In less than 2 weeks after Lager joined our pack, we were entering him in his very first official DockDogs competition! Three Rivers DockDogs hosted an event at Cabela’s in Triadelphia, West Virginia.
LIMONCELLO:
Big Air:
21’5″ 21’2″
21’3″ 22’2″
20’4″ 20’7″
19’10” 20’9″
Extreme Vertical:
5’0″
Speed Retrieve:
8.489 Second Place Express
HOOCH:
Hooch was up on the dock when a gust of wind blew a banner off of the side of the pool, freaking him out completely . It was a tough weekend, as Hooch had a difficult time gaining enough confidence on the dock to run and jump at his full speed.
Big Air:
22’7″ 15’9″
21’2″ 22’11”
13’0″ 14’11”
23’0″ 22’3″ Third Place Elite
22’5″ 23’6″ First Place Elite
Extreme Vertical:
5’10’ Second Place Cadet
LAGER:
Big Air:
13′ 4″ and 13′ 11″ First Place Junior (with Brian)
15’7″ and 16’2″ (with Jenny)
16’9″ and 18’2″ Second Place Senior (with Jenny)
17’0″ and 17’5″ (with Jenny)
Extreme Vertical:
This was Lager’s first attempt at EV. Lager missed both times, but was very determined – we had no doubt that he will excel at this in the future!
None of the pups made the finals at this event – first time all season!! There were some HUGE jumping dogs here! We had a great weekend camping with friends, and enjoyed watching Lager have a blast on the dock at his first official event!
Brian and I had been talking about getting a third dog for quite some time, but found ourselves getting cold feet in the process. We had inquired about a couple of dogs, waiting for “that feeling” to emerge to indicate that we found just the right fur-child to add to our family. Brian and I had been talking about this one particular mixed-breed we both saw online in a rescue, but kept having mixed emotions, so we held off on advancing any further. On Friday August 21, 2015, as I sat on our porch waiting for Brian to get home from work, I thought I would tell him to go ahead and call about the dog we had been talking about so much to find out more information that may help us make a definite decision one way or another. Not even 30 minutes after that thought, I received a phone call from our friend, Gwen, the President of Tidewater DockDogs, one of the affiliated clubs of the DockDogs organization that we belong to, explaining that SOC had a 3 year old male GSP, who is a retired Explosives Detection Canine, in need of a home. With the dog’s best interest and love of water in mind, John, the man in charge of the dog, contacted Gwen of Tidewater DockDogs to inquire if she knew of anyone involved in the sport that is familiar with the breed, would have access to water at home, and would get the dog involved in dock diving. (There are other affiliated clubs closer to John’s location – However, Gwen was the only person listed with a phone number in reasonable proximity!!) Gwen called me immediately. During this conversation with Gwen – without even having seen a picture of the dog – there it was – – “that feeling” kicked in.
Gwen forwarded an email from John, the man who had the GSP at his company’s facility. The email included some information about the dog, 4 pictures, and a video of the dog training to detect explosives. In the email, John explained that the dog’s name was Nayt (pronounced Night), and included that he was born in the Netherlands. John also listed Nayt’s birthday, weight, and training (Single purpose Explosives Detection Canine, certified under the ATF National Odor Recognition Test standards for 33 explosives). John stated that he would have adopted the dog himself, if it weren’t for the fact that both his condo in Virginia, and his primary home in Florida do not have the space for Nayt to play. John stressed that his company’s desire is to have someone adopt Nayt that will provide the opportunity for him to play, exercise and enjoy himself – with access to water, which he loves. John stated, “If Nayt sees water, he’s in it – and it usually takes 45 minutes to get him OUT of it!!”
