K9 Kamp Heats Up!

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© Carrie Boyko
Tanner Demonstrates "Go Jump"

This week's K9 kamp had me, Tanner and Oliver back in agility training and having some fun with our workout step. I'll have to admit I had to dust that bad boy off after storing it under my bed sometime ago. We also discovered our core ball and wondered if we'll be getting an intro to Treiball via kamp. Hmmm.....

The good news is the dogs still remember the "Go Jump" command and they seemed totally entertained watching me step up and down. Despite my travel to Barkworld, the boys and I were able to pull off a reasonable hour plus to just make the minimum workout. Whew!


As I write this post I am waiting on my return flight home, ready to get back to a good dog walk after a few days of hobnobbing with fellow social media enthusiasts. What do you suppose Koly and Kelly have in store for us this week? Whatever it is, I'm glad to be home and dig in again. Happy tails!

Agility Training--Challenging and Oh So Humbling

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Tanner Jumps through the Tire

Without a Problem

Tanner was promoted to the next level of Agility training recently. Last week when we attended the first class, well, let's just say I didn't exactly do him proud. To top that off, my daughter was home from college for Spring break. She came to watch and that turned out to be a disaster. Each time Tanner spotted the tables where she was sitting, he took off to investigate and give her a kiss. So much for focus.

In agility training, focus on the handler is paramount. Well, almost. Having fun is even more important, and I suppose you could argue that Tanner had fun; therefore our primary goal was met. Clearly he enjoyed seeking out Toni for a check-in smooch, and he did eventually return to my side to complete the exercise. Hopefully, when Toni returns to university next week, Tanner will be more focused and we can make some small amount of progress. I really have no goal for being ready to go to competitions (they call them trials, I think). I'm trying to get into the FLOW and enjoy the journey.

You could say Enjoy the Journey is my new motto. Having MS and being a cancer survivor, I have learned that goals are for those whose only enjoyment comes from accomplishments. Nowadays my enjoyment comes from learning new things, and experiences with friends and loved ones, including my dogs. I suppose there is some gray area there. After all, good experiences often lead to accomplishments.

Being healthy and well is a good experience for me, so accomplishments, even running an Agility course properly, will eventually come. Perhaps when Tanner and Oliver are having as much fun as possible; that would be a well-earned accomplishment for both dog and handler.

If you haven't read the book FLOW, I highly recommend it. It has been around for years and is still quite a popular and helpful read:

Toy Dog or Athletic Dog?

© photo copyright Toni Boyko

Oliver's First Nap with Tanner

When my family decided to take the dog plunge for the first time, it was with much sales effort on the part of my kids. I finally was sold by the tactics of my middle son, who assured me that a puppy would provide needed companionship when they could not have a friend over to play. In addition, I envisioned a rough and tumble, high activity level type of dog to keep this middle son as calm as was possible. Fortunately, I was successful with our choice to adopt Xena, a Golden Retriever/Black Labrador mix.

I had purchased a book on how to choose a dog. It was a very helpful book which explored all the possible reasons for getting a dog, how each breed fits into your needs and explained what the special needs of each of these breeds are. I devoured it, enjoying every page, and emerged with a list of 2 possibilities that seemed to best suit my family--Golden Retriever or Labrador Retriever.

Each had its own pros and cons, but both were supposed to be athletic dogs, which I knew was a must with my 3 athletic kids. I wanted a dog who could run with them, play fetch, swim and wrestle without being injured too easily. After all, with two boys destined to be 6'2" or more, I wanted a dog who could take the punishing toughness of the upcoming teenage boy play. I had a lot to learn.

Although I don't doubt the information in the book, many of the passages about toy-sized dogs suggested that a lower energy family or no children were better for these smaller dogs. I can see, of course, how a rambunctious child could easily injure a toy dog, but my impression had been that these dogs were too delicate to go for runs or be athletic in any way.

© photo copyright

Oliver at about Age 4 1/2 Months

That's where my impression was dead wrong. Oliver, our 8 pound Papillon, pictured at the top of this blog, came to us a 3 pound ball of fluff with a cold. He was not only quiet, but cuddly, sleepy, and downright lethargic. My impressions from that book, read so many years ago, were cemented.

Then the cold went away, and the true Oliver emerged a bundle of energy and growing confidence. We taught our 2 retrievers, Xena and Tanner, how to play gently with Oliver. "Down, stay, play with your snout". When paws were used in play, I simply touched the paw and said to Tanner, "No paws." He learned quickly and well. Tanner and Oliver bonded immediately, playing a form of a floor game which can only be called "Tanner is the mountain." Oliver climbed all over Tanner, chewing on his ears, playing tug with his tail and washing his snout. Tanner basked in the attention as though he were a king and continues to love this playtime, even as it is entirely different from the big-dog style play that he and Xena engage in.

Now that both are involved in agility training, I have met many toy-sized dogs who are amazingly athletic. I realize every day how much more there is to learn about these fabulous animals we share our homes with. Some of our agility "friends" are Toy Poodles, Jack Russell terriers, and other Papillons, to name a few. When I visited a competition, I was surprised to see that Papillons and Jack Russells were the major contenders in their size category. Agility is sort of like wrestling, where dogs compete against like-sized dogs.

Oliver recently returned to agility training after a hiatus, and he quickly showed me that he was eager to accomplish the challenges ahead. He clearly was excited about the many fun things he was asked to do. So my delicate toy dog label is melting away, and a new one is coming into place. Oliver showed me this week that he can be athletic, and most importantly, that he enjoys it. I'm looking forward to seeing him run a whole agility course....except that he is much faster than I am. I guess I better take up sprinting.

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Tanner and Oliver Love to Nap Together

If you have a toy dog who needs some extra mental challenges and fun playtime with you, Agility training might be just the ticket. This is a kit of equipment that I have at home for practice. Although it is not exactly the same as the real stuff, it does provide good extra practice.

On Wednesday I will be sharing some tips on getting your cat and dog to coexist peacefully. Although I have had some success, we are still a work in progress. Hope to see you again soon.