Seacoast DockDogs Hosts “Hops and Hounds” at Raitt Homestead Farm Museum; Eliot, Maine

Posted on June 16, 2019 by Cello's Corner | 2 Comments

This was our first time competing at this event. We were super-excited since we were able to camp on the Raitt Homestead Farm Museum for the entire weekend!

Limoncello: Team Coach

In between yelling at the boys and after the competition, Cello had a chance to jump off the dock and swim in the pool. In our eyes, she won 1st Place for prettiest girl on the dock this weekend.

Hooch

Hooooooooooooch had a great weekend! He is brand new to competing in Speed Retrieve and Iron Dog AND to learning the Chase Method during Big Air … and he rocked the dock in all 3 areas, despite the mistakes his Mama made, and with him being a beginner in all three “new” games! We have a lot to work on as a team, but I am so proud of this little guy!!

Big Air:

20’3″

22’0″

Finals:

21’2″ 🥉3rd Place Elite Division Big Air Finals

Extreme Vertical:

6’0″ 🥉3rd Place Top Gun Division

Speed Retrieve:

6.690 seconds 🏅New Personal Best score!

Iron Dog:

2939.05 points 🥈2nd Place Gladiator Division
🥉Out of all the competitors this weekend, Hooch won 3 Place Overall in the Iron Dog competition!

Lager

Lager started off the weekend in a little bit of a slump, and was hesitating a bit on the dock. He pulled it together by the end of the competition though!

Big Air:

17’6″

17’8″ 2nd Place Senior Division

19’10” 1st Place Senior Division

Finals:

20’1″ 🥇1st Place Senior Division Big Air Finals

Speed Retrieve:

7.310 seconds 🥉3rd Place Turbo Division Speed Retrieve

The announcer at this event was a Massachusettes Law Enforcement Officer, and he “coined” Lager! The history of “coining” began in the ancient Roman army, where coins were presented as rewards. The U.S. tradition goes back to the 1960’s. A member of hte 11th SFG over-stamped old coins with a new emblem. The 10th SFG was the fist to mint a custom coin and remained the only Army unit with its own coin until the 1980’s. Originally the coins were given to recognized outstanding achievements. They are now used to build unit morale and cohesion. During the Vietnam Era, the “challenge-response” was added to the tradition. A soldier can be “challenged” to show his or her unit coin. Those that cannot have to “buy a round.”

Margarita: Team Cheerleader

Sweet Reet took a break from cheering on the team and caught up on some beauty rest this weekend in preparation to kick some Lymphoma butt this week!!! 💪🏼.

Whiskey

Despite the brand new toys Mom bought for this competition, Wish the Fish decided she would rather be a Land Shark this weekend, and timed-out in her jumps.

Porter: Team Manager

Porter had a great day of napping and taking walks around the farm on Saturday.

However, even though his meds have just been increased, the second night on the farm around 10pm he had another series of seizures. Luckily, his emergency injection of Midazolam brought him out of the seizures and he did not have to go to the ER. It had been 20 days since his last episode.

Overall, we had a great trip to Maine and enjoyed this competition!

11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry War Dog Memorial: The Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, PA

Posted on November 24, 2017 by Cello's Corner | 8 Comments

We took Lager to the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry War Dog Memorial located in The Gettysburg National Military Park .

Location: Gettysburg, PA
Sculptor: E. A. Kretschman
Dedicated: 12/13/1901

“Sallie,” a brindle Staffordshire Bull Terrier, was the regimental mascot for the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Given to 1st Lt William R. Terry as a four-week old puppy, Sallie grew up among the men of the regiment. Sallie followed the men on marches and to the battlefield. At the Battle of Gettysburg, the dog got separated from the unit. Unable to find her way, Sallie returned to the Union battle line at Oak Ridge, where she stood guard over the dead and wounded. The dog continued her faithful service through February, 1865, when she was struck by a bullet to her head in the battle of Hatcher’s Run, Virginia. She was buried on the field of battle. For her devotion to the men, Sallie is memorialized at the 11th Pennsylvania monument erected at Gettysburg.”

*All information obtained from the Vietnam Dog Handler Association ( http://www.vdha.us/content15795.html )

War Dog Memorial: Knoxville, TN (University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine)

Posted on October 24, 2017 by Cello's Corner | 2 Comments

While we were in Knoxville for the DockDogs World Championship, we were fortunate enough to have enough time to take Lager to visit this wonderful War Dog Memorial.

