Category Archives: Obedience

Two Different Styles

Posted in dog training, Obedience by

I have said before that Chessies can be protective of their people, places or things.  Our Chessies do not go around looking for trouble.  But if they perceive potential trouble, they will go into protection mode.

Thunder On Patrol...Nothing Here

Thunder On Patrol…Nothing Here

There is no mistaking when Storm is protecting.  If someone she doesn’t know approaches she will sound the alarm by barking.  For example, if we are somewhere and someone walks up to our truck, you would think Cujo was inside, (not really but she does make a good showing :) ).  She lets everyone know not to mess with her stuff.

Sounding An Alarm

Storm Sounding An Alarm

Thunder is different.  He is more laid back and doesn’t bark very often.  When he goes into protection mode, I doubt people who don’t know him even realize it.

Last week was a good example.  We were at a park training and it was very crowded.  It is a good size park which means that you can spread out from other people.  We ran some land marks on a large grassy area and were waiting to use the water.  There were three people down by the  water with four dogs off lead.  It is usually not a good idea to throw bumpers in the water if there are other dogs off lead.  All the dogs may want to go for the bumper and it is not very helpful for training.  So we waited our turn to use the water.

Thunder Running A Mark In The Crowded Park

Thunder Running A Mark In The Crowded Park

We put Thunder in a “sit/stay” on the tailgate of our truck while we waited.  Pretty soon one of the dogs, with person in tow, broke away from the group.  The dog meandered around and eventually came within about ten feet of our truck.  I don’t know if it was the dog or the woman, but Thunder started to get a little antsy and got up from his “sit”.  We told him again to “sit” and he ignored that command came over and sat right next to me on the tailgate so that his side was touching mine.  He didn’t growl, he didn’t bark.  He just sat there and watched the two until the woman and her dog moved away.  I doubt that woman had any idea.

That is Thunder’s style.  If he perceives a threat he will put himself between us and whatever he thinks is a problem.  He may be standing, or sitting, or even lying down.  He will be perfectly quiet, but watching and ready.

Always Watching

Always Watching

Do your animals protect?  How do you know?

Walking And Sniffing

Posted in Fun, General/Misc, Obedience, Snow by

Another part of our walk last weekend took us to what we call the telephone pole road.  Actually I think they are electric lines, but we still call it the “telephone pole road”.  :)

Telephone Pole Road

Telephone Pole Road

Just off that road are some good areas to sniff.  Freighter took full advantage.

He Ran Around A Bit

First He Ran Around A Bit

First He Sniffed A Snowball

Then He Sniffed A Snowball

The He Looked Around A Bit

Then He Looked Around A Bit Letting His Nose Lead The Way

And Stuck His Whole Head In The Grass To Get A Good Sniff

And When He Found Something Good, He Stuck His Whole Head In To Get A Big Sniff

Then He looked For More To Sniff

Good Sniffing Here

This ‘N That Thursday

Posted in dog training, Hunting, Obedience, This 'N That Thursday by

This ‘N That Thursday is for those times when you want to post about unrelated topics or each topic isn’t quite long enough to make up a whole post.  It can be anything you want, so feel free to grab the button and join us!

Today is opening day of firearm deer season which means that grouse is now closed until December 1.  Can’t have brown dawgs running around in the woods while there are deer hunters a foot.

Grouse Hunting 2011

The season reopens for a month on December 1.  In past years the snow has been too deep to hunt grouse in December.  I am not sure the dogs will get out again this season.

Still, we would like to get Freighter on some birds.  His first birthday is next week.  Some people buy presents, others bake a cake, but we booked him a pheasant hunt on private land for his birthday.  Actually it will be a couple of days before his birthday, but I am sure he won’t mind.  ;)

I am going to tag along to try to take some pictures.  I really hope the experience goes better for me than the last time I tagged along.  At least I hope the field isn’t full of tall grass.

We are supposed to have some decent weather, but not as nice as it was last weekend.  It was so pleasant that while hubby and Storm were off hunting, I took Freighter for a walk.  Is that news?  Well sort of.  I usually do not walk the dogs by myself.  I have had bad experiences with dogs running up to me and I just do not like to deal with it.  Normally if the dogs are to be walked, hubby does it before I get home from work or if I am around, we sometimes walk them together.

But since I was home with just Freighter and Thunder and Thunder was still on rest, I decided to venture out alone with the puppy.

Freighter Ready To Walk

I thought maybe it was not such a good idea when we rounded the first corner and a neighbor backed his car right into his garage door which was closing at the same time he was backing out of his garage.  It made a gigantic BOOM.  I jumped.  Freighter jumped.  He had never heard that sound before.  I sat him and let him collect himself and we watched the guy try to wedge the door open.  Then continued on our way.

Besides a car running into a garage door, there were a few other things that Freighter could not quite figure out:

  • He did not understand that the guy jogging by was not inviting him to run along;
  • He did not understand that the guy cleaning out his car was not inviting him to go for a  ride;
  • He did not understand that the leaves blowing by were not inviting him to chase them;
  • And he did not understand that the Border Collie running back and forth in his yard was not inviting him to play.

We worked on his heeling and before long he was sitting at corners and waiting for my cue before moving.  He was really a good boy.  He pulls a lot less than either Thunder or Storm did at his age.  I do not walk nearly as fast as my tall husband so any time he got ahead of me it was because I walk slower than he is used to walking.  Eventually he slowed his pace and we had a pleasant time.

I suppose we will do it again.  :)

Graduation Day

Posted in dog training, Fun, Obedience, Puppies by

Freighter and Sunny graduated from Puppy Kindergarten last night.  This was a great class for the puppies to learn new things and to socialize.  In addition to basic obedience, the puppies were exposed to a lot of new things.  For example, during one class the instructor sat in a wheel chair and approached the puppies in a friendly manner.  All of the puppies were fine with the wheel chair, well Freighter tried to get in the instructor’s lap because he was eyeballing her treat bag.  :)

Before every class the pups got to play on puppy sized agility equipment.  I think Freighter is getting a bit too big for the puppy sized equipment. :)

If the video doesn’t play try here.

Sunny Making The Ramp Thing Crash And Freighter Jumping For A Treat

Freighter Liked The Wobbly Board

Anything For A Treat

Since it was the last class, they played some games.  One of the games was musical chairs with hula hoops.  It was a lot of fun.

When The Music Stops Puppies Need To Sit In The Hoop

They also gave ribbons for the puppy that did the longest sit stay, the longest down and the fastest recall.  All of the pups did great, and Freighter hung in there, but did not get a ribbon.  :)   Sunny won the longest down.  Good going sis!

Sunny With Her Ribbon

The Graduates With Their Certificates

What would graduation day be without relatives in attendance?  This is Uncle Radar.  He is one of Thunder and Tule’s pups.

Radar

He has spent a lot of time at this training club.  He earned his Rally Excellent Title last year.

SRR's Flying Under the Radar RE

Thanks for coming Uncle Radar.

We have a busy weekend of training planed.  Sunday one of the Clubs that we belong to is having a training day and Thunder will get a shot flyer.  He really hasn’t been on birds since last Fall so the timing is good because we have him entered in a UKC Finished test in early May.

Have a nice weekend!