Diary of a Booze Hound

German Spring

2012-02-28T08:38:00.000-06:00

With the rising gas prices, Hincapie will not be training this session. We are going to be working on our frisbee and relaxing. Hincapie is getting into doing Gun Detection, and Bite Work in his free time anyway. I did get his official title certificate in this past week. We also made an impressive shadow box, which later was broken by a mob of adoring fans.

South East Arkansas Kennel Club Dog Show

2012-02-05T09:46:00.000-06:00

Saturday February 4th was the first day of the South East Arkansas Kennel Club Dog Show. Hincapie was entered in Beginner Novice A and hoping to finish his title. The judging program showed it all to start at 9:00 am, and it did, but there were 30 entries in Utility so it took a long time to get to us. It ended up being right at 4:00 when we finally went in the ring. Hincapie had been there all day, and was stressed. We still were able to finish with a 180 for our score, and finished his Beginner Novice Title, and got Second Place. This was his first time to get a second place finish so the red ribbon for that really sticks out, which is not a bad thing.

There is some debate with us as to whether or not we will show Sunday. We did what we set out to do with earning his title, and he was really stressed yesterday. We will see if there is a day 2 in the wings or not, if not next go is Camden in two weeks. Then a break in preparing for Novice A.

Here are some pictures.

Show Time. More Shows Coming Up Quick.

2012-01-04T08:33:00.001-06:00

We are getting around to show time again. We will be working on our final leg of Hincapie's Beginner Novice Title. We have more than qualified both times in the ring and should do great. We are also entering the Obedience "C" match which is a practice run, and will be attending the LRDTC's kickoff match this Saturday. We are very excited about getting some more ring time. Thank you all for your support. I will keep you updated on our progress.

Mississipi State Kennel Club Dog Show Day 2

2011-12-19T09:16:00.003-06:00

Day 2 of the Mississippi State Kennel Club Dog Show went better than day one. Against my expectations Hincapie was ready to work come Sunday morning. He seemed eager to get going, and I left him in his crate till right up until time to go in. When I got him out I immediately focused him with liver to get him ready. We performed better on the heeling, but still no sit at the end. Hincapie never gets that sit, got some work to do there.

We did great on the figure eight, and finished out the sit stay and sit for exam. Hincapie did flawless and then came the recall. He barked several times again on the recall, but I got no comments from the judge on this. All in all it went great!

Day 2's score was a 191

Here are the pictures I promised.


Set up and ready for the weekend

Accepting our awards for the first day


Hincapie got a little beaver as a reward for a good day showing.

Mississippi State Kennel Club Dog Show Day 1

2011-12-17T19:58:00.001-06:00

I am in Jackson, MS with Hincapie this weekend. We traveled down on Friday and got set up in our hotel. This morning we got to the show early and spent some time getting adjusted. After 4 hours of waiting it was our turn up.There were three people signed in to Beginner Novice A. The A just means that we are first time showers, and that we are set apart in the classes. It gives an advantage in scoring but it is not clear what that advantage is. Our judge was Mrs. Carol Ann Klein. She was a great judge in that she recognized that we were new and gave us many pointers. She even helped when we got our exercises mixed up and were going to do the recall before the stays. I got in the ring after Mrs. Klein telling us to losen up because she was taking a bit with the paperwork from the last group. She was already helping and she noticed we were getting pretty worked up. It is a very stressful and nerve racking think to enter that ring so far from home the first time. One of our club members was here, and he was the greatest mentor that I could have asked for. We started the heeling, and I didn't have a yo-yo dog, he stuck with me excited. On the last half of the heeling he decided to try and herd me a bit, nipping at my leg to get me to speed it up. He was not docked for that to my knowledge but he did miss the auto sit at the end of the heeling, something I thought would cost us qualifying. We then did the figure eight with a tight leash the whole time, Hincapie was not feeling it and was very interested in the people making the figure eight posts. After that we performed a flawless stay, and a great recall minus the barking which the judge warned me about. The barking was all stress on Hincapie's part. We finished and exited the ring. After getting about five feet away she told me we qualified. The second girl has some issues with her heeling, and did not finish the recall correctly. She did not qualify.I watched the third girl with baited breath, knowing that if she messed up I was in First Place. it got down to the final exercise, the recall. She didn't even start it, her dog took off following her and getting her DQ'ed which put us in First Place. But wait there was a final girl, who also failed the recall on her run keeping us in First Place.I was so excited, we got first place at our first show the first time in the ring. If Hincapie competes tomorrow he stands a good chance of placing again. We scored a 186 out of 200 which normally wouldn't get us there but thanks to the competition he did great!I will post some pics when we get back.I found out later that my Uncle passed away today and I am not sure if we are going to get to compete tomorrow. Hincapie is reacting to the stress and I think today might have been a bit much for him and for me. Either way we have had a great time showing here at the Mississippi State Kennel Club Dog Show.

