Category Archives: Activities with your dog

AYWYP: Week 40 – Dog Showing

Showing your dog, as a dog activity

I had a lovely chat with my friend Nikki yesterday, when she was visiting to see the Punk Litter, with their grandad Sox and uncle Dreema. She explained to me how she got into dog showing and what she enjoys about it.

Sox, Dreema, Ounce and Quin

Pedigree Border Collies are not the most obvious breed for dog showing. However as they remain within the top ten breeds in the UK, it seems logical that they will be present at dog shows. This year (2022), a beautiful Border Collie was in the Best in Show competition.

Why did you choose to start showing with your dogs?

Nikki says “I’d already been competing in agility and wanted to try something different.  I thought my dog Sox’s conformation was lovely and after reading the Breed Standard I wanted to see how he would do in the showring. I wanted a more sedate activity. I thought it would be a stimulating activity for the dog.

Dreema

Nikki has been showing for around ten years, but she says it took quite a while to get going. She had watched Crufts and thought it looked really easy.  Then she realised that she had to get the best out of her dog, getting him to stand and focus on her, often for quite a while.  It took a few shows to see that it takes a bit of practice.

What is the governing body for dog showing?

The Kennel Club is the organisation that manages most dog shows. They say “Dog showing or exhibiting is an exciting competitive activity where dogs compete against each other for prizes or awards. It is a competition where a dog’s attributes and conformation are compared against a breed standard for its breed. Whilst it can often be taken very seriously, it can be a fun pursuit that people and their dogs thoroughly enjoy.

Sox

What types of dog show are there?

The following are the different shows you can enter:

Companion shows are a great introduction to dog showing, as they are informal events, usually part of a charity fete. They may have classes for pedigree dogs, but more commonly have classes such as:

  • waggiest tail
  • best trick
  • golden oldie
  • best pair of dogs, or family of dogs
  • prettiest eyes
Prettiest eyes

Other dog shows are only open to pedigree dogs. Limited shows consist of different classes for the different groups of breeds. Then there are different classes for dogs and bitches and for dogs of different age groups. The bigger the show, the more classes there will be.

What training do you need to do?

Initially, Nikki recommends attending a Ringcraft class. This will help you to prepare your dog, teaching them to stand correctly, move with you and to get used to being around other dogs. They will also advise you on which shows and classes to enter. Classes will introduce you to the format of the shows and how to behave when you are there.

Standing

You may also need to consider what physical activity you do with your dog, to keep them in peak physical condition. Swimming or physiotherapy are both recommended.

What equipment do you need?

Initially, you just need a show lead. This is a simple slip lead, which is not suitable for day-to-day use. You will need to train your dog to work in this lead, without pulling.

A future champion?

The main equipment needed is to do with making your dog looks its best. As Nikki says, you can spend thousands of pounds doing this! She says there are all sorts of tricks you can use to getting your dog looking great, with whiter hair, a smooth coat with a fabulous shine and so on. Nikki thinks a hair blaster is a must! She suggests talking to the stands at dog shows about the products available.

Other equipment includes crates and trolleys, grooming table and of course a variety of grooming tools.

What are the pros and cons of dog showing?

Nikki says “I really enjoy getting them to move and getting the best from them.  They love it.” However, it is not an activity for the faint-hearted. Nikki explains “You have to remain objective, which is hard.  You see another dog that you don’t particularly admire win, while you are binned from the ring.  It’s all down to the personal choice of the judge.  You have to keep your focus on your dog and enjoy showing them off.  It’s not about being competitive.  It’s a real test of character!  Remember to congratulate the winners!

Nikki and Sox

It is essential to remember you are taking the best dog home. For more information go to the Kennel Club website. Thank you to Nikki for sharing such interesting insights.

Weekly Focus Challenge

Do you fancy showing your dog?  Find out about Ringcraft classes near you.  Go along and watch initially, if you can.  Or go along to a local fun dog show and see how it feels to have your dog judged by someone else.  It can be useful to assess your dog alongside others; are they ‘fit for purpose’?

Please share your thoughts and a photo? You can do this in the AYWYP Facebook group, or buy the workbook to keep your own record. Details below.

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. It was written and designed to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely!

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME, by filling in your email address below?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

NO PUPPIES AVAILABLE

NB: I am not a dog trainer, or a dog behaviourist, just a dog breeder and owner. I can only offer my opinion, based on my experience.

AYWYP: Week 41 – Scentwork

Scentwork with your dog

Now that your dog is a year old, the fun really begins! You should be able to take them out and about without worrying too much about their behaviour. It’s a great time to consider starting a dog activity – there are so many to choose from. I have a few to write about and I thought I would start with my newest interest – scentwork.

