#throwbackthursday
Six years ago to do the day I got my first ever proper working dog - Tex, the #springerspaniel
I learned a lot from Tex as a young dog trainer, especially how you shouldn’t try and put a “square peg in a round hole”. Tex was touted to be an explosive detection dog, but his talents aligned more with finding people in distress than hidden explosives - so he became a search and rescue dog with the South Australian Fire and Rescue.
In the photo where he and I are sitting on a pile of broken concrete, I had just driven him from Melbourne to Adelaide to be with his new handler. I think about him often, but I know he’s having a great life and giving it absolutely everything he’s got.
#tex #searchandrescue #myfirstworkingdog #workingdog #dogtraining #kowabunga #kowabungak9s
#loco #bob #jackrussell #germanshorthairedpointer #waterretrieve #dogtraining #kowabunga #kowabungak9s #canigetahawwwwhyeahhh
With the weather warming up, it unfortunately means that I can’t always take the dogs to work with me. So, to tire them out a bit while they have to stay at home, we head out early before it’s too hot and play their absolute favourite game. What I have here is called a flirt pole. You can buy them pre-made, but I wouldn’t recommend it as they are generally not built to last, so I get equipment from bunnings or a hardware store and make them myself. If I can do it, everyone else on the planet is more than capable of doing the same thing. It’s a great way to have fun with your dogs, and they will be exhausted 10-15 minutes in if you’re doing it right! Even better still, when your dog becomes addicted to the game, their motivation to play the game ensures you can involve obedience to keep your dog’s mind ticking over and build a strong and trusting relationship. Another benefit to using flirt poles, is that you don’t need a heap of space for the game to be effective. So, if you’re worried about your dog not getting enough stimulation or exercise, introduce them to a flirt pole. You can thank me later.