Panosteitis Dampens Hope

2011-11-30T08:22:00.001-06:00

Monday night we arrived at the club ready to train. I took Hincapie on the pause table and then over two small jumps, and realized how wet my feet were getting, along with the cold it was time for a break. I didn't want to be freezing for the hour and a half session that was planned. I had cooked steak, and bacon to serve Hincapie to coax him up the dogwalk which would be our biggest challenge. Then after the break it all fell apart.

I got up to go in the club for a moment and Hincapie was favoring his left rear leg really bad. He wasn't even putting it down when he would stand still. After consulting with some of the other members, it was decided that class would have to wait, so we began the journey back to Pine Bluff to get some ice on his leg. I figured pulled muscle, or almost any type of injury does better with ice. I let him rest and decided to reevaluate in the morning.

We headed off for work the next morning with lots of limping and I called our vet to get an appoinment. I had to wait all day seeing his limping to find out what is up, and with the Jackson show creeping up fast I was nervous.

We arrived at the vet and started the exam, which led to a muzzle and three people having to hold him. He was not comfortable on the scale when it was risen three feet in the air. We got finished and Dr. Hunter was pretty sold that it was Panosteitis. After an x-ray there was no doubt.

Panosteitis is a bone disease of dogs that is characterized by bone proliferation and remodeling. It is often painful and can last as long as 18 months, though more commonly it lasts from 2 to 5 months. It is characterized by lameness that often comes and goes and changes from leg to leg. It is a common problem in several large breeds and the cause is currently unknown. The treatment is symptomatic but the outcome is usually very good.

So after that diagnosis Jackson will be up in the air. I started the medicine this morning to ease the pain but aside from that we have to go on as normal, only avoiding strenuous activity. I will be walking him a lot more, and playing fetch and the bite sleeve a lot less. It is good to know that it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Hincapie made it home from the vet so high that he couldn't even walk straight. We caught him leaning against a wall still standing, and sleeping. That makes for some interesting explanations to a 3 year old watching this whole ordeal.

So we will wait on hotel reservations, and will play everything by ear on the show. Hopefully we will see some improvement. I can't take him in the ring with a limp, the AKC doesn't allow a dog that appears to be injured compete, so the Judge would send us home anyway. Pine Bluff may be our next shot. Irony at best.

Entered in Mississippi State Kennel Club Dog Show

2011-11-15T10:07:00.001-06:00

Hincapie is entered in the December 17 &18 Mississippi State Kennel Club AKC Dog Show. He will do Beginner Novice A both days. I am working on wrapping the final arrangements up now. He will be turning 2 years old on the 19th so he may have quite a birthday. Just wanted to update you all.

Protection Instinct

2011-10-18T08:49:00.000-05:00

One of the exciting things about training your dog is getting to use them for work. I have been working on real life protection reactions from Hincapie for a while. I want him to react a certain way when I need him to. This may be simply intently watching someone, or viciously barking at them, and eventually doing the bite work everyone expects.

So far I am getting exactly the results I want. I have had a couple situations in the past 24 hours that have left me satisfied with the results.

I was laying in bed reading Susan Orlean's new book on Rin Tin Tin when Kristina and I heard a funny noise outside our bedroom window. This noise sounded like someone getting in a car and accidentally hitting the horn a time or two on their way in and out. I immediately got a couple of items to help me check this noise out. I grabbed my phone, some clothes, and Hincapie. Once outside we looked the yard over good. I heard a rustle of leaves near us but off the porch. I immediately gave Capie his command to bark, and after several barks I saw the culprit. It was one of the largest bunnies I had ever seen in the wild. I did not however find the noise, but you could tell Hincapie was keyed in and ready to go from the moment we went outside. He never showed any of the signs of fear. Although the bunny is another story. I still can't figure out how he honked the horn.

This morning I was heading into work when I noticed someone looking in the window of the store. I circled the store heading in and saw that it was a vagrant I had noticed walking towards the store the night before. It was raining, so realistically he was keeping dry, but you never really know where things will go so I kept my distance making a rather large arc. This whole situation put Hincapie on alert and he was very intently watching and growling lowly. He was impressive the whole time keeping his eyes out as I unlocked the door to the store and deactivated the alarm. Hincapie must have been really worked up because when he got inside and off leash he let loose a fury of barking that I have rarely seen out of him. It was nice to know he was watching and protecting. The vagrant left without incident, but then again I wouldn't want to tango with Hincapie.

