Jumping on round bales of hay

Hay Bale Jumping

Lusi just  loves hiking and is becoming more and more confident and adventurous. 
I thought that these shots of her jumping from one round hay bale to another were pretty incredible but Victoria tells me that these pale in comparison to some of the antics she gets up to now!

A safe landing!

This sport of hale bale jumping is something that she thought up entirely on her own! A little puppy agility training goes a long way!

Notes from a phone call: Tips to get your Dally running at axle

Just looking at some notes I made while talking to John Wilmot on the phone about getting Lusi started running at axle with the carriage.

John made several suggestions about the need for the following commands:

• Basic obedience commands
• "Heel". On and off leash heeling. In addition the dog must "heel" at the wheel. When heeling with a bicycle the dog should stay at the back wheel and not be forward of the pedals.
• "Get in" or "Get on" means the dog to get in the cart from the left hand side.
• "Lusi off" means dog to get off the cart.
• "Get under" means to get under axle or close to back step of marathon vehicle

The first stage of training to run at axle can be done on a longline, held by a passenger on the cart. (This is clearly us! We shall also probably be starting indoors in the arena since our winter snow seems to have just arrived!). Lusi is getting lots and lots of walking now and has been really good lately, (only the occasional chewing incident mars her report card!). Victoria has been doing quite a bit  of agility training with her outdoors on her woodland course luring her through a course.

The Spotty Dog Issue #1

Photo Collage: Lusi at Fairy Lake

Dotty Dalmatians: A letter to Celia

Perfect Harmony: Dalmatians working at axle

Photo by Dotty Dalmatians http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotty_dalmations/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotty_dalmations/4974050863/


Dear Celia,
At last I am sitting quietly and looking at Paul's photographs! The "Snowy Dalmatians" are just lovely. I love all of Paul's action photos; feet off the ground, bodies suspended, elongated bodies, bodies compressed like a spring! I am getting used to the Dally shape on the run now! There is something so fascinating about watching them running...but my favourite photo so far, even more than the action photos and the beach photos, is the one of you at the 2010 Irish Trials. This one I absolutely love...actually I love them all...but the Irish one is like a photograph reconstructed from someone's retelling of a dream: the little wooden bridge and the pebbled stream bed, the three Dals all perfectly in position with the carriage and the misty background!! 

I remember the first few times that we went walking off leash and Lusi had the chance to run; for a long time as a pup she would run and then go head over heals in the grass because her rear end was propelling her ever faster until she could no longer keep up with herself! She is a good runner now and these past two weeks of her going with the K9 Expeditions has been a wonderful way for her to keep in top shape and socialize with the GSPs too. She has been a very happy Dally! You can see from the K9 Expedition blog how the trips are organized but basically the dogs are carefully vetted for suitability and training, especially recall, and then introduced to one another one at a time, before they go out together. The hikes are arranged on a fitness level basis and Lusi is now doing about two hours, (running like a wild thing after the other dogs!). I can't tell you how much she is enjoying it.

Yesterday we both went down to the barn. The ground is still quite white over there though there is not much of a snow covering more ice than snow. The thermometer hovers around a few degrees below to one or two degrees above freezing by midday; clear blue skies make one think it is Springtime and that one should try and get ahead with the driving. In fairness, we are now driving three times a week but still restricted to the arena. I have been hitching to a Meadowbrook style cart and would really like to get the marathon cart out soon so that we can  stand on the back-step and guide Lusi from there. Still, every trip to the barn allows us to make some kind of progress and I am just so pleased that Dande is recovered from his injury. I had an excellent drive yesterday; it was so nice to see his body well rounded in the back and the neck muscles supple. A friend was also driving her mare in the arena and had attached some bells to her cart which seemed to intrigue him!


 Lusi is getting quite comfortable and familiar with barn life too. White on a snow white  background she disappears before your eyes. I must put a bell on her!

Today we  have snow again. The early morning snow etched trees are now heavily laden and snow clumps break off in the wind. I had a most marvellous drive and lesson Morgan horse carriage driving lesson with Dande and have permission to take Lusi up and use the arena now! I was really surprised to see how well Dande looked on video; the few minutes of the lesson on video showed a big difference from last year, lots of progress despite his being off so long from his injury.