Ounce doing a wall search

I started scentwork last September, mainly because my lovely agility trainer, Emma from Beancroft Agility, Scentwork and Hoopers, started teaching it! I also decided to do it with Ounce, as I wanted her to stop agility, for a variety of reasons. The main reason was that I just felt she didn’t really love it and with plenty of other dogs doing it, there was no need for her to continue.

The basics

Dogs have an amazing sense of smell, everyone knows that. That sense is used in all sorts of ways, from finding people to sniffing out illnesses, or alerting people with medical conditions. Scentwork is the basic introduction to understanding how dogs use this amazing skill and harnessing it to do something fun.

Tizzy indicating

Like most dog activities, (and most new skills) getting started is a bit slow and painful. But once you have the basics, it’s amazing how quickly you can progress. It’s lovely to see dogs of different breeds being able to excel at this activity. And of course it doesn’t require much fitness or mobility from the handler.

The objective

Scentwork is all about working with your dog. Of course the dog knows where the scent is, but can you understand that? When you can go into a room, filled with obstacles and find the tiny marker with the scent on it, as indicated to you by your dog, that feels incredible. It’s tricky though!

Dottie searching bricks

You begin by introducing one scent, which might be a rubber Kong, or a piece of cloth scented with cloves. The dog is shown the scent and then rewarded with food. And again. You keep doing this for a few weeks, until the dog understands that when they smell that scent, they get yummy treats.

Indicating

Once the dog knows what scent they are searching for, they have to be able to tell you where it is. This is taught slightly separately, but alongside learning what the scent is. You place a coin on the floor, wait for the dog to look at it, or sniff it, or touch it with their nose and say ‘Yes!’ and reward. And again. Keep going. You want the dog to understand that wherever the coin is, they should be looking at it, being still and waiting for you to say ‘Yes!’ (or use a clicker) and then they will get a reward.

searching a chair

Those are the two key skills that you and your dog need to have. Once your dog knows that they must find the particular scent and then indicate to you that they have found it, you can start to make real progress.

Scentwork in different places

It’s a bit more complicated than that, but that’s how you get started. Then it’s about how you manage the dog, setting them up and making sure they look in the right places. Searches can be inside, outside, with a huge variety of different objects. Vehicle searches are carried out, along with searches of walls and doors.

vehicle searching

What I like about this activity is that it’s quite calm and relaxed, but it really challenges your dog. It’s tiring and stimulating for them too! It also ensure that you really pay attention to them and watch their behaviour carefully.

Scentwork competitions

Scentwork UK run Trials around the country, if you wish to compete. These are structured around 8 levels, with each level including more complex and varied searches. So there is plenty to work on! If you fancy giving it a go, why not look for a trainer near you?

Passing the next level in class

Weekly Focus Challenge

Do you fancy scentwork?  Even if it sounds a bit serious, you might be surprised at how interesting and enjoyable it can be.  If you don’t want to do the formal training, you can still entertain your dog by playing hide and seek with a toy.  If they will go and get a toy if you point at it or tell your dog to ‘find it!’ then you can try hiding a toy and asking your dog to find it.  Listen to them sniffing?  It’s a really stimulating exercise for them.  Make sure that your dog has time to wander and sniff on walks – don’t march them along on lead at your pace, please? 

Please share your thoughts and a photo? You can do this in the AYWYP Facebook group, or buy the workbook to keep your own record. Details below.

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. It was written and designed to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely!

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME, by filling in your email address below?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

NO PUPPIES AVAILABLE

Enrichment Activities for your Dog – Guest Post by Karen Young

This post is taken from Karen Young’s website: Safe Hands Clinical Canine Massage

Is every day feeling like Groundhog Day?

Groundhog Day is an American custom held on the 2nd February every year. If the hibernating Groundhog comes out of its den to sunshine he will see his shadow. Legend states this will mean 6 more weeks of winter and so the Groundhog will return to his den and go back to sleep. If the day is cloudy with no shadows the Groundhog will stay out of his den and spring is just around the corner. I am definitely hoping for cloudy!

We know the 1993 film Groundhog Day better in the UK, where every day is literally the same day, over and over again. With Covid restrictions, home learning and working and limited entertainment options I have a much better understanding of how Bill Murray’s character would have felt.

Life can be boring for our dogs

An enrichment opportunity for our dogs

But perhaps, this year has also given us an amazing opportunity to relate better to our pets and particularly our dogs. Most dogs live in a permanent state of Groundhog day. They are completely reliant on us and we usually set their daily routine at least during the week.