Here are the pictures included in John’s email:
We love the German Shorthaired Pointer breed, and are fascinated with how different each GSP’s markings are, as they can be solid black, black and white, black roan, solid liver, liver roan, or liver and white. If the GSP is not a solid color, the American Kennel Club refers to their markings as patched, patched and ticked, or ticked. Although we think every GSP we see is unique and stunning, we are very partial the solid liver and liver roan coloring – and even chose our dock diving team name to be The Liver Killers (a “play” on the coloring of Cello and Hooch (liver) with the human liver, and their alcoholic-beverage-themed names. When I viewed the pictures of Nayt, I saw that he was liver roan, and was in love for sure!
Also included in John’s email, a video of Nayt training to detect a specific explosive:
Shortly after I received the email, Brian came home. I relayed my conversation with Gwen to him, and showed him the pictures and video. I could tell immediately “that feeling” had set in for Brian as well. Brian almost immediately called John. Brian felt very comfortable with the conversation he and John had, and John felt we were a good fit for the dog.
On Sunday, August 23, 2015, the entire Beadling pack (minus our cat, Loki) set out on a road trip to Martinsburg, WV to meet Nayt and John.
When we arrived at the facility in Martinsburg, John met us outside. He led us all inside, where we were able to secure Cello and Hooch in separate crates so that Brian and I could meet Nayt before introducing him to Cello and Hooch. We were greeted by a friendly and very energetic GSP with a toy drive like no other! After meeting Nayt, and speaking with John and one of Nayt’s trainers, we introduced the three dogs on-lead, walked them all together outside, then into a fence-in yard to see how they interacted. All went well outside in the yard with the three dogs socializing appropriately. Nayt quickly won our hearts over with his vibrant personality, and handsome build – -and the decision was made to adopt him into our family. He came home with us that very day.
Nayt had his own soft Captain America blanket to lay on for his ride home.
Unsure of how the three pups would ride together for our 3.5 hour ride home, I sat in the back seat with the two boys…
…And Cello got to ride Shotgun on her Queen Elsa blanket, using Olaf as a pillow … (what a Diva!)
More about Nayt…
Nayt is 3 years old, and served the United States of America for one year as an Explosives Detection Canine in Iraq. He decided that his GSP instincts and love for water were more fun that searching for explosives, and was discharged from his duties. He can identify over 30 explosives, and his journeys have led him to quite a few states here in America, and even to a couple of countries overseas. This world traveler has been to The Netherlands, Iraq, Jordan, North America, Minnesota, Indiana, New York , Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and now, New Jersey. Check out maps of his travels by clicking HERE.
Nayt is now known as Brogan’s American Lager – “Lager” for short.
Brian’s grandmother, Fran Brogan, who loved Cello and Hooch, had just recently passed. Lager’s name incorporates Brian’s grandmother’s last name (Brogan), our country’s name (America), for whom he served, and a continuation of our “Liver Killer’s” alcoholic-beverage-themed names – with a “play” on our log cabin (logger) and a type of beer (Lager). The word lager is also of German origin, linking his name to his breed. 🙂
Lager had some themed toys waiting for him at his new home… Captain America, a stick of dynamite, and his very own Chuckit training bumper for the lake! 🙂
So far, Lager is doing well, and our family is adjusting nicely. Lager has not yet met our cat, Loki. We plan on slowly introducing them in the near future, as to not overwhelm Lager or Loki. Lager is enjoying playtime with Cello and Hooch in our side yard, goofing off in the baby pool, and has already displayed his love of water and diving off our dock! We plan to enter him into a dock diving competition before the 2015 season is over, to see if he would be comfortable jumping into a clear-water pool.
Now THIS was a fun event! Cello and Hooch participated in Shipps Corner’s Back to the Splash Spring Fling.
This National event was an 80’s theme, and everyone was encouraged to dress and decorate in the 80’s fashion.
Hooch immediately flaunted his swag:
Our team canopy was decorated with 80’s bling:
Hooch had himself an 80’s boom box:
There was an 80’s playlist jamming all weekend long, and the dock was also decorated 80’s style:
They used 80’s style bracelets in place of the regular Handlers’ bracelets:
Besides this event being an absolute blast, Limoncello and Hooch each ROCKED the dock! Check out the results below!