So sorry to hear about Poppy. I do hope that she has made a recovery by now. Those skeletal and muscle injuries are so persistent and seem to take forever to heal! I think that one of the problems is that the body automatically compensates for these injuries and uses different muscles and this in turn causes further stress and injury to other sets of muscles, and ligaments!
love E

Photo Collage: Dande and Lusi at the Barn

Photo Collage: A Walk Across the Winter Cornfields

A Hike in the Cornfields and Fresh Snow!

The weather was fabulous over the weekend. Fresh snow and sunshine and we couldn't wait to get outside and hike across the cornfields!


Lusi loves the open space. She is an inveterate runner. In between running she likes to get corncobs or even stalks and then there's always the possibility of finding a vole!


For more photos from this album:
Yesterday's Hike in the Cornfields and Fresh Snow!

Training Lusi to run at axle

I seem to be forever saying that we will start training with the carriage soon! Training Lusi to run at axle is a long term endeavour, and in fact we have been working towards starting with the carriage in a number of different ways. I thought that I would list these as a way of identifying where we are in the process and what we have to do next in our training program.

• Basic obedience training
• Socialization with horses and barn environment
• Training with the bicycle - as intro to working alongside a wheel
• Building stamina and fitness through hiking cross country
• Working on specific carriage commands- "last chance"
• Working on "leave it" commands for squirrels, ducks and other animals.
I also got permission at the weekend to start bringing Lusi into the arena!

Tractor Tire Agility Game

When you come across an old tractor tire in the hedgerow there are a number of things that immediately spring to mind; it's interesting the way the snow clings to it! I wonder what is inside it? and can Lusi jump into it?


Lusi comes to inspect the tire with me and ascertains that there are no animals living in it!

I throw a liver treat inside the tire and wait to see what Lusi will choose to do. She climbs up onto the rim of the tire and peers down inside at the treat!

There is a moment's hesitation and then Lusi launches herself into the tire and finds the treat

Lusi, looking very pleased with herself inside the tire!

We continue on our walk across the cornfields now that we have tractor tires figured out!

Recall Training Practice and Premack's Principle

Today we went out into the cornfields; the snow now several inches deep and Lusi excited to be out running.

I used Michael Ellis' strategy of delivering the food reward as though it were moving prey as Lusi hurtled in towards me. I've also been using the hand target as a moving target for her to come in close to me on either side of my body and to bring her round me in a 360 degree turn.

Using Premack's principle the real reward of the day was hunting voles! She actually caught a live one the other day  when she was out with Victoria.

Barn, horses...

Driving Dande: The driver's
view from the cart.

It's hard to hold the camera when you're driving, but I managed to get this photo yesterday morning, of me sitting on the Meadowbrook cart driving Dande. Of course, if I had been lucky the photo would have captured our reflection in the mirror and you would see the cart as well.


Lusi came down to the barn with me; she travelled exceptionally well in her crate and waited patiently for me. I put her big knuckle bone and a chewy in her crate to keep her occupied but I think she hunkers down and has a nap for most of the time when I am not around.


After driving, I let her off leash and she ran around the paddocks. She is definitely getting quite comfortable around the barn now and ran in with me to get Dande so that we could walk him up the hill together and put him in his paddock. I had some liver treats which I used to get her to sit at the gate as I opened it up and walked the horse through. 


Cynthia and Carola got Lusi to sit with the treats I had bought to the barn; she sat on command surprisingly well but really wanted to give them both hugs and kisses. I do not think either of them are dog owners so they are a little apprehensive of her greetings.

Improving Rear End Awareness

Step stool..... $10.00
Photo of Lusi saying, 
"Am I doing it right? Now do I get a liver treat?" ....Priceless!

Now do I get a liver treat?

A great game for increasing rear end awareness in agility dogs; they learn that front and hind legs can position differently and move independently! We initially learned this game at our puppy agility class at Game On Dog Training.

Today I found this colourful step stool at Winners and could not resist getting it as part of our agility equipment.

When I showed the stool to Lusi she just stared at it initially. Then she nudged it...and bingo, guess what, she got a liver treat!

"Oh my...I just remembered what we do with this," she says getting up on it with both front paws.

I walk at her side, my body backing towards hers so that she starts to rotate around the stool moving her back paws only and keeping her front paws on the stool.
Great job Lusi! Nice behaviour shaping!

Photo Collage Pawprint

Just playing!  A photo collage pawprint of Lusi with Dande.

