Fun Match

I'm a bit late posting this but this week has been really crazy!

Last sunday, I took the babies up to the Terry All Kennel Club fun match, just for the practice and to get them out since I havent really done much with them since they got here! They both suprised me with how well behaved they ended up being, and how quickly they adjusted to their surroundings! Since, like I said, neither of them have been out much at all other than going to the vet and the occasional car ride, when they both had tails out and wagging within 5 minutes of walking into the building, I was impressed. They met all kinds of people and dogs, got loved on by everyone, and we just had an overall good time. I came home with two very tired puppies, which is always pleasant!

I entered them both in the 3-6 month puppy class, since they were a week shy of 5 months old at the time. Melissa was kind enough to handle Miss Prada for me, although Prada decided she was going to be *very* uncoperative on the moving part! The judge definatly made them work for the prizes! (Which were jumbo-sized cookies, btw) Both won thier class, and best male and female puppy since they were the only Pointers entered! Louie ended up going Best Pointer Puppy, and so we got to hang around and wait *forever* for groups! Eventually though, it was time for Puppy Group, and since Louie was getting tired, he was also behaving himself :) and managed to be awarded the Sporting Puppy Group Second. I was very pleased with the little guys performance. I think he is going to be a gorgeous boy when he grows up, and so far, is off to a great start.

Next weekend we plan on going to another fun match, so will update more when the time comes.

In the mean time, I have been working on getting the puppies to walk on leashes (LOL...yeah, I forgot about that part!) and to stand correctly. Happy Legs are a blessing!

The puppies first show is in March, Pyros next show is Valentines weekend (puppies will be too young by a week!) and Maui will be in Juniors with Melissa at that show as well. We have a new addition coming in early February, which is exciting. Nope, not a Pointer. Right now, we will just call it the "big hairy beast"... lol. More on that later. :)

Peace and Quiet, kind of!

Brian left yesterday for a month of training...so things will be quiet around here for alittle bit! YAY! LOL. I'm always amazed at how much more I get accomplished when he leaves!

Anyways, the updates:

I decided I should focus my clicker-efforts on just one dog for now, since I'm not the most coordinated person in the world, and I get frustrated quickly and dont want to just give up completly. Since Pyro has the most training of everyone, and the bigger brain of the 5 (:)) I decided that he will be my guinea pig! The rest I'm just gonna do the "old fashioned" way, with lots of cookies and praise. Seems to work well with Pointers anyways.

So, Pyro has been doing well. We have been working on "remembering" how to "Sit" on command. As well as "Stand", "Hold", "Release", and "Wait". Seems like a lot, but he already "knows" them all, just doesnt want to think he does! LOL. He has completly forgotten how to "Down", but I have also gotten the impression that it is because he thinks he is a big boy now, and that he doesnt have to lay down when I tell him to. Hes beginning a power struggle with me as well, which is one of the biggest reasons I have started the "training crackdown" on him. He is too big and too strong for me to push around anymore, so I really need him to listen at all times. He is a *really big* boy!

We are going to a conformation fun match next weekend, and I'm planning on taking Pyro and the two puppies (Louie and Prada) and I expect that Pyro will listen to me, that Louie and Prada will get exposure, and hopefully Prada will get a little bit of confidence out of it. I am going to see if I can get someone else to handle Prada for me, so that she gets handled by other people and exposed to different things. The more she realizes good things can come from different people and places, the more confidence she will get. Pyro...I just want him to come away having put in a good performance. If he listens to me in and out of the ring, and isnt a butthead, then we will have won no matter what.

Will try to update again at the beginning of next week...

Clicker!

So I finally bit the bullet and decided to try clicker training. I really like the concepts behind it, so figured I would at least give it a try before I write it off completely!
We went out and bought a clicker today. One of the blue ones with the little orange button that you press that makes the "click". I came home, put a wrist strap on it, put loads of cookies into the treat pouch, and grabbed a dog!
Tony was my first victim! The information said you have to teach the dog first off that the click means something good will come, so it was "click, treat....click, treat" for about 25 repetitions! Louie was next, then Maui, then Prada. I'll do Pyro later. They all seemed *really* into the cookies. Prada was the only one that actually acknowledged the noise of the clicker. Dont know what that means at all (if anything!), but I guess we will see when we actually advance onto teaching them to do something! I'm excited...I love having new toys to play with!

Brian leaves this week for a month of training. It would be nice to have all the dogs a little bit better trained by the time he comes home next month!

New Year, New Adventure!

The new year has brought many new asperations, and since the top of the list was a new job, and that has been found, its time to move on to other things!
New on the top of the list is to get serious about training! I have 4 dogs I need to finish Championships on, and 3 that I would like to put an obedience or rally title on by the end of 2009.

Let me introduce them:

Maui - 6 year old spayed Pointer bitch. Very very very soft, and shuts down on you quickly. EXCELLENT showdog(finished champion), and currently being used in Juniors by a very talented young lady. Would like to at least get a rally title on her.

Tony - 18 month old Pointer dog. Just plain crazy. Really smart, but I havent taken the time to focus him on anything, so he is aimless and wild right now. Obedience here we come!

Louie- 4 month old Pointer dog. Just a baby. Needs manners. Will finish CH before we get serious on obedience beyond the basics.

Prada - 4 month old Pointer bitch. Louies sister. Just a baby, needs manners and confidence. I may do obedience and agility with her first just to get her more sure of herself before we hit the show rings.

And the Pointer-wanna-be: Pyro - 10 month old Doberman dog. Knows the basics, needs to be tuned. Turning into a huge butthead, and needs to be given a job to do so he doesnt get out of control. He will be shown selectivly this year, and hopefully I can focus him back in and work on titling him in obedience/rally.


I have never titled a dog in Obedience, or rally. I have never really been able to take the time to do the training! With 5 dogs in the house, I've realized things are a little out of control! But, I also work full time, I go to school full time, and I have a million other things to take care of every day. I've always been a Conformation-only person, but have realized its high time I make my dogs work a little harder for their livings! LOL. I'd love to get into agility and tracking as well, but for now, I think obedience will be a big enough undertaking for me! I may try the puppies in the field later this year, and see what they think of birds, but, they have to know how to listen first!