LIMONCELLO
Extreme Vertical:
5’4″
Big Air :
21’0″ 21’0″ Second Place Master Division
21’1″ 20’1″ First Place Master Division
21’2″ 20’3″ Third Place Master Division
21’5″ 21’5″ First Place Master Division
BIG AIR SEMI-PRO FINALS:
21’3″ 19’11” First Place Semi Pro Division
Speed Retrieve:
8.378 8.052 First Place Express Division
Iron Dog:
2789.90 First Place Warrior
HOOCH
Big Air:
10’4″ 14’5″ First Place Junior Division
9’5″ 10’6″
10’5″ 16’1” NEW PERSONAL BEST!
10’0″ 14’7″ First Place Junior Division
8’7″ 12’5″
Speed Retrieve (first time EVER!!!)
Brian held Hooch so that he could see the other dogs performing Speed Retrieve:
Although he hesitated at the end of the dock, which made his score very low, he did jump off and retrieve the bumper at the end of the pool – so we are extremely proud of Hooch for catching on to this “new game” so quickly!
Cello won a contest, and we are proud to announce that she is now helping to “share the light” with Charity Wick Candles!
Cello’s 16 oz Candle, “Red Hot Cello,” has the aroma of fresh-cut granny smith apples, smothered in butter and topped with cinnamon… YUM!
The candle is made with all natural, kosher 100% soy wax with a lead and zinc-free self trimming cotton wick. The burn time for this candle is approximately 150 hours.
All Charity Wick’s candles are produced from vegan friendly, kosher certified, soy beans grown in the USA. All candles are free of any dyes or coloring, and feature lead free, self trimming cotton wicks, as well as environmentally conscious fragrance oils.
Even more reasons to buy a Cello candle:
Lasts up to 50% longer
Burns slower and cooler which helps to better distribute the fragrance of the candle
Melted soy wax will not cause severe burns
Non-toxic
Less likely to trigger allergies
Clean up off of fabric and carpet with soap and water
Produces very little soot compared to paraffin wax based candles.
Made from American-grown soybeans, so it supports the U.S. economy instead of foreign oil conglomerates
Biodegradable
Manufactured here in the USA!
The positive attributes of Charity Wicks soy candles, combined with the fact that your purchase benefits the GSP Rescue of NJ, makes any
Shorthair Candle the best choice for any candle friendly household!
Hooch turned 9 months old on February 24th. He’s getting so big! He is now officially taller than his sister, Cello!
Over the past month, Hooch has earned his first 1st Place ribbon in dock diving, qualified for Finals for the first time – AND came in 2nd Place in the Novice Finals! Way to go, Hooch!
Hooch LOVES playing in the snow! And thank goodness, because we’ve had LOTS of it over the past month!
One of Hooch’s favorite things is playing ball in the snow!
Hooch was the winner of Wagging Tail Portraits’ Facebook That’s Your Petcontest!
His cutie-patootie face will be inspiration for one of Wagging Tail Portraits’ future Wet Nose Greetings Cards! Hooch will also be featured on Wagging Tail Portraits blog, Wagging Tales.” We will also receive 50 complimentary cards and an 11×14 print of the painted illustration.
He was a good sport as we dressed him up with Christmas props!
Cello wasn’t left out of the Christmas madness:
“Christmas, Christmas time is near
Time for toys, and time for cheer
We’ve been good, but we can’t last
Hurry Christmas, Hurry Fast…
…We can hardly stand the wait
Please Christmas don’t be late!”
~Alvin and the Chipmunks
Christmas morning proved that Santa Paws had Cello and Hooch on his “Nice List!”
This year we ordered German Shorthaired Pointer stockings from Pawsome Donations – each purchase helps out dogs in need, as 25% of all profits will go to rescue organizations, including the GSP Rescue of NJ. Check out the Pawsome Donations Facebook page HERE.
Merry Christmas, cabin style, from Cello and Hooch!