I realise that our dogs are no longer wolves, but if you compare the variety involved in a wolf packs day – socialising, playing, sleeping, hunting, patrolling, arguing, exploring and investigating throughout the day – with the average UK dog you may begin to see what I mean.

We have all been at home more over the last year and our dogs will have got used to our presence and our new routines. But as the metaphorical spring – with the roll out of vaccinations – is around the corner our routines are likely to change once more. This could mean our dogs will once again be left for extended periods of time and the days become even more regimented once more. There are likely to be some behavioural issues associated with separation anxiety, boredom and general stress for many of our dogs as they try to cope.

There are many blogs out there on helping your dog with separation anxiety so I won’t go into any detail here. But there are simple things you can do to help your dog break out of the routine and enhance your dogs quality of life.

Enriching your dog’s life can help your dog relax and cope

There are many things you can do to enrich your dogs life experiences, here are just a few:

Learning & Training

Most dogs love to learn, but many will only experience ‘training’ as puppies whilst we teach them the things we expect from them – toilet training, sitting, recall, stay, lead walking and oddly, give paw.

Karen’s dog Eva learning to pick up her feet

But dogs, like us, love to learn throughout their lives. Teaching new skills can be extremely rewarding. Why not try to teach them to walk backwards, spin (both ways), shake on command, stretch, or take them to a fun agility class?

Your dogs ability to learn is often limited by your own imagination. You only need to watch dogs ‘dancing to music’ to see how much they can really do.
https://video.wixstatic.com/video/bad9ea_e81476f1e6c9491c9c42446b3c7deea1/720p/mp4/file.mp4

“Tidy Up” by Helen Greenley, Animal Behaviourist, Aberdeenshire

Feeding

For many dogs their dinners are the highlight of their day, but when the food is gone in seconds this highlight is very short-lived. Feeding using interactive feeders will mean your dog is using their body and brain. Eating is slowed down making the whole process far more rewarding and also more natural.

Your dogs’ ancestors would hunt, catch, kill and eat their prey. You can mimic their natural behaviours with scatter feeding, hiding food and feeding out of slow feeders such as Kong. Feeding raw bones, hairy ears and cartilage based food can also take your dog longer to eat. This will give them valuable nutrients. There are lots of excellent independent pet shops that will be able to advise you on thi. My personal favourite is McGrumpy and Snuffles, in Aylesbury.
https://video.wixstatic.com/video/bad9ea_59bd972ed5344f1894e2c7a49a02259a/480p/mp4/file.mp4

Little Mia, above, has some neck pain, so this fun food game is also really helpful for getting her to stretch her neck downwards.

Play and Exercise

Eva loves to get higher and walk on obstacles

All dogs need opportunities to express themselves and explore their world. This is one of the reasons dogs need to go out for walks. Why not look at ways you can enrich this experience for them.

You should take their favourite toys out on walks and hiding them for your dog to find can be super rewarding for your dog. If your dog is ball obsessed reconsider using a ball thrower? I have already produced a blog on why I don’t particularly like them. You can always use the ball as a reward for some impromptu training. Why not train a send away, reinforce the recall or a sit and stay?

Benji supervising my blog writing

Sniffing and exploring

Let your dog sniff and explore their area. I see too many dogs being marched around on walks with owners or dog walkers completely focussed on their phones. But walking the dog is a sociable activity for most dogs. If they were part of a dog pack they would often go off together to patrol or explore. They would communicate and interact with each other whilst on the move. If you are on your phone, you are missing an excellent opportunity to really bond with, and deepen your relationship with your dog.

Dogs are incredible, intelligent, loving and loyal and deserve the very best from us. I would love to hear what you will be doing differently to enrich your dogs life.

The things your dog can learn are limited by your imagination.
https://video.wixstatic.com/video/bad9ea_9d25413da37d48e98c2877f8c260a3d1/720p/mp4/file.mp4

Playing Dead

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. It was written and designed to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy. The book will also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely!

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

Thank you to Karen for letting me share one of her excellent blog posts. There is a lot more information on her website: Safe Hands Clinical Canine Massage. If you would like me to share one of your blog posts, please get in touch?

YKC – Activities for Dogs and Kids

Young Kennel Club: fun for all the family!

Hollie is 19 years old and has two dogs, Blue who is a Harrier Hound mix aged 8 and Pixie, a 3 year-old Border Collie (and Dentbros pup!) Hollie says that mum Sarah originally started doing agility because she attended obedience classes at a group that also did agility.  It looked like fun and Blue needed something to tire his brain as well as body as he was quite an active dog that easily got bored.

Hollie went along to shows with Mum and started competing in junior classes 5 years ago, competing at Crufts with Blue for the last 3 years. She also competed with Pixie in 2020, making me a very proud breeder!

