Kellie is a "bisquit whore" ( a title my dear boyfriend came up with as she´ll do anything for a treat) which also means she is very keen on being a part of the training and taking Folkes rewards. She usually comes along and I throw out a couple of hand fulls of treats on the grass and she spends her time sniffing and eating. She actually pulls to get to the lawn where we usually practise - so she thinks it's great fun.
Folke and I then practise around her - which means Folke has to roll around on treats that he is not allowed to focus on - and hasn't done this far - and he also gets a rowdy element to practise not focusing on. It's only Kellie but it's a good start, we'll have to step it up a notch and begin practising at the dog club sometime soon.
Kellie likes showing off her tricks as well, since she is more or less deaf (still being able to sort out words like food and candy though) and probably half blind it's not all that easy to communicate tricks with her but she is pretty good at the sign language.
fredag 24 april 2009
Preparing for the stage part 1. - ZickZack
Yet another trick that is mandatory in beginners class is walking between the handler´s legs. This is a little bit more tricky and it is important to use the correct leg when you start - otherwise your dog will have to go back a few steps everytime in order to avoid being kicked and to be able to walk between your legs the next time. I saw this a couple of days ago when a young girl practised with her American Cocker - it looked really strange and the dog struggled and just didn't enjoy it at all, candy or no candy -kicks are no fun.
So - the dog is placed on - say - your left side, that means that you start moving with your right leg. You have toys or candy in each hand guiding your dog to walk between your legs half way with one hand and then swopping to the other hand.
Preparing for the stage part 1. - Circle
This was Folkes first trick. Circling is not very impressive but he managed to impress some Pakistani exchange student guys down by Lake Trummen one night when I took him swimming.
He handed over the dummies like a god and shook afterwards on my command, I then had him do the circles and he got to retrieve the dummies as his reward. The Pakis were quite funny and came up to me and asked how on earth I got the dog to understand what I wanted him to do. They also said that they thought it was really strange that Swedish people brought their dogs with them everywhere as in Pakistan the only time you took your dog someplace was if you had a fighting dog and there was a competition.
We spoke for a while and I hope that Folke helped change their poor animal rights perspective at least a little bit. I think I might have hurt their masculinity though telling them to stop being such pussies around Folke - who completely ignored them and was all in on the tricks and retrieving. They were clearly not being used to any other dogs than fighting dogs and potential rabies carriers. I still think Folke got at least one inch of doubt into their stoneage values.
Circling is pretty easy to teach the dog - you use a toy or candy in front of the dog´s nose and then make a slooooow circle in the air so the dog follows your hand. Some dogs might take longer to understand that they are supposed to follow but as always the keyword is patience. I prefer to use hand plus word as that will make it easier to do the tricks from a distance but also to leave out the hand if you're up close and it doesn't suit the programme. Practice leaving out the hand some times and leaving out the word other times.
He handed over the dummies like a god and shook afterwards on my command, I then had him do the circles and he got to retrieve the dummies as his reward. The Pakis were quite funny and came up to me and asked how on earth I got the dog to understand what I wanted him to do. They also said that they thought it was really strange that Swedish people brought their dogs with them everywhere as in Pakistan the only time you took your dog someplace was if you had a fighting dog and there was a competition.
We spoke for a while and I hope that Folke helped change their poor animal rights perspective at least a little bit. I think I might have hurt their masculinity though telling them to stop being such pussies around Folke - who completely ignored them and was all in on the tricks and retrieving. They were clearly not being used to any other dogs than fighting dogs and potential rabies carriers. I still think Folke got at least one inch of doubt into their stoneage values.
Circling is pretty easy to teach the dog - you use a toy or candy in front of the dog´s nose and then make a slooooow circle in the air so the dog follows your hand. Some dogs might take longer to understand that they are supposed to follow but as always the keyword is patience. I prefer to use hand plus word as that will make it easier to do the tricks from a distance but also to leave out the hand if you're up close and it doesn't suit the programme. Practice leaving out the hand some times and leaving out the word other times.
Preparing for the stage part 1. - Rolling Around
Folke and I are getting closer to beginners class in reestyle, or Heelwork to Music as it is also called.
We haven't quite started to do the tricks to music yet but Folke is a keen pupil and learns amazingly fast so I think we'll actually have something to put together to a programme. His newest trick is to roll around which he understood after about 3 times of being told to lay down and then getting slightly pushed on his shoulder.
Next plan is to have him roll around several times in a row without getting up imbetween - haven't introduced that yet but I'm working on my body language as I think it would look pretty nice if I bend down and kind of flow with him as he rolls, which will also help him continue rolling - teaching him to get up when I stand up straight again.
lördag 11 april 2009
4.5h Easter walk around Lake Bergunda.
Easter has brought with it some beautiful weather. Margareta and I decided to try the walk around Lake Bergunda South. It is a really nice walk although you have to walk on roads on parts of it. I could definitely consider doing it again - especially as the track is only a 5minute walk from where I live, soooo love my new location.
We brought lunch with us and made a few stops to enjoy the sun and scenery, take some photos and let Folke swim.
Both Pintje and Folke draw people´s attention - which is fun. Where ever you take Folke for a walk where there is people around you always hear people making the sounds of sheep or calling him a labradoodle - nowadays most of it gets caught in my spamfilter....but at least one or two stops me to admire him and several people make comments on what ha beautiful dog he is and he is the most gentle boy when people wants to pat him.
