New Dog Tag

HOT weather has finally arrived! The weather has been unseasonably cool and rainy around here, and today was the first time I turned on my automatic sprinklers. This morning, we started our walk at 7:30, and it was already quite warm. Here, a happy Cabana practices down-stay in the shade.

I just got this collar tag for Cabana, only $10.20 (which includes shipping and tax) from CollarTags.com. Engraved into the tag are Cabana's name, our home number, my cell number, and our full address. It slides right onto the collar, and I love the fact that this tag doesn't jingle! In fact, I CANNOT STAND the jingle factor! It is what makes me VERY bad about putting any tags on Cabana.

I do carry her ID tag and other tags (city license, rabies) in a compartment in my treat pouch--but if she got lost, fat lot of good the tags in my pouch would do. Sure, she does have the Guide Dogs tattoo in her ears, but not many people know what it means or would even think to look in there.

Recently, I saw an article in The Whole Dog Journal, about how important it is to keep an ID on your dog at all times. The writer says she recently found a dog lying dead on the highway with no tags. She writes that if the dog had been wearing ID tags, "at least I could call the owners and let them know that their dog had been killed. As sad as this news would be, I know I'd want someone to do that for me....Someone, somewhere, is still wondering what happened to their dog."

Cabana has never been lost (thank goodness), and though I'm fairly confident it wouldn't happen, it's far from impossible. I feel much better, knowing that if the worst should happen, I've made it easy for someone to get in touch with me.

Read more...

Great Puppy Meeting

Last night, Cabana and I got to have a bit of individualized time with our CFR (Community Field Representative) Celeste and another CFR from Oregon, Pat. We wanted to work on Cabana's walking and dog distraction. This is our biggest challenge because Cabana still pulls quite a bit on leash, ESPECIALLY when other dogs are around.

We worked on a better way for me to hold the leash (way down on the braided section, just a few inches from the clasp) and where exactly Cabana should be positioned in relation to me (right next to my knee). We worked on having Cabana sit straight when on leash (she was tending to angle her bottom outward), as well as how I should turn left into Cabana and make us go in the opposite direction if she's pulling forward to meet an oncoming dog.

This morning on our walk, I put all those strategies into play. And there was such marked improvement. Now I feel like I have a whole new bag of tricks to help us be more successful. During our time with the CFRs, they determined that there should be no treats given during walks (too confusing for Cabana at this point) and no training collar. Cabana will be strictly on the head collar and eventually transition to just the flat collar.

Also at our meeting last night, we worked on prolonged sit-stays and down-stays, with lots of distractions thrown in. Kids walked in and around the pups with toys and squeakers and treats. Cabana is very good at staying. And considering how much she LOVES other dogs, I was amazed and proud of Cabana for staying put in such distracting circumstances.

And here is the requested photo of Persia (I didn't forget, Taelor!). She wasn't at the meeting last week when I took photos of the other pups. Persia is a cutie, although her raiser says she's a bit of a "slug" (low energy). (Hello, I wouldn't mind getting a slug for our puppy swap in a couple weeks.)



And a few of the career change dogs that sometimes come to our meetings. Here's Truman, who lives with Hamlin and family. Seven-year-old Truman is like a big cuddly teddy bear--so sweet and gentle.


And funny little Berlin, who is staying with Poppy this week.

Read more...