Caden's Sit out of Motion Training

An honest dog!

We've been working hard on sit out of motion for SchH. Caden is always thinking and really likes to please. I just looked over to the porch and saw him SITTING beside a bag of duck breast treats. He could have helped himself but was just staring at me, hoping I'd see his good sit. River ran in when I grabbed the camera, hoping for a treat!

In the sit out of motion, you say Sit! to your dog as you heel. You keep walking and he sits and stays until you return. Recalls in SchH are NEVER done from a sit position. So you always reward backwards - so they never even anticipate that they will move forward from a sit. Caden has the sit stay downpat - I just need to have him sit faster when I am heeling, and we will have it!

Great Dogs, Great Handlers, Great Runners! And Me.



Caden, River, Ted and Jet





As a writer, I tend to surf along gathering bits and pieces from everywhere, with hopes that I'll be able to put it together - much like a bird making a nest. Today it came together, and I am sharing it here.

This morning I've been thinking about how fortunate I am - or maybe how smart I am - to be surrounded by people who strive for excellence and who share this passion with me so freely. I've also been thinking about how I've been blessed with some great dogs. This is in part by design because it's no accident that I try to get the right dog for me and in doing so, have dogs from very good lines with years of selective breeding behind them. It puts me in this precarious position of wanting to do the best I can to live up to those dogs! This is something I've been thinking about since my dinner party a week ago where we discussed the focus you need to be successful in your chosen pursuit.

I just spent an hour composing a long note to the Sheepdog chat list in response to a timely discussion that forced me to think. Since I spent that time on it, figured I would re-purpose it here as a blog post! The question raised on the list is whether the combination of successful handler and good dog is really the best combo, or whether anyone could take a highly trained dog and do well. It's resulted in some very interesting discussion about handling, training and dogs. Someone posted a note today quoting Malcolm Gladwell, one of my favourite authors, and I simply had to respond!

If you  know me, you will know I can't stay quiet for long. In my post (below), I didn't get into Conformation or Schutzhund but I easily could have, so you can read this and think about any dog sport and handling. I am new to SchH so I feel the same about seeing a great handler and dog on the field as I do about Border Collies and sheep - - - well, in honesty my heart goes with the sheep first and foremost as it is my greatest love, but you know what I mean.

The bottom line is that we can learn so much from the great and successful handlers and trainers in any sport. I am very fortunate that I have role models, friends and mentors like Scott Glen, Nancy Anstruther and Dan Waters (no website, Dan! - one of the top SchH competitors in Canada) in my life. I watch how they are so single-mindedly pursuing their dreams and goals and it is an ongoing lesson to me.

I am also very, very lucky that I have been blessed in my life with some amazingly good dogs - Rough Collies, Border Collies and German Shepherds. My goal is to be the best that I can be and do the best I can for my dogs. If I apply myself with focus and determination I can end each day knowing I am growing in my chosen pursuit. It's me - against me! And no one else. This even ties into my diet and weight loss goals, come to think of it.

If you read on, you will see how this all ties in...





Here is my post - -


I really like what you said Laura. I was thinking of raising Malcolm Gladwell too, because I love this books. Malcolm Gladwell also wrote in 'Blink' that most of us have the ability to make decisions in the blink of an eye, and if you pair the ability to do this, up with his book the Tipping Point and the 10,000 hour eqation, you get our ultimate handler! ** (see my sidenote below about Chariots of Fire!)

As to Jerry's question, regardless of what dog I am blessed with - I don't know that I could ever hope to have the 'second sight', intuition, timing or instinct of someone who is fortunate enough to have grown up in it, and who has the time and facilities to train daily. Beyond training, people who simply work their dogs in a real life situations have such an edge over most of us. It's a powerful combination of circumstance, ability and environment that makes the best handlers. But I can always hope to learn from them and beyond that, I love to watch them.

At one of the first clinics I ever attended with Scott Glen, [my note - who I got Jet and Ted from]... he was talking to a bunch of 'green' people like me, and I always remember his words as being so encouraging. He said that our goal should be to take any dog and make it the best dog that IT can be. Not every dog is equal but if we have made it the best dog it is capable of being, we have succeeded and along the way, we will learn about dogs, sheep and about ourselves. He also said (I am paraphrasing, forgive me Scott) that some of the best teams are often the ones who have had to work harder and longer and who have stuck with it.

