Welcome!

Welcome!! This is a journal about my dogs and what we do.

What I want to say in this first post is a bit about how this site and others got started.  In 2008, Teddy wasn’t doing so good so I started playing with this “blogger” thing and created a site for him which led to sites for the others (gotta be fair, ya know)  ….. Olivia,  Ari,  Brita  and Kobie.  All my dogs now have something (website, memorial, photo albums) that you can see by clicking each photo in the sidebar (if you are viewing the web version) or click the next post if you are looking at this on your mobile phone.

Jake's site (click for site) is the most active right now (2022) with new posts in addition to the facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/laurelstone). At 12 years old, he is the last living of them all.

This site was a work in progress and soon became a source of information for people.  When people asked a question I would write a post to answer it which led to a post to summarize the questions.  It goes on… check the sidebar for this type of information.*** 

There you have it – the WHY of this website – journal – blog – whatever you want to call it!  For more general site go to "Thanks for your Interest"!!  

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***Because of the links on the sidebar, it is best viewed on a web browser either on your computer or by clicking "View Web Version" at the bottom of your screen on your mobile phone.

My Dogs and their websites!

MOOKIE THE MUDI  2022

Click here for Mookie's website

Click here for Mookie's photos

THE JAKESTER 2009  

Click here for Jake's website

Click here for Jake's photos        

MISS BRITA 2006-2020

Click here for Brita's website

Click here for Brita's photos

SWEET OLIVIA 1999-2012

Click here for Olivia's website

Click here for Olivia's memorial

Click here for Olivia's photos

KOBIE-GIRL 2001-2011

Click here for Kobie's website

Click here for Kobie's memorial

Click here for Kobie's photos

ARI-MAN 1999-2009

Click here for Ari's website

Click here for Ari's journal

Click here for Ari's memorial

Click here for Ari's photos

TEDDY EDWARD 1999-2009

Click here for Teddy's website

Click here for Teddy's memorial

Click here for Teddy's photos

TORI- tori  2003-2009

Click here for Tori's website

Click here for Tori's photos

JOSEPHINE AKA. "THE PRINCESS" 1991-2003

Click photo for Josephine's memorial

Click here for Josephine's photos

K9 Companion Training Course

The K9 Companion class began as an entry level training course for dogs that are 6 months or older. The concepts, however, can be used for all ages of dogs including puppies.

The class introduces you to reward-based training techniques that will help you communicate to your dog a basic vocabulary of commands and will strengthen the bond you have with your dog to help make him or her a better house companion. 

Please review all the weeks because information in latter weeks make be useful immediately. Certainly there are various sequences in which the exercises may be taught and you should do what works best for you and your K9 Companion.

CLICK PHOTO TO ACCESS THE COURSE!

PLEASE NOTE:  This course MUST be viewed on a web browser to access the material in a logical manner.  

You can do this from a computer or by scrolling down on a phone and click "VIEW WEB VERSION".

Peace to all...

I believe I was visited a few years ago by the spirits of the dogs in the cover photo to help me write this poem because I certainly couldn't have done it by myself.

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Jake and Brita were searching for not just a mouse.
Their stockings were hung by the fridge with care,
In hopes that mom Laurel would willingly share.

In just a short time they were snug in their beds,
While visions of chipmunks danced in their heads.
It wasn't just chipmunks they dreamed of that night,
But also the rabbits who they made take flight.

In a short time there arose such a clatter
They jumped from the couch to see what was the matter.
And there to their wondering eyes did appear
The spirits of others that used to live here.

First, there was Josie who made the most noise,
Chasing the others, especially the boys.
But Ari and Teddy would not let her run
Because they decided she'd stifle their fun.

Tori was circling to see what to do
When Kobie and Liver quickly ran through.
Then they ALL came together to join in a song
While Brita and Jake, wide eyed, looked on.

The message they brought on that night of a birth
Was of PEACE and GOOD WILL to all on the earth.
This message was clear to those who would listen,
As clear as the snow which often would glisten.

And then, in the distance, was the sound of a whistle
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But they were heard to exclaim as they flew out of sight,
"Peace to all of God's creatures, and to all a good-night!"

Some you never forget…

Ari – 1999 - 2009

Also in these photos is Brita when 2 years old and Ari was 8.

Happy Easter 2017

Recycled a photo from a few years ago!! 

A Walk in the Yard

Jake and Brita enjoying spring!

Jake digging in the woods

Brita watching Jake dig in the woods!

(Click links for video shots)

The TAIL shot!

Jake and Brita - 7 years ago today Facebook tells me!! Check out that tail! He was 3 months old!

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A Dock Dog title and WORLDS!

