In the light of Ashley and Pudsey, Tina and Chandi, Kate and Gin rocking the Britian’s Got Talent world with Canine Freestyle I thought I’d post a video of Tug practicing our Amelie routine in the cemetery and doing his thing! I am so happy Ashley and Pudsey won! It’s so great that the sport of Canine Freestyle will get noticed and people will want to do more with their dogs and treat them humanely. We dance to celebrate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh yeah!
The Most Amazing Chihuahua Tricks Performed by Kiko- Clicker Dog Training Tricks These are some of Kiko the world’s cutest and smartest Chihuahua’s favorite tricks! Kiko is my heart dog, and I filmed some of her favorite tricks today because tomorrow she is going to have surgery to remove her right eye. And so this will be the last footage of her with two eyes… I am very tearful about it. But she has been suffering pain in the eye for so long and has been blind in the eye for many years. It’s time for the eye to be removed so that she will no longer be in pain. Wish her luck with her operation tomorrow! After she has Read the rest of this entry →
PLEASE READ THE WHOLE MANIFESTO IN AN EASIER FORMAT HERE: www.dogmantics.com It also translated into Dutch Swedish Spanish and Portuguese on that site. Here is a small excerpt: The many problems with using physical or psychological intimidation: 1) Without perfect timing, intensity, and consistency, the “training” amounts to nothing more than abuse. 2) The animal learns to avoid the punisher in order to indulge in undesirable behavior. 3) These techniques can cause irreversible emotional damage to the animal. 4) The punishment can increase stress hormones, arousal, and aggression. 5) Animals can habituate to the punishment — meaning that the intensity of the punishment must keep increasing to have any effect as the animal learns to endure it. 6) You cannot change an animal’s basic emotional response to find children, adults, or other animals (or anything for that matter) reinforcing by using intimidation; you can only suppress the dog’s punished behaviors. 7) Intimidation can cause dogs to hide their warning signs before attempting to bite. Dogs trained with punishment can feel trapped by their handlers, since the decision to leave a ‘stay’ or to leave the handler’s side (to escape from a bothersome child, for example) can cause punishment. Animals who feel they have no escape tend to bite rather than move away. 9) Intended intimidation can actually increase the behavior you wish to extinguish, as intimidation involves giving a form of attention to an animal. 10) The …
Flyball is such a fun sport to watch and great for the dog that just can’t get enough exercise (like most Border Collies I know).
It’s the equivalent of drag racing — but for dogs — so no wonder the action-packed team sport of flyball is gaining plenty of new players and fans.
“Flyball is the extreme sport of the canine world, requiring skill, athleticism, balance and plain old guts on the part of both dog and handler,” says Glenn Hamilton of Some Ruff Competition in Ontario. It’s Hamilton who refers to the activity as drag racing for dogs.
Are you and your dog up to the challenge? Be aware: Flyball is highly addictive; once you and your dog participate, you’ll never look back.
What Is Flyball?
Flyball is among the fastest-growing dog sports in North America, according to Brett Williams of The United Flyball League International. This canine relay race features teams of four dogs and four handlers competing head-to-head with other teams to complete the flyball course in as little time as possible, says Williams.
“Each dog covers a total distance of 102 feet on the course and has to negotiate eight hurdles,” explains Williams. “After jumping the first four hurdles, the dog must trigger, release and catch a ball from a spring-loaded box. The dog must then carry the ball back over the four original hurdles.” After the first dog completes the course, the other dogs take their turns. Check out the video to see a competition in action.
Lead dogs have been clocked at up to an incredible 20 miles per hour. The canine players are so fast that an electronic sensor system is usually used to start the dogs and to judge their passes. Some dogs can complete the course in just 3.7 seconds, with entire teams zipping through at just more than 15 seconds.
Flyball Training and Strategy
Leerie Jenkins, chair of the board of directors of the North American Flyball Association, first became involved in the sport in the late 1990s. “I joined a dog club, looking for activities I could do with my first dog, a Border Collie named Bella,” he says. “That dog club was mainly a disc dog club, and we decided to try this sport called flyball. So we bought a book on training flyball and never looked back.”
He adds, “It’s addictive and a lot of fun. The dogs absolutely go crazy over flyball.”
Training consists of going to classes, team practices, and/or training at home. Seminars are also available. “You need to build a good working relationship with your dog and also have them love to work for you,” says Jenkins. “They need to learn how to come to you when called, even when there are distractions.”
Dogs need to be speedy, but not too eager. If a dog takes its turn too soon, the dog is fouled and must rerun, most likely spoiling the team’s chance for a win.
Who Can Participate?
“Flyball is a very inclusive dog sport,” says Jenkins. Here are the requirements:
Flyball dogs must be at least 1 year old.
Your dog must be physically able to safely compete. Have your pet checked out by a veterinarian first.
Your dog should get along well with other dogs.
Border Collies and Jack Russell Terriers tend to ace flyball — but all breeds and breed mixes are welcome!
