One of the great things about doing K9 Nose Work is that it is mobile and eventually encompasses any environment you may find yourself. However, there is very important foundation work that is the key to you and your dog finding long-term success and helping your dog build stamina and interest in the search.
After following the steps in the first part of this saga (Getting Started in Nose Work) and if your dog’s eyes pop out of their head at the sight of any container or cardboard box your dog may be ready to expand the search and increase the challenge.
Here’s a story that gives new meaning to the words “Train, don’t complain.” Donna Rock’s adopted dog “Annie” is the second Doberman in the nation ever to be named an AKC champion in both agility and obedience. That’s quite a feat all by itself, and an honor for any dog and trainer. But Donna, who trained Annie for nine years to achieve that level, was born with no arms.
If you watch the video (http://www.wwltv.com/video/news-index.html?nvid=343716&shu=1) you’ll see strong dog-owner communication and camaraderie. Both look to be relaxed and enjoying the training. Of course, Donna has had to be creative in her cues. She has invented her own signals, using a leg instead of an arm, to indicate sit, come, and down. A cock of the head tells Annie to circle around her and sit by her side in heel position.
There is no doubt that living with a dog that is suffering from any type of problematic behavior can be upsetting and frustrating for the dog owner. The issue becomes not only about the nature of the dog, but can easily be about the nature of the dog owner. While dogs posses a variety of personalities and traits, their people often possess just as many.
The key to success is often the perseverance that the dog owner shows and lets face it, some of us do not possess the middle name of patience. Patience is often the key, linked with knowledge. Together these two can contribute immensely to getting your problems resolved.
I love going out to dinner with my husband. He listens to what I’m saying with genuine interest, gives me honest, loving feedback and tells great stories. We are constantly making each other laugh. We can always think of something to talk about.
Sometimes I notice other people eating together, couples or otherwise, who don’t seem to be having such a great time. In fact, they appear to be two strangers who happened to sit at the same table. Each is looking around in the other directions, reading a paper, talking on a cell phone…everything but being engaged in conversation with the person across the table.
Eleven years ago, the February 1998 Consumer Reports magazine tested and ranked various pet foods, and found a number of premium brands to be deficient in necessary nutrients, while giving a superior rating to several grocery store and budget brands.
The May 1998 issue of Consumer Reports issued a retraction for the February rankings and advised owners to ignore its recommendations on pet foods-- “for now.” This was only the second “oops” in Consumer Reports magazine’s history. Veterinarians weren’t as surprised by the retraction as we were by the original rankings, because CR found that budget dog foods like Wal-Mart’s Ol’ Roy were equivalent to more expensive brands (such as Nutro, Science Diet and Iams.)
Now, we fast-forward to the March, 2009 issue of Consumer Reports. The magazine has asked eight veterinary experts for their opinions in the article “Q&A: Vets weigh in on Fido’s food”.
