Intro to dog sports: agility

Agility is one of the most popular dog sports out there. It is a sport where a handler must guide a dog through a set course of obstacles. In competitions dogs and handlers are judged for accuracy and speed. From beginners, where they must do mostly jumps to very advanced, where all obstacles are judged and timed.

A regular agility course usually includes the following obstacles to challenge a dog and his handler:

Jumps are 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 or 24 inches depending on the height of the dog and can be in the form of a tire, regular poles, or paddles. 

A tunnel to go through which can be short or long, in a straight line or even have bends in it. 

A chute which is a tunnel that has a long fabric train on it, making it look like the tunnel is closed on one end. 

A dog walk, which is a set of planks about a foot wide and several feet long that form a ramp going up, a plank several feet off the ground where they walk and another ramp going down. These vary by length and height depending on the level of competition. 

An A-frame is composed of two wide planks 3ft wide by 9ft attached to form an “A” , the dog runs up one side and down the other. 

A teeter or seesaw is about one foot wide by 12 feet long, and you guessed it, the pup must run up one side until their weight tips the plank and then run down the other side. 

The dog walk, “A” frame and teeter have contact zones to ensure accuracy of the obstacle and the dog’s safety. 

The table or pause box shows a lot of self control as the pup is asked to stay for a certain amount of time without moving. 

Weave poles, similar to a slalom are a set of 5 to 12 upright poles about 3 ft tall and spaced ever 24 inches. Weave poles are considered the hardest obstacle to master, the dogs must weave in and out through the spaces, always starting with the first weave pole on their left and without skipping any poles. 

Agility is not only a fun competition to watch but it is also super fun to take part in. It is also great as a way to bond with your dog or tire out an energetic dog. You can set up a few dog jumps, tunnels and contact obstacles in your back yard. Once your dog gets the hang of things, you can start to put things together into a short course. At first your dog should be rewarded for completing every obstacle, as he becomes more proficient he will begin to find each obstacle a rewarding experience in itself. And eventually at the end of each run he can get a fun game of tug or a food treat if he prefers that. Most dog and handler pairs in agility begin working closely together and as they master the obstacles they are able to work from farther away allowing them to gain speed. 

Due to the growing demand for agility, classes for beginners all the way through masters can be easily found. Even competitions start at a basic level that are easy to get into, so you can begin testing your dog quite early on in their agility careers.

This sport relies on a dog that can take directions well. Since the handler will be pointing out which obstacle is next, the dog must often look back at the handler for guidance. This dog sport also requires a handler that is quite fit as he or she will need to run around the ring with the dog to be able to point out the next obstacle. This is not to say that dogs that are a bit wild won’t be able to do it. It is a great way to direct a wild dog’s energy into something positive.

While any dog over 15 months can sign up for competitions, not every dog will enjoy all obstacles.  It is important that both you and your dog enjoy this activity. Even older dogs might like it, with lower jumps and slightly slower runs.

If you are interested in watching an agility trial, Dallas Dog Sports at Myers Park & Event Center (7117 CR 166,McKinney, TX) is hosting one May 28th, 29th and 30th.

10 Cat Myths

1. Cats have 9 lives. Sadly they only get one just like the rest of us, unless you believe in reincarnation, which is a whole different story.

2. Cats alway land on their feet. They actually don’t and can get hurt pretty badly from falls.

3. Cats hate water. While most of them don’t appreciate humans bathing them, many cats enjoy playing with water and in some cases even swimming. 

4. Black cats are bad luck. Well this one is just absurd, black cats are beautiful, loving felines like cats of any other color.

5. Cats will suffocate a newborn. Over 300 years ago someone claimed the cat had sucked the breath out of a baby and somehow this theory stuck. Though some cats can get very cuddly with newborns experts agree that it’s highly unlikely that a cat would suffocate a baby. Never mind intentionally. Many scientists have found that babies actually benefit greatly from having pets, making them less likely to develop allergies and more comfortable in social settings as they grow older. 

6. Whiskers maintain a cat’s sense of balance. Whiskers are feelers, but don’t help in maintaining balance. Cats who’s whiskers have been groomed don’t just topple over.

7. Cats should drink milk. Many adult cats are lactose intolerant so giving them milk is not a great idea.

8. Cats and dogs are archenemies. There are so many households that prove this one wrong too. Cats can cohabit with many different species as long as there is respect. They can cuddle and even enjoy play with dogs of many sizes, specially when introduced at an early age.

9. All calico cats are female. While it is a myth it is almost true, one in three thousand are male. So it’s still a myth.

10. One cat year is equal to seven in human years. Cats certainly age differently than humans. Within 6 months they are already sexually mature and within a year their bones stop growing. But this aging process slows down as they get older. Cats can live up to 18-20 years but there aren’t any humans living up to 140 years, as far as we know!

Velcro and Vera

Dog’s birthday:

January 10th 2013 

March 9th 2014

How did you obtain your dog?

Creekside Kennel (Vizsla breeder)

Creekside kennel (Vizsla breeder)

How old was your dog when you got him/her?

8 weeks old

8 weeks old

How would you describe him/ her in 5 words?

Athletic, snuggly, smart, “velcro dog”, our best friend!

