Agility Beginner Class Graduation

Graduation Day (June 6). Baloo’s most challenging course started with a couple jumps, the dog walk, a tunnel, tire, more jumps and a chute, the table, weave poles, another tunnel, jumps, a-frame, and the final jump. Baloo is talented. She loves running a course and definitely has the potential to compete in the future. The big challenge will be for me…can I excel at communicating to Baloo when we are running a course? When we ran our graduation fun run, it was evident that I was the one who needed practice. An agility course can be challenging to remember. How timely that in this month’s “Clean Run” magazine, was a great article offering tips on how to memorize obstacle sequences. Baloo is so fast, I will need to learn how to send her along the course with minimal running on my part. Obstacle name recognition and the commands to move left, right, or here will be critical in our training. But Baloo is multi-talented and I believe I can also be trained, so we are excited for the next class in the fall. Until then, we’ll have the weekly fun runs to look forward to. Since the summer is a slow time for agility practice, this will be a good opportunity to explore Baloo’s other interests, like social issues, current events and blogging.

JUMP!

photo by aggieB !

At Mill's End

Oh what a beautiful morning in Tempe, Arizona. The temperature couldn't be more perfect, especially for a day in May. Baloo and I are downtown, at Mill's End cafe and creperie. I had a delicious crepe, filled with turkey, provolone, tomatoes and mushrooms, along with a cup of coffee. I'm glad we decided to vary from the usual Sunday morning routine, breakfast at Wildflower Bread Company. I really like going there, but this morning we walked along the lake and the exercise was good. We got a chance to practice our running stamina and there's always people fishing, biking, running, walking - it's just a good place to get a Sunday morning started. We saw a great blue heron perched alongside the lake bank and Baloo was very interested as it flew off with great, slow flaps. I like watching the rowers skim across the water.

Baloo is a perfect cafe dog. Especially with the exercise beforehand, she calmly sat by my side for the first hour or so and now that we are into our second hour she has laid down next to my table to watch the finches and sparrows patrol the tables for crumbs, and cyclists and walkers coming and going. She is quiet and watchful. We are quiet now, but in only a couple hours we will be at home with the television volume loud as we cheer on the Phoenix Suns. Go Suns! This is your year to beat the Spurs and go to the top!

Dragon boat races at Tempe Town Lake

This morning Baloo and I went to downtown Tempe to walk around the lake. We were pleasantly surprised to find that the Dragon boat races were going on. We sat for a while to watch and several people came up to pet Baloo. That was good, she is getting more used to people coming up to her and doesn't seem to mind. We met two women from Canada who were going to row in the competition. They told us all about their dogs back home, being attended to by dog sitters. Another woman complimented Baloo on her very calm disposition. She was so impressed that Baloo is so well mannered. She asked if I've thought about getting Baloo involved as a therapy dog. I said I might. I think the kids and adults alike would enjoy petting Baloo's ridge and she's never hyper. She has to get used to a lot of things first, but she seems like a perfect candidate for service work. There's a group called Gabriel's Angels that connect therapy dogs with work. I think Baloo would also like to be a dog that helps kids read. We'll work on getting her prepared to work, maybe by the time she's two she'll be ready for a job.

Curve the Tunnel - No Problem

Baloo loves the tunnel. Last Wednesday at agility class whenever we came close to the tunnel she nearly pulled me with her, she was so eager to run through. It seems that she now thinks tunnels are a lot of fun - or at least she's figured out that running through a tunnel is a pretty easy way to get hot dogs and cheese. Class went well. In this week's class, the tunnels were curved which sometimes throws the dogs off since they can't see all the way through. For Baloo, the curve was no problem. Also we were introduced to the chute. That was a problem for some of the dogs. Baloo was a little tentative, but did go through.

It was my first opportunity to see how Baloo would like her new soft crate - NoztoNoz brand's largest crate, the X48. It is a really nice one that folds down for easy transport. It's not too heavy - a little awkward to carry but manageable. It unfolds quickly and is easy to set up. We need to work a little more on Baloo's fear of the crate, but she did go in and stay for a few minutes while I helped put equipment away. I think Baloo is starting to realize that we go have fun and eat cheese and hotdogs once a week in exchange for climbing over and through things. I can already see that she is gaining confidence. The weave poles and see-saw are still difficult for her, but she no longer refuses to try things.

