Friday, October 26, 2012

Our dogs at work

Tango (Brussels Griffon, on the left) and Teddy (French Bulldog, right) struck this pose a couple of days ago here in the shop. I bring Tango to work three days a week and Hope brings Ted one or two days. Distraction? Sure, but the dogs make sure we don't sit for too long, staring at a computer screen. For five or ten minutes an hour we're forced to get up and play with a dog, or practice a tricky maneuver we learned in class the evening before. When Dax (also a French Bulldog) is here, she naps a lot and, like most Frenchies, snores. Many people might find it annoying. Hope and I find Dax snoring soothing. Actually, it makes me want to get on the bench and nap with her! - Fran

Friday, October 19, 2012

Training really can be fun

Last weekend Tango and I were at an agility trial and Tango qualifed in his first Standard run of the weekend! Woohoo! I was so happy. Not just that we qualified, but because he ran fairly well all weekend. It's been a hard road since March, the last time that he qualified in anything. Constant training, fun matches and more training. I've found that Tango responds best to clicker training. Our favorite clicker is Karen Pryor's iClick - http://www.gollygear.com/iclick.htm - it fits well in the hand, is easy to click, and it's not too loud. Patience is so hard, but it's crucial in training Tango. I can't be angry, or get frustrated. He's very operant, so I have to wait, and wait, and when I see a behavior I like, I click and give him a cookie. Hopefully he'll come back to that behavior and offer more! And more, and more ... And while one qualifying run out of four is not a superlative showing, it's better than none! More training and fun matches are needed! - Fran

Friday, October 05, 2012

Tango helps at work!

First thing in the morning, here at Golly Gear, we print out orders, fill and pack them. When Tango is here with me, he's a big help! When he's not trying to steal a toy for himself, he walks through the racks with me picking the items for orders. He's a big help, as you can see. Sticking his fuzzy head in the bin, making sure the squeakers work and all the limbs and ears are securely attached! - Fran