Bridle Trails

The month of demos is finally over and I think everyone's ready for a break. Bridle trails went great and we had nice weather. Of course I forgot to charge up the camers so there's only a few pictures.

A Week of Box Work

Check out Kess's daily progress . . . coments and suggestions welcome.

Day 1 http://youtube.com/watch?v=GtUEc6P36qo
Day 2 http://youtube.com/watch?v=zpUYj5oUlL0
Day 3 http://youtube.com/watch?v=3eVxe0p98dU
I like todays configuration of props the best. I took down the left side upright and used something more substantial than the cone to force Kess out and around. I was able to release her from further back and did not have to be on her inside to keep her from cutting in.
Day 4 http://youtube.com/watch?v=KJ1hqy2Ades
I used the same set-up as day 3 and got nice smooth turns right from the start. I guess I'll be hauling my basket to practice :) Kess is now consistently getting all four feet on the box and turning in a smooth motion. She only had one bobble in 20 reps. Unfortunatly my deck does not afford enough space to see what happens if she has some speed built up, but that's what practice is for.

Mt. Vernon Local Disc Dog Competition

Cascade Comets Kess takes first place in distance and accuracy. Check out some pics of the high flying fun

U-what???

The comets are headed for their first U-fli tournament on May 26th. This organization is new to the area and offers a more dynamic racing structure with singles, pairs, and team competition. No club affiliation is necessary for participation making it easier for flyball enthusiasts in areas without teams to compete. I'm not sure if one region can support two different leagues as it seems like every weekend is already full, but time will tell.

Heat Stress

As we move into summer it's important to know the symptoms of heat stress in our animal companions and how to administer first aid when necessary.

Dogs mainly cool themselves by panting. Air is draw in through the nose and out through the mouth. As the air travels over the throat, trachea, and tongue moisture evaporates allowing the heat to be released. A dogs normal body temperature is between 100.5 and 102.5 degrees. If the body temperature rises above 105 degrees the dog is at risk of developing heat exhaustion if the temperature rises to 107 degrees the dog will experience heat stroke. Heat stroke is extremely dangerous and a veterinarian should be contacted immediately.

The signs of overheating:

-excessive panting for long periods of time

-squinting eyes or shaking head

-abnormal gait or unsteady walking

-tongue is abnormally red

Things to have in your first aid kit:

-thermometer

-rubbing alcohol

-instant cold packs

How to prevent heat exhaustion:

-never leave a dog in the car unattended

-allow your dog access to shade

-only crate your dog in open wire crates to maximize air flow

-provide plenty of drinking water

-provide a childs wading pool for the dog to lay in

-exercise the dog in the morning or evening to avoid high temperatures.

What to do if heat exhaustion occurs:

-move the dog to the shade

-allow the dog to lay in water of spray down the feet, forelegs, armpits, and belly of animal.

***Do not place the dog in ice water. This will constrict the blood vessels reducing blood flow and heat loss.

-do not place anything over the dog including wet towels as they restrict the airflow through the fur, causing the heat to be trapped.

-allow the dog to drink small amounts of water

-turn on a fan to increase air flow

-if there is no way to wet down the entire dog you can apply rubbing alcohol to the feet and belly. Rubbing alcohol evaporates very quickly pulling the heat from the dog.

-cold packs can also be applied to the underarms and belly to increase cooling.

-monitor the dogs temperature to stop the cooling process as soon as the temperature returns to normal.

Getting Organized

Over time it's easy to let training logs and schedules fall by the wayside as a group falls into a comfortable pattern. Then something comes along and reminds you that they were a good idea. We've given our practices a spring cleaning and developed all manner of organizational aids, which so far have really helped keep things moving. We shaved an hour off of our practice time while still allowing everyone to work their dogs both individually and in line-ups. Switching to the schedule has also helped get everyone on the team focused on solving training issues with individual dogs and we're really starting to see some results.

All of the new dogs are progressing well and will compete as one team at the next tournament. It should be lots of fun and will give them a chance to show what they can do.

Cascade Comets Roll Call