Rain, Rain, and More Rain

What a boring, dreary, week! Mud, rain, more mud, and more rain. I have been in the house and not able to do agility or even play ball because everything is wet and muddy in our yard. We can't play with the sheep either because of all the mud. What a waste of a perfectly good week! Well, gotta go. It's naptime again

Spring has Sprung

well, here it is, April again. I have been lax in my posting because my mom is very lazy about blogging. We have been playing in the yard and having fun.

I got my Canine Good Citizen certificate last month. I was a very good boy. So good in face that now Mom wants to enter me in an Obedience trial. Can you imagine that? Me, doing Obedience. We'll have to see about that.

Rookie got his Novice Standard and Novice Jumpers titles last weekend. He is starting to be a very good agility dog. Sometimes he even looks better than me, if that's possible. Watch! He will get his Excellent titles way before me. I don't seem to be able to qualify, even if I am a good boy.

Anyway, I would like to hear from my friends, if I still have any.

Positive Reinforcement

It's almost Spring and people are getting out with their dogs. It's time for training, playing, and socializing.

I was clicker trained. So were my friends, Tubbs, Rookie, Iggy and Moe(she's sound sensitive, so her clicker is a ball point pen). Barney has never been trained, nor has he needed to be. Positive Reinforcement training in a nutshell is rewarding the stuff that is right, and redirecting or ignoring the behavior that is not right. You show the dog what you want, but do not punish the incorrect behavior. No prong collar ever for me, and I am a great leash walker. I also know how to heel for Obedience (I personally hate Obedience). I have never had aversive corrections, no shake cans, no throw chains, no squirt bottles. That doesn't mean there are no rules at my house. No, my mom works on the NILIF (nothing in life is free) plan. I have to work for what I want. I know who is in charge of all the food and all the toys (not me, darn it).

There are many good websites about Positive Reinforcement training. Google it and check them out. Your dogs will be better for it.

It's been a While

So, my mom teaches this agility class on Monday mornings. It's a nice little class, kinda of like a club. Well, there's this lady in the class with a German Shepherd. She has some issues, like she thinks the Shepherd is wonderful, and a perfect angel. He's NOT. He hates other dogs and is aggressive toward people. They have been making progress and we have had no problems in our class. She started another class on another morning today and guess what! Her dog bit someone. Yes, bit, right in the stomach, blood and everything.

I'm so tired of hearing stuff like this.

People, please train your dogs in a positive way, you will avoid many problems

It's 2009

I haven't posted for a while. I've been too bored to write. Nothing much going on right now. Yesterday, Rookie, Racer, and I went to an agility trial at McCook, IL. I did OK. Nothing to brag about, but no qualifying scores. Rookie got a Second Place in Novice FAST, and Racer qualified, too. I was in Open FAST. I didn't get enough points, even though I did the send. My other runs weren't bad, but you know, I have this thing about yellow. I also knock bars when I get excited. That's OK. One of these days...

I hope all my friends have a wonderful 2009.

Winter in Chicagoland

Ya know, I can't understand why people live around here. Summers are hot, humid, and uncomfortable. I can live with that because of hoses, and baby pools full of water. It's the winters that I hate. The last two days have been absolutely NO FUN. We had rain, sleet, and ice first. Today there was snow. Tomorrow they say it will be terribly cold, like below zero cold. I don't like to go out when it's like that. My feet get frozen on the ice when I try to go potty. I slip on the ice. It just sucks.
Christmas is only a few days away. Maybe it will warm up...?

Happy Thanksgiving

My favorite holiday! You betcha! All that food! Leftover turkey, pumpkin pie (yes, last year I ate a whole one), sweet potatoes, ham, I love it all. Thanksgiving is every dogs dream.

Thanksgiving is also a time to remind ourselves of all the wonderful things in our lives. I am thankful for my family, both human and canine. I am thankful that I am able to play the games I love, agility and sheep. I am thankful that I have friends and fans who keep in touch with me throughout the year. I am thankful for the people in the nursing home that take good care of my grandpa, Leroy. I am thankful for each and every day.

I wish you all the best Thanksgiving ever