The best dog for the job?

Blue is a hound cross and this can make agility training a challenge, as he’s more interested in sniffing than agility.  However this can make any successes all the sweeter, especially if they compete at Crufts.

Hollie says “I was lucky to get my own dog nearly 4 years ago.  She was chosen specifically with agility in mind.  Collies are intelligent, fast and agile, the perfect combination for agility.  We were lucky to qualify for Crufts in the Young Kennel Club competitions when she was just 2 years old.” Pixie has already achieved a number of great results and looks set to go on to greater things, the pandemic notwithstanding!

Hollie says the beauty of agility is that pretty much any dog can have a go (even dachshunds).  This is an energetic sport and can put a strain on breathing, muscles and joints. Short-nosed dogs who have trouble breathing on vigorous exercise and heavy-set dogs, are not suitable.

Agility is fun

Agility is run in a similar way to show jumping. The fastest dog with the least faults that wins.  You get 5 faults for each jump the dog knocks down or refuses.  There are agility obstacles which have ‘contact points’ that the dog must touch while completing them. This includes the seesaw, the A-frame and the dog walk.  Faults are given if the dog misses these contact points (to stop them damaging their joints).  You get eliminated if you take any jumps in the wrong order.

There are a lot of competitions for all levels of competitors. You might be a beginner and want to have a go at a local club show. Or you’ are an agility professional aiming for the main ring at Crufts and representing your country in European and World championships.  It is an inclusive activity and lots of fun for you and your dog!

Why do you like it?

Hollie says “It’s a great way to have fun with your dog.  It’s so rewarding when the hard work you’ve put in training pays off in the competition ring.” Agility is a very social sport, people support each other, whether you’re having a great day or it’s all gone a bit pear-shaped. It encourages you to keep fit, so you can be as fast as you can around the competition courses.

However, Hollie says it is important to remember that dogs are not machines. It takes dedication to train a dog to compete in agility.  You need to be resilient. Because no matter how hard you train, it quite often doesn’t go the way you planned!

Hollie says she trains and competes in all weathers.  If you like being outdoors that’s great, but there can be a lot of waiting around at competitions.  If you start to get really involved, the cost of entering competitions can add up, along with entry fees. You may also need to book overnight accommodation if the competition is a distance away. 

Who’s in charge and what do you need?

The governing body is the The Kennel Club. Juniors can compete in Young Kennel Club competitions, competing in one of two age groups; up to 12 and over 12 years. There are also lots of agility clubs that run independent shows not governed by the kennel club.

Agility equipment takes up quite a lot of space. Most people train at an agility club where they have full sets of equipment and space for you and your dog to train safely. You need a pair of trainers, comfy clothes, your dog and plenty of tasty treats or a toy they love to reward you dog for their hard work.

If you decide to really get involved in the sport you can do some training with 1 or 2 jumps and some weaves in your garden.  Hollie and Sarah have also taken equipment to the local park, but she says you do get an audience 😊!

Getting started

Hollie trains in a class once a week for an hour.  She says that lots of people do more training, depending on what level they are at. You can really train anywhere, even while on your walks. Send your dog around obstacles, or practising a wait, which is really important.  Keeping your dog’s general level of fitness is key. Agility puts a lot of strain on a dogs joints and muscles and they can get injured.

Thank you so much Hollie for this invaluable insight. We wish you lots of luck on your journey with Pixie in agility!

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. It was written and designed to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely!

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

Hoopers

Can’t jump? Go through hoops instead!

You’ve probably never heard of hoopers as it is a relatively new dog sport. Canine Hoopers UK was formed in 2017, to provide an activity that strives to protect the long term well-being of the dog. This is done by maintaining flowing courses of low impact obstacles. The aim is to direct your dog around a course of between 15 and 24 obstacles, including hoops, barrels, tunnels and a mat.

Tracey has been training in agility for over 30 years, but more recently has been doing flyball and hoopers as well, as she loves doing things with her dogs. She currently has 5 dogs; Harris 12 year-old terrier, Vali 9 year-old kelpie, Vader 5 year-old collie, Mouse 3 year-old kelpie and Zarko 14 week-old working cocker. Vali, Vader and Mouse regularly compete in agility, hoopers and flyball.

Why choose hoopers?

Tracey says “As my workaholic Kelpie gets older I wanted something to challenge us both, but without to much strain on his joints. Hoopers is perfect. And my younger Kelpie just wants  to run as fast as possible so loves hoopers. It has also had a positive impact on her agility training.”

The sport aims to be inclusive, making sure that it is accessible to all dogs and handlers, in particular large and tiny breeds. It is also available to dogs which require a little extra space, patience or understanding and also to handlers with limited mobility.

