Basic Manners Class

A few quick pics from Basic Manners class this week.

Herding Breed

The Herding Breed Group includes:
Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Shepherd
Bearded Collie
Beauceron
Belgian Sheepdog
Belgian Malinois
Belgian Tervuren
Border Collie

Collie

Old English Sheepdog
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Shetland Sheepdog


The Herding Breed group has an extremely high need for daily exercise and mental activity.  This group was bred to have a high chase and prey drive, making it difficult for these dogs to become desensitized to the activities of moving objects.  Without sufficient physical and mental exercise, these dogs are highly likely to develop behaviors such as barking, tail and animal chasing, fence running, digging, pacing, or aggression.

Visit the American Kennel Club's website for a full list of the Herding Breed Group and more information.

Rainbow and sunset

Dog fun with a beautiful rainbow at Kapalua Bay.

Double rainbow at Kapalua Bay.

Sunset at Napili Bay.

Sunset and fetch with Caravaggio.

Happy boy Caravaggio at Napili Bay.

Working Breeds

The Working Breed group includes:
Akita

Bullmastiff
Boxer
Doberman Pinscher
German Pinscher
Great Dane
Great Pyrenees

Mastiff
Newfoundland
Portugueses Water Dog
Rottweiler
Saint Bernard
Samoyed
Siberian Husky
Standard Schnauzer

Some basic characteristics of the working breed include an independent nature, a dominant disposition, and a tendency to become territorial and possessive.  Because these dogs were bred to work independently and do jobs like guarding and protecting people, they tend to become dominant.  It is important for an owner of this breed type to show strong, consistent leadership.  Because of this breed groups independent nature, you may see them as stubborn durning training.  It is important when training these breeds to follow the the training tool of "No Free Lunch" policy.  This means that these dogs must always work for something, and never be given anything for free.  Even if it is something as simple as sitting and waiting to be released to eat their dinner, they must work for it.

Visit the American Kennel Club's website for a full list of the Working Breed Group and more information.

Dog training

A few cute pics from dog training lessons and classes this week.

Cousin Visit

My cousin Terri and her friend, Steven, came for a visit.

We had lots of fun.  Here are a few pics from their trip.

Steven and Terri's first swim at Napili Bay.

Caravaggio had to join in too.

Waiting for the Kapalua Zip Line tour.

Terri and Athena sunset in Kaanapali.

It rained during our Luau, but we still had a great time!

Steven and Terri at Honolua Bay.

Sunset in Lahaina.

Terri and Athena.

Terri and Steven.

Thanks for the visit guys!  Hope to see you again soon.

Sporting Breeds

The Sporting Breed includes the following:
American Water Spaniel
Brittany

Cocker Spaniel
Curly-Coat Retriever
English Setter
English Springer Spaniel
German Wirehaired Pointer
Golden Retriever
Irish Setter
Irish Water Spaniel
Labordor Retriever
Pointer
Vizsla
Weimaraner


Some common characteristics of the Sporting Breed Group include a high need for daily exercise and high distractibility.  A walk around the block every day is not nearly enough exercise for this type of dog. Sporting breeds have been bred to notice and react to everything going on around them.  Having high distractibility offers this breed an advantage to notice and find birds and other game, however can make it difficult for them to focus on basic obedience exercises.

You can visit the American Kennel Club website for more information and a full list of the Sporting Breed Group.

Dog Socialization

Some cute dog socialization pics from the past week/

Devo, Caravaggio, and puppy Maile.

Maile and Manu (both Mini Australian Shepherd puppies).

Nalu and Caravaggio.

Devo and Caravaggio at Kapalua Bay.

We're good at finding rainbows.

Caravaggio and Devo on a hike.

Puppy playtime with Maile and Manu.

Remembering Nekita

When a family pet passes away, it is important to do some things for yourself to help remember and honor them.  When I had to say Goodbye to Nekita, it was the most difficult time of my life.  It has now been almost a month, and I am finally getting to the point where I am not continually filled with sorrow.  It is important to find ways to help yourself heal after such a loss.  

For me, I have chosen to remember Nekita by getting her portrait tattooed on my arm.  Furthermore, her paw print will remain part of my Such Good Dogs logo, and her picture will remain on our Such Good Dogs car, even when we re-do it.

We also finally received her ashes back last week.  We took the other two dogs hiking in one of Nekita's favorite spots and spread her ashes from the rocks into the ocean.  It was hard and sad and I cried, but it was also very helpful to get a little bit of closure.  Nekita's favorite thing was the ocean, and it brings me comfort and joy knowing that she will forever be part of the ocean.

The spot where we spread Nekita's ashes at sunset.

Nekita's is the middle paw print in my Such Good Dogs logo.

Such Good Dogs car.

Nekita & Caravaggio with the car after a hike.

Nekita memorial tattoo by Monica Painter.

The picture the tattoo portrait was based off.

This is also the picture of Nekita currently on the SGDs car.

Devo, Nekita, & Caravaggio at Kapalua Bay (not long before she passed).

Athena with Nekita, Devo, & Caravaggio.