FREESTYLE:
Folke and I have done some practising preparing for the freestyle competition in a few months. He now knows how to circle around himself, walk across my legs and roll around, a few tricks are under their way but not quite there yet. I've had some difficulties picking a song but it will most likely be "Destiny calling" http://www.youtube.com./watch?v=GOjoNmYj1qQ (not the official video though). It is tricky to pick a song that has to be no shorter than 1 minute and not longer than 3 minutes for beginners class, ok I could opt for any song and have them shut it off but at the moment an entire song just seems better. Might change my mind when I start rehersing to the music and find out how long three minutes can be....
After reading the rules and regulations I now - finally - understand why all these people competing in freestyle insist on having such tacky outfits and putting matching ones on their dogs, it's a part of the competition and you are given points on how well the outfits matches and also how well they match to the music. Shit! I have decided to add some detail or other - like a read collar on Folke and something red on me just to see how many points are taken off....if any are taken off I guess I will have to face humiliation and pick theme songs and start dressing according to it....Aladin?? - naaah Folke would hate the turban...hm .. I'VE FOUND IT!!!! And it is less than 3 minutes... Picture this: Folke and I both dressed in white and blue (I look really nice in blue), I'm sure Margaretha would help me sow a vest for Folke with the Finnish flag... theme? "Back to the roots - meeting Folke´s heritage" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4om1rQKPijI&feature=related .
Some photos from yesterday´s walk!
Pintje - Margareta´s Schapendoes bitch
Folke entertaining the crowd jumping off the bridge, why walk into the water when you can jump.
Folke???(!!!)
Folke handing over his dummy.
Margareta and Folke in action.
Buddies - the daredevil and the little chicken.
We brought lunch with us and made a few stops to enjoy the sun and scenery, take some photos and let Folke swim.
Both Pintje and Folke draw people´s attention - which is fun. Where ever you take Folke for a walk where there is people around you always hear people making the sounds of sheep or calling him a labradoodle - nowadays most of it gets caught in my spamfilter....but at least one or two stops me to admire him and several people make comments on what ha beautiful dog he is and he is the most gentle boy when people wants to pat him.
FREESTYLE:
Folke and I have done some practising preparing for the freestyle competition in a few months. He now knows how to circle around himself, walk across my legs and roll around, a few tricks are under their way but not quite there yet. I've had some difficulties picking a song but it will most likely be "Destiny calling" http://www.youtube.com./watch?v=GOjoNmYj1qQ (not the official video though). It is tricky to pick a song that has to be no shorter than 1 minute and not longer than 3 minutes for beginners class, ok I could opt for any song and have them shut it off but at the moment an entire song just seems better. Might change my mind when I start rehersing to the music and find out how long three minutes can be....
After reading the rules and regulations I now - finally - understand why all these people competing in freestyle insist on having such tacky outfits and putting matching ones on their dogs, it's a part of the competition and you are given points on how well the outfits matches and also how well they match to the music. Shit! I have decided to add some detail or other - like a read collar on Folke and something red on me just to see how many points are taken off....if any are taken off I guess I will have to face humiliation and pick theme songs and start dressing according to it....Aladin?? - naaah Folke would hate the turban...hm .. I'VE FOUND IT!!!! And it is less than 3 minutes... Picture this: Folke and I both dressed in white and blue (I look really nice in blue), I'm sure Margaretha would help me sow a vest for Folke with the Finnish flag... theme? "Back to the roots - meeting Folke´s heritage" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4om1rQKPijI&feature=related .
Some photos from yesterday´s walk!
Pintje - Margareta´s Schapendoes bitch
Folke entertaining the crowd jumping off the bridge, why walk into the water when you can jump. Folke???(!!!) Folke handing over his dummy.
Margareta and Folke in action.
Buddies - the daredevil and the little chicken.
fredag 3 april 2009
Jag å favvisHenke! / Me and favouriteHenke
Det har varit superfint väder de senaste dagarna och Folke har kommit hem helt utslagen, legat på samma fläck bredvid min sida sängen heeela natten utan att röra sig nämnvärt. Någon natt har han ylat i sömnen och flera gånger har han sprungit - drömmar från vardagen på Campus med Annica å Henke där den sociala kompetensen ständigt sätts på prov med allt folk och alla studenthundar - häromdan var det busorgie med 6 andra hundar nere vid slottet. Råder inget tvivel om att Folke och Kellie har det oförskämt bra om dagarna.
The weather has been great lately with spring around the corner. Folke has arrived home completely worn out, he has slept next to my bed the entire night without moving much, some nights he has woken me up howling in his sleep and on more than one occasion dream-running . dreams about his daily life on Campus with Annica and Henke, I´d say.
There is no doubt the dogs have a pretty darn good life while I'm at work.
Folke and Henke
Folke
Folke and Henke
The weather has been great lately with spring around the corner. Folke has arrived home completely worn out, he has slept next to my bed the entire night without moving much, some nights he has woken me up howling in his sleep and on more than one occasion dream-running . dreams about his daily life on Campus with Annica and Henke, I´d say.
There is no doubt the dogs have a pretty darn good life while I'm at work.
Folke and Henke
FolkeJag har ett par kvällar släpat ut Folke på tvåtimmarspromenader med bad. Isen lossade för nån vecka sedan och Folke gick inte att stoppa oh sedan låg han och cirkulerade i Trummen och njöt i säkert 20min. Jag fick fint finna mig i att titta på från strandkanten. Sedan dess har Folke badat i princip varje dag. Om jag hittade kamerakabeln kunde jag ju fört över kort på det till datorn och lagt upp det på bloggen. Kellie har under viss protest blivit nersläpad de få hundra meterna till Trummen några gånger när Folke ska simma, och väl nere har hon inte ångrat sig utan har skuttat runt och trakasserat Folke när han kommer upp med dummyn.
Folke and Henke
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