(This is me now...) In many dog pursuits, I've seen people with a prodigy dog, who *believed* that they were great handlers. Obviously they niched with that dog and that is of course, a wonderful thing. I think that when this happens, the ideal would be that we get the 'feeling' of how things should be, and are able to use that in our future training and know more clearly what we are after with dogs to follow. The sad thing I've seen in some cases is that some people hate every dog afterwards, finding fault in it and comparing it to the gift they had in that one special dog - rather than understanding that as handlers, they are part of the equation - or rather than finding joy in each individual dog that comes along.

In every dog sport there are people who have natural talent and people who have to work at it. Every dog is different too. I personally love the process of developing myself when I train. Aside from stockdogs, my dogs all track, and this is also a natural ability that we encourage in our dogs. I teach tracking and give clinics - and I will often see a dog with such raw ability that I *know* I could take it and without much effort, shape it into a phenomenal tracking dog with little effort. But my job is to help the handler.

It's not always easy - some of what I know comes from time, miles and perhaps some talent and instinct for it, as I have been doing it for thirty years now very successfully. I have realized that, and in my teaching I try hard to pass on what I know I can - and hope to inspire people to work hard enough that one day they will have more flow and better timing and observation skills. There are some things that one just can't pass on though. But I have seen over my years as a tracking instructor where someone suddenly 'gets it' and a few of my students have surpassed me. This is a joy for me because it is my passion, and I learn from them!

Some people just have "IT" and when they are in the zone there is nothing more breathtaking to watch than one of these handlers. It is what inspires me to keep going and sustains my love of working with Border Collies and sheep.

***as a sidenote, I watched the movie Chariots of Fire on an old movie channel the other night. It is a fabulous movie to watch and to think about the themes of natural, raw talent, training, passion, sportsmanship and friendship. The two runners are very different but equally talented. One, the Scottish gold medalist Eric Liddell is one of those I would say who 'simply has IT.' He ran with no form, throwing his head back and in the zone. The other runner, Harold Abrahams, worked at form and technique but also got a gold medal. I compare everything to my dog pursuits - and when I watched this movie I saw the same things we talk about here - the naturals and the ones who work at it - and both can be successful!

Jet watches Westminster

I just caught this photo of Jet sitting on the couch watching the Westminster Dog Show.
She doesn't get it. Where are the sheep? What are they doing?
And I am realizing, she could use a brush. It's a bit embarrassing, LOL. Look at her messy ears!

I love watching Westminster. It is a great competition and a spectacular event. But I am very glad the Border Collie is preserved as a working dog. I see a great split in the German Shepherd Breed these days. It is very sad to see the athletic, working GSDs (like my Caden) on one hand, and the very angled show dogs at the other end.

However, I have owned some of those show line GSDs, and I won't join in with people who rip them apart. I know that they love their owners and have a lot of heart. They've been wonderful dogs for me, and given me a lot in tracking too. Many of these dogs are the victims of selective breeding for looks, and I also know that some of these breeders believe they are doing a great job of preserving the breed - they are not malicious people. I don't know what the answer is. But I love my Caden and his type so much, I am very happy I made the move to a working lines dog. NOT taking away one iota of the love I have felt for every other GSD I've ever owned... be clear on that!

A working lines GSD and a working stockdog are a very nice match in the home, and keep me plenty busy and happy.

Contour Helmet Cam used to film AKC TD - Pass! In New Mexico

By clicking on this link you can watch this dog, a German Shepherd named Reni, as he navigates his TD test in very dry conditions in New Mexico a few weeks ago to a pass. The handler, Richard Arimoto, wore a helmet cam throughout the test. It is very neat to watch. It's also interesting to see the conditions in other areas where people train.

http://contour.com/stories/reni-td-test

I may have to look into this helmet cam! It comes with built in GPS.

This link was shared on the AKC Tracking_Dog @ yahoogroups .com  list and is public. His dog is definitely on the job and does a great track with very minimal handling, just nice following, and no looking back - by the handler. At the end once his dog is at the article, he looks back and you can see the judges and tracklayer.

Enjoy!

Friends

Friends came for dinner on Saturday. What a great evening! We usually see each other while out training. What a treat to spend a few hours talking (about dogs, of course!)