Small dogs are part of the game’s strategy. Hamilton explains that since each team’s hurdle heights are dependent on the height of their shortest racer, teams usually include a smaller dog to reduce the hurdle height.
Senior dogs can play too. Jenkins explains that a veterans’ class for dogs over the age of 7 has “less strenuous requirements, so the older dogs can enjoy playing too.”
Keep in mind that human participants must be in good shape, given flyball’s fast-paced action.
Interested?
Check out a flyball competition first to see what you think. Guests are always welcome. Jenkins suggests that you “talk to people, observe, and sign up for a class or practices.”
This description of Flyball was taken from an article by Jennifer Viegas for Exceptional Canine
What can a dog social network do for your dog supply or training business? Everyone and their dog has a profile to link in with. Social networks are a great way catch up with old friends, keep in touch with relatives around the world, share pictures, and send messages.
Profiles are accessible to you and your clients…
- Setting up a profile is free and anyone with opposable thumbs can do it. It’s a great way to promote your business, let everyone know what’s going on in the shop and what great deals you have going on.
You customers are probably already using their profiles…
- Who doesn’t have a social network profile anymore? My grandma even has one… Instead of spending thousands of dollars advertising in your local newspaper, why not try setting up a profile? You customers already have their profiles, add them as friends, and let the world of internet advertise for you.
Talking to customers is easier than ever…
- With your new dog social network profile, you will be able to talk to your customers in at a personal level with just the click of the mouse. There are millions of people on the internet every day, and most don’t know how to use a phone anymore to call places, they email. You can build loyalty by replying to your customers promptly and your profile can allow customer feedback. Not only does this build your businesses reputation, but it will also build your clientele. Word of mouth or now a days “word of link” is the best way to advertise any business.
You customers can get to know you and your business…
- Let your personality and your business’ personality flourish on your dog social network. You can highlight your company’s values and show off what makes your business unique. People like to know they are not getting scammed, so if you show that your company is different from others and trustworthy, people will come running to you.
Don’t just think about joining a dog social network to promote your business anymore, take charge and create one today. They are free, easy and will connect you to dog lovers all over the world.
Well, Facebook for dogs is a place for you to show off your cute doggy pictures, connect with others and maybe learn some new dog facts along the way. You can also create a custom profile for you and your dog to update your statuses. It’s a fun and exciting way to meet other dog lovers just like you.
If you are anything like me, you are constantly taking pictures of your dogs. I believe I have over a thousand pictures on my computer. Now, with Facebook for dogs, you are able to share with all my family and friends all of your cute pictures of your dog dressed up in a Santa outfit. You can also look at other people’s pictures and get ideas for the next outfit for your dog.
Sometimes in life we get too busy to go out and meet people with similar interests as ours the old fashion way. With a network set up strictly for dogs and dog lovers, meeting new people is easy online. Comment on people’s walls pictures, ask questions and build friendships with people just like you. You can also create specific dog oriented groups, ask questions and answer other people’s dog questions.
Articles are also available on the website ranging from topics from dog health to dog training. You can be sure you can get the latest and greatest training tips to help your dog become the best that it can be. The dog health articles are excellent for finding out about common diseases in our dogs, and routine grooming and dental information.
Too busy to meet dog lovers at the local dog park? Check out Facebook for dogs today to started connecting with people quickly! It’s free, it’s easy and it’s a lot of fun!
Dog lovers need a place to go where they can interact with others, trade advice, and learn new dog activities. Dog parks or the waiting room of your vet clinic may be one way to meet other dog lovers, but it’s a lot more fun to meet people on a dog social network. On a social network, it doesn’t matter how big or small your dog is, or what breed or color he is, you’re all there for the love of your dogs.
You can create a custom profile for your dog where you can share his favorite foods, dog parks and activities he enjoys. Add some pictures for a little extra flare and then start meeting new people. Find information on local dog parks or training facilities where you can set up a play date for your dogs.
Help keep your dog happy and healthy by reading articles posted on the site by dog lovers. Articles include topics covering from your dog’s health, training tips, dog agility training and so much more. If you still can’t find the information you’re seeking, ask others in your networking community what their advice on the matter is.
You can also create a group for specific dog activities and invite others in the dog community to join. Discuss whatever comes to your mind in your group, and add pictures along the way. Groups are an excellent way to meet like-minded dog owners and become great long time friends.
A dog social network can be a lot of fun for you and your dog. It is also a great way to learn new training techniques, and new exciting activities you and your dog can get into. Looking to meet new friends? You don’t have to look any further, your dog social network is loaded with friends with the same dog interests as you. Check out your dog social network today and get in on the fun.
Dogs trained with punishment can feel trapped by their handlers, since the decision to leave a ‘stay’ or to leave the handler’s side (to escape from a bothersome child, for example) can cause punishment. Animals who feel they have no escape tend to bite rather than move away. 9) Intended intimidation can actually increase the behavior you wish to extinguish, as intimidation involves giving a form of attention to an animal. 10) The …