On August 24th, Hooch turned 3 months old! He is making great progress with “sit,” “down,” and “come!” He has even ventured into the baby pool, and has gotten over his fear of the hose! (Hoping by 4 months he jumps in the lake all by himself!)
Not the greatest picture, but you can see the water droplets on him from going in the baby pool:
Cabela’s is an amazing store on its own – but add dock diving, and it’s THE coolest!
We even got to camp right at Cabela’s with some of our other fellow Keystone members.
Best of all, Cello earned her Elite title at the “club” level, AND won first place overall in the Masters Division finals!!
Here are the weekend’s results:
Saturday:
21′ 11″ 22’4″ First Place Medal
21′ 8″ 22′ 2″ Second Place Medal
20′ 1 21′ 0″ did not place
Sunday:
18′ 11″ 21′ 00″ did not place
22′ 10 21′ 11″ First Place Medal
Finals:
22′ 8″ 23′ 4″First Place Masters Division
Brian volunteered to do some announcing at this event!
During this event, Keystone DockDogs was challenged to do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge! Check out the video below! (Brian is in the yellow shirt all the way to the right):
Why a GSP? …Brian and I bought our dream home in April of 2009. A log cabin on a lake… only it didn’t quite “look” like a log cabin – – and, it wasn’t quite in “dream-home” state when we bought it (see Cello’s Cabin page). Our goal is to restore this historic log cabin to its original state, and to fill it with decorations and mementos of the great town we live in, as well as items that would be relevant to the cabin and it’s history. Brian works in the mortgage industry, and was able to research back to the original deed of our home. Brian was able to find out that the log home was built in 1927, and also discovered the name of the original owner. Out of curiosity, Brian Google-searched the man’s name. Low and behold, he came up in the search! The search result that came up was linked to the English Setters Club, a local and nationally known club that conducts field trials that are open to all pointing breeds. The original owner of our home owned a German Shorthaired Pointer, named “Windy Spot,” who won many awards at the club for field trials. I called the club to see if I could get more information on this dog and his owner, or a picture of them that we could hang in our cabin. When the man from the club called me back, and I explained my story, the other end of the phone was silent. When I asked if he was “still there,” he asked me to repeat where I lived – what street – what house, etc… come to find out, this man I was speaking to was a direct family member of the man who built our log cabin back in 1927!! Needless to say, it was quite an interesting conversation! Brian and I immediately researched German Shorthaired Pointers online, and fell in love with the GSP breed, and all their characteristics. We knew a GSP would be the perfect addition to our lifestyle, our family, and our log home. We have named our log cabin “Windy Spot,” after the first dog that ever lived in our home!
Brian and I were visiting a family member in West Creek, NJ on Memorial day weekend 2011, when they mentioned that they saw a post at at the local hardware store that there was a litter of German Shorthaired Pointers available not far from us. This litter was born on March 14, 2011, on a South Jersey farm in the town of Chatsworth. Brian and I became lucky parents of Cello on Monday, May 31, 2011 (Memorial Day), when decided to stop to talk to the man about his litter and knowledge of German Shorthaired Pointers. When we pulled up to the property, the owner opened up the barn doors, and out came 3 of the most adorable GSP puppies! One of them jumped right into Brian’s arms – we knew immediately she was coming home with us!
Can you pick out Cello in this pic?!
Cello is the ultimate water dog! If there is water in site, Cello must find her way into it…! Her entire body shivers with excitement with the site of water to jump into or lay in! Luckily we live on a lake, so she gets plenty of swimming and dock-diving time! We also keep a baby pool in the yard for her to lay in when she is not in “lake-mode.” She is also obsessed with soccer balls!! She has an outstanding personality, bringing smiles to people’s faces everywhere we go!