Crazy, silly, wiggly, loves her brother Velcro, our chunky girl!

What’s your dog’s favorite food?

Popcorn

cheese sticks

What’s the cutest thing your dog does?

Tosses his toys around like he’s thrashing in water.

Her lips get stuck in her teeth, we call it “sassmouf”.

What’s the smartest thing your dog does?

Always knows where his people are.

She can fetch for hours and catch things right out of the air.

Anything else you’d like to share about your dog?

He could swim/fetch for hours in water. He is a little neurotic but loves all people in his life, runs super fast and loves sleeping near his dad.

She loves food, napping in her cozycare bed and giving hugs.

Loose dog encounters

What do you do when you are walking your dog in the park and all of a sudden there is a loose dog running towards you?

1. Stay calm, don’t run or scream as this will make the loose dog focus on you and your dog. 

2. If your dog is friendly and responds well to cues ask her to sit by your side and stay. If your dog is not friendly, skip to step 3.

3. As the dog comes towards you drop treats on the ground and walk away. This will help distract the dog while you move away. Always get your dog to safety first, put her back in the car or tie her to a tree, then deal with the loose dog.

4. I usually carry a spare slip lead in my pocket, but you can loop anything from a regular leash to a strong rope of any kind. If the dog is friendly, loop it around the loose dog without coming too close. Once looped it will be easier to control the dog while you plan your next move. If the dog doesn’t seem friendly get your dog to safety and call animal control.

5. Call for help (a friend or animal control), wait for the owner to show up (if you see them coming towards you) or look for the closest vet office to scan the dog for a microchip.

Don’ts in dog training

We normally hear all sorts of things that we should do when training our dogs, but what about things we shouldn't do? Here are a couple of things NOT to do when training your dog.

Don't reprimand your dog after the fact.

Contrary to some people’s beliefs, dogs are not looking guilty or trying to spite you. They are usually not aware that you are mad at them for having peed on the rug while you were gone. In fact they are usually reacting to your mood as you walk through the door. All they know is sometimes you come back and are happy to see them and sometimes you walk in and are instantly upset. Adequate punishment is almost impossible to accomplish with is why it is much more effective to work on what your dog can do correctly and build from there.

Don't allow pulling on leash.

With little dogs, sometimes we don't mind a little pulling. But this behavior can lead to inappropriate greetings between dogs, since pressure on the leash puts them instantly on alert. It can put your dog in danger of ingesting something dangerous or even being hit by a car.

Hugs are for humans.

While some dogs grow to bear a hug, the vast majority of dogs feel trapped and uncomfortable when we hug them. Sometimes it can lead to a dog growling, snapping or even biting a human that they normally like. Better ways to reward a dog can be treats, gentle petting or a fun game of fetch.

Don't teach your dog to speak.

This is encouraging barking, so unless you really enjoy a barking dog at all hours, be very careful about this one. It can be fun for some but in most cases we end up with a dog that demands food, toys or attention with loud incessant barking.

Don't encourage begging.

Contrary to some people’s beliefs, begging is not caused by feeding “human” food. In fact it is caused by where the pup is being fed. Even if you feed your dog only kibble but do it from the dining table or while you cook, your dog will learn that being attentive in such circumstances is rewarding and will therefore beg every time. 

Don't reward jumping

A lot of people don’t even realize they are even doing it. Acknowledging a dog that jumps either by petting, pushing off, looking at or telling them “off’ is inadvertently encouraging the behavior. And while that might stop the jumping at that time it only reinforces the jumping for next time. It is usually better to ask the dog for a “sit” as they are approaching the human. Like this the dog will associate fast, lovely attention with sitting rather than jumping.

Meet our new dog trainer: 

Tracy Frier

Tracy has always been a HUGE dog lover, but her love for big dogs started when she rescued an English Mastiff named Wilson.  Wilson was just the start to her dog obsession because more rescue dogs followed and included a Pit Bull mix named Izzy, a Pit Bull/Whippet mix named Malfurion and a finally Boxer mix named Rhaegar. Tracy decided she wanted to help more dogs and started volunteering at her local animal shelter in Denton, TX. She volunteered weekly, but it was not enough and she felt that she could do more. So she picked up a camera and started photographing the dogs to try an increase adoptions, but it still wasn’t enough. Around this time she heard about a program at the University of North Texas called Behavior Analysis and there was even a faculty member who’s interest was in animal training and learning. Tracy applied for the prestigious program and was accepted. Tracy fell in love with behavior analysis and animal training and has dedicated her life to helping our 4 legged animals we call man’s best friend. Tracy wants to help you learn to communicate with your dog with the power of positive reinforcement, so that you can have the furry companion you have always wanted!

Gunner

Dog's Birthday:

9-18-14

How did you obtain your dog?

Breeder in Azle

How old was he when you got him?

7 weeks

How would you best describe him in 5 words?

He is a hot mess

What is your dog's favorite food?

Green beans

Cutest thing your dog does?

He knows when he's in trouble and will put himself in time out.

Smartest thing your dog does?

Clean up his toys.

Anything else you would like to share about your dog?

He is a gentle giant. He looks vicious, but such a sweet soul.