Lusi and Dande

Daily Routines, Turkeys and Training!

Successful training, I think, depends a great deal on the structure of our daily routines so that our dogs are healthy, happy and well exercised. Only then do we have a foundation to train from: 

• Healthy means regular feeding times, (water), daily grooming, & vet care as required.
• Happy means social contact with people and possibly also other dogs.
• Well exercised means regular but varied exercise that is both mentally and physically suited to the dog.

I think that I could definitely improve on the structure of our daily routines even though in general I would rank our daily routines as "good". 


During the winter, however, the times of our walks and exercise sessions has varied quite a bit, depending on the weather; they are no longer first thing in the morning as they were all through the summer and are mostly mid-morning or even early afternoon in an effort to make the most of the somewhat warmer temperatures at midday. 

Wild Turkeys Gobbling!

This brings me to the subject of Turkeys! I saw a flock of wild turkeys gobbling in the fields, as I drove to the barn yesterday, which makes me think that Spring is on the way and that I should get back into a more precise exercise routine for Lusi. 

Types of exercise

• Walking and hiking on our own
• K9 Expedition group hikes with sporting dogs
• Agility training
• Tracking
• Carriage driving training

The different types of exercise that we had been involved in together certainly suffered during the winter months of January and February. We were really down to our hikes along the river and occasional walks along the pavements in the subdivision. 

Dande in his harness after driving in the arena

But things are looking up for Lusi now that she has started going on her K9 Expeditions. The hiking in a group of active sporting dogs, is turning out to be a wonderful experience for her. 


It is also time to restart the tracking and agility training. This means that I really need to go out and get some very basic agility equipment. Victoria has in the meantime started some basic agility training outdoors using whatever natural materials she can find! 

Dande after a workout!

The winter weather has also been the major constraint on getting Lusi started with the carriage driving. However, we are now driving Dande two to three times a week in the arena, so that we will be ready once the warmer weather is here to start with Lusi!

Slow motion movements of a Dalmatian running

This short video clip shows Lusi doing a recall in slow motion. I have found it fascinating to replay over and over just to watch how Lusi launches herself into a run from a stand: She bends her elbows and knees, by crouching slightly, and then drives herself forward like a coiled spring releasing the energy into forward motion. Her hind legs drive her forward and her front legs almost jump into action.

The stress dogs experience in training

I haven't generally found a great deal of focus on the issue of stress and anxiety experienced by dogs when training. The focus has been more about the level of engagement and the level of distractions. I was therefore really surprised when I came across an article by Neil Sattin: How to relax your dog  about how to watch for signs of stress when training. 


After I read the article by Neil Sattin I wondered why I haven't seen more written about how stress affects a dog's training, and performance and the importance of relaxing your dog. It made perfect sense to me that I should be aware of whether my dog is stressed during training and exactly what is creating the stress: I have learned over the years from working with my Morgan horse, Dande, in harness how I need to read the movements that he makes when we are training and to be tuned into the smallest of movements; an ear movement, a head toss, or the unevenness of the gait: These body movements might indicate how a situation is changing and tell me whether the horse is beginning to feel stressed or to relax more. Although I have applied these principles to my horse, understanding that relaxation is paramount if the horse is to perform at its best and also for the correct muscles to develop, (in the back, the neck and in the quarters), I have taken only a very generalized view of stress in dogs. It really surprises me now that I have not made this connection before. Even as I read Sattin's notes on the signs of tension in dogs, I cannot readily identify many of the things that Lusi does. Things that I know that Lusi  does:

• When meeting other dogs she sometimes gets nervous, (muscles tremble) or sometimes she gets over excited so that she jumps. So there is clearly a continuum of stress from nervousness at one extreme to hyperactivity or overexcitement, at the other.
• It is frequently difficult to get Lusi's attention when we are  in a strange new environment or one with a high level of distractions. Her attention becomes completely focused on her surroundings and she appears not to be aware of me or of my voice, calling, talking, commanding. (Lusi shows primarily a visual interaction with the world)
• Lusi pulls on the leash when there is a high level of distractions- these distractions rank from other dogs,(10) to people(7). She is hardly bothered by vehicles!(2)
• Lusi gets hyper in the house if she doesn't get her regular walks or hikes. She starts to pace the floor (or very occasionally trot or even run the floor!), and she will knock the blinds on the patio doors to get attention. This, I think, is a case of stress building because she cannot do what she would naturally choose to do, which is run. The containment is in itself definitely a stressor; so while there is nothing obvious or tangible to pinpoint as a stressor, it is clearly there.

