This last year was our first year competing in DockDogs with a “thinking” dog.  We started off the season with a three foot even jump.  We have been practicing all summer with decreasing the hesitation at the end of the dock before she jumps into the pool. I had been trying anything that was suggested to us to try and stop this pause at the end of the dock, and now at the end of the season I was rewarded with these great jumps.  In September we attended an event in Blue Springs, MO and she did GREAT!!! She jumped her personal best of 14ft 9 inches, with no hesitation at the end of the dock.  I thought that we had figured it out and just in time for Nationals.  I was so excited for this opportunity to compete in Ohio.  We get there and it is just above freezing and drizzling, Deke jumped a twelve foot jump on the first day.  I was relived thinking that the hesitation was still fixed, and then on Saturday and Sunday the hesitation was back.  I thought maybe the water was too cold or she just did not want to jump in the water.

 This fall we had a great opportunity to take Deke hunting, starting the Monday after Nationals .This dog was going non stop into freezing water to bring in the ducks up until the season stopped in December, so I have a hard time believing that the water was to cold at nationals.  Maybe she just wanted to lie around the motel room and watch animal planet??  They started having problems with her breaking as soon as the guns were fired, and did not have anyone to hold her in check as the gunmen were shooting, so I decide to go out for myself and just see if I can get this problem “fixed”. I get all my waterfowl gear on and went out with my Dad to this little pond that was just loaded with hundreds of wood ducks, teal and a few geese, to see just what “problem” Deke, the always thinking dog, was having.  Ten minutes until the end of shooting hours and the ducks start coming in to sleep on the pond.  I was able to get a hold of Deke’s collar just as they were starting to come in and then she saw them!  What happened next should have been in the story of Marley and Me.  After the third duck hit the water she could not take it any longer. She lunged so hard for the ducks,that she pulled me over on to my belly and was dragging me, and all of my gear weighing in at 200+lbs. With both hands on her collar she pulled me at least five feet through cattails before I was able to get her stopped!  I am now looking at this dog that has missed her first two hunting seasons to let her legs heal from having her ACLs fixed in disbelief that she just pulled me off my feet and on to my belly through the cattails! She has all of this drive to get the ducks weather you shoot them first or not, and I can only get her to jump into the pool only after begging her to get her toy.  How do I find the key element that will get that drive for the ducks to be transferred to jumping off the dock?  Now as we are starting a new season, I will take my “thinking” dog and try to out smart her to get that drive and determination on the dock that she has in the field. Maybe if we don’t get this done we will just have to change her name to “Sudoku”, since that is the only other thing that makes me use my brain this much and I still enjoy it as much as I enjoy spending time with Deke.

–Tamara Alexander

I was actually looking for an agility class for my 2 year old West Highland Terrier, Arden. We needed something to do to get us out of the house and help keep her lively mind and robust energy focused and under control. I saw an ad for Agility Training and made the phone call. Well the class was full but Sue Barnes of MyTDog had a Dock Dogs Training class coming up and invited us to join.

I had never heard of DockDogs before and even though I had a terrier whose instincts are to go underground after vermin, Sue made it sound so fun and interesting and said all sizes and breeds of dogs could participate. My husband on the other hand thought we were crazy…… “A Westie is an Earthdog and you think you are going to get her to swim in water after a toy?”  lol

Well we had nothing going on that day and Sue’s enthusiasm of the sport tweaked my interest. As far as Arden is concerned………… as long as she is doing something and with me; she is all for an adventure. So we got our list of stuff we needed: lawn chair, plenty of water for us, sunscreen, a floatable toy, towel and lunch.

So off we went to Gray’s Lake on a beautiful summer  day on our adventure with the sport of “Dock Dogs”  ………………..

–Leesa Sample

Check back for the continuing story on Leesa and Arden’s journey……you DON’t want to miss this!

I am very excited for our Team MYTDOG and club members to share the stories ….some will tell you about their journey’s to get that first launch off the dock, others may share about their successes and some about their challenges, others about the bond they’ve found with their canine partner and others about some of the fun and friedns they have found through the sport.  Regardless of which story they tell, I’m sure you will find them entertaining, heartwarming and a way for you to find your favorite dogs and handler to cheer on as they enter the 2010 season with the hopes of being the best they can be!