New Classes, and New Trips Planned

2011-10-17T08:42:00.000-05:00

"Intro to Agility" is in the books now. After 8 weeks Hincapie is doing great in class. He is still very skeptical of people when he is near a new one, but that goes with his training for work. He will probably stay a bit weary of new people up close. As long as he can stand for inspection I will be happy.

In a week he will start "Obstacles I" and "Novice". Obstacles will cover getting him used to doing the agility obstacles, and teaching him the contact points. He should do fine till we do the dog walk, and the A-frame. Those will cause some issues because they require a ramp, and Hincapie hates ramps with a passion.

He is entered in "Novice" again to get him ready to show. I was recently talking to people at the dog training club about the Puppy Kindergarten classes, and Beginner Obedience and expressing how important those classes are when I was informed that I could teach them if I finished Hincapie's title. I am getting him prepared to enter the Mississippi State Dog Show in Jackson in December. I will be competing for a Beginner Novice Title, which will require 2 days at this show and one at the Pine Bluff show in February. After achieving that title I might be able to jump into teaching a class. For all of you that have asked if I would help you train your dog if you got one, yes if you sign up for my class when I get a class.

I am working on making the plans for the Jackson show, which I am hoping my wife can consider a "Babymoon" trip for us. I know we are taking a tag along dog and doing dog stuff, but we should have fun.

I will keep you all up on all the show goings, hopefully with full video of our runs no matter how embarrassing they may end up being!

UPDATE: The Kennel Cough or whatever it was is gone. Hincapie finished his antibiotics and is doing great!

Kennel Cough, and Guns.

2011-10-06T21:50:00.002-05:00

Hincapie is taking Intro to Agility right now. He is doing pretty good, and is showing improved confidence which will come in handy when we start light bite work in the store. He has developed a cough the past few days which made red flags go up. I took him to the vet and the vet said his lungs sound good, but to be cautious he is on a course of antibiotics to knock out the Kennel Cough if that is the problem. After the course if the cough isn't better there will be a follow up x-ray and heart worm test to make sure that isn't the problem.

Hincapie did three gun detection runs tonight. If you came in the store and saw the guns all out that's what was going on.

The first run I used a 9mm semi-auto, he searched past the gun several times, then after direction he found the target. It was a pretty unimpressive run though.

The second run was a two part search. I used a 9mm semi-auto with a clip for the find. with direction he found the gun, then after praise, I immediately commanded to search again, and he went right into search mode and found the clip, undirected I might add. He resumed search quick enough that it was impressive to watch.

The third run was with a 38 snub nose revolver. It was set above eye level which is a rare setting in the store. He found it with direction after a undirected run.

Agility Dog, Nanny Dog.

2011-09-05T08:20:00.002-05:00

So, it is now feeling like fall. Hincapie is now in Intro to Agility (Agility on the Flat). He is performing pretty well. We have a list of tricks that he is required to know to perform later tasks, like stopping on the right part of the A-Frame or hitting the right spot of the pause. He has learned to bow in the past couple weeks, which was really a task to teach. He has drilled so much on down that now he thinks any command that requires one half of his body to go down is a down command. We got through that though and now he is doing bow's that look pretty good. He has also learned how to high five, and he is learning what I like to call "Be the Bear" where he lets out a low growl on command.

Last night Hincapie started a new behavior. He decided that when we are asleep it is his job to check on Alexis all night. I woke up around 2:15 am hearing Lexi mumble something and then say "hey". She went back to sleep right away but I was curious so I got out of bed to find Hincapie very lightly walking back down the hallway to our room. Then this morning I was getting ready and Kristina woke up to Alexis screaming "Mommy, my big puppy is kissing me, and I like it!". Something I am sure the boys who will date her later in life will love to hear about.

Many of you probably didn't know that Pit Bulls originally got the nick name "Nanny Dog" because they are so good with children. In the 50's families would get them to watch their kids outside, because the dogs just naturally kept the kids out of trouble. They almost seemed to baby any kids. Now if you go to Google images and search "Nanny Dog" you almost exclusively get pictures of Pit Bull breeds. This was before the "Gangsta" time of the 80's and 90's which demonized "America's Breed".

Total Success Followed By....Total Failure.

2011-08-10T23:47:00.000-05:00

Three runs tonight.

First run started out great, technique worked good and he was really working hard. Then he hit his first false positive. He moved a case with his paws going after what he thought was the target. He then resumed the search after realizing that he wasn't on it. After that the found the target and responded nicely.