Notes from Neil Sattin's article:
Signs of tension in a dog:
"Do you see muscles trembling?  Hair standing on end?  Tail quivering?  Body wiggling out of control? Spinning around in circles, or manic jumping?  Anxious panting?  Primarily visual interaction with the world (staring intently)?  Shallow breathing?  Seeming to be head-oriented, instead of body-oriented?" 
Signs of relaxation in a dog:

"A relaxed dog might have an intensity about them, but it will be a calm, focused intensity, not a building-to-a-flipout kind of intensity.  Muscles will be supple, and the dog will be more interested in your contact with their body.  A relaxed dog tends to sniff the environment (instead of relying primarily on sight), and will be able to hear you despite whatever else is going on in the world around them.  Breathing will be regular, and moments of stillness will be balanced with moments of fluid motion."

Hiking with Victoria

Lusi likes her balaclava!

Victoria has become Lusi's best friend lately. It all started with their silly games and cuddles but recently Victoria has been taking Lusi out for some hard core hiking: The ploughed cornfields behind us are hilly, but the wide open terrain allows Lusi to run...I mean really run! The hilly terrain is quite challenging for me so I know that Lusi is getting a really good workout on these hikes.

Victoria and Lusi returning home 
from a hike together

Lately, we have been exchanging stories about our walks and we are all trying to be consistent with our training commands. 

Progress Report #1

BEHAVIOUR	2012-02-10					COMMENTS
Crate Training (home)	7					I noticed that we have made little progress on the counter surfing and chewing because we are not crating overnight. Most of this behaviour happens in the early morning before we are up.
Crate Training (truck)	8
Socializing/ other dogs	7					Lusi is getting much better at holding her own with larger dogs instead of being very subordinate. She is good with small dogs.
Loose Leash Training	4					We are still getting very erratic and inconsistent results. The loose leash is better if Lusi has been well exercised off leash beforehand. I think I am going to go back to just socializing in different environments and engagement.
Counter Surfing	2
Chewing/Shredding	2
New handler	7					Lusi adapted superbly well to Emily from K9 Expeditions on her first trip out. Lusi had a 100% recall on her trip! She also travelled (crated) well.
Paw handling/massage	7					The paw handling has definitely improved. We are now able to take hold of her paws even in the bathtub which is great when she comes back from a muddy hike!
Sitting at front door	8					Lusi will wait at the front door for it to be opened and is beginning to wait for the release command.
Retrieve games	7					Has just started doing retrieve games in the backyard with Victoria.
Attention games (home) Attention games -new environments	8					I need to start increasing the duration of the attention games at home now that Lusi knows these games so well. We can hold attention comfortably to about 6 secs. Need to start these games in new environments.
Prey Drive (Mallard ducks at park)	3					Lusi did settle eventually to the large group of Mallards on the water.
Leave it!	6 8					On the street: Paper, plastic bottles/cans. At the barn: horse poop
Give/take it	7					Lusi is good at the give/take it but will occasionally play keep it!
Following food reward delivery in a luring action from both hands (M. Ellis)

A card from England from "John and the Spotties"!

Dear Elizabeth,
I hope you are enjoying your Dally. It's like going for a walk once they know where to go with the carriage. I have trained my carriage dogs for over thirty years and feel lost driving without a dog.....Dallys are very clever, wilful, the hound blood in them; they will try and train their owners, but real characters.....
John and the Spotties

What's in it for me? And Premack's Principle

Lusi, I have noticed recently, responds to my training very quickly in certain instances without food, toy or praise rewards. 


There are times when she can see that the action being asked of her actually leads to something that she really, really, really likes doing. We have started to call her behaviour of figuring out the benefits of complying with a command, the "What's in it for me?" principle or WIIFM? I have since discovered that this behaviour of doing something that leads to a more rewarding activity has long since been documented as Premack's Principle, (go figure!).


Sitting at the front door.

The latest training we did at the front door was a good example of the "What's in it for me?" or Premack's principle.


I ask Lusi to sit at the front door and only when she sits do I open the front door so that we can go out for a walk. Lusi must continue to wait whilst I exit the doorway and then release her. 


