Road trip

So last weekend I decided to go to an agility trial. This was a last minute decision brought on by the February thaw. Warm weather always makes me yearn to go exploring. It had been a rough week to say the least. I just needed a day of something different. & I enjoy being with my dog. & since dogs aren't allowed in yoga classes or movies, we traveled an hour & a half to run through tunnels and jump over bars.

Bella & I started training in agility about 3 years ago. This was her choice not mine really. They say you don't always get the dog you want but you are given the dog you need. This may be true. My dog is a stellar creature - smart, friendly, gentle, hard working. She is a beautiful combination of working breeds that needs..... no craves exercise. She is happiest when working, walking, &/or playing until she simply can't go anymore. She will walk for hours & hours in most kinds of weather & then want to play in the back yard. I love my dog dearly and I am happy with a nice long daily walk. But honestly, a dog fond of napping on the couch until she goes to a therapy dog job that consists of napping while little kids read to her is probably more up my alley. But apparently the universe had different plans when it sent me my little hound of heaven (more on that in an upcoming post). Bella is very friendly and likes people- old, young and in between - as long as they don't touch her. She shows no aggression. There is just a lot of bobbing and weaving. And you know, elderly people in nursing homes.... their reflexes just aren't that good. Even when she does let herself get close enough for some kind of contact, it has to be on her terms & usually at arm's length.

close but not too close

So therapy dog work is really not for her.  But she does like to hang out at mommy's work sometimes.

My favorite assistant

We have only competed in maybe 5 or 6 trials. This is our first one.

Yep. We traveled over 2 hours to somewhere near Columbus, waited half the day to do one run. & took down half the course. But somehow we Q'd. I think it was a sympathy decision from the judge. 

We have competed in mainly CPE trials. Mainly due to the non-competative philosophy of the organization. CPE's philosophy is to "have fun with your dog". Works for me. I am most likely the most non-competative person you may ever meet. But I like to have fun with my dog.  Not that pretty ribbons aren't nice, and I would like to move up in the ranks. As of now Bella & I still run in novice. But the fact of the matter is - if my dog is not enjoying herself, what is the point. 

As I said before, my dog & I go to trials because she likes to be busy. She is not allowed at the mall. One can only take so many trips to Petsmart. I like to get away. She is a very good traveling companion. 

She spends little time in her crate at trials. She doesn't like it. & I don't like it. We are in a new town. There are new sights to see. New smells to sniff. How can I have fun with my dog if she is crated all day except for the 30 seconds or so it takes to run a course and bathroom breaks? In between runs we go exploring. That's what new towns are for.  The other competitors may not get it. That's o.k. I think sometimes they get annoyed because my well - behaved dog is not crated but sitting nicely next to me mooching for treats.  That's o.k. This is about having fun right? 

And I have found that by keeping to this philosophy, this idea of simply having fun, my mind stays more at ease. & we have better runs. I stay calm. My dog stays calm. We run well together. 

And that results in pretty ribbons & qualifying scores. 

the sleepy champion

eating dog food for Nitro

So the cleveland dog blog and the Scene magazine recently shared stories about a Florida dog trainer Nikki Moustaki who is currently munching on dog food for one meal a day.

Ms. Moustaki does not live in Ohio. She spends her time jet setting back & forth from New York to Florida. She is a dog trainer and a prolific writer about dogs and dog training. She certainly appears to be able to afford fine wines, fresh seafood & all the organic chocolate she wants. So, why is she chowing down on Lucky Dog Cuisine once a day?

While Ohio is the 8th ranked state for deadly eating habits (meaning high consumption of sodas and fast food not kibble) and has led the nation in poverty, obesity and toxicity, the state ranks 45th in this great nation for effective animal cruelty laws.

Nitro's law otherwise known as House Bill 70 came about after  Ohio based dog trainer, Steve Croley, caused the suffering and death of 7 dogs at his training facility High Caliber Canines. Mr. Croley was originally charged with 19 counts of animal cruelty. This number was soon dropped down to 4. He received 1 month in jail for each charge and had to pay a fine. Nitro's owners lost the opportunity to share 10+ years with their loving dog. Nitro and the 6 other dogs lost their lives, and spent their last days starving, scared and abused. Is 4 months, some probation time, and close to 3,000 dollars in fine enough for the loser Croley? I don't think so.

Neither did Nitro's owners & 2 house representatives from Mahoning County, Ron Gerberry and Robert F. Hagan. They introduced Ohio House Bill 70 otherwise known as Nitro's Law. Sadly this bill died on the house floor last December.

Enter Nikki Moustaki - pretty girl Florida dog training who has grabbed the House Bill 70 baton and is running full force with it. To get the word out about Ohio's lack of concern about animal welfare and the need for reform, she has committed to eating one meal of dog food a day. She is posting her progress on her you tube channel & is asking that others join the cause by eating one meal of dog food a day.
As evidenced by postings on her blog site, a few have joined in.

I completely and wholeheartedly support her efforts. However, I probably will not be eating dog food. For one, I am primarily vegetarian.
 For two, we tend to feed our dog a lot of people food - so, what kind of point would I be making?
For 3, Moustaki suggests feeding Lucky Dog dog food because she is sure that it is safe for human consumption. Hmmm...... sounds like the next campaign needs to be about dog food reform. I certainly do not want to feed my best friend anything that would make me sick.
And lastly - this crazy new regime that controls this state isn't going to give 2 bits that a chick in Fla. is eating kibble or that a few people in OH and the rest of the country is following suit. They would probably just find some way to market the idea of eating dog food so they can make even more money while killing their constituents.

I will however write letters to house reps. I will write a letter to the evil governor. I will get the word out about Nikki's and Nitro's cause in any & every way I can. I will attend protests, sit ins & may even consider camping out in front of the governor's house in a dog crate.

Who's in?

This is my dog

This is my dog

This is my dog on Agility

This is my dog after agility

Exercise = a happy & sleepy dog