Wow, What a Night!

Tonight was incredible. Wednesdays are agility class nights for Baloo. I left work early at 4:00, came home, and attempted to set up my vcr to tape the Suns basketball game. The Suns played the Dallas Mavericks, and I was seriously conflicted about taking Baloo to class tonight because I hated to miss any of the game. Turns out, I could not get the vcr hooked up correctly, so I called on good friend and sister Aggie to see if she would tape the game in case I missed too much. She said yes, so Baloo and I dropped the video tape by and headed off to class. I had high hopes for tonight's class. To set us up for success, I bought some all beef hotdogs from Target the other night, as well as some cheddar cheese cubes. I had taken the hotdogs to work today and microwaved them at 70% for about 6 minutes. Well, some of them were a bit overcooked, but many were okay. We arrive at Pomeroy Park for class, and we were armed with some really excellent treats. I did not bring Baloo's crate tonight, because we are expecting a brand new soft crate to come UPS tomorrow, and I figured one night I could get away with not crating her (it's a rule that the dogs must be crated before and after class so the humans can help set up the equipment). Before class, Baloo and I ran around the field a bit to loosen up. Then we practiced on some of the equipment that has been giving her trouble. I was hoping for a chance to work on the tunnel before class officially started. My classmates and instructors were trying to help Baloo through the tunnel, but she was quite wary. We probably tried to get her through a little too quick and she bucked about like a bronco. There's a fine line between coaxing and pushing with Baloo. So we eased back and put treats in the tunnel, a few at a time letting her take her time. Then she did it! With Kurt holding her and me on the other side of the tunnel calling and offering treats, she just went for it. Then we had her do it again. It was great. Class started after that, and Baloo had a special spring in her step. She did so well on the obstacles. We made progress on walking the plank, and when it was our turn to return to the tunnel we started on the compressed tunnel first and she ran through several times. Then we decided to go for the long tunnel. I couldn't believe it, she did it. Then we went through the tunnel again and again. We also had a new obstacle tonight, the A-frame. A little hesitation the first trial, and then she loved it. She actually looked like she was having a great time. And all those hotdogs and bits of cheese! What a great breakthrough class we had. When class was over, we grabbed our stuff and ran to the car. There was a Suns game to get to! The game was close by this time. The Suns up by 3. I didn't realize it, but they had been up by 16. As I drove home, the Mavericks were coming on strong and it looked like the momentum was in the Maverick's favor. I was so excited listening to the game on the drive home. When I did get home it was the last minute of the third quarter. But the Suns were really down. But then they had a miraculous fourth quarter. It was amazing! Steve Nash tied the game and they went into overtime! Then a second overtime! SUNS WIN! SUNS WIN! Wow, What a Night!

Baloo's Birthday Party

Last night was Baloo's birthday party at Carver dog park. I think she knew it was a special night, her and sister Jazz received a lot of dog biscuits before we headed to the park. There were so many dogs at the park, and so many of Baloo's friends were waiting for her when we arrived. She was so excited to see Dalton, who she hasn't seen for months. Dalton was one of her first friends and even though he is much much smaller than she, he is only 4 days younger and they play so good together. Baloo met Dalton during one of her first visits to the park, when her aunt Aggie was puppy sitting. There were at least 40 dogs at the park when we arrived, everyone played so nicely together. The weather was absolutely fabulous, one of those perfect spring evenings we Arizonans love. Baloo's friends included: Pumpkin, her mom Aimee, Pepper the dalmation, her dad Ash, the shelties Wendell and his brother, dad Mika, mom Eva and her pack Dalton, Copper, Kendra, and the newest addition who I forget; Fatso and Cookie with their dad Mike; Buddy and Charlie; Kojak the basset puppy who is 3 months to the day younger than Baloo; Bert and his mom Lynn; Yuki and Darby and mom Joe; Maia and her mom; and lots of others. Of course, daddy Andre and auntie Aggie were there as well. Most everyone received a bag of dog treats from Baloo. The dogs were all on their best behavior and Baloo got to stay out extra long. Baloo is lucky to have so many good friends and family.

