Browsing all posts in "Dog Training".
Pearls … Lessons learned by experience
I haven’t written on the blog for a while and Jason has done a fantastic job summarizing all the stuff. Between the growth of our marketing business and getting Moxie, I’ve been so busy keeping my head on mostly straight, I’ve probably missed a ton of pearls in the chaos.
Settling as Pet Owners and Trainers
This post is about our dogs and why they do and do not. Why training works and “not training” does not. How easy it is to settle, to miss, skip, overlook, ignore. And what is the cost of settling as responsible pet owners and trainers. Its a lengthy post as the background and evolution is important to the points. When we started this blog we wanted it to be a resource for people just like us who were just getting started. These are some of the best lessons we have learned. (so far)
Choice of Discs…The Dilemma
Choice of discs has been a new point of contention in the DragonDogs house. When we first started playing disc, there was only Lilli – and she has a VERY hard bite. We started with Fastbacks cause that’s what everyone used. Long story short…Lilli had a bloody mouth every time we played and she would trash a disc in 5 throws or less.
Got Moxie
Moxie: backbone: fortitude and determination.
For those of you who aren’t on FB or haven’t heard yet…there is a new member of the Dragondogs. Moxie.
Moxie is our first ACD aka Australian Cattle Dog aka Blue Heeler. Tracy Custer evaluated her and sent her info out into the disc dog network about an awesome Frisbeast. Abby knew that I was looking for a new dog, so she sent me the link with a note that said… here is your dog. It went kinda backwards from there. Some other guy wanted her too – so I made the patient and responsible choice after a really cool chat with Apryl … I’ll wait another 6 months until Leila is a bit more established. The dog would have another great disc home to go to so no worries.
Finally Flippin in Puppyville
We’ve shared over and over about how Leilani is developing very slowly as a disc dog…slower than we’d like. For about 6 months, she’s been eating grass in the middle of very short sessions, even right in the beginning of sessions. She still loves the disc, but the disc practice outside has been very unproductive. We’d settled in that we’d focus on her being our “trick dog” since she loved shaping so much and didn’t seem to stress at all during long shaping sessions. We were hoping that in the next 6 months or so, she’d settle in.
Leilei Cuteness Caught on Tape
We’ve been practicing religiously lately – at least once a day with each dog plus shaping in the evenings and posting NONE of it to the blog… Sorry folks.
Emily requested a Leilani fix today – so shall she receive.
January Ramblings
I generally like to write on topics or do updates but today I just want to ramble. I have been thinking about this for a while and wanted to share it. It’s not anything new or amazing, it’s just on my mind. We all have tendencies in life and as trainers. I find that our dogs while different tend to have some similar strengths due to what I would call our confident skills. I watch some of the top disc dog teams and their routines sort of seem the same from event to event. They have their trademark moves and skill sets. It makes sense and I am not saying that there are not constant tweaks and innovations. Moreso i am wondering what skills my dogs have that i have not discovered due to habits or routines I may have formed in training and play. Flipping for example could be a place where someone else could throw the disc and get an entirely different motion from my dog. I will wrap this up with a pledge to seek out new life on new planets by forcing myself out of routine. Like closing one eye or throwing all lefty or copying someone else’s routine. Ron Watson and Apryl Lea have a cool idea to write the skills and sequences on note cards, mix them up and go. This doesn’t address skills i do not know but does change flow.
Results are in…Canis Major #2
Saturday was Canis Major #2 – our second of 5 freestyle events for Jason and Lilli in Plant City, FL. Kai also debuted in her first D/A event with me as her handler.
Choosing a Superstar – Kai Bear
Have you ever seen that movie Sliding Doors? The movie basically points to the notion that each little choice you make can completely change the future. I think about that concept a lot.
DragonLilli on the FS Scene
This past weekend Lilli FINALLY had her first competition freestyle event at Canis Major #1 in Plant City, FL on Saturday. Jason is the handler for the 5 part competition series – he and Lilli have been gelling really well and he handles pressure and crowds like a pro!