Who can teach Hoopers?

All Accredited Canine Hoopers UK Instructors have been thoroughly assessed. They will only be awarded accreditation when they prove their understanding, knowledge and teaching aptitude. Accredited Trainers are consistently teaching to a high standard, using only force-free training techniques.

Tracey says she did a training day in 2019. Then she completed the online good hoopers awards with her dogs in March 2020. She then went on the take the instructors course and becoming an accredited CHUK instructor in May 2020.

Tracey and the gang!

What are the pros and cons of Hoopers?

The biggest positive about hoopers is that it is suitable for any age or breed of dog. You do need to have some basic obedience before you can start. Tracey says “The main challenge is to handle from a distance. You can can run with your dog, but you get extra points for staying behind lines or in boxes.”

There are regular competitions throughout the year, including a national finals. Tracey says “There is also an award scheme run in classes called the good hoopers award. You can earn a fab rosette and certificate for foundation, bronze, silver and gold.”

Thanks Tracey for sharing the information about this exciting new dog sport!

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. It was written and designed to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely!

BUY NOW!

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think. 

NO PUPPIES AVAILABLE

Volunteering

Volunteering with your dog

I started volunteering with Busy in 2015, visiting a care home briefly, then joining my local school,    I felt really passionate about supporting children with my dogs, as I have worked in Special Educational Needs for 20 years and been a school governor for 17 years. 

I transferred to the fantastic charity Canine Concern in 2017. They support volunteers visiting a wide range of establishments, from schools, to care homes, prisons to hospitals. I am currently a volunteer, assessor, and Area Coordinator for Milton Keynes, where we have over 30 active volunteers.

What are the criteria for the dogs?

I chose Busy to start volunteering out of the four dogs I had at the time, because she was so calm and gentle, even though she was only 18 months old.  She doesn’t jump up, or paw, or snatch treats and I knew she would enjoy the attention.  I have since added Luna, Busy’s big sister.  She is not quite as well-behaved as Busy, as she will raise a paw, but she is more sociable. 

I also occasionally take in my other dogs, Sunny (Busy and Luna’s mum). Aura (Luna’s daughter) and Ounce (Busy’s daughter).  They are all well-trained and very popular, especially Ounce, who is very chatty and a bit of a show-off! The children love their tricks – Busy can read a few words!

What does it involve?

I started off working with children listening to them read, working in small groups, alongside a member of staff.  However, we soon realised that having the dog there gave us such a good opportunity to have a chat in a relaxed, unthreatening situation.  So we use the sessions to draw out the children and discuss and model behaviour.  We work with children with a wide variety of needs, including low self-confidence, difficulties with learning behaviour and emotional difficulties.

I now attend school for four hours a week, across two mornings, with each dog doing an hour at a time, although we occasionally have a Double Dog Day!  We have groups of 6-8 children and some individual sessions.  We see around 30 children each week, with groups changing every term.

The dogs help the children by building confidence and giving a focus for the session.  We chat about the dogs and what they have been up to during the week, which helps the children think about what they have been doing.  We ask questions about what has been difficult and because we have created a ‘safe space’, the children are able to talk about issues.  It is essential for me to have consistent support from a member of staff who knows the children and the issues they may have, as I am not able to know this information.  We often do role play, modelling examples of good and bad behaviour, which the children find hilarious!

Does it benefit other people?

The school as a whole benefit from having the dogs visiting and we are considered a valuable asset to the school.  The impact we have on the learning skills of the children we see, in turn affects the learning environment of the whole class.  The staff also love seeing the dogs and taking some time out of their busy day for a quick stroke.  We occasionally attend assemblies and take part in other activities, such as providing ‘de-stress’ sessions post SATs.  And if I have a litter of puppies, they obviously have to visit as well!

I find the sessions so rewarding and love engaging with the children.  It is a great opportunity for them to have positive experiences with the dogs, even for those who have dogs at home.  I am keen to teach them about positive management of dogs and about dog welfare. It is invaluable for the dogs as well and I see it as part of their training.

Other ways to help

I have been carrying out assessments for new volunteers over the past few years.  I love meeting these people and helping them start their volunteering journey.  Being an Area Coordinator is an additional challenge, but I really like helping to find new volunteers and matching them to a suitable placement.

Even if you are not able to go into placements with your dog, you may be able to support the charity in other ways.

Canine Concern Comments

I was very proud to be chosen as the Canine Concern ‘Member of the Month‘ in October 2020 (their first one!). This is what they said about me:

“Penny has been a very valuable member with us. Her enthusiasm for the work has rubbed off on the other members in her area she supports. As a charity, we have always encouraged our members to support each other in this work. It can be daunting to go on visits with your dog and not know what to expect, Penny is there to help with any extra support as an assessor and area coordinator.”