It didn't take long for Lusi to learn that there was a pretty good reward for sitting at the front door: The reward for sitting, was of course, the door being opened so that we can go for a walk. (No food, toys or praise rewards needed; well, maybe a little food to start with and a little praise!)


I am going to watch carefully to see what other desirable behaviours or commands are "eagerly" executed in order to achieve a response that Lusi perceives as a "rewarding activity". I am wondering to what extent we can use these activities as ways to promote training drive.


I have looked at Susan Garrett's list of what she calls "activity reinforcements" and her ranking of them. The activities she lists as reenforcing activities are however, mostly behaviours that are negative or undesirable self reinforcing behaviours, (for example chasing the cat, running the fence line) or lower ranking positive behaviours, (for example, a ride in the car). These self reinforcing negative behaviours are behaviours that I would prefer to minimize or eliminate not cultivate. 


I sometimes hear people say, "oh, he taught himself that," and it can be something as intricate as surf boarding! There must clearly be lots of things that dogs really, really, really like doing...but what are they? I know that we have a least two things on our list:

1. Going for a walk
2. Playing catch
3. Agility training; Lusi absolutely loves working on the equipment

I just found an interesting article on how to use Premack's principle in training. It made me realize that using a command such as "go play" could be a way to tap into the more dynamic aspects of what is interesting in the environment as an activity reinforcer.

A letter to Celia

Dear Celia,

Just wanted to say that I saw that lovely photo of you on the BCDS website- it looked just awesome and Harley looked splendid! 

I started driving Dande again last week after hanging back wanting to be absolutely sure I had the timing right. The weather here is much warmer than normal and the snow has melted, (I think we sent our winter to Europe, but it may return unexpectedly, so I am hoping to get more driving in today! ) 

Lusi went off for her first hiking expedition on Monday with K9 Expeditions; she started out on the "puppy" program with just one other veteran dog that she now loves and will go out once a week, eventually joining the sporting group of GSPs....I think she'll love it! I am looking forward to seeing the photos from the trip. 

We now have Lusi travelling to the barn in the truck in her crate which means that I have peace of mind that she'll not dig a hole so as to bury a bone or a toy in the seats!
PS
Emily has just posted the photos of Lusi on Tails of the Trail
(K9 Expeditions)

Elizabeth

Prey Drive

The early February thaw that we have been experiencing has meant that the ice on the rivers and lakes has been melting leaving a sord of Mallard ducks at Fairy Lake with more areas in which to swim. The ice still clings to the sides of the lake in small landing plateaus.

A paddling of Mallard ducks!

As I stood on the pathway watching the ducks engaged in a merriment of flapping and paddling, Lusi could hardly contain her excitement. Not only was there a larger group than she has been accustomed to seeing on the river walks but the activity level and noise was much more intense. I stand trying to balance the cameras in one hand, at the same time restraining Lusi from a sudden rush towards the water. The ice makes a slippery path towards the water's edge, so I had to stop the photography at frequent intervals in the interest of self survival.

Early February thaw 

I was relieved after five or ten minutes when Lusi settled down more and stopped pulling me towards the water in an attempt to visit with the ducks. One male was bobbing his head up and down while peeping distinctly. I wasn't sure what this behaviour meant but on following up on  it, it might have been a warning call about Lusi's presence. Lusi now seemed to be enjoying the spectacle as much as I until I noticed her head turn suddenly as if she had caught sight of something in the distance and then moments later the ducks took flight and the spectacle came to an end!

K9 Expedition

Lusi returned happily yesterday from her K9 expedition trip. It was clear that any small issues had resolved themselves during the day because she was curled up fast asleep in the crate next to Stanley when Emily's van pulled in. 


Emily said that she had been almost perfect on the trip. What a nice report card to come home with! I could tell that she had bonded well with Emily by the way that she turned towards her; Emily had used praise and patting and not treats while they were out. She said that after a few minutes during which she made sure that Lusi would recall to her she dropped the lead line and let her run with Stanley. Apparently the two of them got on really well. Stanley likes to be chased and Lusi likes to chase but would rather not be chased. I think that they must have run quite hard because Lusi arrived back very quietly! This morning she is ready to go again I think!

I am really looking forward to seeing the photos that Emily took on the trip which she hopes to post later today!

