In September we had the opportunity to participate in the first American Kennel Club (AKC) Scent Work trials. One of the parts people were very excited (and nervous!) about were the buried hides. Most of the AKC Scent Work trials are similar to other programs. Most programs have a containers Read more…
During pre-lesson questions, in initial emails or at the first training something interesting happens. Families either tell me that they think their dog is smart/”a fast learner” or they tell me their dog is dumb/stubborn. I don’t get very many in-between responses. Can Dogs Be Smart? With (human!) kids – Read more…
Viktor is almost 3 years old. He’s very physically and behaviorally immature. One of our vets thinks it may be possible that he has some type of dwarfism considering some of his physical traits (40lbs!) and behavioral traits (very puppy-like). We’ve done a few rally (heeling) trials at our ‘home Read more…
Viktor is almost three years old. He had his first rehab appointments in early 2015. We’ve had lots of crate rest, various at home exercises, different types of therapies. At one year old, he was able to stop pain medications. At almost two, he was allowed to run loose outside. Read more…
This weekend we visited our friend Megan while on a trip to see our rehab vet (rechecks for Griffin and Viktor). We’ve had a long standing joke that we should do UKC conformation to get another opinion on whether Griffin or Tonks are structurally more “correct” for a golden retriever. Read more…
Last weekend we went to the first AKC Scent Work trials (finding a specific, hidden odor), held as part of the Eukaneuba Performance Games. Griffin and I aren’t great at nosework, but we had a good weekend in May and as this event was only an hour away – we had Read more…
This weekend we hosted a rally trial (heeling event) and Tonks had new accomplishments. Level 1 We received two more passes to finish her first level title. This included one run with a score of 209/210. Here’s a video of the moment where she lost that point. Thanks to Raegan Read more…
Last month we made a quick trip to Maryland with a friend. We were going with a friend on a trip to a well-known veterinary orthopedic specialist. Good news? No surgery was needed. Bad news? No immediate action steps/specific diagnosis. But, as we had planned for surgery, we ended up Read more…
When Viktor came home he was really scared of the cows even though that was something he was born on a hobby farm and his first exposure to Ohio cows was a very controlled situation. Here’s a video of him being scared of a tree. That barking is something he Read more…
It’s fun to still have ‘first’ experiences with Griffin! Last weekend we had our first time of running in the AKC premier class. This is an optional class for dogs who have finished Excellent (level 3) and want to try specific types of challenges. It is somewhat supposed to imitate Read more…