I still have internet access from work (THANK GOD) and will try and get better about updating this week! Coming down the pipe – thoughts on approximation, balanced training, timing, and how to demand perfection without driving your dog* or yourself insane.

*Unless your dog is a border collie and LIKES that sort of OCD thing.

Check it out here:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/peepvision

I haven’t figured out how to embed it, though.

Meredith, our new assistant trainer, brought her miniature schnauzers Kiba and Stryder and worked on quiet in the crate and building a bit of speed for Kiba, and jumping with Stryder.

I brought Kaylee and Lizzie along and worked on jumping with both of them. Lizzie also worked a little bit on distance and going to a jump from further away.

This is going to be a regular feature for our CU students and we think it will be lots of fun.

If you’re looking for the forum, it should be back tomorrow. I broked it trying to add a chat.

Forum is live again; however, we still don’t have a chat.

I’ve been meaning to set this up for a while, but with the recent demise of the CU list, I wanted to set up an alternative place for discussion. So go check them out!

I’ve created a forum for ongoing discussion of the book (and DVD) & exercises here for anyone who is interested in joining. Pass it on!

For dockdiving, it’s important to have a toy that floats and which is easy to throw. I’ve experimented with tennis balls, sticks (Kaylee’s actual favorite, but finding sticks of the right size, that float, and which aren’t TOO filthy or slimy is sort of a hit-or-miss proposition.  The toy that I picked up is called a Gourdo, which comes in 3 colors and two sizes. (I paid $11.95 for the large size at REI in Dallas.)

The body is made of soft rubber, and reminds me of the Planet Dog Orbee bones. The blue version is scented  (vaguely minty?) like the Orbee bones too, and while none of my dogs seem to care, it’s a nice touch. The black version is made of 30% reclaimed rubber, too,  and the materials in all colors are billed as ‘eco-friendly’. It’s a pretty substantial toy, and seems fairly tough as far as the plastic part goes. The rope is a soft nylon rope which seems very unlikely to fray, but which does make this a toy that’s not meant for unsupervised play- I suspect most dogs would strongly enjoy giving it a nibble or two.

This toy is GREAT to throw- it’s substantial enough that you can really fling it quite a long way, and it’s highly visible with good contrast on a variety of surfaces. Kaylee and Mal both seem to like the unpredictable way it bounces, and it’s quickly becoming a coveted toy at our house!