Showing posts with label obedience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obedience. Show all posts

Sunday, 3 February 2013

a blind dog does obedience performance

Today at the Melbourne Pet Expo, I saw an interesting new type of obedience training. It's called Rally O. It seems to involve basic obedience movements, and is reputed to be a more relaxed sport than traditional obedience (which Penny and I found stressful in the extreme). I've Googled the sport, but can't find lots of specific information about it so far.

As I was leaning on the fence watching handlers and dogs go around the course, I was amazed to realise that the dog I was observing was completely blind.



If you look closely, you will see that he had no eyes at all. His tail wagged happily the entire time he performed, in the noisy environment. What a great relationship he has with his owner.

I so wish I could show you a video of him performing, but I filmed it with my iPhone and it comes out all stretched and weird. If anyone knows a way I could put it on the Net for you to see, I'd love to hear.


Saturday, 14 November 2009

rules for dogs living with humans

Teal'c put a comment on my last post about breaking rules, and I realised I had probably given the impression that anything goes in our house. (I'm really enjoying reading Teal'c's blog, by the way.)

I have to set the record straight. We just didn't know there are rules about not playing inside the house.

Unfortunately for Penny, we know lots of other rules - walking nicely on lead (just haven't managed to teach that one very well); leaving food found on the street (hmmm... not doing so well on that one); sitting before crossing a street (five years and still have to demand this at each street corner); not barking at possums in the trees at night (well, can't expect Penny to neglect her important job of keeping creatures out of our pack's territory).

Wait a minute, there must be some rules we've succeeded with.

Okay, let's think... wait for the command to eat from the food bowl; stay with your humans if off-lead; stay in the one spot if told to 'wait'; give up the tug-toy if the human says 'mine'; obey all commands at agility events; follow flyball rules; 'come' if called.

Okay, now I'm feeling a bit better about this 'rules' thing, lol. Penny's a determined dog, one who likes to please us, but not one who makes conformity the central motivation of her life.

She's great fun to live with.