CERF
BA-368362      Normal (4/29/12)
OFA
Hips: BA-41E31M-VPI      Excellent
Elbows: BA-EL36M31-VPI      Normal
Patellar Luxation: BA-PA9/31M/P-VPI      Normal

Official results are made public on the following sites (with owners’ permission):

• Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
• Canine Eye Registration Foundation
• Canine Health Information Center

The key is getting out early when car traffic is light which is easy to do now that sunrise is before 6 a.m.  I plotted out a couple of routes that have wider streets and use the wide sidewalks where needed to to close the loop.  We do see more dog aggressive dogs walked as their owners are also avoiding the increased foot traffic.  Keeping my dogs moving, however, makes them less of a distraction.

The peaceful morning rides are good for all of us.  It allows the dogs to stretch and to use full strides.  They are physically tired and ready to nap after breakfast.  I enjoy spending one on one time with each dog and since we can cover more ground I can do it while satisfying their exercise needs.

The results will be available on the AKC Canine Health Information Center site.  His eyes and patellas are normal.  We will receive his hip and elbow results in the next month.

Look for a Puppy Up! walk in your community. Money raised goes to cancer research in companion animals to find the causes and to learn the links to cancer in humans. The type of research is called comparative oncology. The results may one day help us learn to prevent cancer in humans and the animals we love.

If you live in the NYC area, there is a walk in Jersey City, NJ, on November 4th. For more information, check out their FB page https://www.facebook.com/PuppyUpJC.

The Beginning Novice class is a good warm-up to future obedience competitions.  The heeling course has signs (like Rally) and is followed by a “sit for inspection”, a figure 8, a sit-stay, and a recall.  The handlers walk the heeling course before the class starts.  In the “sit for inspection” the dog does a sit-stay while the handler moves to the end of the leash and the judge approaches the doge for a quick greeting.  The dog should remain seated.  The figure 8 is a heel around 2-people.  The handler has 3-steps from the time the judge says to “halt” the dog to come to a sit.  Note that the judge msy have you sit anywhere in the pattern so do not anticipate the stop.  The “sit-stay” is solo.  The handler sits the dog in the middle of the ring, gives the stay command, and then walks completely around the ring and returns to the dog while the dog remains sitting.  The recall is done off leash at and the dog is to sit in front of the handler.  The dog does not need to “finish” to a heel.  The Beginning Novice class is a good way to get a new dog and/or handler used to the obedience ring and to gain confidence to take the next step. (Details about the exercises and scoring can be found here on the AKC site.)

We had both purebred and mixed dogs at yesterday’s event.  Now that the AKC has the “canine partners” program all dogs can enjoy competing and be recognized with titles.   It was alot of fun for both Tug and I.

After the match we went to Sag Harbor for an afternoon of dogs being dogs. They love to play fetch in the “forest” (not sure a 5-acre wooded area qualifies as a forest). They both swam in the bay. Tug charges into the water and goes way out to fetch. Shea is still a puppy and learning to swim and her distance is increasing with her confidence. I haven’t given them many opportunities this winter so hope to get them out more this month before the beaches close to dogs for the summer season. It is good for our city dogs to have days where they can stretch their legs and enjoy some nature.

Shea is about 80% complete.  It is her first haircut and she has only needed spot grooming up until now.  In order to limit her time on the grooming table I break up the work over about 4-days.

Shea’s coat is maturing.  It is becoming coarser, but still has a silky quality to it.  It does become matted near the skin so regular brushing/combing is now needed.

I had a little time to begin working on Tug so he is also “mid-groom”.

Definition of SAGACIOUS

1
obsolete : keen in sense perception
2
a : of keen and farsighted penetration and judgment : discerning
b : caused by or indicating acute discernment
— sa·ga·cious·ly adverb
— sa·ga·cious·ness noun

I would say that description is as accurate today as it was in the 1800′s.  Barbet use their keen sense of smell for hunting and truffling.

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced a bill that would ensure a proper retirement for Military Working Dogs (MWD). According to the Senator’s site:

The legislation would assist MWDs by doing the following:

1. Improved Adoption Process. To standardize practices regarding the transfer of retired MWDs, those without suitable adoption options at the time of their retirement would be transferred to the 341st Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. These dogs could travel to the base by commercial air by using donated travel benefits also used to facilitate the travel of our service members.
2. A Voluntary Veterinary Care Fund. To ensure that our country’s brave MWDs are not forgotten after they retire, the bill establishes a “Retired Military Working Dogs Veterinary Care Fund,” with private donations to be used to provide care to adopted and retired MWDs. This fund would allow both the Department of Defense and private veterinarians to care for the dogs over the course of their lifetimes.
3. Recognition for Service. The legislation would empower the Department of Defense to honor courageous or meritorious dogs, or those killed in action, through appropriate recognition such as a letter of commendation.