Please enjoy and feel free to leave your comments.  We all love it when we can relate to those that love dogs like we do and I think it will great that we can share our TEAM in a more personal way with all of you!

So……on to our first entry—-to be posted in minutes:  Leesa Sample and Arden, the Westie “How We got started!!

We sent our 8 month old wild misbehaved yellow lab Hoss to Sue for the fast board and train. Hoss was a running jumping and non stop biting on our clothes, hands, and ankles kind of puppy. We had used another trainer and it was a disaster. We gave up trying to walk him on a leash because first of all it was a battle to get the leash on and then it was liking trying to walk a charging bull. Sue had him for 2 weeks and I was nervous when he came home not wanting Sue to leave thinking he will go back to his ways. It was unbelievable!! For the first time he listened to us and would heel, sit and go to his place. He’s been home 2 weeks and it has been the best 2 weeks ever. Sue has been here to check up on Hoss and us and helped us polish a few things. Her commitment to Hoss and us is so awesome. She really bonded with Hoss and we also feel so comfortable with her. Sue has made our home a peaceful place again and we can never thank her enough. Her training has done wonders with Hoss and we have a fun loving puppy that we can enjoy. Thanks Sue, Kyle, Janet, and Hoss

Hoss’ brother, Moose, has also been with us for the FAST TRACK and it will be fun to see how these litter mates progress…..I’m sure there will be a little competition between their owners to see who’s dog can graduate with them first! 

Call us to find out more about this program!!! Remember: we only take one dog at a time so call now to reserve your dogs FAST TRACK session! 

A Doggy Christmas Surprise!

I hope it gives you all a smile!

I hope all of you get to spend the holidays with family (2 and 4-legged) and good friends and that all the happiness of the season is in each of your homes!

Sue, Kris, and the MYTDOG’s!!!

Occasionally the news will report on something other than the war, tragedy, disappointments, and the bad news and will offer me an example of ”someone” that sets the example and reminds me of the kind of friend, family, person…..human….I want to be. This happened when Kris sent me an article she found on the internet. 

  http://www.dogsinthenews.com/issues/0107/articles/010730a.htm

I am reminded what unconditional love and loyalty truly is when I read stories like this and I strive,  to be as pure and true as our dogs can be.  How many times don’t we come home after a rough day just to be greeted by a wagging tail and nudge by a nose?  Even in our crankiest moments, our dogs are there.  They dont take their needs or “feelings” into consideration, they dont hold grudges for our shortfalls, hurtful actions or words, and they are never “to busy” to listen or be there for us in our worst moments…….they are always there, devoted and willing to do what they can to protect us…even if its just from some sad feelings.  Isnt it amazing that we can be so lucky to share our lives with them?

My dogs may have never saved me from a gator, pulled children from a burning building, fought off a shark in an attack or even fought off an intruder but they have given me more than I can sometimes put into words.  They have given me a greater awareness of who and what I want to be.  I want to be that loyal friend, the one that loves and listens without judgement, the person that uses my senses and not eyes to see, the person that notices and appreciates the little things like a ray of sun to lay in or simple meal prepared by a friend, the person that gives and is unconditional in my defense and support of those I love and care about…….I want to be like my dogs! 

Roger Carras once said: 

 ”Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made.”

Thank God for our dogs……    Sue

This past week I made stops at several vets offices to visit and share information about MYTDOG, our training and I always take the opportunity to try and learn something.  During this visit I decided to ask about Lepto and whether there had truly been any cases in the Des Moines area.  Its interesting that I got several “no’s” and even some vets and techs that didnt express much concern of it occurring in this area but at 2 vet offices I was told they had had confirmed cases of Lepto in multiple dogs and one human client had even tested positive (YES, humans can get Lepto too!!).  The one office indicated that there was a commonality that the two dogs had been swimming in a pond in Johnston…whether that is truly where it was contracted is unknown but it is always good to be aware.