5 jumps in the Junior class earns him a title!   For more about Jake’s Dock Dog adventures go to www.RockStarJake.com !!

Cabela’s Independence Splash

• Big Air Wave # 2, Wed Jul 15, 12:00 pm  CDT 13’5”  2nd place  Junior
• Big Air Wave # 3, Wed Jul 15, 02:00 pm  CDT 13’2”  3rd place  Junior

Winnebago County Fair - Wild Card Event

• Big Air Wave # 1, Tue Aug 04, 06:00 pm  CDT 14’2” 1st place Junior
• Big Air Wave # 2, Wed Aug 05, 12:00 pm  CDT  14’3”  1st place  Junior 
• Big Air Wave # 3, Wed Aug 05, 02:00 pm  CDT  13’5”  3rd place  Junior  New title – Junior
• Big Air Wave # 6, Thu Aug 06, 12:00 pm  CDT 12’4” 2nd Junior
• Big Air Wave # 10, Fri Aug 07, 11:00 am  CDT  16’6” 2nd place Senior (personal best!

Average jump at the Fair was about 14 feet which was close to the top of the Junior division without going over it.  This earned Jake an invitation to the World Championship in November in Dubuque Iowa!!

 

Brita and the skunk!

It's a skunk... it's smelly! I took a pitchfork and hoisted it over the fence at the end of the yard. Brita needed a bath with peroxide, baking soda and dish detergent! I couldn't get to sleep so got up about 1 to go to the bathroom and she went out. After a bit I heard her barking at the end of the yard. A bit later I smelled skunk and immediately got up to close doors so Jake couldn't get out. Went back to be and then thought I should close doors so she can't get in! Apparently she brought to about 40 feet from the back of the house and the smell came in the window and Jake and I had to sleep in the living room because it was so bad! It's been an eventful day!

 Here is the secret recipe that WORKS. Mix the following:

• 1 quart 3 percent hydrogen peroxide
• 1/4 cup baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
• 1 teaspoon liquid soap or dish detergent
• Mix these together and bathe ("shampoo" in or rub down) the spray victim thoroughly.
• Be sure to use this mixture immediately after it is created, as it is unstable.
• Let sit for five minutes and rinse with tap water afterward, and repeat if necessary.
• For spray in the eyes, flush with water as soon as possible.

If you can't go to all of the trouble of buying hydrogen peroxide at your local drug store, then a 2% vinegar solution will help a bit. But please, don't bother with the old tomato juice tactic unless you want to smell like skunk + tomato.

Here are some additional tips:

• Flush the eyes first, with a turkey baster, or garden hose, or just by pouring water out of a cup.
• Before washing, wear rubber dish gloves and old clothes, and if possible, wash the dog outside.
• Don't rinse the dog wet first. This solution will work better if applied directly and concentrated. The skunk spray is actually somewhat oily, and the detergent in the dish soap will help break up the oils.

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WDC Banquet and Awards

Winnegamie Dog Club always does a wonderful job of acknowledging members' achievements by adding AKC titles to a perpetual plaque and awarding certificates for other wins and achievements. Last year was Jake's year in Barn Hunt Association, LLC so he added a list of titles to his plaque and had a pile of certificates awarded to him! I'm so proud of him and he truly lives up to his nickname "Rock Star Jake"!

Added to Jake's plaque were the following Barn Hunt titles: RATO, RATS, RATM, RATCH, RATCHX, and RATCHX2.

Certificates were awarded for:

• 29 1st place wins (15 high in Class), 11 2nd place wins and 2 ***3rd place wins (one certificate as per my request!)
• 1st dog to achieve RATCHX in Barn Hunt
• 2nd dog to achieve RATCHX2 in Barn Hunt
• 2nd place in Master at Nationals
• 1st place in Senior at Nationals (personal best of 77 seconds)
• 2nd place and Silver Medal at Nationals

Christmas 2014

From us to you!!

 

 

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More swimming!

 

Happy Turkey Day 2014

We took a walk in the yard and the Jake and Brita did some hunting!  It was a great sunny day – well – great for January probably but regardless, the SUN was out and it was NOT snowing!!

 

 

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SwimDogs Jake and Brita

What to do on the day after the first snow storm of the season??  Go swimming!   This is our first visit of many I hope.  The goal is therapeutic swimming to maintain Jake's and Brita's muscles and also for fun we'd like to do  some Dock Diving!!

Swim Dog Wellness Center

Brita has a pink life jacket on and Jake has a green one!

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Really, Jake….

