C U games

Today I have been out for a walk with my 3 dogs as usual and I am starting to see a big difference in my dog’s behaviour. For the last 6 weeks we have been practicing some of the CU games and particularly the “Look at that”, “give me a break” and when I am standing still my dogs are now beginning to re orient towards me.

Leslie McDevitt the author of “Control Unleashed” has a video on you tube demonstrating with her dogs. Mine are not up to this standard yet, but I am seeing a vast improvement in attention and recalls. I still have some way to go with the “look at that game” but I tried it with some horses and I got the head turn back to me with one of my dogs (she is really excited by horses) so I was really pleased.

Check out Leslie McDevitt’s video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byPqy3yzzXI

The book is also full of valuable information.

Emi with cruciate injury

Just found this photo from 1999 just after we adopted Emi. She collided with two labs playing ball. We found out she had really weak cruciate ligaments. The vet at the time thought she may have to be operated on, however with some tlc and giving her glucosamine for a while she is fine. Her back legs have always been weaker than the front and she bunny hops sometimes but she can still run like the wind for her ball even though she is 13.

Rain mud rain mud

Ideally when I'm out with my dogs I like to spend part of the time walking the dogs on lead, part of the time off lead playing ball etc and a short training session. It doesn't always work like that though. Having had a good run this morning in the rain, we went out for a walk this evening (again in the rain) and instead of wanting to get wet and muddy on the field /swamp my dogs actually turned back towards home again.
I think they too are fed up with all the mud, normally they don't care the muddier the better so I was a bit surprised. At the moment they are all asleep on the couch, hopefully no rain tomorrow...

How to house train your puppy or rescue dog

Hi, when I am teaching people to train their dogs I am often asked the best way to house train a puppy or rescue dog.I have just published an article on my website www.paws4training.co.uk giving advice on this. It's surprising how many people use disinfectant to clean up after their dog. Although we cannot smell the pee or poo the dog with it's superior nose will return to the same spot again and again unless an enzymatic cleaner is used.

At last Martha is playing ball

Emily since day one of adopting her has always been crazy for playing ball. Charlie didn't know how at first but once he got the idea there has been no stopping him since. He loves to play and when he is playing he totally focused on Dave and me. It's helped with so many of his problems over the years.
As I knew this I wanted to get Martha hooked on the same game. This has not been easy as Martha is quite a serious dog and whilst I have taught her many things, including a formal retrieve she has never wanted to chase a ball.
Finally I think we have a breakthrough, now when I get out the toys for Charlie and Em she is looking for her ball and she even runs for it...
Not as repetitively as the other two but at last we are making progress.
I think she is just beginning to have fun with it. Its only taken 4 years! It would be nice for her to lighten up a bit and play more maybe she will one day...

At last some sunshine

Today after several days of grey skies and gloom the the sun finally came out this morning. I was in need of a change from walking around the local park so I decided to walk my dogs on lead on a new route. Usually I prefer to walk further from home where the footpaths are wider as when I am walking 3 dogs together I am aware that I am taking up a lot of the pavement. But, as my van's engine went before Christmas we have to walk close to home at the moment. By the time I got home I wished that I had gone to the park. After walking for an hour avoiding a multitude of discarded takeaways and quite a lot of glass I was quite relieved to get the dogs home without any cut paws. (I think they did manage to snaffle some chips that I hadn't spotted)
So this afternoon it was back to the park and a game of ball, now they are all on the couch snoozing...

My new blog

Hi this is my first post on my new blog Dogzine.
After Christmas I resolved that I would start a dog blog in 2010 and stop procrastinating. It's now January 22nd and I am only on my first post. That's one new year resolution down the drain so I"ll have to try and keep up with the blog. I'm not making excuses but on January 2nd one of my dogs had 2 seizures in one day quite out of the blue. He is normally a fit and active 10 year old lurcher. So, we have had lots of trips to the vet and Charlie has had several blood tests. Bless him he has been very good about it!. The first result came back that he had low calcium levels, the second was similar, the next test about a week later came back normal. So, I still don't know exactly what caused the seizures, but my vet has advised me to keep a log of any seizures he has to determine whether he needs any medication in the future. So far so good he hasn't had any more, time will tell. I must say the vets has been very good. I hope I don't have to report any more.
Charlie is not my only dog I also have a 12 year old terrier/collie cross called Emily and a 6 year old German Shepherd cross called Martha. All my dogs are rescue dogs from a local rescue centre.
So here I go I hope to make the blog interesting, not just medical reports about my dogs!!.
See you next time