Happy Doggies Make Happy Humans

Graduating From Being Afraid of Other Dogs

I've got happy news to share. My dog Krystal has graduated from being afraid of other dogs!

Her "final exam" was doing the K9 3K walk sponsored by the Wake County SPCA. She passed with flying colors.

As we drove into the parking garage, I got a little nervous. There were dogs, humans and kids everywhere. Krystal had never been in the company of so many dogs or humans. 

I decided the only way this could work was if I had a positive attitude and was ready for fun. Before I got the car parked, I started telling Krystal what a good dog she was, and singing songs to her.

Krystal was amazing. She took it like a champ.

The first sign that things really were going well came as we walked down the stairs of the parking garage. We passed several dogs who weren't used to going down stairs. Krystal is fond of stairs, and she kept on task. She didn't start barking or get all territorial. She just kept going down those 4 flights of stairs. All that time I was letting her know what a good dog she was.

The bigger challenge was just ahead. We had to cross the street and go into Moore Square, which was filled with thousands of dogs and their humans. 

Krystal held her own. When we got to the corner, I followed our normal routine and told her to "wait." She waited. When I told her to "cross," she trotted straight across the street. She totally ignored everyone else--her little ears were back in full obedience. It was a sight to see.

As we stepped into Moore Square, I admit to more than a little trepidation. I'm not overly fond of big crowds, so I gave myself a talking-to about remaining grounded and calm so this could become a good experience for Krystal.

Once again, she surprised me. She's always been frightened of big dogs, but she didn't bat an eye. She walked right with me over to the line for the registration tent. There she stood calmly taking in the scene. I was feeding her treats and singing to her.

When the SPCA started the 3K walk, humans and dogs started moving together. I was flabbergasted at the sight of my self-confident little dog walking so peaceably and happily among all these other dogs. Never a whimper or sound of a fear-bark. She was so self-confident that she just moved away when she encounted a dog she wasn't comfortable with.

After about 1/3 mile, the pack energy took over, and all the dogs and their humans began moving in sync. Krystal was smiling, clearly enjoying herself.

I was floating with joy.  Krystal completed the walk with nary a fear-bark or display of territoriality. Our lives were transformed with every step.

--------------------

When Krystal came to live with me 2 1/2 years ago, the shelter told me she had been found as a stray. They thought she had been on her own for 6 weeks. I truly admire her ability to survive that ordeal.

In the world of stray dogs, and 11 lb dog doesn't have much clout. She clearly survived on leaves, twigs, and acorns. The big stray dogs did her no favors, and our first year was filled with massive fear-barking when we encountered any dog on our walks.

I'm very grateful for my obedience instructors at Bon-Clyde Learning Center, who taught me how to work with Krystal. And who stayed for an extra hour one evening to teach me about terriers, and give me techniques to build Krystal's self-confidence and reduce her fear.

Thanks very much. It took us 2 years of love, dedication and training. I used your techniques the entire time. We're a much happier family now.

Iditarod: The Dog Sporting Event of the Year

Hey ya'll,

 

This is Krystal, reporting on the dog world's greatest sporting event of the year--the Iditarod.

 

In case you humans didn't know, we dogs keep a close watch on this event. We keep in touch with the news through traditional methods (dogs barking out the news to all dogs within hearing range) to the thoroughly modern. I've just spent several hours on Kaye's lap while we searched the Internet for the latest news and You Tube videos for this blog post.

 

For the canine population, nothing can compare with the Iditarod Dog Race. American humans have their March Madness, World Series, and Super Bowl, soccer players have the World Cup. There's the Olympics, and Harry Potter has Quiddich. We dogs have the Iditarod.

 

It's all about the dogs. We love those racers. They're the fittest, most competitive dogs in the world. They train almost all year long, and are light, sleek dogs with strong with long legs.

 

And, they love to run! Wow. The enthusiasm shown by those Alaskan Huskies (and other breeds) is beyond belief. I've got chills running down my spine just thinking about it.

 

Just listen to these dogs in this You Tube as they get ready to start this year's race. They are rarin' to go!

It's understandable that humans focus on their human counterparts in this competition. But, the human mushers all know who really makes this race work! Take a look at 4 time Iditarod winner Jeff King's website if you've got any doubts.

 

In order to win races, the dogs have organized themselves into various jobs and positions within their pack. Iditarod Musher (15 top ten places in 26 Iditarod races) DeeDee Jonrowe fills us in on her website:

 

Dog team members are given titles according to their position in the team relative to the sled. These include leaders or lead dogs, swing dogs, team dogs, and wheelers or wheel dogs.

Lead dogs steer the rest of the team and set the pace. Leaders may be single or double; the latter is more common now, though single leaders used to be more common during the mid-twentieth century. Exceptionally a leader may be unhitched (a loose or free leader) to find the trail for the rest of the team, but the practice is uncommon and is not allowed at races. Qualities for a good lead dog are intelligence, initiative, common sense, and the ability to find a trail in bad conditions.

Swing dogs or point dogs are directly behind the leader (one dog if the team is in single hitch). They swing the rest of the team behind them in turns or curves on the trail. (Some mushers use the term swing dog to denote a team dog.)

Team dogs are those between the wheelers and the swing dogs, and add power to the team. A small team may not have dogs in this position. Alternately, the term may be used to describe any dog in a dog team.

Wheel dogs are those nearest the sled, and a good wheeler must have a relatively calm temperament so as not to be startled by the sled moving just behind it. Strength, steadiness, and ability to help guide the sled around tight curves are qualities valued in "wheelers."

You've got to see this training run video with a mushing team in action. Notice how the dogs are all working together, matching their speed and pace, all lined up beautifully for aerodynamic results.

That's the beauty of a dog team. We're pack animals, you know. And, we know how to organize, work together, and happily get the job done with enthusiasm, courage and exceptional skill!

 

As I'm writing this Lance Mackey and his dogs are in the lead of the 2009 Iditarod race. He won the Iditarod in 2008, and gave his lead dogs full credit by having them on the winner's stand with him.

 

This is a fantastic race this year. Be sure to let your dog know what's happening, ya'll can check out  the official Iditarod website for race results and commentary. You wouldn't want your dog to be known around the neighborhood as being uninformed on this important event. 

 

Just so you can see the unbounded enthusiasm of these amazing racing sled dogs, I thought I'd finish with this special opportunity to view some exceptional James Mason photos of mushing race dogs and their humans.