imported_nea

Good luck! :D How long have you been working with her?

Today was Webster's last show of the year. It was another unofficial one (they're more fun because you get bigger ribbons :lol::oops:), but an all-flattie show, so the judge actually was an "expert" on flatcoated retrievers. Since Web is black I have to wear a contrasting color, which happens to be beige/khaki for my pants. Which is a bit of a disaster since no matter how hard I try, I can't keep clean. And this show was in a riding house, so I didn't last 5 minutes in my clean clothes... It was almost embarrasing how dirty I looked! Thats a bit beside the point though. Anyway, his class was quite big- 6 dogs. Web was the second in line, but the first dog came a bit late so I had to "lead" for a while. Hate that! But it went ok, except for me running a few times to many around the ring.. Then the first dog got its induvidual judgement, then it was Web's turn. He did pretty well standing nicely, although that durn tail did NOT wag! And when we were running he wanted to stick his nose in the ground, in hopes of finding a delicious little piece of horse poop burried in the stuff... Then we waited and waited while the others got judged. Then all back in the ring, and running more, standing more, etc. The judge started moving dogs around, and I was just waiting to be asked to step back in the end. Instead, all that happened was that one dog was placed in front. Webby was THIRD!!! Which I'm thrilled with!! In addition to a nice ribbon we got a pretty big bag of food. But now I have to wait until late January for the next show... Its addicting!!!

Sounds like fun! :) Hope lots of animals get new good homes!

Thanks for all of the great ideas (and pictures :wink:)! :D Pulling- how do you teach a dog to pull? Do they recognize the difference between a pulling harness and walking harness and collar? Walking- whats a good length to walk every day? Running- is it ok to be lazy and bike alongside the dog instead of running, does it do as much good? :oops: Frisbee- how often should it be done to make a difference? Is it possible to play frisbee in the snow? Diet- what would a good diet be, how many % of what stuff? Tugging- how often/much, to make a difference? Fetch- is it the more helter-skelter version where the dog runs around wildly as it wishes, or the more "calm" version where the dog has to wait patiently to be told its ok before leaping and flying to the thing that works best for building muscles?

What are some good ways to get a dog nice and muscular?

[quote name='Yoladybug']I'm not condoning this guy's website at all, but maybe he doesn't fully realize what he is doing. He is extremely young. Growing up, my family purchased a dog from what I now clearly recognize as a BYB, but we didn't know any better at that time because we'd never been educated on the issues. I still don't know enough about it to speak intellegently, but maybe some of you who do could write letters to the kid on the website with some resources and other information. Now that he has a successful business, it may not do any good, but at least he'd then have his conscience nagging at him.[/quote] He is 16- thats old enough to know better. And there is a HUGE difference between buying a dog and breeding them! I don't think his age should be taken into consideration when seeing how big of a scumbag he is... :-? Will sign the petition... :)

Taurus looks like really is a superdog! :D Very handsome! :) Your dogs all sound (and look) so cute.. Web refuses to wear anything, so he was a demon dog, since that doesn't require a costume. :evilbat:

Sounds like she had a fun time! :D How brave of her to not mind the costumes, too! When some trick-or-treaters dressed up as witches, Webby was scared! :o :lol:

:o I would be honored to share the same name with an animal, not "get depressed"...

Web does conformation, agility, freestyle and obedience at the moment. So far we've only competed in conformation, but hopefully next year Web'll be ready for the other stuff too... I'm going to start training tracking (blod) and retrieving this year too... I've started a bit, but next spring I'm giong to go to training classes in each and that ought to make it better. Tracking (human) and Rapport I want to do eventually. Don't know when... When I turn 18 I would like to try to get into the search & rescue training. Its pretty tough to get into, but Web's grandma was a search and rescue dog, and his mom got into the training for it (but didn't actually become a "real" search&rescue dog), so he has it in his genes! Plus, he has a real love of people, and is stubborn and determined, so I think its not completely impossible... When (if) I move I would like to do flyball and therapy too.. Unfortunatly they don't have that in Sweden.