I have had several differing opinions on whether vaccinating your dog for Leptosirosis is effective or suggested so I recommend assess the exposure risk (see the article below) and you speak with your vet to help you make the right decision.  The important thing to know is that even if you choose to vaccinate, it is NOT 100% protection because there are several strains of the leptosires and your pet may get one that the vaccination does not cover.  However, I have been told that a dog infected can test positive for several of the leptosires and if vaccinated, it may keep the illness from being as severe because it has given them protection from some of the strains.  Again, please talk to your veterinarian and ask them what they suggest you do….THEY ARE THE EXPERTS IN YOUR DOGS HEALTH!!!

The facts below come from the CDC’s (Center for Disease Control) website.  They generally deal with human disease but because Lepto is a disease that can be shared between dogs and humans, they do provide a good bit of information to help you understand the illness.

The important thing is not to fear what can make our dogs ill, but to do all we can to educate ourselves and keep our dogs healthy, active and happy!

Remember, MYTDOG may be your trainer but we are also here to help you be the best owner and partner to your dog so keep you informed of things I learn on my daily MYTDOG outings!  

Take Care,

Sue

check out the CDC’s website at: http://www.cdc.gov

LEPTOSPIROSIS

What is leptospirosis?Leptospirosis is a disease is caused by spiral shaped bacteria called leptospires. It occurs worldwide and can affect humans as well as many wild and domestic animals, including dogs and cats. The disease can be serious for both humans and animals. In people, the symptoms are often like the flu, but sometimes leptospirosis can develop into a more severe, life-threatening illness with infections in the kidney, liver, brain, lung, and heart. For more information on leptospirosis in humans, look at the following site: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/DFBMD/diseaseinfo/leptospirosis_g.htm  

Your pet can get leptospirosis too, and although this has not happened often, the disease has been diagnosed more frequently in the past few years. The information given here will show you how to protect yourself and your pets from getting leptospirosis and what to do if your pet does become infected.

How do people and animals get leptospirosis?

The bacteria are spread through the urine of infected animals, which can get into water or soil and can survive there for weeks to months. Humans and animals can become infected through contact with this contaminated urine (or other body fluids, except saliva), water, or soil. The bacteria can enter the body through skin or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth), especially if the skin is broken from a cut or scratch. Drinking contaminated water can also cause infection. Infected wild and domestic animals may continue to excrete the bacteria into the environment continuously or every once in a while for a few months up to several years.

If your pet has become infected, it most likely came into contact with leptospires in the environment or infected animals. Your pet may have been drinking, swimming, or walking through contaminated water. Because of increased building and development into areas that were previously rural, pets may be exposed to more wildlife, such as raccoons, skunks, squirrels, opossums, or deer that are infected with leptospirosis. Dogs also may pass the disease to each other, but this happens very rarely.

What pet animals get leptospirosis?

All animals can potentially become infected with leptospires, although cases of leptospirosis in cats are rare.

What are the signs of leptospirosis in pets?

The clinical signs of leptospirosis vary and are nonspecific. Sometimes pets do not have any symptoms. Common clinical signs reported in dogs include fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, refusal to eat, severe weakness and depression, stiffness, severe muscle pain, or inability to have puppies. Generally younger animals are more seriously affected than older animals.

What should I do if I think my pet has leptospirosis?

Contact your veterinarian immediately. Your veterinarian can perform tests to detect the presence of leptospiral antibodies or organism in your pet.

Is there a treatment for leptospirosis in pet animals?

Yes, leptospirosis is treatable with antibiotics. If an animal is treated early, it may recover more rapidly and any organ damage may be less severe. Other treatment methods, such as dialysis and hydration therapy may be required.

The time between exposure to the bacteria and development of disease is usually 5 to 14 days, but can be as short as a few days or as long as 30 days or more.

What should I do if I have been told my pet has leptospirosis?

If your pet has been confirmed by your veterinarian as having leptospirosis, the appropriate action to take will depend on the nature of contact with your pet. Normal daily activities with your pet will not put you at high risk for leptospirosis infection. Types of contacts that are considered to be high risk include direct or indirect contact with urine, blood, and tissues of your pet during its infection. Assisting in the delivery of newborns from an infected animal is also considered a high-risk activity for transmission of leptospirosis.