Why “Cello”? (pronounced CHELLO) …Cello’sfull name is “Tommy D’s Limoncello.” Tommy D was my Italian grandfather (my mother’s father), who passed away in 2007. He was quite the character to say the least, and was “famous” among his family and friends for his homemade Limoncello, with his “secret” recipe. Before he passed, “Pop Pop Tommy,” revealed his “secret” recipe. Brian, as well as other family members, have been carrying on the tradition of making homemade Limoncello ever since. Read all about Tommy D’s Limoncello HERE!
The Dog Days of Summer are upon us! With the onset of the heat and humidity, I’ve been asked recently by several different people where they could take their dog swimming to cool them off on hot summer days. This question got me thinking 3 things right off the bat:
(1) I need to appreciate where we live a bit more:
Cello is very lucky to have direct access to our lake to take her daily swims:
…and to play in the water alone or with friends…
…and to do what she loves most – dock diving!
(2) Just where in New Jersey CAN you take your dog to cool off if you do not have access to a pool, or other safe, clean body of water that is also in a dog friendly area?? Luckily, our good friend, and fellow GSP Rescue of NJ buddy, Ally, had done some of the work for me in a post she included on the GSP Rescue of NJ FaceBook page (Thanks, Ally!!)
…and …
(3) What can you do to keep your dog cool on a daily basis during the heat of the summer?
Before I include some suggestions for some dog-friendly swimming holes in New Jersey, and how to keep your pup cool in the heat, I wanted to share just why people say “Dog Days of Summer.” Being a dog-lover, I began to wonder why people chose this particular phrase. If you thought it was just a made-up saying like I did, think again! Thanks to The Weather Channel, and a little research, I found out what this term REALLY means, and where it originated. This term dates back to ancient times! “diēs caniculārēs,” or “days of the dogs” / “days of the dogs,” was what ancient people referred to as the period from the first week of July, to the second week of August.
Now that explains where the phrase originated, and when it started…but one still might ask, “Why dogs?” …Ever hear of the constellation, Orion?
Orion is often referred to as “The Hunter,” and is a noticeable constellation observable throughout the world. Close to Orion is the constellation Canis Major, which is Latin for “greater dog.” According to constellation fables, Canis Major is one of Orion’s hunting dogs.
Located within Canis Major is a star named Sirius, also known as the “Dog Star.” With the exception of our sun, Sirius is THE brightest star detectable from Earth. The vivid, blue-white star’s name originates from the Greek word for “searing.”
Because Sirius is so intense, it was effortless to trace, even for primitive astronomers. During April and early May, Sirius is evident in the southwest skies only after sunset. However, by the time mid-summer arrives, Sirius rises and falls with the sun. This would cause Sirius to “get lost” in the daytime skies. Nevertheless, the our ancestors knew that the “Dog Star” was still present in the sky, along with the sun, during the hottest time of the year. These primitive astronomers reasoned that since Sirius was so bright, and present in the sky with the sun, it must be contributing to the heat to produce the hottest time of the year.
Now what the ancient astronomers did not know, is that although Sirius is very vibrant, (according to Dr. Jon Nese, Penn State University professor, and former storm analyst for The Weather Channel, “Sirius is very luminous; if it suddenly replaced our sun, daylight on Earth would be about 25 times brighter than it is now)”… it’s energy (heat) does not affect Earth as much as the sun. Also, in spite of it’s brilliance, Sirius is also about half a million times farther away from Earth than our sun. As it turns out, our ancestors were not exact in their reasoning, but sure provided us with a cool saying for the hottest time of the year…and hey, it has to do with dogs – what’s cooler than that ?! 😉
OK, enough of the astronomy lesson, and onto WHERE you can bring your pup during the Dog Days of Summer. New Jersey is well-known for its beaches, so thanks to rescue pal, Ally, and the sweet, gorgeous Eve (a senior rescue!) here is a list of dog-friendly beaches in New Jersey in case you are vacationing at the Jersey Shore, or live close enough to drive to one of the beaches.
