible problem signs; Step Four: Find someone who actually knows what they are doing; Step Five: Ask aforementioned person or persons for help and follow their suggestions; their ideas will probably be better or more insightful. Step Six: Find or set up some sort of run through.<br />
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Goal Three: Read some (at least three) suggested training books - write review to assure that I read them thoroughly. Feel free to offer suggestions.<br />
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Goal Four: Play more with Beckett have more fun.Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-80323999205477793582010-12-13T19:27:00.000-08:002010-12-13T19:31:27.274-08:00Beckett and Jack Playing Footsie<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tRQ3FmfegsgqQ-ZKVUTHXutfxdDhfCd8R11dqXURJ5x4c4cYfm9S4_3ccEB9f9i8WnBbFTSKqeNPlHFabLRsyMx01MY1l15vvVHOjOekz0m870yTJY9necHy8j0Yxkyx-ltwyeGEHMU/s1600/IMG_7682.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tRQ3FmfegsgqQ-ZKVUTHXutfxdDhfCd8R11dqXURJ5x4c4cYfm9S4_3ccEB9f9i8WnBbFTSKqeNPlHFabLRsyMx01MY1l15vvVHOjOekz0m870yTJY9necHy8j0Yxkyx-ltwyeGEHMU/s400/IMG_7682.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Jack (the foster) was finally neutered last week. I was holding my breath after the complications he had on the first attempt, but all went well. So he is officially up for adoption. I know he will go fast he is just so goofy and sweet. Here is a picture of the boys hanging out together.Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-11063199301424945432010-12-06T18:16:00.000-08:002010-12-07T20:39:26.555-08:00Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats (Made Easy)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojPzSXt4vR6ul-6jjz2aXBWAI5l8zglehRZzL3dv0Qslbwz6H-1AGnmSQhU3oGWacZVuYlfNFwIX3wTj4dH6LUf2U8LXmBSbVWfV9DvxmCyXz1eGaXN_sh8pgQlxPU6_zuCLBhBIWcog/s1600/Pb+cookies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojPzSXt4vR6ul-6jjz2aXBWAI5l8zglehRZzL3dv0Qslbwz6H-1AGnmSQhU3oGWacZVuYlfNFwIX3wTj4dH6LUf2U8LXmBSbVWfV9DvxmCyXz1eGaXN_sh8pgQlxPU6_zuCLBhBIWcog/s320/Pb+cookies.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I've been working on a yam recipe, but it is taking longer then I would like to perfect so I'll repost an oldy but goody just in case your looking for some special holiday gifts. <a href="http://thegreyhoundbeckett.blogspot.com/2009/10/peanut-butter-pumpkin-dog-treats.html">Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Cookie</a>s are my go to cookies. I've changed the recipe, not to make them better, but to make them easy. Since I realize not everyone has my stash of oatmeal flour or ground flaxseed. I've increased the peanut butter but you might have to use a little more or little less depending on if you use the peanut butter with the oil on top as opposed to the kind that you don't have to mix. Having to use less of the former and more of the latter. Optionally you can add a banana.<br />
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These are my favorite dog treats to make. These dog treats are easy and fun. Oh and dogs love them.<br />
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1 cup canned pumpkin<br />
1 1/2 cup peanut butter<br />
2 eggs<br />
2-3 cups whole wheat flour <br />
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Mix together everything! TaDA!<br />
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The mixture should feel like play dough, soft but not sticky and it should hold together well. I roll them into little balls and them press them with the bottom of a glass or with a fork like peanut butter cookies.<br />
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Bake at 275 Fahrenheit for 120 min, depending on how dry you want them, you can leave them in the oven with the heat turned off. If you don't mind them being more like cookies, go ahead and bake them at 350 until they are golden brown on top.<br />