Baloo turns One on Tuesday, March 13

Well, it's happened. A year has passed. This time last year I was anxiously awaiting Baloo's arrival, in three short days it will be Baloo's birthday. Time has certainly flown by, yet it seems so long ago that she was the tiny puppy sitting on the picnic table in that adorable 7 week pose. We have had so much fun together this first year. She has turned out to be one of the friendliest dogs I've ever met. Her latest thing is to lay down on her back, twisting and wiggling in front of the other dogs at Carver park to entice them to play, or maybe just to point out how lovely it is to lay in the grass in the spring. Playing keep away has always been a favorite, but now she's more driven to get the ball. Lately she seems more determined than ever to go after the ball and get the other dogs to chase her. Her most annoying habit lately is never wanting to leave the dog park. She has started to run away from me when it's time to go.

Our agility class met a couple days ago, on Wednesday. Baloo is still having tunnel and weave pole issues. Luckily, we didn't have to step through a ladder this class. Instead there was a set of about 15 pvc poles laid out and Baloo had no problem stepping through those, she's a natural at careful foot placement. She also didn't do too bad jumping through the ring. The plank walk, which she excelled at last week, was difficult this time because the plank was raised up on blocks. Each week the obstacles will be arranged slightly different than the week before - not only was the plank raised, but also the tunnel was stretched longer. Baloo is so wary of these changes and doesn't adjust very quickly to the new setups. So now I've set up a plank in my back yard. I'm also planning to get a set of weave poles on Wednesday - one of the instructors is making several sets to sell. Also, I'm considering getting an agility tunnel - but that is more of a consideration because it is a bit of an investment. Agility tunnels are pretty pricey. But there's no way to get her used to these things during the short time in class, we need to practice at home. I do see the potential for Baloo to lose her fear of these obstacles and we are going to keep practicing.

Chutes and Ladders

Baloo had her first agility lesson last Wednesday. Maybe I should say I had my first lesson, I think this class is going to be more for my training than hers. For Baloo, it is going to be all about building confidence. She is not very confident, and is generally at high alert for new things, moving things, looming things, crashing things.

The class is pretty big, about 25 dogs with their people. There's another Rhodesian Ridgeback who happens to be quite calm and does whatever she's told. Hopefully Baloo will learn a few things by being in the presence of greatness. Anyhow, we split into subgroups to work more closely with an instructor and get individual time on the equipment. The first equipment for Baloo to try out was the tunnel. Baloo is afraid of tunnels. She wants nothing to do with them whatsoever. Of course, the other 3 dogs in our little group all loved the tunnel. For Baloo, we worked on just taking treats from the mouth of the tunnel and reaching in a little bit. In the meantime, I need to find a tunnel to get her used to running through. I have to help her fall in love with tunnels. After the tunnel was the weave poles. Again, not real fond of walking among all those sticks. But we managed to walk through. We didn't weave, just passed through the poles. Weave poles would be easy to build. Practicing Sit/Stay and Release was next followed by walking on a plank. Baloo did excellent on the plank, which will eventually be raised to a see-saw. The final exercise was a ladder, lying on the ground. The dogs were to walk inbetween the rungs, to help them become aware of their back feet (pick them up). Baloo refused to step into the ladder..."why walk in that thing when I can so clearly and easily jump over, mom?"

We've got our work cut out for us, and I am really looking forward to it! I think I am going to learn a lot about patience, and I'm really looking forward to the challenge!

Agility Baloo

On Valentine's Day Baloo went to her first agility class. We are now members of the GoodDogAgility Club. First day is just class rules and what to expect and how to start training. Plus it was windy and began to rain. Also I was about 15 minutes late because of Valentine dinner at the Havana Cafe (delicious!). So we are looking forward to our next class, when we'll really have a chance to see Baloo in action.