OK…  follow me on this…  the container in the pictures was upside down where Jake is standing in the first picture.  When we went out in the yard Jake KNEW there was something underneath it so was fixated on it.   Brita and I walked by and he was digging away.  As Brita and I get to the other end of the yard I started calling and whistling for Jake because I wanted him to get some running in but he didn’t come.  ok..  I figure hunting won which usually doesn’t happen.

       

As we head back to the house we see and pass by the upside down container about 4 feet away from where it was when he was digging.  I figured he got something and is somewhere in the yard with it recalling one time that he took about 30 minutes to eat a rabbit.  More calling…  no Jake.  Then it dawns on me….  he took whatever it was he got into the house! (eewww…  recalling the rabbit, squirrel, dove, and possum)  So …..Brita and I walk into the garage, through the first floor, down through the basement and out to the garage ….  no Jake. 

As we head back out to the yard and pass by the container I said to Brita “what’s under there” as I lifted the corner up.  Much to her delight a LIVE mouse runs out…  (temporarily live mouse) so now Brita is very interested and I’m wondering what really is under there.

A note here…  Both dogs were outside barking early this morning and there have been wayward possum and probably other critters in the yard in the past so I really wasn’t sure.

AND THEN IT HIT ME!  JAKE IS UNDER THE CONTAINER!

So we lifted a side up and yup…  out he comes! Somehow when he was digging it out it flipped over on him – 4 feet away!  How do things like that happen anyway!?!?

       

So here’s the lesson.  What if this would have happened when I was away.  He was not indicating at all that he was there and was simply waiting to be rescued.  What if it had been summer and hot….  that I hate to think about. We walked by it several times and he never moved and Brita paid no more attention to it than she did any other time we passed it.  IT IS NOT THAT HEAVY and he could have at any time simply stood up!  What a goof he can be but it sure is scary at the same time!! 

What have we been up to in 2014???

Check out Jake’s website (www.RockStarJake.com)

to see his meteoric rise in Barn Hunt and our travels in 2014!!

Here we are at Barn Hunt nationals in St. Louis in September.

OMG … FLOWERS!!!!

Jake’s take from the Oak Creek trial

3 second place wins and one first place with a high in trial in master class.  He got an orange leash for the high in trial which is working out to be a great holder for the ribbons.

…sigh…. snow…

A Treibball field in progress!

National PUPPY day!

In celebration of NATIONAL PUPPY DAY, here are some pictures of my neighbor walking her 3 golden retrievers (taken from my window) ….. and the puppy ….  about 12 weeks old! 

….and of course I have to get creative!

 

 

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Whistle While You Work!

I decided that I wanted to learn to use a whistle to direct the dogs in TREIBBALL so I purchased a shepherd’s whistle from Amazon.  I decided to go with the nickel silver one ($10) rather than the cheap plastic one ($4) or the quite expensive Corian one ($35) or the even more expensive Avonite or buffalo one ($45).

So it arrived and I confidently put it in my mouth to blow it and …… nothing… not a sound!  To the internet for instructions!  That’s when I can across this article and had to print a bit and link to the rest because it is SO entertaining!  Apparently I am not the only one that happened to!   SO… 

Whistle While You Work

The best kind of whistle you can use is the kind you are born with. ………  For those of us who can't whistle without help, some devious person, now long dead, designed the shepherd's whistle. This instrument of torture is designed to punish those of us who are already handicapped and can't make proper whistle noises with our mouths. It comes in plastic, acrylic, or metal. The basic shape is generally a half-moon.. They look innocent enough until you stick one in your mouth and blow. Nothing happens! Every whistle I tried at first was broke. Absolutely NO sound came out. This is how they are designed. The inventors figured that if you couldn't whistle without help, you really shouldn't be herding, so they designed this gadget to not work intentionally! On average, unless you really DO know how to whistle without the use of a mechanical whistle, it probably takes about 2 years to get any sound to come out of the shepherd's whistle. I'm not sure, but maybe this is the age the whistle needs to be before it can actually make sounds. I do know that when first bought, most whistles, at least those bought by neophytes to whistledom, do not work. There definitely needs to be a breaking in period.

Got your attention!  A few other gems:

• The first step in learning how to use a shepherd's whistle is to tie it on a string.
• The only wrong way to put a shepherds whistle in your mouth is to put the end tied to the string in first. This tastes funny which is why you don't do it.
• …..if you wear a whistle for looks, be careful because as soon as you do, someone will ask you to demonstrate it

And now, CLICK HERE to read “The Rest of the Story!”

TREIBBALL!!!!!

Update 1/25/2014 – Ahh.. a work-around..  I think we’ll get it!
Update 1/20/2014  - We’re in week #4… why then are we still learning week #2 skills!! 