If you have had these types of high-risk contacts with your pet during the time of its infection, inform your physician. If common symptoms, such as fever, muscle aches, and headaches, occur within 3 weeks after a high-risk exposure, see your physician. Tests can be performed to see if you have this disease.

How can I protect myself and other people when my pet has leptospirosis?

The risk of getting leptospirosis from a dog in standard instances is suspected to be low. The primary mode of transmission of leptospirosis from pets to humans is through direct or indirect contact with contaminated animal tissues, organs, or urine. Always contact your veterinarian and your physician if you have concerns about a possible exposure to an infected animal.

		Do not handle or come in contact with urine, blood, or tissues from your infected pet before it has received proper treatment.
		If you need to have contact with animal tissues or urine, wear protective clothing, such as gloves and boots, especially if you are occupationally at risk (veterinarians, farm workers, and sewer workers).
		As a general rule, always wash your hands after handling your pet or anything that might have your pet’s excrement on it.
		If you are cleaning surfaces that may be contaminated or have urine from an infected pet on them, use an antibacterial cleaning solution or a solution of 1 part household bleach in 10 parts water.
		Make sure that your infected pet takes all of its medicine and follow up with your veterinarian.

How can I prevent leptospirosis in my pet?

		Keep rodent problems (rats, mice, or other animal pests) under control. Rodents can carry and spread the bacteria.
		Get your pet vaccinated against leptospirosis.  The vaccine does not provide 100% protection. This is because there are many strains (types) of leptospires, and the vaccine does not provide immunity against all strains. It is important to get your pet vaccinated again even if it gets leptospirosis because it can still get infected with a different strain of leptospires.

I walked up to introduce myself and Katie was very friendly and really seemed excited to be there and be part of this event.  She was accompanied by her mother who was also super sweet! 

As handlers, we were give about 15 minutes to spend with our celebrities to teach them “everything”…. about our dogs and how to handle them, how to throw, the rules, the routine and they didnt even get a practice or even step foot on the dock until the competition! 

I was worried about Tanner getting Katie dirty (she was wearing a white outfit) or her being upset about getting wet but she was gung ho and jumped right into wanting to learn all she could and do the best job possible.  I thought it was cute that she was worried about doing a good job for Tanner and I….. just goes to show how done to earth and great she was!

I wanted to make it as easy as possible for her to have time to get the toy thrown well for Tanner so I had her down him at the 20′ mark (instead of using the whole dock).  Before they jumped, Katie walked through the routine, making Tanner down and bonding with the Tan-man.  The fact that Katie is a HUGE animal lover and owns dogs herself, definately helped her pick things up quickly.

On the dock, Katie was successful in getting a sit, a darn good throw and a great jump of 19′ 7″ from Tanner.  For the second jump, Katie and Tanner came to the dock sitting in second place.  Katie got Tanner to do a solid down and tossed a big throw for Tanner to leap to a 17″ 8″ jump that brought cheers from the crowd and a fist pumping the air by Katie.  After all was said and done. Katie and Tanner had finished a fantastic 4th place! 

Thanks to Kris (who says I always get the fun jobs and she’s lost in the shadows) we were able to have footage of our time with Katie both on and off the dock.  As a thank you to Katie, we offered her an Honorary Team MYTDOG membership with a team t-shirt, sent her some video and the offical results from the event.  We hope she wears her TEAM MYTDOG shirt proudly….maybe she’ll even send us a picture someday!  Tanner hopes she will give him a shout out on CMT! LOL

We want to recognize Katie’s charity, Happy Tails Humane in Franklin, TN. http://www.happytaleshumane.com/  We took time during our trip to visit this shelter and I was VERY IMPRESSED with the fact that ALL of the dogs they have are in foster care homes and the cats are all free to roam the facility and appear not only very healthy, but stress free and happy.  A very impressive organization!

We hope we have the good fortune to return to the Music City Championship again next year and hopefully get to particpate in the Clebrity Challenge again…….Tanner said he wants his handler Katie Cook, back so they can win it next year! 