I've already gotten some of the gear we'll need - a new clicker and a treat bag. I think we'll begin to work with the clicker this afternoon at the dog park. Our first goal will be to associate the click with a treat, no commands just clicking and treating. We also have to start working with our "target" a cottage cheese lid (I've got to finish off that cottage cheese - or better yet, maybe I'll just throw it out, it's very tangy - Nancy's brand, old fashioned tart and tangy cottage cheese. Got it by mistake, my taste buds aren't ready for tangy cottage cheese). I'll have Baloo practice taking treats off the lid so she will eventually learn to touch her nose to the lid.

Adolescence here we come...

Baloo is 10 1/2 months, an adolescent. She eats adult food now and is beginning to fill out and look more dog-like. She has only a hint of puppy in her face, but all her friends at the dog park have noticed her recent growth spurt and her body is beginning to grow out rather than up for a change. She is so tall that Jazz dog can walk under her. She and Jazz are getting along very well, Baloo won't even eat from a food bowl until Jazz eats first, she continues to be completely respectful. At the park she is beginning to stand her ground a bit more firmly. Last week, she growled and snapped over a piece of tennis ball she had grown fond of. But mostly she continues to be happy go lucky Baloo, doing her best to play with any well-mannered dog. Luckily she generally steers clear of the agressive ones, and tends not to run toward dog scuffles. When she meets a shy dog, she gets down the butt in the air in a "downward dog" position, and invites them to play. She is patient enough to try to get the shy dogs to play, and always up to the challenge.

Baloo at 10 Months

Baloo is now 10 months old. All her friends at the dog park can't get over how tall she is! She is also very fast. She loves going to the dog park and we go almost every day. She loves to play and has lots of friends, including Oscar, Lola, Pumpkin, Bert, Corbin, and Dalton. If one of her friends isn't around she makes new friends easily. One of her favorite things to do lately is to tease the other dogs and get them to chase her. She is also willing to chase them, but especially loves being chased. She is most happy when a group of dogs begins to chase - the more the better. Her favorite toy is something I like to call "dinosaur with feet". It's a medium sized rubber ball with a tail and is ridged along its back. It has two feet. After someone brought one to the park I got her one at PetCo. At the park, she'll make a big deal out of pouncing on it and chewing on it and holding it up high in the air to show all the other dogs. It never fails to entice someone to try to take it from her and then the chase begins!

9 1/2 Months

Baloo is definitely entering adolescence. She is strong and beginning to assert her will. Yesterday, we hiked around South Mountain park but stopped frequently to adjust her collar. Unless it's situated high up on her head (as opposed to low on her neck where it naturally slides) I have trouble controlling her. She easily pulls me from this side to that as she sniffs at the creosote and brittlebush lining the trail. We hiked for a bit and then went off to the dog park so she could get thoroughly drained. It worked. Baloo played with a year old labrador retriever named daisy. They chased and wrestled and wore each other out.
This morning as I left for my Sunday routine outing to the Wildflower Bread Company for breakfast, I saw Baloo's back end sticking out of the compost bin. I had cleaned my kitchen cabinets of old flour and pasta - dumping it all in the compost bin, figuring the dogs wouldn't be interested. But there she was nosing through the mess. I called out to get her attention, and Baloo spun around not recognizing me at first. Then she rushed toward the fence barking, but quickly stopped when she saw it was me. There she stood looking puzzled, cocking her head to the side with her big nosed covered in flour. Got cha!

December 3, 2006

Baloo is turning into an awesome dog. She's 8 months old and well behaved. If she gets out of line, a quick "Dog Whisperer" move is sure to get her back on track. Best of all, Jazz and Baloo are getting along. After all these months of supervised only interactions, they are finally at a place where they can be allowed to be left for hours at a time together, unsupervised. In the last couple weeks I have observed a new morning routine that they share. Jazz eats her food in the morning while Baloo waits. Once Jazz is done, Baloo moves in to finish the last few pieces (never mind that it is Nutro for Seniors). Before starting on her puppy food (Nutro for Large Breed Puppies), Baloo gallops off to the backyard to walk with Jazz. They walk around the backyard together every morning, Jazz seems to be showing Baloo the essentials of the morning patrol. Baloo walks along beside or just behind Jazz. Whatever Jazz does, Baloo does also. They have become a little pack. They still have occasional squabbles, but certainly they are beginning to enjoy each other's company and have figured out how to coexist.

