Time to answer some questions.
Snoopy from Snoopysdogblog asked about the lead we had on Freighter in this picture and specifically the handle.
That is just a 12 or 15 foot flat black nylon lead with a looped handle, like this. We picked this for Freighter’s check cord, (actually Storm used it and maybe even Thunder), because it is light weight and if you have to hold it, it won’t hurt your hand. Some people use a rope and eventually Freighter may use that too, but for right now, this one works for him.
thatjenk of Back Alley Soapbox asked whether we solidify the retrieve on land before moving to water. Right now the retrieve is all about fun for Freighter whether it is on land or water. So as long as he will go in the water willingly, we threw the bumpers there. However, as training progresses, particularly when a dog starts to learn handling, you work mostly on land and then move to water after land is solid. Generally, if the dog has problems at a test, it is on the water portion, (at least for our dogs).
Basset Momma asked whether Freighter’s coat would always be as wavy and curly. We hope so. Right now it is puppy fur, but he is losing it and getting a more adult coat, so we shall see. But generally Chessies should have a wavy coat. Thunder’s might not look as wavy, but his is still correct, (just a different style). Thunder’s coat dries super fast and we hope Freighter will end up with a coat that dries as quickly.
Anna had a couple of questions. First she wanted to know about the collar we used for Freighter’s Invisible Fence collar.
That is the collar that came with the Invisible Fence system. It is actually Thunder’s collar (or rather the one he used as a puppy). Thunder knows our boundaries and has great recall so he doesn’t need it (or use it much) anymore. Freighter got a hand-me-down.
Anna also asked whether I had heard about a new class offered called “Gun Dog” or “Hunting Dog” class. For retrievers both “Hunting” dog class and “Field Trial” dog class have been offered for some time. Since Thunder earned his championship, if we enter him in a show, we enter him in Hunting dog class. But it is a non-regular class and not offered at every show. If the dog/bitch wins the class, it moves on to Best of Breed. Perhaps it is new for pointers? If so, that is very cool.
Jodi of jodistone–Life with Sampson and Delilah….The 411 asked if dogs get stressed at dog shows. Yes, some do. Storm is not a fan of shows which take place in big expo centers. She is overwhelmed with the noise. However, she does fine at out-door shows and is tolerant of those held in fair ground buildings with big openings at each end. As a result, if she is entered in a show, we try to stick to those held outside. Thunder has no problem and as you can see in the above picture, sometimes he gets too excited!
I always laugh at this picture of Storm from a show because it sums up her feelings.
Boondocks of Boondocks & The Love Shack Pack asked if there are treats at a show. Yep…lots! Although once when Thunder was just starting to show there was a judge that banned treats from the ring. Handlers use treats to help keep the dogs focused and still while the judge is going over them, or to help the dog show expression. Luckily, Thunder did fine without the treats and got his fair share outside of the ring.
My Brown Newfies wanted to know if those were dog runs she spied in one of the pictures. Yep. We can’t have real fences so we put in runs for the dogs. They are fully enclosed, top and bottom. We also have houses in them so the dogs can spend time outside in the winter or summer (the houses are insulated). We put up and take down sun/wind screens depending on the season. They love hanging out in them and prefer it to being crated.
Finally many commented on the new look of the blog. Thanks for all of the positive comments. Truth be told, the reason I keep changing themes is because as I use them, there always seems to be something that starts to bug me over time. The last theme I liked, but I had to put spacers in between pictures or they would run together and when I inserted links, I had to give them a color or they just blended in with the type. It just took too much time, which I don’t have. Hey WordPress theme designers, ask me what I’d like to see in a theme.
Hope I answered all of the questions. Have a great weekend!


