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Being a human, you may want to add spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. In my less than scientific double not blind study, I found 4 out of 5 dogs prefer the ones without spices, and the the 5th dog apparently ate whatever was closest to its mouth.Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-31929261280726432652010-11-23T06:22:00.000-08:002010-11-23T11:46:17.383-08:00A Book Review: Do Over Dogs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVN4RCzZ2RyodMM1RGiYX4eyQCq0UJICn2_snQbzlu2h4j_m6Zw3vv3FyRu40dgtmJ3nVxA3n6xJqC4B0tb0XG-vhEL-fR2Fglvx5MBIrlm17hKCssXx9hzYM7PhhEfWo6AfpMKRqcsBs/s1600/bookpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVN4RCzZ2RyodMM1RGiYX4eyQCq0UJICn2_snQbzlu2h4j_m6Zw3vv3FyRu40dgtmJ3nVxA3n6xJqC4B0tb0XG-vhEL-fR2Fglvx5MBIrlm17hKCssXx9hzYM7PhhEfWo6AfpMKRqcsBs/s320/bookpic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I haven't blogged about books for <a href="http://thegreyhoundbeckett.blogspot.com/2009/12/dog-book-list.html">awhile</a>, but yesterday I finished Pat Miller's Do Over Dogs. With baited breath I have been awaiting a positive book addressing the concerns of adopting a new-to-you-dog.<br />
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Like many of Pat Miller's books I was impressed with the content. Do Over Dogs is filled with useful advice and I was enamored with the section on selecting a dog, something that I think is often almost never addressed outside puppyhood (probably because so many people look for resources after they have adopted a dog not before they get a dog). In careful detail Miller goes over many of the challenges (all of the problems I've ever had fostering) of adopting a dog and then how to approach those problems.<br />
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I love how she doesn't dwell on the potential cause of those problems, but instead is firmly planted in the present focused on the future; concentrating on fixing those problems instead of dwelling on what could potentially maybe caused them. Unfortunately the book was not organized in way nearly as useful as the content itself so instead of reading it cover to cover like I did, it might be better suited for a more targeted approach reading the chapters that interest you.<br />
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Most of the information in Do Over Dogs I've picked up along the way, from my adoption group, trainer, other books, ect. I was able to put a word to a common problem I've had with Beckett for years," isolation distress." Beckett is often distressed when alone in a new place. Something I've dealt with when I first got him and then something I dealt with again when I moved. I usually named it separation distress though in actuality Beckett didn't care who was with him. So as you can imagine when I moved from my tiny city apartment with four other people in a building with 12 other people to our current suburban home that had just my husband and I he was not impressed. However, since the same techniques can be used to deal with isolation distress as separation distress I wasn't to bad off (another story though). <br />
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In general Pat Miller was preaching to the choir (me). I did disagree on one point. When discussing stress Pat says that the more shut down a dog is the more challenging the dog will be. Beckett used to shut down and yes it was challenging, but actually I've always thought of it more as an appropriate reaction to what must be an incredibly high level of stress. Here was a dog in a completely new environment, encountering things he has never even imagined, things I can't do anything about because they are everywhere, floors, stairs, reflections, cars, and at the time the scariest of all, non-greyhound dogs. Of course I did what I could to manage these things, but instead of lunging, biting, barking, or any of the other outlets available to him he just let me know that he can no longer handle things, by not doing anything. Of course it would have been far better if he didn't have that level of stress, which is probably Miller's point, but it seems to me like a fair way for a dog to communicate that he or she is simply done.<br />
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Now for my confession. This is one of four or five of Miller's works I've read. In this book I was more emotionally attached to the subject then any of her previous books and it was still so <i>dry</i>. I've read scientific papers that are more engaging. Personally I just find her writing style boring. And as such hard to read. The book just never engages me, even sprinkled with personal notes and ending with a succession of success stories it lacks charisma. Again, its just a personal preference, but it was disappointing. I was looking for book that was more of guide to gift to new adopters; something for everyone not just the die-hard dog people. This books feels more like a reference then the new adoption guide I was hoping it to be. Still it filled with awesome advice and I would not hesitate to suggest it to anyone.Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-45456207935334378472010-11-17T20:34:00.000-08:002010-11-17T20:43:22.875-08:00Monster Green Dog Treats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpXVziU2_0L82-KqyMdirwn0q2VLhkDELtV60PhzkOz6cMbT6LNm-jUK0C3UIz0t0wE3BNCTIFiVesoXfr6vLsf5hfCs2EH4L7_Pk3BqewkkmTPdMdH6qKyYKbwas0PM5I6U4Ga9vrVA/s1600/IMG_7592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpXVziU2_0L82-KqyMdirwn0q2VLhkDELtV60PhzkOz6cMbT6LNm-jUK0C3UIz0t0wE3BNCTIFiVesoXfr6vLsf5hfCs2EH4L7_Pk3BqewkkmTPdMdH6qKyYKbwas0PM5I6U4Ga9vrVA/s320/IMG_7592.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I wanted to re-make the deep green dog biscuits that I gave to my dog in childhood. I'm not sure what they did to make those things green, but here I use spirulina powder (spirulina is an alga) mixed with alfalfa powder (alfalfa is plant in the pea family). Both of these are are super healthy. My dog LOVES spirulina. However, alfalfa powder and spirulina powder aren't so easy to find - I order mine online and often add some to Beckett's food as a special treat.<br />
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Monster Green Dog Treats<br />
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2 level cups of unsweetened apple sauce and pureed sweet potato*<br />
2 TBLS spirulina powder<br />
1 TBLS alfalfa powder<br />
2 TBLS finely ground potato flour<br />
1 tsp maple syrup<br />
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*Cook your sweet potato however you like (this time I just bought a giant sweet potato at the farmers market cubed it and cooked in the microwave until the sweet potato was soft). Put about 1 cup of the cooked sweet potato into the blender with about 1 cup of unsweetened apple sauce (you may need more apple sauce to make the mixture smooth.).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnJq5XgD_ak6omPLOnwGRcFSFqxrgJEPkBThuMKCMg3SETc9IE7gDQV4_CnkVYQISlddhy5NLHAjOV3RW39Omi10N4mQzG8f73AN7yD9S1Q-HbLeIXnusTb35JNAnA4vdO5jq504z8KY/s1600/lickbowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnJq5XgD_ak6omPLOnwGRcFSFqxrgJEPkBThuMKCMg3SETc9IE7gDQV4_CnkVYQISlddhy5NLHAjOV3RW39Omi10N4mQzG8f73AN7yD9S1Q-HbLeIXnusTb35JNAnA4vdO5jq504z8KY/s320/lickbowl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Beckett loves licking the bowl<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">Mix the ingredients above. Spoon the mixture into a plastic bag, cut the corner and pipe small amounts onto some parchment paper laid out on a cookie sheet much like my previous <a href="http://thegreyhoundbeckett.blogspot.com/2009/11/sweet-potato-cheese-bits.html">sweet potato bits recipe</a>. Bake on a very low temperature until they reach the desired crunchiness.</div></div>Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-35505738629561264182010-11-10T16:08:00.001-08:002010-11-10T16:08:41.565-08:00Walking Jack<center><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dIglOIQP5pY?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dIglOIQP5pY?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></center><br />
Our first attempt at walking using the clicker! This is a limited time post as my butt looks big. However, if you listen carefully you can hear the i-click and see he is reacting to it. Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-56759577424390125952010-11-10T12:37:00.000-08:002010-11-10T12:37:21.132-08:00Pumpkin Ginger Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKwZfJ3I56Gh63J5WbpVFTxpAcWceBj19mTAu6bjLbh63IigNRak7HPAqWuNaB_Gf39fasfMbfNMh33BTQ1-gRnbXI3rhq8URB1V-8bdavsgm-hX9N7NoHnzW2NEhWdRBSpKzydRslwQ/s1600/IMG_7575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKwZfJ3I56Gh63J5WbpVFTxpAcWceBj19mTAu6bjLbh63IigNRak7HPAqWuNaB_Gf39fasfMbfNMh33BTQ1-gRnbXI3rhq8URB1V-8bdavsgm-hX9N7NoHnzW2NEhWdRBSpKzydRslwQ/s320/IMG_7575.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or otherwise)<br />
1- 1 1/2 cup of oatmeal flour (you can buy oatmeal flour or grind some oats in a blender)<br />
1 tsp (heaping) freshly ground ginger<br />
1/4 tsp powdered ginger<br />
2 TBLS ground flaxseed<br />
1 1/2 TBLS molasses<br />
pinch of cinnamon<br />
