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"Melinda Shore" <shore RemoveThis @panix.com> wrote in message:

> And then there's the Malamutes ...

Well, there will be work, but I suspect I'll be the one doing it.

Most of the Northern breed dog people I know in the area don't mush.
Weather is not likely to cooperate (too warm most of the year), and public
spaces where you can do that is limited. A lot of them backpack/hike
instead, which is something we do also. I would like to try Agility with a
Mal. More for entertainment value than anything else, as I suspect that
even the most obedient Malamute is likely to be in it totally for his/her
enjoyment than anything else.

All things considered, I'm most likely to be able to do traditional "work"
with that Rottweiler I want (as I've mentioned before, I have zero breed
loyalty). As long as I don't end up starting with a train wreck and have to
build it back up, that is.

Suja
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"Melinda Shore" <shore.RemoveThis@panix.com> wrote in message:

> Remember: if it were easy, anybody could do it.

From what I understand, having your dog blow you off and run around like an
idiot is easy. Putting a lot of effort into it and still having a dog that
will blow you off and run around like an idiot? Now that'll take a lot of
work, wouldn't it?

> Has Khan
> seen real, live agility equipment?

Oh yeah. Leaving aside the fact that he has zero motivation to run and jump
over stuff (unless he's chasing something), we had a few issues. While he
could take the jumps, his typical response is to just walk around it. Also
has something to do with training, since he's trained to not let obstacles
get between him and the person at the other end of the leash (waaay more
convenient than disentagling the dog when on hikes), and to come around them
if he does stray that far. He's afraid of just about all the other
obstacles - would not go through tunnels (one wobbled slightly when he put
his foot in, and that was that) or set foot on the teeter/A-frame/dog walk.
I have since had him work informally on stuff (jump over broom held up by
boxes, walk on flattened ramp, step through a hula hoop), but that's
strictly play and unlikely to go anywhere.

Pan is actually more likely to do a course without freaking out, although
she has her own fear issues to overcome. Jumping is a non-starter however,
so we play at agility in the basement, the same way Khan does. She is
pretty seriously reactive to weird surfaces (we had a near incident with a
netted surface under a bridge, while on a long hike), and that's something
we've been working on.

Suja
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In article <5lt9tiF9vdd3U1 DeleteThis @mid.individual.net>,
Suja <spanaval DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote:
>Most of the Northern breed dog people I know in the area don't mush.
>Weather is not likely to cooperate (too warm most of the year), and public
>spaces where you can do that is limited.

I see announcements for dryland events in the southeast from
time to time, but you're right about public space being a
big issue (it's affecting people in New England, too). The
Pennsylvania Sleddog Club is having a dryland race in Fair
Hill, MD in early December. That's not that close to you
but it's not that far, either. But aside from all the
various logistics problems, the whole mushing thing really
is a huge commitment. On the other hand I understand
they're ideal dogs for long winter camping trips, trekking,
etc.

Interesting discussion here:
http://www.sleddogcentral.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8213

>More for entertainment value than anything else, as I suspect that
>even the most obedient Malamute is likely to be in it totally for his/her
>enjoyment than anything else.

Remember: if it were easy, anybody could do it. Has Khan
seen real, live agility equipment?
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis - shore DeleteThis @panix.com

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community
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In article <5ltdnsFa1ktoU1.RemoveThis@mid.individual.net>,
Suja <spanaval.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> wrote:
>He's afraid of just about all the other
>obstacles - would not go through tunnels (one wobbled slightly when he put
>his foot in, and that was that) or set foot on the teeter/A-frame/dog walk.

He sounds kind of like Emmett about that. Emmett will sail
over/around/through any natural obstacle we encounter in the
woods, but agility equipment freaks him out.

>Pan is actually more likely to do a course without freaking out, although
>she has her own fear issues to overcome. Jumping is a non-starter however,
>so we play at agility in the basement, the same way Khan does. She is
>pretty seriously reactive to weird surfaces (we had a near incident with a
>netted surface under a bridge, while on a long hike), and that's something
>we've been working on.

What about Rally-O?
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis - shore.RemoveThis@panix.com

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community
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"Melinda Shore" <shore.TakeThisOut@panix.com> wrote in message:

> He sounds kind of like Emmett about that. Emmett will sail
> over/around/through any natural obstacle we encounter in the
> woods, but agility equipment freaks him out.

