One of the things I teach at the last class is ringing a bell to go outside.  I have the bells that hang on the door but I don't like them because they are too long and swing around and smash against the door.    Some people don't like this kind so I got the Tell Bell so that I could train a different way.  This looks like a reception desk bell.  So this weekend I can show my class two different ways to get your dog to ring the bell to go outside.  I don't think my boys will ring it to go outside but I have some other training ideas about the bell but I need them to ring it consistently first.    hmmm  maybe the cones at some point.  Go out ring the bell come back.  hmmmmmmm we'll see.

Last night I was cracking up as I was training the dogs to ring the bell.  I put the bell on a target and asked them to touch.  Force smacked the shit out of the bell, wrapped his paws around it but I couldn't get him to ring it until I told him head down and he accidentally rang it with his chin. hehehe.  If I have him sit first and put the bell in the right location, he will ring it with his paw, but he won't find it by himself unless it is across the room.  If it is right next him because he layed down next to it instead of staying in a sit,  he won't look at it at all because he is looking at me, surprise surprise.  

Riley puts it between his paws and rings it nicely with his nose.  Very cute.

Stanley will paw it "occasionally" but mostly wants to lick it.  hehehe.

My boys are so excited to learn something new that they have developed a bad case of offerings.... instead of listening.   Force and Riley are so "what do you want me to do, what do you want me to do" (offering everything they know how to do and then some) that I have to just stand there and wait it out until they are ready to listen.  SELF CONTROL hmmmmmmmmm  what happened to all that self control we gained.    As the weather has gotten worse, it has gotten darker earlier and they are spending more time inside I am finding that they are less and less patient.  So I am going back to working short training sessions into every evening using their dinner.  Not that we weren't training in the evening before but at least half the time it was after an evening walk with the kids or followed frisbee time etc.  As it is getting dark earlier and the weather has been yucky, they haven't been getting an evening walk because I don't feel comfortable taking the kids on scooters in the dark.  Last year, I waited until 9pm after the kids went to bed to walk the dogs in the evening but it just hasn't worked out yet.  Our schedule changed and things are different so instead of a walk, I will start rotating them on the theraball in the evening and working more hind end/body awareness on a more consistant basis.  This is what I did part of the time last Winter and it worked really well. 

I have a ton of stuff I want to teach them. Some that we have started and some we haven't. We are having so much fun right now.  Things are really starting to find a groove that works and I like that.  Dylan is easier, the dogs are easier, life is just a little easier.  Yeh.

I know WATCH OUT!!!

In Clean Run (I believe but I read so much stuff right now it could have been in something else) there is an article about setting up cones and working on sprints with your dog.  The idea is that you sprint to the first cone and back to the beginning and then to the second cone and back to the beginning, then the third and so on.   We actually do something like this in Taekwondo for stamina. 

I am not much of a runner except on course but this could be a very good exercises both for human and dog.  And I could set it up across my yard or at the park pretty easily.  I might do it with them but it would be more fun to teach them to do it without me. hehehe

SO, this is my thought process.     Make it a tugging game.  This will be a snap for Riley and Force but I will have to figure out how to get Stanley to do it.  He will bring back the toy and if it is a tug he likes, HE WILL tug with me but I don't have enough of his favorite kind. 

So my thought is to set up tug toys at each cone.  Have them go out pick up the tug and bring it back to tug for a couple seconds, then out to the next cone for another tug and back, then out for another tug etc.    I have TONS  of tug toys and could easily set this up.    The key will be to train them to do the cones in order and if there is no toy, to go onto the next one.  Fun.  I can see this working in my mind so we'll see if I can get them to do it.  I will start with just two cones and move the second cone out farther as they get the game.  When they have the distance then I will set up another cone in the middle and see if I can get them to do two cones and and then keep adding cones and distance as they progress. 

I guess you could also do it just like weave poles and start with two and add a cone out farther.  My only problem with that is that I won't be moving with them so I think getting the distance out will be key. 