I want to congratulate all our members that competed in the 2008 DD Nat Championships this past weekend in WI! (I also want to thank those that attended to support the club/team that did not jump dogs…..Leesa, mandy, stef and competitor family members….your being there meant so much!!). I also want to recognize Kris who, though she could not be there, called-texted and did all she could to stay in the loop and share her support for the team.  It just wasnt the same with ya Kris!!

Not only did everyone do very well as individual teams, our club also placed 4th in the club challenge (there are 22 dockdog clubs) behind WI, Chicagoland and Ontario…some of the BIG club in the affiliate system. so we did VERY well for being a smaller club! We hope that many more of you can join us next year for the dockdogs 10 year anniversary to be celebrated at the National Championship in……OHIO!! Plan now and let’s all go and show them the spirit of CLUB 3D and Team MYTDOG!!!!

Now, I will not remember all the accomplishments of our Club competitors but I will do my best to re-cap them here for you: (I apologize if I get any distances or times a little off or forget some of the awards…I will do my best here)

Nate and Zoe–    new PB of 14′ 11″ on first jump, improving to a 15′6″ on the second jump in Junior Prelims. Placed in the top 20 dogs

Nancy and Cori-           new PB of 15′6″ in junior Prelims. Placed in top 20 dogs. Great sit and drive down the dock!

Chuck and Loki- had a 20′+ jump in master Prelims…….and Chuck didn’t fall in the pool :-)…….. Guess our little bet goes into next year! Loki looks great and will be a contender next year!

Stacy and Daisy- daisy showed Stacy in practice the kind of “pop” she can have and we will build on that next season! She pulled an 18′1″ jump and finished in the third of a nearly 90 dog senior division!

Todd and Fuse-man, loved that sit stay!! Fuse and Todd made huge improvements in their teamwork and he popped an 18′+ jump also putting him in the top third of the senior division prelims! Look forward to building on that next year!

Laura and Chessie- chessie got out of the pool much quicker!! also put up some solid and consistent 17′+ jumps in the senior division prelims! I look forward to seeing this team come together and get the balance of speed with building on the power of the “pop” next year! They were right in the top third or so also!!!

Sean and Jordan-National champ in Speed Retrieve (all were sub 6 second runs). Did excellent in Iron Dog placing first in the BA and SR portions but unfortunately missing in the grab in EV—still a phenomenal showing. Placed 3rd in the elite division. Earned dockdogs rookie of the year award, top rank SR dog in the world,country and zone, earned most exciting team award, won second place in the High Points Chase. Sean had a great nationals and season that will put him to the test next year. Good job jordan!

Eddie and Bogie– bogie competed in elite division prelim and SR. Always a fun team to watch, bogie showed his speed and enthusiasm on the dock putting down some 8 second runs in SR and solid jumps in BA! I can see this dog challenging in SR next year!

Dan and Missy– missy put out her usual big jumps but just missed the elite division finals. Always a good showing by this team.

Dan and Katie- great jumps in the Junior division with a 16′2″ jump and looking more and more like her mom (missy) all the time!

Dan and Kody- great job in the Iron dog placing 8th with some strong performances in BA (22 or 23′), SP (6.5 I believe) and EV (6′6″ I think)

Jean and Lisa- wow! Challengin her sister in the prelims of juniors she pulled out a new PB 16′ and Jean seemed thrilled! We were all thrilled for her too!

Sue and Lucky–lucky competed in both novice and veteran divisions and pumped out consistent jumps and a new PB of 9′3″!! He finished 12th of 34 dogs in novice and put on a great performance in vet with jumps of 8′6″ and 8′10″! Not bad for a boy nearly 10yo!

Sue and Tanner– tanner jumped consistently in the 20+ all weekend in elite and veteran! Tanner repeated for the second year in a row as the Veteran Division National Champion as well as the Gracie Award recipient and #1 ranked veteran in the world. I was both shocked and honored to have been chosen for the Sportsperson of the year award.

We were fortunate to have fantastic weather and lots of fun. Sadly this means the close of the 2008 competition season but don’t forget about our club banquet (potluck style) coming up Nov 15th……details coming soon! We hope you will all try and put this on your calendar and join us!

Thank you all for a great year ….. There are great thing in the works for 2009 already, so be sure to renew your membership for 2009!