Follow-up Friday 4-19-13

Today we are joining our friend Jodi over at Heart Like A Dog for Follow-up Friday, the blog hop that lets you wrap up your week and leads you right into the weekend.

Thanks Jodi!

 

Honoring MWD Buddy E154

This post was such an honor and privilege for me to write! I will be writing an article in the near future that will have detailed information about Buddy from questions I asked Tracy and she was so gracious to answer for me. She has been wonderful in sharing information about Buddy and Military Working Dogs. If anyone is interested in learning more about this wonderful project you can take a look at their website http://www.supportmilitaryworkingdogs.org/

 

Black and White Sunday

I have been having so much fun participating with this blog hop. I am amazed at how so many photos look better in black and white, the clarity is just incredible. For example when I look at these photos the color one’s are okay but I prefer the black and white, what do you think?

 

Wordless Wednesday ~ My Junior Handler

This is my niece and Riva learning to work together, it was taken a couple of years ago at a Judges training seminar. She will be coming to Michigan in just over a month to stay with me for the summer. I have a lot of dog activities planned for her and I hopes of entering her in a dog show for the first time. She will be entered in the regular classes with me and not junior handler so I won’t have to worry about ring time conflicts. This girl is awesome with the dogs and she will do anything I ask, even scooping doggie poo

 

This ‘N That Thursday

I had my Follow-up Friday post all lined up with my This ‘N That Thursday so I could update on Titan and Maia, well you know what they say about the best laid plans…sometimes they just don’t go as planned! The weather was cold, damp and no sun, so I postponed until tomorrow, keep your fingers and paws crossed the weather is better.

What photo editor do you use?

Thank you  Sand Spring Chesapeakes and 2browndawgs for the info on photo editors. I will be checking them out.

 

Well that wraps up our Friday, why don’t you hop on over to Heart Like A Dog, see what their up to, grab the badge and join the fun!

THIS IS A BLOG HOP!!

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Three Handed Casts

This last week Dave (Titan’s trainer) showed me what they had been working on the last couple of days; three handed casts. Dave started with three piles of bumpers, one to the left, one to the right and one straight out, sorry I didn’t think to get photos of the set up before they began, I was too excited to see my boy work! I did get this one though so you have an idea…

Casts are simply put “handling” What you are teaching the dog is to run or swim in the direction of your hand signals. I have to say I was so impressed with Dave and Titan I just kept shooting photos! Dave keeps it short and simple and uses repetition so the dog gets the idea and keeps the idea, you know what they say practice makes perfect!

They did a left over cast, sending Titan to the bumper pile to the left, notice Dave is simply signaling with his left hand straight out to his side…

That is a whistle Dave is using, one blast and the dog is supposed to sit and wait for his cast (direction) to be given. This is very effective when your dog is out in the field for long or blind marks so you can stop them and handle your dog to the bird.

Then they did right over casts, sending Titan to the bumper pile on the right I didn’t get a photo of Dave giving the cast but it’s just the opposite of the left over cast…

Then Titan was sent on what is called a cast back, sending your dog straight away from you, these can be a little more difficult to teach but this boy nailed it considering they had only been working on casts for a couple of days.

Watching

Rearing to go

He’s off

That’s it

Here I come

Success!!

All of this took place in approximately 15 minutes, you don’t want to work too long as most dogs will become bored, and you always want to end on a positive note.

I bet you thought by the title I was going to talk about broken bones