My friends came for dinner on Saturday. This is my 'Alberta family!' Michelle in red (see Sufat Sheleg in the handy links to the left), and going clockwise, Nancy Anstruther and Bob Findlay (Tallywood Collies), Dan Waters my SchH guru (Susan was not able to come), and Pam and Jerry Prescott who also have a young working GSD and a mini Schnauzer. I've known Nancy for 20 years, but everyone else I've met since moving here, through the dogs. I've had two Rough Collies from Nancy, Kate and Shaman, both described in the sidebar menu to the left. Nancy's current showdog Dax is doing amazingly well - check him out here! He is beautiful.

Caden just loved Bob! Poor Nancy, a diehard Collie person caught on camera with a Shepherd on her lap. Good sport, Nancy! Caden also spent a lot of time under the table getting pats from Dan, his favourite person in the world, next to me... and sometimes I am second best to Dan, haha.

Here is a living room full of people. Nancy is giving the royal wave. It was so nice to have everyone here! I made an Italian dinner, from Jamie Oliver's cookbook Jamie at Home.

Jet is not sure if she is going to get in trouble, and you can see that Dan is not impressed, LOL. Since I am doing SchH with Jet (BH and tracking), I guess I need to treat her like a dog and not so much like a little person, mind you Jet may object to that. I was taking pictures while some very serious dog talk was going on. That's why the serious faces. Something about how dedicated you have to be to be successful and other such stuff, hours to put in, a need for focus.

Seriously, having Nancy and Dan at the table was interesting as they are both people at the top of their respective specialties - conformation, SchH. I liked hearing their point of view and advice.

Ted schmoozing with Dan. Ted is the ultimate schmoozer...

Ted moves his schmoozing game over to Jerry...

Just a shot of my table pre-company. Pretty! That's Jet's UTD rosette hanging on the cabinet. I always leave the most recent one out, until it is replaced by the next title in tracking. Sort of motivation, I guess.

You may wonder, where is River? She likes to hang out on the bed and supervise. She loves this open concept house because she can watch everything from her special place.

I was taking the picture of River, and here is Ted, pulling out all the stops, hoping that just prior to guests arriving, perhaps he can tempt me with a ball game. He is so hilarious. It's like living with a muppet, to have him putting on this stage show from my couch all the time.

Tracking Tests, Seminars, SchH Trials, Stockdog Clinics - spring is coming

April - Armstrong BC - UTD / TD / TDX (Sil Sanders judge)
May - Edmonton, Alberta - TD and TDX (Greg Martin judge)

These are the close ones for me. With all of this snow, I am not sure how ready Jet can be for TDX and she is my priority. I would love to try Caden and Ted in TD, but have the same problem with the weather. As I type this, it is -25 C and there is way too much ice to work even in parking lots. This is the grimmest winter I've experienced in Alberta and there's no end in sight - I can only hope for another Chinook for a weekend.

Check Canuck Dogs for premiums for these and other tests - they are starting to appear... or the CKC website for info on other tests. I see the test in Thunder Bay is in June but I just can't get their this year, with the Sch Regionals happening the same month. I also see that the Winnipeg GSD Club is having an Urban Seminar with my friend Marge Schultz! It's all on Canuck Dogs! Check it out!

I wish there were more trials, especially urban tests, in the Alberta area. This may be River's last year at it, though as long as she wants to try, I will enter her. Jet needs a TDX and UTDX, and River (as you know) only needs to pass UTDX. In my heart, she is already a UTDX dog having done so well last year - with the heartbreak end to a beautiful and challenging track. Either way, I am very happy to keep training, because I love being out tracking. But testing would be nice!

PLUS we have some SchH trials coming up this spring, including the Western Canada Regionals in Calgary on June 18 and a trial in Edmonton in May - check the GSSCC website for details. I am hoping for a BH for both Caden and Jet, and later in the year, maybe a SchH 1 for Caden as well, plus a tracking title in SchH for Jet too.

AND for anyone out there in conformation with their GSDs - there will also be a Sieger Show - you can come show at our Regionals. Contact me for info if you would like to know more. It is a very neat opportunity.

I am aiming for the Lee Lumb Stockdog Clinic and Coldstream trial in June, and another big slate of clinic / trials in August - starting with a clinic with Faansie Basson from South Africa, then a trial in Shaunnavon Saskatchewan, then the Western Canadians in Maple Creek, and then, the Canadian Nationals Cranbrook - all over two weekends! Check out the Alberta Stockdog Association website for this info and more. As with tracking - if I can get practice in (and I am very determined) I hope to trial Jet and Ted this summer too!