Off hiking with "K9 Expeditions"

Lusi goes out with veteran Stanley
for her first trip with K9 Expeditions

It's Monday morning and we have been getting Lusi ready for her first trip out with Emily Mackinnon from K9 Expeditions! As this is Lusi's first trip out with Emily she will be going on a longline and with just one other dog, Stanley, a German Shorthaired Pointer.


I was confident of Emily's abilities even before I met her having been following her blog for a few months. When she came to meet Lusi last week and brought all the required documentation I was very impressed with her business model. I liked the fact that her protocols were all set up carefully and that in the event of an accident or a lost dog she had all her contingency arrangements set up.


Years ago we had two German Shorthaired Pointers so I was very happy at the idea of Lusi joining a group of sporting dogs for a hiking expedition together. 


Apart from increasing Lusi's confidence generally, I imagined that the hiking would benefit Lusi in the following ways:

• It would provide an environment for Lusi to increase her socialization with other dogs.
• She would learn to travel with other dogs.
• She would become accustomed to a new handler.
• She would get recall training from someone other than family members.
• She would have an opportunity to run and exercise with other active sporting dogs.

When Emily arrived I helped load Lusi into her crate in Emily's van. Lusi seemed a little apprehensive but not unduly worried. It reminded me a bit of sending one's child off for their first day of school as I watched Lusi already loaded in her crate and ready to depart. I knew that as soon as they got to their hiking destination they were going to have loads of fun and I also had every confidence in Emily.

Off they went. I am to expect them back at around 3pm!

Going to the barn

Beaverwood Farm

Sunshine and three degrees above freezing! Such beautiful weather for this time of year and now that we have got the whole issue of Lusi being safe from harm's way while in the truck both travelling and when she is waiting for me at the barn, we are all set for our barn trips together.


Dande is doing well too. Last week I drove him twice and on Sunday we went for a walk down the road on the longlines. I had not seen him so relaxed on the road before even when a car passed us by. I did use my rendition of "Speed Bonnie Boat," to keep him calm and relaxed which he likes; this was something that we discovered at one of the early horse shows! I am pleased with the progress that we are making both with Dande and with Lusi towards our carriage driving prepping.


After I was finished with Dande, I took Lusi up onto the hay fields on a longline. We had a little bit of difficulty getting to the fields up the slope where there was still ice but once we were up on the high ground the going was quite dry. She scampered about nose to ground in the sunshine. It was just lovely to be out together. I noticed that she was quite excited as she picked up different scents. I wondered if she was detecting the scent of voles in the ground because she was making chattering "snoffling" sounds as she inhaled rapidly in succession and then exhaled deeply and would then scratch at tufts of grass. This was a scenting behaviour I have not seen before with her.

Lusi asleep in her crate travelling home.

As we returned from our walk on the hay fields to the lower barn we passed all the ponies in the paddock who stopped to stare at Lusi. She didn't pay them much attention. We continued on our way down and I noticed that she had managed to get quite muddy and wet! 


I offered her some water and we packed up our things and headed back home with her all curled up in her crate. Another good day!

A muddy river hike in February!

The ice has melted on the river!

It is something of an unusual occurrence to have a muddy river hiking expedition in February when the ground is usually blanketed in snow but we have been having a winter thaw this past week! I took the opportunity of the warmer temperatures to take Lusi out for a good walk along the river where we have not walked for almost two  weeks prior to this. Some of the paths were still quite icy but the trails and the open conservation land were mostly free of snow and ice. I did see two cyclists out on the paths and wondered how they managed to keep upright on the ice as I clung to the sides to get some kind of a foothold.

We usually select either trails either on one side of the river or the other, but our hike yesterday encompassed both sides of the river to compensate for the fact that some of the time I had Lusi on a leash.

Rusty and Lusi

Towards the end of the walk we met Rusty, a rescued Bassett/Australian Cattle dog. We have met Rusty before on this walk but usually he is following close on the heals of his owner who runs with him so Lusi does not usually get a chance to play. Yesterday they stopped for a chat and Rusty had a good play with Lusi. Rusty likes to be

chased apparently and Lusi was quite happy to do that. I was surprised to see Lusi being quite subserviant to Rusty despite the play; she clearly knew who was pack leader between them. It was interesting to see how much energy Lusi appeared to have while playing with Rusty: Rusty's owner commented on her energy level and seemed quite shocked when I told her how long we had been out already!