Get involved in volunteering

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about volunteering in this way, or if you want to find out about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think. 

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. It was written and designed to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely!

NO PUPPIES AVAILABLE

Flyball

Flyball – Excitement for dogs!

If you are looking for something that will really wear out your dog, both mentally and physically, then you might want to try flyball! It’s a fast-paced team sport that was first seen at Crufts in 1990. Amber tells us about her experiences of flyball.

Ready to go

Amber says “I love the fast paced atmosphere in the race, but also the whole team involvement. It’s a really social sport.” She was first introduced to the sport at a dog show, where there was a ‘have a go’ session. Amber has been involved with the sport for over 6 years and currently competes with three of her dogs. Her terrier Zuko is now retired.

What is flyball?

The Kennel club defines the sport as follows:

Two teams of four dogs compete at the same time, each using a parallel ‘racing lane’ down which each dog in turn runs, clearing four hurdles in succession before triggering a pedal on the Flyball box.

Jamie has the ball

A tennis ball is then released which the dog must hold before returning over the hurdles to the start line. The first team to have its fourth dog across the finish line, with any part of the dog’s body, wins the race. Each dog must cross the finish line before the next dog can start, and handlers aim to launch their dog so that it will cross with a returning dog just at the line.

Who’s in charge?

There are two governing bodies, The British Flyball Association (BFA) and the UK Flyball League (UKFL). Amber competes with the BFA.

You will compete in your team, against other teams the same division. The division will be set by your teams seed time, so you will race teams of a similar level. Each team can have up to 6 dogs, but only 4 race at one time in each team. There is no restriction on breeds, apart from at Crufts, where each team must contain a non-collie, otherwise known as ABC – anything but collie!

Hex making a turn

How does it work?

The first dog to race is called the start dog; with a start dog your aim is to have as perfect as a start as possible. Once the judge has signalled that both teams are ready, the lights count down (3 yellow lights and then green) and you want the start dog to be passing through the start line as the light hits green. A perfect start would be 0.00 secs, normally you aim for anything below 0.10 secs.

Zuko eager to get the ball

The dogs have to run over 4 hurdles,  collect a ball by triggering the box and bringing the ball back over the 4 hurdles. The next dog will then pass the first dog to repeat. For the best cross you want the dogs’ noses to be touching (they will pass side to side) at the start/finish line. This is repeated until all four dogs have run.

The jump height is set to the smallest dog that is racing in that team, with the jump height ranging 6″ to 12″.

Eska in the lead!

Winning is everything!

The winner of that leg will be the team who completes a clean run the fastest. You can get a fault if:

  • you have an early start
  • you have an early cross into another dog
  • the ball is dropped before finish line
  • the dog runs out of the jump lane
  • the dog ‘steals’ the ball from the box (so it’s not triggered).
Go Hex go!

There is a box judge and a line judge who can help signal a fault to the overall judge. There is a scribe completing the paperwork and watching the run back. An interference between a dog from one team into another results in the loss of that leg to the team responsible. If it happens twice that dog is removed from the race.

Eyes on the prize

The winner of the race will win 3 legs (so there can be up to 5 legs if it 2:2). There are sanctioned competitions throughout the year, both indoor and outdoor. The ultimate goal is the flyball championships in August, or to run a team at Crufts, in March.

Equipment needed

You need a flyball box, 4 flyball jumps, and then other aids like props to help learn pacing and box turns. Balls of course, lots and lots of tennis balls! Your dog must absolutely LOVE tennis balls and playing fetch.

Jamie making a turn on the box

You normally need a training chute used before dogs learn the flyball box. You usually start with some netting to help the dogs run down the lanes.

Training needed

Flyball is not particularly difficult to train, although it can take time and commitment to train a safe and fast box turn, and for dogs to learn to race with other dogs without being distracted from the main job at hand. Dogs wear carpal pad protectors to prevent injury to their pads.

Pure power

Amber says “We have Sunday flyball training with out club.  But I also do work at home with my dogs on my own flyball chute to keep a good box turn technique. I’ll do drive work sprints  to keep the sprint fitness.” 

How to get started

Get in touch with one of the two governing bodies: The British Flyball Association (BFA) or the UK Flyball League (UKFL). They may be able to help find a club local to you. Your dog will need to be at least a year old and fully mature. You will need a good recall and a strong drive to run after a ball. Your dog will also need to be relaxed around other dogs. As with other dog activities, a good level of basic obedience is essential.