Ok, someone did actually take a couple photos during the interview so here they are.

Force was such a good sport.  So far it is still going to be on TV October 17 between 9am and 10am on KPTV ch. 12.

It has been a few days since the boys got to run.  We haven't played frisbee or any kind of retrieving games and I could tell the second we walked out the door that they really needed to.  So I went back in and crabbed my backpack with the frisbees in it and we headed off to walk.

It was a rather nice "dry" walk this morning.  I have them all on Front clip harness now because they work better with their rain coats (no coats today) and they are all doing well with the transition from their other harnesses.  I could use the other ones with the coats but I would have to adjust them to fit OVER the coat instead of under since the leash clip is on the back.  They are walking very nicely, I wish I would have had those when we walked at Wildwood.  OH well next time.

Anyway, they were fantastic on the walk this morning and didn't even push when the park was near.  I have really been working with them on not pulling when they see the park.  They don't pull a lot, just enough for me to feel it alittle but it is more than I want them to so we stop usually and get a relaxed leash and then move forward.  This morning, I didn't have to do that and it was really nice.  We had about 15 minutes of frisbee time and they were huffin and puffin and sooooooooooooo happy to be running. 

The one thing about these harnesses that I don't like is that the clip seems to always hit my dogs in the arm pit, can't they put the clip up higher.  How comfortable can that be...So when they are running I take them off.  Kind of a pain but I would rather they didn't get sores under their pits.   Riley is the most likely to have the problem as it has occured in the past, so I am keeping an eye on it. 

I am going to try to take a pictues with their new coats on this weekend.  They are so cute.  Just a solid color because I can't be all cutsy with my dogs. (yuck).  Stanley's is Yellow only because I didn't like the puke green color, Force has a Blue one and riley's is Red.  They all have reflective tape for walking at night and the bonus about Stanley's being yellow is he is the hardes one to see at night anyway.   I like have things color coordinated, it makes it all easier for me when I know what color goes with what dog.  Their leashes, Collars and harnesses are all color coordinated also.  I know I am freak but there it is.

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So here I am minding my own business, and I get a panicked call from home.  Franc says "OH honey, I think I just wrecked your dog"!!  I am like "What the hell does that mean?"

He tells me that he is playing "chicken" with Fore as he is coming back from going potty before going up the stairs.  Kind of "juking" (is that really a word) back and forth.  Force stops but then hears Riley coming up from behind so he takes off and "forces" his way by Franc and scrapes his FACE along the siding of the house.  Well CRAP!!!

So I am at work , trying to figure out if I need to run home and take him to get stitches.  Franc is totally like "I don't know".  So I start asking questions

Me: what does it l look like?
F:I can see flesh and all the hair is gone?

me: OK, is it gaping?
F: the hair is gone and I can see pink flesh

me:  Is it bleeding?
F: NO me:  GOOD

me. How long its it?
F: 1/4 of an inch wide and 1 inch long
me: CRAP

me:  again is it gaping open?
F:  No it looks like a bad scratch

me: A bad scratch, OK.  does it look like  cut or just an abrasion on the surface
F:  It looks like a bad abrasion because all the hair is gone and it is really pink and fleshy

me:  what does fleshy mean?
F:  it is really pink and looks like it hurts but he doesn't seem to be hurting.

me: doesn't really answer the question but is it swollen and can he open his eye all the way.
F: no it doesn't seem to be swollen, well maybe a little, you'll have to see when you get home.

Me. so what you are telling me is that it is NOT Bleeding and NOT gaping so it doesn't look like he needs stitches? 
F:  I think so but you need to look at it when you get home.

This is my husband totally in fear that he will be wrong.  I can't leave right this minute but I will leave early so that I can check it out in time to take him to the vet before they close if need be.  Man the quality of information I get in these situations, it is like trying to get information out of my 3 year old.  heehehe.