This noble Doberman Pinscher represents hundreds of heroic war dogs that served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II.

This Memorial is an exact replica of the official memorial in Guam, was donated to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine by Dr. Maurice Acree July 17, 1998.

It honors not only the war dogs, but symbolizes the special connection people share with dogs.

We will continue to get Lager to every War Dog Memorial we can throughout his retirement years with us. Click below to see the other Memorials Lager has already visited.

Click HERE to see a list of all the War Dog Memorials in the United States.

Margarita’s Therapy Dog Workshop: WonderDogs in Berlin, NJ

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Cello's Corner | 4 Comments

Brian and I think Margarita would make a great Therapy Dog, but we were unsure of the requirements, OR if Rita would truly make a good candidate for this type of work.

Last night we took her to a Therapy Dog workshop at WonderDogs in Berlin, NJ, where we have taken both Limoncello and Hooch for obedience training when they were young pups. (Click HERE to see Limoncello’s graduation from Puppy Head Start class at WonderDogs, click HERE to see Hooch’s graduation from Puppy Head Start class, and click HERE to see Hooch’s graduation from the Terrible Teens class at WonderDogs!)

Jenny and Rita getting ready to start the first activity at the Therapy Dog Workshop:

Margarita lovers her “place” mat, and was a well-behaved, attentive student:

The instructor, Judith Azaren, focused on a variety of skills, including:

Greeting/Disengaging on cue
Working calmly around other dogs
Handler engagement techniques
Moving exercises
Distraction work including dogs, people, wheelchair, walker, etc
Physical handling
Stress signals

We feel as though Margarita did very well for her first time being presented with the tasks that were covered in this workshop.

Margarita quickly learned to look at me to earn a reward when she discovers staged piles of treats on the floor. Therapy dogs come across many items on a floor, such as medication/pills accidentally dropped on the floor. It is imperative that the dogs look to the handler rather than ingest what they find:

Here is Margarita weaving past other dogs, and not engaging:

Rita practiced loose-leash walking:

Margarita did well working around distractions such as crutches, wheel chairs, walkers, and a vacuum cleaner:

Margarita picked up on the “touch” game very quickly! Each time she touched my hand with her snout, she earned a treat. That was a fun game for her!

Here she is working on “touch” while not engaging with other dogs as they walk by:

Working on “touch:”

We have already contacted several Therapy Pet Registering organizations in order to start the process of Margarita’s evaluation and registration. We are hoping that with some additional training and practice, we will be able to have Margarita certified as a Therapy Dog so that she can help provide affection and comfort to those in need!

Do you think your dog or pet may be a good candidate for becoming a Therapy Dog? Each organization has different requirements, so be sure to do your research. Here are some of the most well-known for therapy pets (click on the names below to be directed to the organizations’ website):

Barn Hunt Trial: Pawsable K-9 Events, Millstone Township, NJ

Posted on August 27, 2016 by Cello's Corner | Leave a comment

Our second Barn Hunt Association trial was held at Pawsable K-9 Events.

Both Limoncello and Margarita did very well this weekend! Both gals ran 2 Novice runs, and both secured one qualifying Novice score toward their Novice title. The Novice level requires the dogs to find the tube containing the rat, complete a tunnel, and have all-fours up on a hay bale (in no particular order) within two minutes. Cello and Rita will need two more qualifying scores to earn their Novice title.

Margarita

Instinct Run: Qualified! 13.53 seconds (new Personal Best!)

*For those of you wondering why we participated at the Instinct level when Rita is already titled at this level, you are allowed to still do an Instinct run to get your pup warmed up as long as the dog has not titled in Novice.

Novice Run 1: Qualified! 1:44.71 seconds

Novice Run 2: Rita completed the tunnel, and before she could attempt the hay bale climb, Jenny jumped-the-gun and called the wrong

location of the rat.

Rita’s First Qualifying Novice Score Ribbon!

Limoncello

Instinct Run: Brian called the wrong location of the rat.

*For those of you wondering why we participated at the Instinct level when Cello is already titled at this level, you are allowed to still do an Instinct run to get your pup warmed up as long as the dog has not titled in Novice.

Novice Run 1: Qualified! 1:50.82 seconds

Novice Run 2: Cello executed the tunnel and the hay bale climb, but Brian called the wrong location of the rat.

Brian and Cello in Novice Run 2:

Cello’s First Qualifying Novice Score Ribbon!