On our return to the truck we collided with John with Remy and Loki. He had been worried that we'd been gone more than two hours and had decided to come looking for us! By this time we were all happy to climb into the truck and drive rather than walk home. Once home, I had to decide just how to get Lusi cleaned up. It turned out not to be too difficult; our paw massages have made a big difference in the way Lusi will stand and give you a paw...even when she is standing in the bath tub. After a  big supper, which she ate readily, no picky eating habits after a walk like that, and Lusi settled down quietly but not until she had found the most comfortable spot to relax!

Another trip to the vet office.

Last weekend we decided to enrol Lusi with k9expeditions run by Emily Mckinnon from Toronto. She specializes in hiking with sporting breeds and I thought that would be a wonderful way for Lusi to get a chance to go on hikes with other sporting dogs. Emily has two German Shorthaired Pointers, one of which is the same age as Lusi, the other is about eighteen months old.


In going through the various requirements I saw that we needed to get Lusi the Bordatella vaccine for kennel cough and so we made an appointment at our vet office. It has not been very long since we were last at the vet office for Lusi to  get her nails clipped and I was amused that she remembered exactly where the technicians had fed her treats on her last visit. She showed  some excitement as we entered and rushed around greeting everyone that came to pat her but after five minutes she settled and either sat or lay down. Her behaviour with the vet was good too. I think that our zoo routine where we handle her ears, mouth and feet, seems to have paid off dividends.


The vet declared Lusi to be in extremely good condition and was impressed by her behaviour, and by her fitness level, especially given that it is the middle of winter. The vet has a Viszla herself, so is well acquainted with sporting dogs and the difficulty of keeping weight on a highly active dog in the winter. Lusi weighed in at 48.5 lbs.

Lusi getting her treat for being a good patient!

Crate travel to the barn

First Trip in the Truck in a Crate!

After several weeks of not taking Lusi to the barn, (not wanting a chewing accident in the new truck), we finally decide to put the crate in the truck and take her. She looks a little put out here in this picture but actually it belies just how cozily she settled down for the journey. 

There were a few winges and whines at the start of the trip because Lusi is used to travelling on the front seat; once she realized that she could actually see out both of the front and the side windows she snuggled down and we didn't have a peep again!

Winter thaw in February.

I was quite surprised just how good she was at the barn, waiting patiently for me while I lunged Dande. At lunch time I took her for a good walk off leash along the trail. The snow had compacted into slick ice where the snowmobilers had been which made the going quite tricky in places, despite the winter thaw. At one point Lusi left the trail and investigated the bog just off the trail; fortunately for her the ice was still sufficient to take her weight as she scrambled across it and squeezed her way through a hole in the fence. I was a little alarmed that she had got through the mesh fence. My immediate reaction was thinking that I was definitely not going across the bog to fetch her. After about five minutes of various attempts to return to me she finally figured out where the hole in the fence was and I watched as she squeezed back through again. 


We made our way back to the truck and she sat quietly as I ate my lunch and yes, I did give her a little of my bagel! Back to the barn to the big event of hitching Dande for the first time in three months. Two more hours in the crate for Lusi until I am finished and then we drive home together; Lusi is still perfectly relaxed and happy in her little house. Chalk up one more break through!(I think that is #3!).


We got home with just enough light for her to have one more good gallop across the fields and then to come home looking like a mudball but she was definitely one very happy Dal.

Lusi Air Scenting

Short video clip of a close up of a Dalmatian nose, air scenting. The video clip is made after several minutes of a stationary posture, movements only in the head as the Dal makes a 180 degree sweep of the landscape. The weather has just changed to give a thaw; the temperature is about 3 degrees C and the young 8 month old Dal is almost overwhelmed by the air scents. 

The canine olfactory system comprises approximately 200 million olfactory centres which allow the dog to analyze the landscape. This young Dal will often pose in a typical stance to air scent: What is unusual today is that she is doing it almost next to me so that I can film her. She usually does this at a distance, often at the crest of a hill and into the wind. The second thing that is different today is that there was almost no wind; usually this Dal will head into the wind to do this. Presumably the thaw has created a rich accumulation of  air scents which is why she has stopped to analyze the landscape. 

Why am I making a big deal of a dog's nose in the video?

Well it has to do with understanding exactly what behaviours and body movements Lusi makes when she is either ground scenting or air scenting, so that when we are tracking I will read her body language better and be a better handler because of it.