Happy dog, having fun

Thanks to Amber for the fantastic insight into this dog sport. Photo credits: Hannah Rose Baker and Helene Burningham.

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. It was written and designed to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely!

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Obedience (Formal)

Obedience training with your dog

If agility is like doing show-jumping with your dog, and canicross is like cross country, then competitive obedience is the dressage discipline. At the top end (as seen at Crufts for example), it is about perfect symmetry of dog and handler, working together to demonstrate just what can be achieved.

Aura just turned a year old, winning pre-beginners at her first show!

The starting point is basic puppy training, which every single dog owner must do. These days most people expect to take a puppy to classes, and this is usually the best way to work through the process of getting started with your dog.

Puppy Foundation Award

Lots of puppy and dog training schools use the Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme. The Puppy Foundation award covers the following :

  • responsibility and care
  • cleanliness and identification
  • attentive response to name
  • play with puppy
  • socialisation, including
    • with an unknown dog
    • with an unknown person
    • with noise distraction
  • handling and inspection to maintain health
  • recall
  • sit, down and stand
  • walking in a controlled manner
  • stay (approx 10 seconds)
  • take article from puppy
  • food manners

That’s a pretty comprehensive list!

Pixie giving Helen a dumbbell

Good Citizen Awards

Many people stop there and that’s fine, on the whole, but there are 3 more levels on the Good Citizen Dog Scheme – Bronze, Silver and Gold. The gold award covers more challenging handling such as road walking, walking off lead beside the handler, send the dog to bed, being relaxed when on their own, stopping on command and staying, in a down, for two minutes, with the handler in and out of sight.

It can take a few months (or longer) to get to the Gold Award standard, so people continue to this level if they enjoy going to the classes and feel that their dog enjoys the time the spend there. As with all activities to do with your dog, it is time you spend focusing on them and building your bond with them.

Pixie showing off her heelwork

Formal competitive obedience

This video is a great demonstration of the highest level obedience, with my absolute hero, Mary Ray (on right), with her dog Lyric.

There are six ‘classes’ – levels of competitive obedience – available for entry at Obedience shows. New handlers will start in the basic Introductory, Pre-Beginners and Beginners Classes; as you become more experienced you can qualify for the higher classes from Class A to Class C, the highest (and most difficult).

Each class contains a set of exercises which the judge will ask you and your dog to perform.  More details about the different classes can be found on the Obedience Levels and Classes page, but the levels consist of increasing difficulty in the following:

  • heelwork
  • recall
  • retrieve
  • sendaway
  • stays (sit and down, handler in view and out of sight)
  • scent discrimination
  • distant control

Training requirements for obedience

Helen, who owns a red merle Border Collie called Pixie, aged 6, says she has done lots of different activities with her and has always done basic obedience with her dogs. She decided to have a go at competitive obedience 18 months ago, so joined a local club.

The club members are very helpful and supportive, Helen says, helping her aim for her first show, which was due to be held in April 2020. She says you don’t need much space. Everything can be done in your garden, but it can be useful to train in your local park, as this can be more distracting for the dog. There is very little equipment required – a dumbbell, some cones or markers and some cloths for the scentwork.

Helen says “I train at a club once a week but will do bits during each day in some way. This might be working on tricks, retrieve and heelwork. I love it when teaching things and it all comes together it’s a great feeling.” Thanks Helen for your insights.

The best dog breed for obedience? Border Collie, of course! Other breeds do compete, but collies are so driven to work, to please, to focus, they are absolutely fantastic at this activity. If you want to get to the top, get a collie!

Miri demonstrating that collies can work perfectly from a very young age

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. It was written and designed to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely!

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think. 

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Working trials

What are Working Trials?

The easiest way to explain working trials is to say that it is the civilian equivalent of police dog work, but it is purely for competition. It has also been described as the canine equivalent of three-day eventing for horses.

heelwork

John says he chose this activity in the late 1980s and early 90s because he was competing in obedience and wanted something more challenging for his dogs. He competed for around ten years, qualifying two of his dogs. His first trials dog was Cindy, Wicklow Triangle Cdex Udex Wdx Td open.

Johns team from 1990 l to r Sue, Tigger, Cindy and Bobbie

John has returned to the sport after a break of twenty years. He currently has four dogs, all Border Collies or collie crosses – Max, Skip, Jay and Whisper.

Who runs the sport?

Working trials are run under Kennel Club regulations and the schedule is constructed so that competitors must qualify for entry from one stake to the next, from open to championship trial. There are two classes of working trials and five working trials stakes which must be worked in progression.

the scale

The working trials stakes consist of three sections:

  • obedience, including heelwork, retrieve, stay etc
  • agility, including the ‘scale’, the high jump and the long jump
  • nose work, which is a track to follow and a search square with articles to find.