Second run he found the target first shot, and was flawless.

Third run started in failure and ended in lack of focus. He was not wanting to search again and it showed.

I did all runs after the store closed, but still had people in it, without crossing scents.

First Runs After Vacation.

2011-08-09T08:46:00.000-05:00

Last night we got two more gun runs in. On the first run Hincapie found the gun using air scenting but not much technique. He went right at the gun, but did not search the given area as directed, which could leave guns undetected that might not give off as much scent or that were hidden a longer time ago. The second run was great with technique but was horrible on the find (due to my hiding skills). Hincapie searched perfectly, putting his nose everywhere I asked, he even was jumping up to check areas more fully. I was very impressed with the results, but I left the gun far to uncovered to get the correct scent response from him. I will have to work better on the hide. All in all we are seeing progress. I get a high drive response out of him doing the exercises, including lots of barking. Love a vocal dog!

Guns? Guns!? Where are the Guns!!!

2011-07-21T20:35:00.000-05:00

Hincapie is getting ready for the fall session at the Little Rock Dog Training Club where hopefully we will be taking intro to agility. But for right now we have our own dose of exciting training.

Hincapie has started Firearms Detection Training, where he searches for a gun instead of his toys. This will eventually come in handy when he has got the scents down and gets excited every time he smells them. I plan on working him to a point to where he responds when anyone walks in with a firearm of any kind. I want him to work on more than just protection while he is here, and this is a branch of training that he can excel at.

On his first day he had around a 40-60% hit rate. Tonight he got an 80% hit rate. We did five tracks tonight and the most hidden one was the one he didn't hit on. Considering that he has only been at this game for two days, I would say that he is progressing rather nicely.

In other news with Hincapie, we are transitioning to working off a toy, and less with treats, making reinforcement much more fun for me. I was getting pretty burned out on the same ole, same ole. Now there is a whole world of other opportunities for him to receive reward, and I don't have to worry about him not seeing a treat bag!

Taking a Break

2011-05-23T09:32:00.000-05:00

After looking at this sessions schedule Hincapie is taking a brief break from training at the club. I am waiting on the Fall session which has Agility on the Flat. I am going to give him some time to get out of this puppy stage before moving back into CGC and Beginner Novice. Unless we do something incredibly exciting this will be my last post until he is in Agility. Waiting till Fall though for that.

I have started biking with Hincapie though. He can hold a fairly good pace for around a mile and a half before being ready to quit running. I am taking it slow so that he can build up to doing it regularly, the pavement tears up his feet and he only has two boots to wear.

I will be back sometime in the Fall. In the meantime if your into cycling it is cycling season and I am blogging my rides over at www.thefamilycyclist.blogspot.com .

Exposing Hincapie, and CGC Training

2011-04-11T10:09:00.001-05:00

I have been working with Hincapie in some strange places. I have taken him to the playground at the local park and worked with him going over all sorts of obstacles. I want him to be as comfortable as he can be in all situations. The grates on the playground equipment created an interesting workout for his mind. He didn't know if they were solid or not, and after getting on them they created a funny feeling on his feet. The grates made him hesitate and dig in. After just five minutes of work he was breaking through and doing all sorts of things, like using picnic tables as agility obstacles and jumping up on them. He even got to feel what being inside the mouth of a Hippo feels like. Here are some pics of the exposure training from Sunday morning.

Hincapie is also still in his Canine Good Citizen (CGC) class. He is a few weeks away from the test, and looking good. He is meeting more and more people and not growling as much. He has calmed a lot in the past few weeks and shows to be adjusting to all the extra stuff around him pretty well. He had some issues with the wheel chairs, but I fixed that by doing a heeling pattern while in a wheel chair.

I have been introducing him to as many people as will volunteer to meet an 81lb German Shepherd. Most think that he is vicious and shouldn't be around them. I will spend the rest of my time with him doing my best to prove them otherwise all the while knowing that if I need him to protect he will. I thought for a time that there wasn't a way he would ever be a therapy dog, now after how he is progressing I am thinking that he might just be one after all!

The Summit: Climbing Pinnacle with Hincapie

2011-03-27T16:30:00.000-05:00

We took our hike up Pinnacle Mountain. It was a real adventure, that wasn't expected to be so frustrating. It was a rewarding hike, but we ran into some obstacles that we didn't plan on.

First off, the original plan was to hike up the east side, down the west, and around the base trail. So we started up the East Summit Trail and made it about half way. At the half way point the trail goes to a boulder field and Hincapie couldn't make some of the jumps required. I didn't wanna have to carry him up every boulder for the rest of the trail, so we turned back. After talking with some other hikers for a bit, we made our way to the West Summit Trial, which was still difficult, but Hincapie could make it. After making it to the top we took some pictures. Here they are:

America's Dog

2011-03-22T09:00:00.001-05:00

I just read the most encouraging article regarding "Pit Bull" breed specific legislation.