He just called me again to say he was sorry for "wrecking" my dog (clearly he feels really bad) and to assure me that he seems fine and it doesn't seem to be bothering him.  We'll see when I get home.  Franc seems a little afraid that I might hurt him for hurting my dog!!!! hehe  Hey a little fear never hurt anyone!!!

My pretty boy messed up his face.  Well CRAP.   Well after I got home I took some photos. 

 


He looks like he lost a fight.  bummer.  The good news is he will be fine.

I got a "whip" today to play with the dogs.  It is my birthday and what am I doing, I am out buying toys and treats for the dogs.  heehehe  What can I say, it brings me joy.  Anyway, I brought it home and tied a toy to it and began dragging it on the ground to entice the boys to chase it.  OH SO funny.  This is now STANLEY'S favorite toy ever and he will tug with me with it when he gets it. Actually all three of them will. I also whipped it from side to side and they ran as fast as they could to get it.  hehe

I quickly realized that this is a one dog at a time toy. I had figured that but I wanted to see which dog would be more enticed.  Anyway, that was a great amount of amusement for Franc and I right when I got home. 

Then I took the dogs for a fast walk as I rode the scooter.  They do really well and are beginning to understand my slow down and stop commands.  It is MUCH easier on the scooter as it has good brakes.  heheehe.  Force is definitely the lead dog.   I didn't allow them to pull me except when they were able to jog on the grass at the park and when we were around the school.  Everywhere else they were just at a faster paced walk and I kicked the scooter now and then to keep up.  It was really fun.  

One of my neighbors saw me going by and asked me if I had good insurance.  hehehe.  I do!!!!

sorry no pictures.

Here is a picture of Heffner pulling the scooter.



Dylan keeps asking me about teaching Riley to pull him so I am considering it.  It would be kind of fun to jog next to them.  We could practice at Butternut park where Riley can be in the grass and Dylan can be on the pathway.  hmmmmmmmm.  Of course this is now coming up as the weather is going to start getting yucky.  Oh well, I will put it on the list.hehehe

I did a demo for the Great Dane club yesterday and the photographer took some fabulous pictures.  Here is one of me and Force warming up before the demo and one of Lindsay and I getting Heffner on the ball. The tiny picture is of Dylan "inside" Bess's crate with her.  He thought that was great.

                


Here is one of Force sitting up on the rubbermade stool.  (not sure why these are all different sizes, I downloaded from the Great Dane club site)
                           

........and Oloff a 7 mo old Great Dane who actually got all the way up on the ball.  This was the first time I met this dog and he was fabulous.  The last picture if of Oloff learning to crawl.

We had a really nice time hanging out with the Dane club and Dylan got to play for hours with really big dogs all day as well as play on the really nice play structure they had there.  Lindsay is teaching Heffner to pull a scooter (she also does Skijoring) and Dylan and I rode on the scooter while Heffy pulled it.  It was pretty cool and after we got done, Dylan said "Mom, can we teach Riley to pull me on the scooter?".  Maybe I will teach him to do in the back yard.

The demo went well and we signed up 5 teams for Lindsay's seminar she is putting together to teach more Dane's body awareness and core strengthening.  Should be fun.  It is really awesome to see one of these 150+ lb dogs on a theraball.

My classes went really well today.  Franc took both the kids riding so I had 4.5 hours at home by myself.  What do I do???? well I spent the whole time cleaning......needed to be done.  I am wiped.  I cleaned solid for that 4 hours including bathe all three dogs, cut toe nails and brush them.  In addition to the dogs I vaccumned the whole house, cleaned the kitchen, the floor in the den/kitchen and both bathrooms.  Man I thought I would get more done actually.  I made a list so I will just check off one thing each day during the week (hopefully).  I know it sounds neurotic but I just want a clean house every now and again.  The kids and dogs mess it up faster than I can clean it and with Crazy Red the house it is always in a state of half clean.  I can't seem to finish anything when I need to entertain him.  

All in all a fantastic weekend.