Baloo Goes to the Field

I had the opportunity to take Baloo out to the field with me last week. I decided to go for it, even though there were a few extra arrangements to make. We were both excited, I wanted to see how she'd do, and she's always excited to do something new. Instead of taking my "batmobile" which is a Dodge Ram with a picture of a bat on the tailgate (I'm a wildlife biologist who specializes in bats and work for the Arizona Game and Fish Department), I made arrangements to take a Suburban so Baloo's crate could fit inside. She was quite a hit at my office as I loaded up the truck and made my final arrangements. Then we were off, heading northwest toward Seligman for our big adventure. Baloo slept soundly in her crate the whole way. Once we arrived we checked into the Stagecoach Inn and headed out to the designated meeting place. There were several other biologists there, and once we got introductions and chatting out of the way we were off to our netting locations. There were two large cattle tanks that we set our nets up at. Baloo had a blast racing around the big earthen tanks, ears streaming behind. I love that look she gets in her eyes when she's racing along like that. I expect she'll do it more and more as she gets older and begins to really run. She bounced and bounded along, hopping happily in the mud. At one point, full of glee she bounded right into the water. But the expression on her face changed instantly from glee to terror as she realized the water was a little deep and that was the first time she'd tried out her doggy paddle. With a lot of encouragement from everyone around, she paddled back to the shore. It got dark and the bats began to fly into our nets. We caught several pregnant pallid bats and quite a few Myotis bats. Baloo retired to her crate and wasn't too interested as we removed bats from nets and took their weights and measurements. We netted all night long, finishing around 6 am. Usually, bat netting is done in the first 4 or 5 hours of the night. But we wanted to see what the bat activity level was all through the night, as we were collecting information to help us make recommendations for a proposed Wind Farm that may be constructed in the area. Wind Farms provide environmentally friendly power, but there have been problems with birds and bats getting killed from flying into the blades.

After taking down our nets and chatting for a bit about the evening, we went back to Seligman and Baloo and I went to our motel to sleep for a few hours before returning to Phoenix. Again, she was on her best behavior and slept in her crate the whole way back. I think Baloo is going to be a good field dog, and will definitely be invited to go out with me again.

Hiking with Baloo

This weekend I took Baloo to South Mountain, a large mountain park on the border of Tempe where I live. Her auntie Aggie drove us on Saturday and we all hiked together. Baloo was a bit nervous about the mountain bikes that whizzed by occasionally. I think what made her most nervous was the sound. The hike was fairly short, just enough to get her acquainted with a different style of walking than our usual park walk. It made me realize just how different the sounds and activities are at the mountain park compared with our other walks. There is so much to expose a puppy to. Afterward, we went to Starbucks to have muffins and great coffee. We sat outside and Baloo was a model cafe dog. Next we took Aunt Aggie to water aerobics. Baloo and I went to PetSmart. Baloo picked out a loofa dog squeaker toy. We checked out the PetSmart Doggy Day Camp Hotel to see what the qualifications were to play for the day. I have a long trip coming up and want to find a place for Baloo to spend a day or two. After our PetSmart excursion it was time to go home and Baloo was wiped out. In fact she slept all day. A tired puppy is a beautiful thing. So far, Baloo needs only a moderate walk in the morning and play time with her pack of dog friends in the evening and she's quite set.

This morning, Baloo and I went back to South Mountain. This time we hiked a little farther. She did really well and was ready for a nap as soon as we returned home. An hour investment in the morning goes a long way for her and I both. Jazz still gets her walks first, but we went to the neighborhood park. Although she's still pretty spry at 12, it gets too hot for her by 7am in the mountain park.

12 weeks

Baloo is now 12 weeks old and growing fast. Most people we encounter can hardly believe she is only 3 months old! Baloo had several adventures this week, including puppy shots, a trip to PetSmart, and we went to 2 cafes to practice her "hanging out" skills. She is learning to be a good lounger. As we approach week 13, she is beginning to pull on her leash. She is beginning to develop a curiosity about the world, and is getting a little bolder each day.