Yeah, it's pretty much the same thing. If we're all making him do it, it
can't be good. Also has a tendency to shut down when he feels pressured.
Will just try to woo-woo and run away or roll over and give up.

> What about Rally-O?

Never thought of that. She should do fine, considering her basics are good,
she's very eager to please, works well off-leash, and is seriously food
motivated.

Hey, home work.

Suja
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ceb <ceb4v DeleteThis @nospam.virginia.edu> said in rec.pets.dogs.breeds:

> I just thought you were saying, earlier, that dog owners
> ought to be participating in performance activities with
> their dogs -- that's why I asked the questions I did.

The conversation segued quickly from intense working dogs to
intense family dogs to family dogs. In all cases, I think
performance activities are good for both dog and handler, but
specific activities are too situation-dependent to qualify.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.
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Rocky <3dogs.DeleteThis@rocky-dog.com> wrote in
news:Fri99B6899D8700Eaustralianshepherdca@rocky-dog.com:

> ceb <ceb4v.DeleteThis@nospam.virginia.edu> said in rec.pets.dogs.breeds:
>
>> I just thought you were saying, earlier, that dog owners
>> ought to be participating in performance activities with
>> their dogs -- that's why I asked the questions I did.
>
> The conversation segued quickly from intense working dogs to
> intense family dogs to family dogs. In all cases, I think
> performance activities are good for both dog and handler, but
> specific activities are too situation-dependent to qualify.
>

Thanks for clarifying -- I appreciate it.

--
Catherine
& Zoe, Queenie, & Max, 3 black dogs of varying sizes
& Rosalie the calico cat
www.ourladyofperfection.blogspot.com
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"Suja" <spanaval DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote in
news:5lt7i9F9pp0eU1@mid.individual.net:

>
> "ceb" <ceb4v DeleteThis @nospam.virginia.edu> wrote in message:
>
>> You say that, but then you keep finding dogs who need you!
>
> That's what I'm afraid of.
>
> Also, I'm attracted to a lot of breeds that don't really "work" in any
> of the traditional senses mentioned here.
>

Well, Pan is keeping your neighborhood safe from wild boar, isn't she?


--
Catherine
& Zoe, Queenie, & Max, 3 black dogs of varying sizes
& Rosalie the calico cat
www.ourladyofperfection.blogspot.com
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shore.DeleteThis@panix.com (Melinda Shore) wrote in news:fdbvjl$kqk$1
@panix2.panix.com:

>
> What about Rally-O?
>

That's exactly what I was just thinking.

Of course, I'm guilty of doing exactly *none* of this with Annie. So, there
ya go.

Tara
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"elegy" <elegy.TakeThisOut@DOGPOOPshattering.org> wrote in message:

> it makes no sense to me. it sucks to have a dog who is bred and born
> to work, who *wants* to work, but whose body can't keep up. it's no
> good for anybody.

Absolutely. My friend's GSD has quite possibly the worst hips of any dogs I
have known, and it is hard to watch him go through life. I think that a lot
of his quirks are due to the inability of his body to keep up with the rest
of him.

Suja
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elegy <elegy.TakeThisOut@DOGPOOPshattering.org> wrote in
news:a35jf35irg31029adg1ro52onvr5j9poin@4ax.com:

> it sucks to have a dog who is bred and born
> to work, who *wants* to work, but whose body can't keep up.

You're not kidding.

That was the saddest part of Finn's abbreviated life. His heart was so much
stronger than his body.

Tara
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In article <1190988040.060722.173020 RemoveThis @o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com>,
savshocktroop RemoveThis @yahoo.com <savshocktroop RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote:
>The male is a good inside dog, but the female is not. I got her when
>she was 2 and I don't think she was kept inside much or at least she
>was not taught how to act inside.

Five of my Siberian Huskies never lived inside before the
age of three (some older). They learned to behave just
fine, and it really didn't take that much effort. It did,
however, take some effort.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis - shore RemoveThis @panix.com

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community
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"savshocktroop@yahoo.com" <savshocktroop RemoveThis @yahoo.com> said in
rec.pets.dogs.breeds:

> I think if they are brought inside as
> puppies and you teach them the right way to behave in the
> house that they will be ok inside.

I'm not sure why this is a point and why you differentiate so
much between inside vs. outside upbringing.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.
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