Or maybe even find some land... and get sheep! Things are looking good this year - I am excited!

Another SchH training day - long downs - check!

As usual, we met on Sunday afternoon for a few hours of training...

Jet has figured out 'position' in one week - she is such an amazing worker, even Dan was enthusiastic to see her so sure of herself in her 'fuss' work. Dan actually loves Jet - he can see she is born to work and he admires that about her. In this picture she is doing a long down while another dog is working. This will actually be good for her stockdog work (if I ever find sheep to work...) because her self control and obedience is really becoming solid - and it should carry over.

Caden did his longest down stay ever yesterday! I like using this little platform because it makes it clear that they are in a 'spot.' What a handsome devil he is!

Here he is from a distance (above and below) holding his down while Dan works Ali around the room. This was exciting for me - to see Caden stay even while Dan worked as Caden usually wants to jump up and respond to Dan's commands!

I did go stand beside him when he did a go back and a here with Ali, but he held his down. Awesome! As always it is so good to watch Dan and Ali work - she is one of the top SchH dogs in Canada and has been for a couple of years and Dan is a great handler, so it is a lesson in itself to watch them go through things. Dan is a great help to Caden and me, and to Jet too!

Below... Good boy!

His reward is usually food while we work, and a tug here and there - because it provides him with an outlet for the stress we build up as we work to tug something and get it all out. He adores this tug. Jet tugs too!

Secretariat

From the newspaper The Examiner



Tonight I decided to watch Secretariat. I nearly went to see it at the theatre, but if the truth be told, I was afraid to go see it, because I knew I would be an emotional mess, and sure enough, I have been crying through the entire movie.

When I was in grade school, I was horse crazy like any young girl. We had a public speaking competition and my topic was the Triple Crown. I used little recipe cards to hold in my hand for that speech, which was three minutes long. I still have them in my old jewelry box. I owned every Black Stallion and Misty novel, plus books about race horses - some of which I just gave to my niece Rachel for Christmas, as she has inherited the 'horse crazy' gene.

My dream was to have a horse, but sadly, I am allergic to horses! I have never been able to ride them or be near one without plugging right up. Tonight I am congested from crying. I love any good animal story - but this story seems to be a bit about my life.



Winning the Belmont, Champion Gallery .com





I remember going to Florida with my parents and sister, and as part of a side trip, we actually drove to the farm where Secretariat lived - he was still alive at that time in the 70s. My parents were so good to us - taking us on trips like this. On that same trip, we went to Graceland, home of Elvis in Memphis. So tonight - I've been crying with memories of those days when I thought trips like that, and days spent with my family would go on forever. It's a hazard of youth, to have such optimism - thank heavens - or we may not carry on into our adult years!

I remember watching each race Secretariat ran, cheering as he won each one. I memorized his pedigee as if I would some day be breeding thoroughbreds. In later years, I even considered naming some of my dogs after the names on his pedigree. I didn't have the litters, and never became a breeder - and tonight I cried about that too, remembering my pretty Kate and wishing she had at least one litter.

All my life I have loved watching the Triple Crown. I still cheer on each horse and cry at the end. And tonight I am cheering even though I know how this story ends. And I guess I am crying because it is not the kind of movie to watch alone. It's a movie to share, and very hard to think about how my life has gone so that I am sitting here typing on a blog instead of talking with someone about what a wonderful show it is - what a great horse he was, and how thankful I am to have lived through the experience.

What a strange thing, to have a movie move me in so many unexpected ways. Thank you Secretariat for many good memories. You were an awesome horse. I hope that I can live up to your spirit by doing the best for the awesome dogs I own, in a small way, in my small life.

This movie is a great reminder to stay the course and have faith. Inside tonight I feel like that young girl, so hopeful about life, reading my little speech, and I am reaching inside to find that optimism again.



Alonso Studio portrait





Secretariat - he lacks fear. A GREAT horse.

PS I won my speaking contest in grade 7 and it is one of my fondest memories!

My personal trainer comes to work! My obsession with fitness continues...



I am so obsessed with fitness and nutrition these days. I've been seeing a personal trainer for nearly 2 months and can't believe the difference it makes to work out with someone so motivating and knowledgable. At work we have a 'healthier u' challenge going on.

I mentioned it to Wayne and he offered to come and talk to people about fitness and nutrition! I felt so proud to have him come share with everyone.