Baloo's favorite thing to do is go to our neighborhood park and play with the other dogs. Every night at about 7 pm a group of dogs, along with their people, gather for ball chasing, tail wagging, pouncing, tumbling fun. If it weren't for Baloo, I wouldn't have discovered that I have some really nice neighbors. The dogs are typically very well behaved and come in all sizes. Baloo is the youngest, but no longer smallest. Her favorite dog friends are Yoshi, the golden retriever, and Sagey, the heeler mix. She also loves Lola (greyhound mix), Cody (golden retriever/chow), Penny (beagle), Jocko (springer spaniel) Chloe (rottweiler), Holly (lab), Angel (pomeranian), Buster (rottweiler), Sasha (rottweiler mix), Agent (beagle), and Toby (black lab). Other drop-ins include Rocky, Bob, Mocha (all labs), and Wooly Bully (pit bull mix).

A friend loaned me the dog whisperer's audio book. I think it will come in handy as I am willing to do whatever it takes to ensure Baloo doesn't become an unruly 90 lb ridgeback. We already know the biggest key to success (which works quite well in my own life as well): Exercise! A well-exercised dog/human is a happy dog/human. When we exercise, everything else just falls into place.

how to introduce your puppy to a reserved adult dog

Jazz officially met Baloo today, without leashes or other restraint. They have been interacting safely since Baloo came home, but always supervised, and always with one or the other under control. It has been a bit tense at times, but the long "getting aquainted" period is paying off. When bringing a new puppy home to an older, reserved dog it is important to take it slow. When Baloo first came home, we immediately went to a nearby park (neutral place) to allow the first interaction. Ideally, we would have taken the dogs to a completely neutral place (since the park "belongs" to Jazz), but it worked pretty well. Jazz was very apprehensive and growled a bit. I didn't scold her, and concentrated on remembering to breathe (my tension always sparks increased tension for her). Since bringing Baloo home 19 days ago, their interactions have been allowed to progress as it seemed appropriate (no rushing, no forcing the issue). Since Baloo is being crate trained, there have been opportunities for the two to safely interact between the wire crate. Outside in the back yard, Baloo has been walked on a leash. Jazz has progressively gotten more interested and typically investigates. I always praise her when she gives a tail wag to Baloo, but watch carefully and somewhat disinterestedly. Jazz picks up cues from me that I am not even aware of. At least I'm aware that I'm not aware, so I keep my eye contact and breathing in check knowing that if I hold my breath or make too much eye contact I can really escalate any budding tension. I can see that the less of a big deal that I make of the situation, the better. I don't put myself between the two dogs, because that might also create a situation where Jazz feels the need to assert herself. There has still been a little tension, and I know that Jazz has concerns about whether she is still top dog or not. It is important to let an alpha dog know she is still the top dog and reassure her of her position. Of course, it is also important that she know that I am the true alpha of our little pack, and if she gets out of line I let her know. But growling at the puppy doesn't cross the line, so I have to be prepared to only step in when the line is crossed. This morning I took Jazz for a walk and then fed her. While she was eating I took Baloo for a long walk to wear her out a bit. When we returned I prepared the water hose, deciding that would be my best tool if things got out of hand with the dog meeting. The meeting went pretty well. Baloo was very submissive and Jazz's actions were relatively benign. Now begins the process of supervised backyard interactions. We're making progress. The goal is to feel comfortable about them interacting, hopefully that will happen within the next 30 days.

Me and Jazz

Baloo's First Outing

Today Baloo went on a "socialization field trip" to my office. Since I work with a lot of really cool people who love animals we were welcomed. All were happy to get a puppy fix on a Friday. Baloo did very well and liked showing off her long ears and perfect ridge. Afterwards she slept for hours. Meeting new people is exciting but also tiring. Since some of my other dogs have had certain hangups, I'm taking a different approach with Baloo. I guess it's the scientist in me. Being a biologist, I can hardly help but be a data-driven sort. So we have our list of things to do to expose her to a variety of people, cats, dogs, tortoises, activities. A well-exposed dog is a well rounded joy to be with. That's the plan anyway.