Webby had cow hocks when he was younger (found that out at his first show, when he was about 10 months old) but I think its gotten better these past few months (he is now almost 16 months..). I don't know how true it is, but I've heard that swimming and running in sand can help. Like I said, I don't know if theres any truth in that though.. :wink:

Good luck, I bet you (and Bailey) will love it! :D I had no idea agility classes were so expensive, I paid 400kr (about $40) for 7weeks/9hours! :)

:D :D Thats fantastic!!! :D I'm so glad you've got him back again! :D

This year I have [u]really[/u] short school days, so he only gets left for 1-4 hours usually. Last year though he was alone when I was in school, roughly 6-7 hours/day. Next year I guess it'll be similar, if not longer. But then I'll have the possibiliy of coming home and taking him in the middle of the day if its a really long day.. He's indoors as I don't have a yard of my own, and the balcony is low to the ground and I don't want him taking little flying lessons. He gets a bone, or filled Kong, or something like that when I leave. Often he doesn't eat it until I get back though, and just lies and sleeps. Webby doesn't mind being left for a long period of time. But he does NOT like being left several times! If he's alone for 7 hours in a day, he is perfectly fine when I come home, and happy. If I go to school for an hour, then come home, go down town for 20 minutes or so, come home, then dissapear again to the store for 15 minutes or so, then he gets worried. I don't like leaving him for long, mainly because here its frowned apon to leave a dog for more than 4-5 hours in a day, and I don't particuarly like being called an dog abuser, or having people act like I was even if they don't openly say it...

I feed a brand called "Best in Show", which isn't really a prestigous (sp?) brand I don't think. But it works great for Web, and its really cheap too! Cheap dog foods don't HAVE to be worse. :)

[quote name='Blitzkrieg Bop SBT'][quote name='nea']I tried it today. Was a bit of a disaster, as I got into the spirit of things and ended up adding a whole bunch of "extras", which was not such a good idea. :oops: But even though its a bit gooey, and smelly, and generally discusting looking, Webby LOVES it! :D I put some on his dinner to make it more appetizing (the dumb dog has become a bit picky :x) and he ate the "yummy" liver part and left the kibble. :roll:[/quote] What all did you add to it? lol[/quote] Lets see... Carrots, cheese, hotdogs, kibbles... And I think I'm forgetting something else. :oops: :lol: Next time I'm going to have to follow the recipie. :wink:

Thats great! :D :D

I tried it today. Was a bit of a disaster, as I got into the spirit of things and ended up adding a whole bunch of "extras", which was not such a good idea. :oops: But even though its a bit gooey, and smelly, and generally discusting looking, Webby LOVES it! :D I put some on his dinner to make it more appetizing (the dumb dog has become a bit picky :x) and he ate the "yummy" liver part and left the kibble. :roll:

I'm so sorry... :( I still feel horribly guilty when I think about Birk, who I re-homed after having him for a month. I can't imagine what it must feel like for you. :( You did all you could for Lily, and I'm sure she knew that. I'm sorry. :(

Someone scared of dogs shouldn't have a dog, in my oppinion. As for size, that would depend on the person. If the person in question was easily startled, for example, maybe a small dog would be worse (since it would be less visible than a giant lump). But if for someone scared of being bitten, perhaps they would feel more comfortable around a small "rug" that wouldn't LOOK like it could inflict any damage. :-? And the same goes for most other things, some people might feel more "secure" and "safe" around an active dog, while others might think it better for a dog to be a lazy couch-potato. But once again, I don't think someone affraid of a dog has any right owning one. Even if they'd be ok with it in an everyday sense, what if something were to happen that would spark that fear again, causing the person to not be able to deal with that situation because of his/her fear? Not good, for either the dog, person, or other people and dogs around... :-?

[quote name='DivineOblivion19'] [color=indigo]I agree! Those silly AKC people won't even let my deaf dog compete in agility! :x But she can in UKC! :D [/color][/quote] :o Why won't they let her compete??

He seems really nice! :D I love his color, its beautiful. :)

Awww, I WANT one!!! They are so cute... :) Cymmie and Snoop are very nice-looking dogs too. :wink:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Thats GREAT!! Congratulations! :D :D :D