There is a fourth section relating to police dog work, which is where the dog has to apprehend and contain a suspected criminal.

the stay

There are 7 stakes in working trials:

  • Special beginners (no jumps) for dogs from 6 months old
  • Introductory, for dogs over 18 months
  • CD – companion dog stake
  • UD – utility dog stake
  • WD – working dog stake
  • TD – tracking dog stake
  • PD – patrol dog stake (police dogs only)

What do you have to do?

John says the reason he likes working trials is that you are working in different disciplines: obedience, agility and nose work. You are competing against a set standard and if you meet these requirements you have a qualification and a certificate, even if you finished last out of 20 competitors. (Sounds like my kind of activity!)

long jump

The drawbacks with working trials is the equipment requirement of a 6ft scale (like a wall or fence), a 3ft hurdle jump and a 9ft long jump. There is also the challenge of being able to use a farmer’s land for tracking training.

Smaller dogs are disadvantaged when it comes to the jumping section. However, in the companion and utility dog stakes the scale is lowered to 4ft. The most successful breeds of dog in working trials are the Border Collie, German Shepherd and the gundogs such as Retrievers.

How often do you train?

John says he trains quite frequently throughout the week as he is retired. However he feels that you can succeed in any dog sport if you are committed. “I had my most success when I was doing a full-time job and running 6 dogs.”

Whisper doing the nose work

Thank you very much to John and his dogs for this valuable insight!

This post is dedicated to the memory of my friend John Hearn.

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. I wrote it to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely!

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think. 

NO PUPPIES AVAILABLE

Canicross – running with your dog

Get fit and have fun with canicross!

Sam and her 11 year-old collie Pacha, have been doing Canicross for around 4 years. She says the thing she enjoys most about Canicross is the fact you and your dog are both getting exercise out in the fresh air, it’s very sociable and it is not expensive. Most clubs are around £15 a year to join and the organised runs are led by volunteers.

Sam and Pacha

Sam says “We got into Canicross as I booked my wedding and decided I wanted to get fit, so I took up running. Pacha regularly came for a run with me and it worked well as it meant that we were both getting great exercise. I then saw an advert for ‘Ashridge Canicrossers’ and thought it sounded perfect.”

Getting started

Most clubs will lend you equipment to borrow at club runs so you can find a good harness fit and size for both you and your dog before you purchase any. You will need:

  • a running harness for your dog
  • a bungee line to attach you to your dog
  • a belt harness for yourself
  • a good pair of trail running shoes with grip for the mud
  • most people use a running rucksack to carry water and supplies.

Organised runs are twice weekly at Sam’s club, but its completely personal choice how often/little you go. She says she generally tries to get out twice a week, whether that’s club runs or running from home.

Who sets the rules?

The Kennel Club are the governing body and a full list of rules and regulations can be found on their website. As a general rule dogs must be at least 12 months of age to start Canicross and 18 months of age to compete in Canicross races of 5km (3 miles) or more.

Sam and Pacha

There are many competitions for Canicross run all over the country. These mainly take place during Autumn/Winter months (September to April) as the weather is generally just too warm/humid to run the dogs during the summer months.

Can anyone do it?

Sam says “I have seen every sort of dog do Canicross. Obviously some breeds are better/faster than others! But if you’re looking to both have fun and get fit you really can do it with any dog.

The only reason that someone may not enjoy this activity is if you are not into running. However, there are staggered speed groups so you are urged to give it a try. Oh, and if you don’t like getting dirty it might not be for you, as it is very muddy a lot of the time!

It can be muddy!

If your dog doesn’t pull or you’re worried it may not, then you are advised to go near the back of the group. They soon get the idea to run ahead, especially with the excitement of following the other dogs.

The groups are usually between 4-8 people in size so as you can imagine it gets very loud and exiting! Some dogs do take a couple of attempts to really get the hang of hit, but most get it and love it after a couple of goes!

Top tips?

Sam says “It’s good to teach them basic commands e.g go, stop, left, right so you can navigate your dog around the trails safely without tripping you up.

“There’s always going to be be the odd accident, as I learnt just as we set off on a run. Pacha was in full flight, then in a split second decided to stop for the toilet right in front of me. Before I knew it I was face down in a pile of leaves! A quick dust off of the hands and knees and we were on our way again.” 

Thank you very much to Sam and Pacha for this valuable insight! Read the rest of the Activities blog to find out about other fun you can have with your dog.

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. It was written and designed to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely!

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think. 

NO PUPPIES AVAILABLE