Eve enjoying a day at one of the dog-friendly beaches in New Jersey:
If you are not fond of the beach, here are two dog parks that I know of that also have a creek or lake for the dogs to swim in:
Timber Creek Dog Park, located at Chews Landing Rd and Somerdale Rd in Blackwood, NJ:
and Freedom Park, located at 86 Union Street, Medford, NJ:
Can’t get to a beach or other dog-friendly swimming area? Cello has some hot summer tips to keep cool during the Dog Days of Summer:
Let your pup have fun with a sprinkler, or mist them softly with a hose! (Dogs cool from from the bottom up, so be sure to mist Fido’s paws and stomach, not just the top of the dog. Also, a cool, wet towel on the ground for Fido to lay on does a great job too!)
(Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images
5. Buy a baby pool! Cello loves hers!
Exercise your dog in the early morning, or late at night. These are the cooler parts of the day, and will make a walk or jog more comfortable for both you and your dog. If you just can’t walk your dog during the early or late hours, pick up a pair of doggie boots. Just as they prevent damage to the dog’s paws in winter, these boots also protect Fido’s paws during the summer on hot surfaces like concrete or asphalt. Dogs absorb and release heat through their paws, so do Fido a favor and pick up some boots at your local pet supply store, or on-line.
Supply plenty of fresh water for your dog. Different dogs have different needs when it comes to keeping hydrated and beating the heat. Keep in mind that darker coats absorb more heat than lighter coats, and overweight dogs are at higher risk for dehydration.
(Flickr/bigbirdz)
Provide a shady area. Dogs rely on panting and resting in a shady place to keep cool in the heat.
Look for signs of dehydration: Dogs don’t “sweat” like us humans. They cool off by panting. An overheated dog will pant excessively, have a dark pink-to-red tongue, have a dry/tacky mouth, lift feet to avoid hot surfaces, will slow down on a walk, vomit, become lethargic, and its eyes will be bloodshot.
Let your dog dig! (I know, I know) – this is a behavior we normally try to s avoid, and if my husband, Brian, reads this post he will be screaming inside his head, I’m sure! Dogs dig for many reasons – a big one being frustration – but one reason is to keep cool. IF possible, (and IF your dog is not digging to escape, or out of frustration) maybe allow Fido to have a “special digging” spot in a shady area. Cello has been known to dig large holes in our yard and lay in the them to keep cool (sorry, Bri!) 🙂
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER leave a dog in a vehicle on even a warm day.The sun can heat a car to more than 110 degrees on a 75 degree day in no time…Even with the windows rolled down…so imagine the heat index inside a car on a really HOT day. The interior heat could rise over 40 degrees in an hour, and reach over 120 degrees in a matter of minutes. Dogs can sustain brain damage, or even die from heatstroke in just 15 minutes in that kind of heat. Think parking in a shady spot will help keep the temperature in your car down? – think again! Dogs can get heat stroke even when the car is parked in the shade. Forget the AC too… leaving the air conditioner on is no guarantee- not only could the air conditioner break, but you also run the risk of noxious fumes building up inside your car. Your dog’s life is never worth leaving them in the car for even a few minutes. When in doubt, leave Fido home!
If you see a dog left alone in a hot car, write down the car’s color, model, make, and license plate number. If the car is parked outside of a store, have the owner paged in the nearest buildings. If you cannot locate the owner immediately, call local humane authorities or police. Have someone keep an eye on the dog, and don’t leave the scene until the situation has been resolved. If the authorities are unresponsive, or too slow, and the dog’s life appears to be in imminent danger, find a witness (or several) who will back up your assessment, take steps to remove the suffering animal from the car, and then wait for authorities to arrive. Each state’s animal protection laws are different – get to know your sate’s laws HERE.
Most of all – don’t let these Dog Days of Summer get you or your pooch down…take advantage of the heat and spend some time cooling off with Fido, and doing some fun, bonding activities (like swimming) with your pup! Have fun, and keep cool!
Know any dog-friendly swimming areas in your state – or have some tips on how to keep dogs cool during the Dog Days of Summer? Please comment and share!
