Think of the children!

Uh-oh. It looks like a Beagle won Westminster. This is bad. I fear for the neighborhood. No offense to the beagle owners out there, but the fact that they're bred to bay doesn't bode well for my sleep!

Hail, Snoopy! Beagle Wins Westminster

The Perils of Pig Skin

Monday night, I fed Grete a Pork Chomps pig skin chew. Tuesday around 5 am, she puked it and her dinner up. Later that same day, she puked again. She didn't want to eat all day. Last night, she reluctantly ate some chicken, and I thought she was on the mend.

Today, I called the vet just to see if there was some OTC medicine I could give her to ease her obviously troubled stomach.

She's now on the bland diet and Pepcid regimen for 3-5 days.

The goal is to get her to eat about 3 cups of cottage cheese and 3 cups of rice per day. She also gets 5 mg of Pepcid every 12 hours.

She's taken her first pill with the help of a pill pocket, and she's licked up about a tablespoon of food.

mom, can we go to norm's every saturday?

Class overload and other ramblings

As you may know, I've taken Grete to A LOT of classes. A LOT.

At Ahimsa, we have taken or are taking the following classes:
We did the intro puppy course. We went twice a week for 6 weeks. $199.
We did the intermediate puppy course. Once a week for 6 weeks. $195.
We did the advanced puppy course. Once a week for 6 weeks. $195.
We are currently in the field trip course. Once a week for 6 weeks. $125.
http://ahimsadogtraining.com/


At Fun Quest Dog Sports, we are in the very beginning agility class. Once a week for 6 weeks. $185.
http://funquestdogsports.com/

As you can see, group lessons in Seattle average over $30 per hour.

(As you can also see, I have a small addiction to my dog.)

The problem with Agility is that after you get to Agility 4, you need to go private. I have no idea what private lessons cost with my current instructor.

Another instructor who I've talked to advertises private lessons at $60 per hour. Her classes are cheaper, and so if I use their current rates as an estimate... My guess is that I'm looking at $75 per hour to continue with my current agility instructor.

That said...

I'm really starting to wonder if group classes are where it's at. Group classes have 6 students. If you simply get one or two other people interested in a private lesson, you can possibly pay less AND get more 1-1 attention.

While I do think that group lessons are useful because they provide distractions for the dog, what you're really, really paying for is someone to tell you when YOU mess up. It isn't about the dog. It's about the handler. Distractions come free in everyday life.

In my case, I'm also paying for the space and equipment. Equipment is a solvable problem. Space... I definitely need to find a better and bigger space to train.

Reviews

Off and on, I've been reviewing dog products on Amazon. It occurs to me that I should review them here first, and then move them over.

In the meantime, if you're curious, here's an entry with links to all the dog products I've reviewed so far.

Crazy Dog Train-Me! Training Treats Liver -- Grete says "Meh."
Premier Latex Ladybug -- Mom says "Meh."
Vari Kennel Ultra Intermediate Clay / Slate Pet Carrier -- Good kennel. Sides slope in so its now too small.
Alaskan Bear Treats Wild-Alaskan Salmon Dog-Treat Nuggets -- Grete says "Meh."
Orijen Adult Dog Food -- LOVE IT!!
Newman's Own Organics Dog Treats for Medium Size Dogs, Chicken -- Good, but crumbly!
Reflective Easy Walk Harness & Leash Combo -- Great product once you get the right size.
How to Teach Your Dog to Talk by Captain Haggerty -- Fun book.
Cain and Able Paw Rub -- Love it!

Ewe-topia

Finally, I remembered to look this place up... We're going someday. I'm sure of it.

Ewe-topia