Summer Activities for the shibas
Tonight we have (possibly the last) session with our behaviorist. I have learned a great deal about effective communication from him, but I feel that possibly it is time to learn some new lessons from other canine professionals.
This summer we have started Kitsune with agility basics in the backyard while trying to push a non-fearful approach to strangers on his behalf, and so far we've made fairly good progress with both. Our goal is to hire an agility trainer to help us work with Kitsune's natural ability on the equipment and to introduce him to an actual course. I'm really excited about this!
For Tsuki, I'm not really sure where we want to concentrate with her, I think she'd be a great hiker, possibly light pack carrier, because she has endless energy. BUT - she has grade 1 LP, what sort of advice can anyone give me about weight distribution in a pack for her?
We have an empty pack that we put on Kitsune that fits Tsuki, and occasionally we'll put empty plastic grocery bags in it for clean up but that's all we would put into it.
Hachi, she still has a ways to go, she's not quite blossomed yet. But she is letting us see more and more of her true colors as the days go by. We have noticed that she A. LOVES to walk, B. is food driven and C. is more tolerant of meeting new people than she is new dogs. She put a dog into his place yesterday that was off lead (I hate people that don't care) and came barreling up to her, in her face, she snarled and should and could have lunged at him but only snapped quick to get him away from her. It's amazing the language barrier that is no longer since seeing the behaviorist! I knew what she was doing!
Since she is low key and very good with people of all ages, I'm thinking perhaps therapy dog once she gets through her obedience certifications.. which we plan to start in early August.
What types of traits should I be looking for in her to be a good therapy dog?
Or is there such a thing that someone in a wheel chair can walk her or something where we can use her walking in her therapeutic services?
What other training options are there for 18lb dogs?
Are your dogs doing much over the summer?
This summer we have started Kitsune with agility basics in the backyard while trying to push a non-fearful approach to strangers on his behalf, and so far we've made fairly good progress with both. Our goal is to hire an agility trainer to help us work with Kitsune's natural ability on the equipment and to introduce him to an actual course. I'm really excited about this!
For Tsuki, I'm not really sure where we want to concentrate with her, I think she'd be a great hiker, possibly light pack carrier, because she has endless energy. BUT - she has grade 1 LP, what sort of advice can anyone give me about weight distribution in a pack for her?
We have an empty pack that we put on Kitsune that fits Tsuki, and occasionally we'll put empty plastic grocery bags in it for clean up but that's all we would put into it.
Hachi, she still has a ways to go, she's not quite blossomed yet. But she is letting us see more and more of her true colors as the days go by. We have noticed that she A. LOVES to walk, B. is food driven and C. is more tolerant of meeting new people than she is new dogs. She put a dog into his place yesterday that was off lead (I hate people that don't care) and came barreling up to her, in her face, she snarled and should and could have lunged at him but only snapped quick to get him away from her. It's amazing the language barrier that is no longer since seeing the behaviorist! I knew what she was doing!
Since she is low key and very good with people of all ages, I'm thinking perhaps therapy dog once she gets through her obedience certifications.. which we plan to start in early August.
What types of traits should I be looking for in her to be a good therapy dog?
Or is there such a thing that someone in a wheel chair can walk her or something where we can use her walking in her therapeutic services?
What other training options are there for 18lb dogs?
Are your dogs doing much over the summer?
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Comments
You have a lot planned for your Shibas, and it all sounds like fun.
Jake will spend his summer playing as often as possible., socializing with people and other dogs, and just having fun during these young years, probably 'cause that's all his little attention span can handle right now.
This summer, Koshi and Harlow will be going to dog parks with a lot of shade and will probably be enjoying early evening walks when it has cooled down. We also know every trail around here where you can walk mostly in the shade of trees. Shibas seem to not take direct sunlight heat very well. Our Malamutes did fine on sunny day summer walks, but maybe their double coat worked better as an insulator against heat than the Shibas'
We'd take them to the beach but neither one is very excited about going in the ocean or the river that flows into the ocean.
I take him to a park near our house and it has a small river. Soon as he sees the water he starts running and pulling on his lead. I wish i could let him off his leash but i dont trust him. He is a bolter. I bought one of those 16' retractable leashes for him just so he could swim. I go in to my knees and he goes crazy swimming and climbing on rocks and jumping in. I would like to take him to the ocean sometime or a lake or something where he could really swim. Or if i had a pool i guess....
She is going to be difficult to train I think, she's eager to please and food driven, but she's still so distracted. I think a small, formal obedience class will really help us make headway with her!!
How has Ninja been doing?
Non reactiveness first and foremost. MY trainer tests by banging canes and walkers very close to the dog. She honks horns, shouts, rolls wheel chairs, even has shot starter pistols. The dog must remain CALM amongst the chaos.
Then your dog needs to be able to be handled by just about anyone, just about anywhere on their body.
Your dog cannot jump on people. And needs to be able to hold a quality sit-stay, and down-stay.
She also needs to at least be dog-tolerant.
Once I learned about what was required of my dogs, I ruled out Moto, and most likely Miko (I am training her for it, but won't bother to certify her until she is probably about three, and only if she calms down.)
Piglet will begin her certification testing in the next couple months.
Tsuki, maybe, but like Miko, I wouldn't try to certify her until she was older, she's the only dog in the house to get her CGC. But she's still a jumper!
Hachi I can't rule out yet, I think she has that potential, she is dog tolerant, just will not shy away from putting a rude dog in its place. I hope that in the coming months, or years, she will be less reactive to new scenarios and noises and perhaps we will pursue it when she is ready.
How many times a year do female shibas go into heat?
Are split heats common among younger female dogs? I hadn't heard of split heat until this morning!!