It’s Follow-up Friday.  The blog hop that:

Let’s you wrap up your week and leads you right into the weekend.

Thank you to Jodi from Heart Like A Dog and co-hostess, Flea from Jones Natural Chews for hosting the hop!

Friday is the day to answer questions so let’s get to it!

Follow-up Friday 9-6-13

weliveinaflat was asking about the kennel runs in our yard.

Brown dawgs like to spend time outside.  We have two runs for the dogs.  In the summer we put up sun shades and in the winter we put up wind screens.  They also have insulated dog houses (we put straw in them for cold weather) and access to water.  If it is too hot or too cold or storms are expected, they don’t get to spend time in the runs.  That makes them unhappy brown dawgs.  Some of you may have seen these pictures before, but for those of you who haven’t, here they are again.

Monday Mischief-Where Did It Go?

I have no idea how the bumper got so covered in the pond weeds.  I threw it as I always do and when I looked for it, I thought it sunk because I could not see it.  I guess when it fell in the water it came up in a bunch of weeds.  It was fun to watch Thunder use his nose to try to find it.  It was not easy.  He finally swam up to the only thing he thought it could be, in the place he thought it landed, and sniffed.  Yep, that was the bumper.

Nice Day For Water

thatjenk asked:  So forgive me if you’ve explained this before, but why are they not allowed to cross the land? Is it because it’s out of the direct path? Or is there a specific signal given to them when they’re released that means water-only? Is crossing land a fatal error that automatically fails them during a test?

I don’t think I have answered specifically.  The answer is that yes, the land is not in the direct path to this blind so we did not want the dogs to get up on it.

There are no hard and fast rules on the path a dog must take to a blind.  Each judge sets the tests, including blinds, the way they want and they decide what is an acceptable performance.  The optimal is to take the most direct line to a blind.  But that is not always easy.  As I said many things can pull a dog off line.

Some judges will tell you ahead of time what they consider an unacceptable performance.  For example, they will say something like:  “If your dog gets on that point of land, it is too far off line and that is not what we are looking for”.  I have heard this more at HRC tests, but I have heard it at AKC tests particularly at the Senior level.  However, getting on land is not an automatic a fail.  Sometimes the dog must cross land as the most direct path to a blind, or it is close enough to preferred line that it is OK.  However, most handlers will tell you that if a dog gets up on land, or off in weeds, you can have a hard time getting them back in the water or out of the weeds.

The handler doesn’t tell the dog specifically “this is a water blind, stay in the water”.  Instead what they do is line the dog up to the blind and send them.  It is the same whether it is a water or land blind.  You hope that the dog goes in a nice long straight line.  If they start to veer off line then you stop them and direct them either with a hand signal or verbally.  Very accomplished Master level dogs could probably line the blind we set without having to be stopped and put back on line.

I hope I have answered your questions.  If not, please ask more.  🙂

This ‘N That Thursday

weliveinaflat asked:  But what is hand stacking?

If you are ever at a dog show and watch the handler’s setting the dog’s feet or rearranging how they stand, that is hand stacking.  There is also something called free stacking and that is where the dog sets himself with no help from the handler.

This is a video from 2007 of young Thunder winning his first dog show (a 3 point major).  He was 14 months old and in the 12-18 month class.  His handler (my hubby) was just learning how to show a dog so I tried to take some video so he could see areas where he wanted to improve his handling.  We did not expect this win at all because Thunder was young and going against more seasoned handlers and more mature dogs.  The video quality is not great because I took it with my old pocket camera and the light was not great.  It gets better as it goes along because I was able to get in a better position for the light.

Hope you enjoy the video.  I enjoyed watching it again.  Thunder’s brother in front of him for the Winner’s Dog competition, his Grand Sire is in Best of Breed and Freighter’s Grandma is ring side.  Brings back memories.  The song is Thunder In The City by Bride.  🙂

If the video doesn’t play click here.

Tenacious Little Terrier asked:  How many points does he have left?

Freighter needs 14 points.  He has been in two shows and took Winners Dog in his second show for one point.  He still needs both majors (a major is 3+ points).  This show will be good experience for him because I think there are six class dogs entered.  Plenty of time to try to eat grass.  😉

In addition to Freighter, we entered Thunder.  This is a supported entry so they have a category for dogs with hunt test titles.  This category isn’t always offered.  Thunder will be neutered either this year or next so we figured we would put him in the ring one more time.  He has not been in a show since 2010.  He is always a handful in the ring especially at an outside show.  One time when he was a youngster, a bird flew by and he tried to jump for it.  🙂

Have a nice weekend!

Thanks so much to Jodi from Heart Like A Dog and co-hostess, Flea from Jones Natural Chews for hosting the hop!

Click the link to see who else is hopping!

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