He gave everyone some great information about nutrition, fitness and motivation with my co-workers. He did it on his own time because it is his passion, and as a favour to me - because I told him people were interested. It was a great presentation! We gave him some gifts, including - of course - dog stuff, because I happen to know he just got a puppy.

Sorry about the size of the photos - my iphone for some reason took them very small.

Oh my, it was dress down day, and I am definitely dressed down - usually at work I'm a bit more dressed up and so are my co-workers! *I feel the need to say that...



So here he is with some staff (who are anonymous) including my friend Shannon (not anonymous, LOL).

Where's Ted?

So if you look closely, you will spot Ted, and realize why it's hard to get any serious writing done around here at times... My TV isn't even on! But often, Ted is more entertaining!

Don't you love how his green ball is colour coordinated with the green button of my external drive? Ted is so meticulous.

Observations - Working Jet, my Border Collie in SchH Obedience

As you know I am working Jet, my Border Collie towards a beginners obedience title in SchH because she really needs a job and I have no land or sheep right now. I think she was just excited to work - she is turning out to be quite good and it's a good experience to teach another dog.

Jet is the first Border Collie to earn an Urban Tracking Dog title. This was taken near Lake Superior with her tracking rosette. She is 'showing it' to me - with her article indication.

I am also going to try for her SchH tracking title this year. She's such an amazing little dog. It's sad to not have livestock, but nice to funnel her drive into something that uses her mind.


I may be discovering a breed difference in style of work for SchH. Her attention is a bit unnerving with those Border Collie eyes! She tugs like a SchH dog for a reward and does platz, sit, stand (steh) all very well now, and last night did a long down on a line while other dogs were working.


Last night I also heeled along a wall working on position, and everytime I backed up with her, she growled and muttered but did it very well. I said 'no' and she glared up at me but in beautiful position. I believe it was her excitement to work making her do this, as she was figuring out what I wanted. In part too, I suspect she is a bit surprised to be giving up control to me, as she is a very dominant little dog (I call her the "biggest dog in the house.")


The German Shepherds in the room were a little distracted by this little dog lying there, but she just stared at me during her long down and ignores them all - she has a lot of go and good presence!

We can't relax! Jet and I had a busy night...

Tonight has been such a whirlwind! I went to the gym after work - I seem to be living there lately! I've even befriended my trainer, who just got a pup, and lent him a crate today (since I have so many - is there such a thing as too many crates?). So after six weeks of working out with him, tonight I started to attend a Fit Camp he runs with a group of 8 people. For one hour, we did cardio, core and strength exercises. I did "real" push-ups tonight! Military style. And some great yoga. I felt fantastic and a bit wired when I got home. 

Since being home, I've been working on the computer and talking to friends online. My FAVOURITE TV show, Flashpoint, came on so I settled down to watch it. While watching it, it occurred to me - Jet was unusually quiet tonight. So I peered over my writing table and she was very busy guarding every bone in the house - gathered and tucked into her place on the couch. She is like a little wolverine, and everyone gives her a big circle when she is in this mode. It seems like she can't relax either! She is happiest when she has a job to do - even if it is an invented one filled with great importance in her mind.  

I think she was annoyed with me because when I grabbed the camera, I alerted Caden to the fact that she had all of these bones!

But look at that face. Would you try to take one?

That's my girl.

An amazing story of a second chance at life - Jess, the oldest dog to earn a TD, died this week

Our heartfelt condolences go to Susie Coutts, a CKC tracker in Northern Ontario, who lost her sheltie Jess, aged 16, this week, to old age. We hate to think we'll ever lose a dog and as they keep celebrating one birthday after another it feels like you might beat the odds and have them forever!  

Jess is the oldest dog to earn a TD that we know of, and has a remarkable story of rehabilitation after being rescued from a puppy mill at age 9, when she was 'too old to keep having puppies.' Susie gave her an amazing second chance at a fulfilling life. We can all be inspired first by this story of rescue, and secondly by Susie's decision that Jess might enjoy tracking in her old age - going on to earn a TD at age 15!

You can read Jess's amazing story here, on the Dogs in Canada Magazine blog, and on Susie's Birch-Bark Hill tracking blog - both in the sidebar of this blog (to the left and scroll down).

Kudos to you Susie and Goodbye, Jess. You will continue to inspire us all!