Update 1/13/2014
Click here for a great video..  no …not Jake..  he’s still learning to stand calmly behind the ball without biting it or jumping on it! 

*******Originally written 12/2013  This is when Jake started lessons with
Lynsie Bernier of Ideal Dog at Go Fetch in Winneconne!*******

Treibball is a positive-Reinforcement, competitive dog sport which originated in Germany and entered sanctioned competition in 2008. The dog must gather and drive large exercise balls into a soccer goal.

Eight balls of approximately 45–75 cm are set in a triangle formation, similar to billiards, with the point ball farthest from the goal. The object of the game is to get all eight balls into a confined space the size of a soccer goal within a set time period, usually about 15 minutes. The handler may not move outside of an area that contains the left half of and several feet beyond the goal area. The dog works in close cooperation with the handler, who is only allowed to use whistles, verbal or hand signals to direct his dog. No verbal or physical corrections are used in Treibball. The dog and handler must communicate effectively to herd one ball at a time into the goal, in fifteen minutes time. The dog and handler team are scored on cooperation and direction, within that fifteen minute time limit,and can earn extra points or accrue demerits accordingly.

The balls have been referred to as "rolling sheep" in recognition that this sport stems from herding for dogs who do not have access to regular sheep.

 

 

Training Videos on YouTube

Basics – Donna Hill (7 min.)
The Whole Intro – Sue Alexander (8:56) Black German Shepherd

Beginning Treibball – Sandi Persinger  (5:53)
Intermediate Treibball – Sandi Persinger (8:34)

Living With Dogs series

The Front Game (2:48)
The Serpentine Maze (:27)
The Platform Game: Training Orientation (2:17)
Teaching Orientation with Ball (:17)
Teaching Targeting to a Mat: Step 1  (:16)
Teaching the Distance Send: Step 2 (2:18)
Teaching Targeting to a Mat: Step 3 (:59)
The Mat Game: Distance Work (5:56)
Sending to a Target, Increasing Distance (:48)
Getting Distance: Luring with a Toy (3:35)
The Barrel Race Game (:29)
The Front Cross Dance (:24)
The Target Stick Game: Training the Push (2:28)
The Bowl Game: The Ball Push (:44)
The Bowl Game: Fun Basics (1:58)
Barrel Rolling Race Game (:32)
The Push Harder Game (:31)
Rainy Day Games: Treibbox (1:06)
Tiny Dogs Can Push Too! (:32)
Barrel Racing Intro (:45)

 

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Peace

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Jake and Brita were searching for not just a mouse.

Their stockings were hung by the fridge with care,

In hopes that mom Laurel would willingly share.

 

In just a short time they were snug in their beds,

While visions of chipmunks danced in their heads.

It wasn't just chipmunks they dreamed of that night,

But also the rabbits who they made take flight.

 

In a short time there arose such a clatter

They jumped from the couch to see what was the matter.

And there to their wondering eyes did appear

The spirits of others that used to live here.

 

First, there was Josie who made the most noise,

Chasing the others, especially the boys.

But Ari and Teddy would not let her run

Because they decided she'd stifle their fun.

 

Tori was circling to see what to do

When Kobie and Liver quickly ran through.

Then they ALL came together to join in a song

While Brita and Jake, wide eyed, looked on.

 

The message they brought on that night of a birth

Was of PEACE and GOOD WILL to all on the earth.

This message was clear to those who would listen,

As clear as the snow which often would glisten.

 

And then, in the distance, was the sound of a whistle

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But they were heard to exclaim as they flew out of sight,

"Peace to all of God's creatures, and to all a good-night!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTE:  I woke up with this running through my head this morning
and in 30 minutes had it done.  Truly I believe I had unseen help!

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Watching the best..

Thank you Monique for this….
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Watching the world’s best-dog trainers at work is a joy.

It is like watching an actor morph into the person that their dog needs at precisely the right moment. Their emotions change at the flip of a light switch, as needed. Their dogs respond perfectly to the changed emotions, believing every thing that they are told.

None of this is accomplished through words. It is facial expressions, sounds, and body movements. Sometimes our tried and tested praise words are so worn-out, that we utter them with boredom. If you use 'yes, or 'good dog' record yourself, and from your tone alone, decide if you are delivering the right message.

Once you can make your dog feel how you need him to feel, you have become a trainer.
With the exception of a handful of trainers in the world who have this skill mastered, the rest of us will be on a life quest to achieve this. I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I do!
Monique Anstee
Victoria, BC
www.naughtydogge.com

So I get a new mat..

… for me…radiates my body heat back to me..  but who can’t stay off of it the minute I get up!! 

 

Happy Birthday Brita!

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