Catch Up and Frosting on the Cake

WOW, I have been so busy training that I just could not keep up with the blog. So first I am going to catch you all up then post a thought that is what spurred me to do this post.

Catch Up

• 1 year Hip and Elbows x-rayed and Vet declared Hips as Excellent and Elbows Normal. SV rated the hips A-1 and elbows normal


• Canine degenerative myelopathy DNA test - N/N meaning Minka does not have the disease nor is she a carrier


• CERF - no abnormalities


• BH earned under Nikki Banfield on 11/12/2011!


• Still doing agility training and fighting her overly friendly, gotta greet the dogs :)


• Training for our Schutzhund 1, hopefully this spring (June)

Frosting on the Cake
It is great when a dog wants to work and I understand that there are times when they need to understand that they MUST work. However, I wonder if sometimes compulsion is added like "icing on a cake". If compulsion is always added to a behavior, how can the dog to prove it has work ethics; - a natural Must Work attitude. Just a thought.

I am certainly inexperienced in this whole dog training thing, but this go around with Minka, I will be adding compulsion when needed not just as another step in the training process.

BH Photos

Schutzhund - 08.13.2011 Super Fun!

Yahoo! We are doing a bark and hold with Reveir! So cool! I worked Minka every morning on Jeff, who held a tug. Send her in "Reveir" and if she grabbed the tug, a simple "nope" then "pust" and pulled her back to send her in again. After a few of those Minka figured it out - this is no fun, run in clean and I get to tug!

By Friday morning we were doing all clean runs except the first run.

So today at Schutzhund, all that work paid off. Minka was doing a bark and hold in the blind and running in clean half the time :) No big deal. She has drive and is learning the rules.

One of the club members built a "table" and Minka got to break it in. We put her on the chain and the table lifts her up making her feel more in control and confident. Then Rolando could work a bit on bringing out the defense in her. She did great!! No problems and great drive!!

Also, we have been tracking every morning this week and did a track at an Edgerton field. Then went and did some obedience at the club. Minka found a Schutzhund 2 dumbbell on the ground, picked it up and jumped over the jump and ran over the A-frame with it in her mouth. She has never been taught to pick up a dumbbell before. What a riot!! She is such fun!!

Damn I had fun today! Minka had fun today! My girl did so well!!!

Agility 4

Thursday was class 5 of 6 for agility 4. We are having a great time and Minka is showing a ton of enthusiasm for the obstacles. She has no problems jumping, tunneling, dogwalk or teeter-totter. Her focus on me is great, while we are waiting our turn. I work a lot on heeling positions left and right in between runs.

However, we still struggle with Minka's extreme social personality :) I keep saying to myself "I'm just glad she is not dog aggressive." But every obstacle is a battle to keep her from running to the sideline to greet a dog.

So now I am calling her between every obstacle and rewarding her with a treat, then on to the next obstacle, come here, treat and on until we do the run. Hopefully, this will work because the "phooey" and small pop on the collar is not working. If anything, I think Minka associates me coming to get her with the pop not that I am popping the collar because she is socializing, and that ain't good.

So management of the situation combined with reward will hopefully work. Also, I have notice Minka to be a tad chubby so I am cutting back on her food and that is making the treats during class far more appealing.

Little Minka is going to be a great agility dog I do believe!

Critique My Dog

Minka z Diehlomov obedience 13 months

Minka z Diehlomov on YouTube 14 mos


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Minka - obedience training

(image is Minka at 13 mos)

1 year old and a little minx


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GRRRRR