That's so scary...I don't know what I would have done, and both Quinn and me would be giving off fear signals like crazy! Glad they have finally been taken in by AC. I don't understand why some people even have dogs...
Oh I disgraced myself with the Pig on Sunday. We went to the Berkshire Country Fair and there was a gundog stall and a scurry there. I chatted to the gundog people and enquired about their classes. I also asked them about their methods - they started by claiming they were positive, but then said ‘but of course you need discipline’ and that they didn’t use treats as that ‘was a short cut’ and when I said what do you do if your dog doesn’t find retrieving inherently rewarding then the man said ‘well don’t you use a whistle?’ I said ‘yes but you have to train the whistle commands with some sort of reward’ and he just looked at me. Anyway I felt like I needed to big up our abilities a little in defence of positive reward-based training. But then, I decided to have a go at the scurry why oh why? The Pig has had a go a few times with Helen Phillips and was absolutely brilliant - fast, keen, straight out and back and retrieve to hand. So I was misguidedly confident. Except she got a sniff of goose or something just before I tried to send her, and she ran down the scurry, straight past the dummy, jumped over the really high bales and the end and then ran amok outside of the enclosure hunting! Oh no it was so embarrassing and the gundog people were just exchanging glances like ‘ah that’s what a dog does when it’s just given treats the whole time’. Ugh.
I think there should be a warning on the forum about doing a scurry at a public fair . Ripple was a total embarrassment last year, jumping over the fence to get the dummy and then apparently having no idea how to get back over - in the end someone had to lift him over . We won't be entering this year, I guess you won't do it again @Lara .
Yes let us be a cautionary lesson to all others! I just thank god the Pig didn’t get wind of the rabbit, lamb and chicks in little open pens over the other side of the fair whilst she was running about
Dear God, I am so glad you are ok! I would have been terrified and helpless....well done with your confident approach, I reckon it saved you both. Glad that AC are taking some action. Hold your head high because you have a happy dog who loves life and loves you and was never subjected to being 'punished'
I love dogs like the Pig they fill your life with their crazy silliness you end up loving them madly and they you and when they've gone it's like loosing a limb. They make a big noise in the world and steal your heart without you knowing with their daft antics and lolling tongues.
You gotta embrace the ridiculousness! Here's Squidge deciding that a target stick I had set up as a permanent blind marker just had to go. "Leave it", she says. Pffft. What was I thinking?? Like that was EVER going to happen!
Nearly got myself a lovely black Lab cross this morning - just driving back from the vets & turned into our road and there was an elderly but sprightly black dog making his way down toward the main road. I had a quick look - no one out. I quickly parked up and leaped out with my slip lead, making cooey, encouraging noises. Well he was so friendly he came straight up to me. There was a phone number on his tag, but no address (and I rarely have my phone with me) - dilemma - drive/walk him back to my house and telephone? - No, can't put him in the car with Coco, can't walk 2 of them and can't leave Coco in the car in the sun - it'd take at least 5 minutes. I decided to pop the lead on and walk him past some houses - making my way toward a gent doing some gardening..I'll ask him. "Sadly", Ben knew exactly where he was and turned up a path leading me right to the door. The door was wide open and there was an elderly German Shepherd in the hall. I rang the bell. Ben's mum, then dad appeared. <sigh> I handed him back. Old man is now blaming old lady for leaving both doors open. He was gorgeous. They said he had a brother too, as well as the GS. I have seen them walking together often, I realised.
I've been pureeing the dogs' cooked meals and using it in baby food pouches for training. They love it! Except this evening, I went to squeeze a bit for Ginny, there was a blockage in the tube, I squeezed harder... Oh dear. Orange goo all over her snout.
Hehe that's great! I think he looks nearly identical to Ella when we say "doooo, youuuu want some food?"