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Mix ingredients together. Add oatmeal flour until you have a good consistency. This depends on whether you want to roll them into little balls and squish them to make fancy cookies.. or if your like me and a little pressed on time you can keep them a little more mushy. The mixture should stick together, but not be super sticky. I rolled the mixture into a log inside a parchment paper and froze it over night. Then I cut the frozen log into cookie shaped discs. <br />
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Bake the cookies in a low temperature oven, as low as it can go. It is hard to get the cookies containing sugar (molasses) to not get burnt. So keep an eye on them. It should take a few hour depending on the preferred crispiness.Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-75422631814698105422010-11-05T07:44:00.000-07:002010-11-05T07:44:35.623-07:00Dog Treat Making TimeThis is my favorite time of year to make dog treats, the squash, apples, sweet potatoes, cranberries, its just awesome, in season, local, and on sale. So 18 people who actually read this (I just learned how to check the stats) I'm taking Fall themed requests. Maybe a Pumpkin Ginger, Cinnamon? Or Sweet Potato Cranberry? Apple Sage? I can't wait to start creating some new dog cookie recipes.Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-46714524917895376802010-11-01T19:18:00.000-07:002010-11-01T20:05:10.248-07:00Jack: Day TwoYesterday I mentioned how I forgot how quickly dogs learn, I also forgot how loud they can be, Jack was whining all night long. And though I complain, it wasn't so bad. However, it was hard not being able to sleep through the night. He has improved on several other fronts, first he can be won over at times with some natural balance roll, second the loose leash walking has really progressed, and finally he is beginning to learn that though whining will not get him things and being calm and relaxed will.<br />
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Beckett has also learned not snarling at the dog for cutting into his beauty rest by being obnoxiously loud will get him some treats too.<br />
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I continue to do the best I can... Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447849827308361683.post-85049214961079097802010-11-01T18:37:00.000-07:002010-11-01T18:37:50.271-07:00New Foster Jack<center><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HgMiSCWO7g8?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HgMiSCWO7g8?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></center><br />
Last night we picked up our new foster, Jack aka Jack be Good. It was late and the women who had fostered him for the last week gave us a little bit of information. "He is a puller." I had no doubt since she held him by his leash with two hands and all her weight. She added that he was bit loud the first three or four days, strong willed, and has a high prey drive. Since she mentioned he might need to potty after the long ride, I let him lead (pull my arm out) on the way to nearest patch of dirt. <br />
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He immediately showed me that though he may look like Beckett isn't by jumping right into the back - something it took me months to teach Beckett and even now it isn't his favorite thing. <br />
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I pulled up a couple houses down and took a short walk with Jack. The moment he jumped out of the car we started the loose leash walking game. Since he wouldn't take treats, every time the leash went tight I stopped walking, waited then slowly started taking steps back. The moment he moved back with me and the leash went loose we walked forward. Two blocks and he already stopped pulling. Not that the leash was loose, but at least he wasn't taking my arm out of the socket. <br />
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We brought Beckett out to meet Jack on neutral ground and went on a good long walk to make sure everyone was empty and doing well together. Jack continued with the loose leash game and already he wasn't just stopping at the end of the leash but moving back. I forgot how quickly they learn.<br />
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I noticed that even though he still is to worked up to take treats he is responding to praise! <br />
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Once inside we set him up in his crate with a stuffed kong (see above video) which he dug into right away.Elizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14929570102892029752noreply@blogger.com3