You can read it here.

This whole issue should be more about owner responsibility. With strong willed breeds you have to train, and socialize. These dogs are not for everyone, and you must be proactive. Hincapie is a perfect example. German Shepherd Dogs are a breed that takes training and socialization, they are naturally skeptical of strangers and show a defensive (often mistaken for aggressive) stance when encountering someone they are unsure of. This is one of the main reasons I am taking a AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) class. Then we are going to take the certification test.

Maybe other states will show some initiative and intelligence. Imagine if you looked at one specific race of humans and noticed that there were case after case of violence enacted by that race. Now imagine that that race was legislated against and banned. The people remaining in that area were "put down" because of the ban. Sound familiar, it does if you know anything about Germany from the 1940's. Hitler was a proponent of race specific bans, the only difference is that he just didn't like the race he banned. With "Pit Bull" breeds they are all being grouped into the same grouping based on a impression presented by the media. All dogs bite, it has been shown in studies that small dogs are more likely to bite, the reason you don't hear about it? They inflict less damage and seldom require a trip to the hospital. Even the smallest of dogs can kill if not trained, socialized, and supervised.

Here is an interesting example: Pomeranian Kills Baby

The reason I push against such legislation is because it unfairly condemns the dog, not the owner responsible for the dog. I don't argue that these dogs can be potentially dangerous I argue that any dog can be. This doesn't mean we should kill all dogs for the actions of a few, or that we should kill all "Pit Bulls" because of what a small percentage do. If we educate instead of legislate people can learn that proper socialization is essential, and we should do all we can to stop breeding for dog fighting, and dog fighting itself.

For every article about the evils of "Pit Bulls" there is an incident that goes unreported of a "Pit Bull" defending someone against danger. Seldom do you hear of these encounters, but one such encounter did make the press look again, here is the article on it: Stray Pit Bull Saves Woman From Attacker

All I ask is that you not judge one dog based on another dogs actions, but rather hold the owner responsible. I wouldn't own a German Shepherd without assuming responsibility for his actions.

And yes "Pit Bulls" were at one time considered "America's Dog" by many, with such examples as Petey (see above picture) and the RCA dog. Both of these fine examples show some of the more charming characteristics of these wonderful animals.

Walking Weather.

2011-03-21T09:18:00.000-05:00

This week has been gorgeous. The heat is building and we are now starting to get into the 80's. This means time to start the walking up hard and heavy. I have been working the ball and disc a lot over the winter to keep Hincapie's energy down for work, but now that it is warming up we can wear down the same amount with out all the strenuous activity.

So we started our walk yesterday, not realizing how many people would be out. Fighting the crowd we got to the end of the trail only to find out why all the people were out. They had finished paving the second phase of the trail. This means that Hincapie gets a long walk and some new scenery. We did have a brief encounter with a black snake, don't know if it was a Cottonmouth or not, tried not to stay too close.

I had been playing ball with Cappie letting him run all through the long grass. I assumed that since it had been colder the week before that it was still too soon for the snakes to be out. Guess I was wrong.

Hincapie did get to play with some wildlife though, he was able to investigate at turtle that was crossing the trail. That may have been the highlight of the walk for him.

I am hoping to hike Pinnacle Mountain tomorrow, if I get to pictures will follow!

Doggie Carwash

2011-03-08T23:58:00.000-06:00

Bathing your dog is a important part of keeping your house stink free. It is also important for keeping your hands from having that dog gunk feel after petting your dog. I love to make sure that Hincapie is clean and that he has the right feel to his coat. That is one of the many reasons for egg day. I also care about keeping him bathed and that is a harder undertaking. I have to lift him into the tub, then keep him in the tub all while filling the tub, filling my pitcher, lathering Hincapie, and keeping myself dry. I guess after all that I don't have to explain that this is quite a task to try. Hincapie is upwards of 77 pounds now, and filling out more every day. I don't like heavy lifting. Just in case that last sentence wasn't clear enough, I really hate heavy lifting. That being said, I found a wonderful jewel hidden in White Hall. The Splash Carwash on Highway 270 has added a Doggy Wash room.

I paid $5.00 and got around 10 minutes with the wash. This may seem short but it gave just enough time to wash Hincapie, and to moderately dry him. They have many options when you start. You can do basic doggy shampoo, oatmeal doggy shampoo, conditioner, flea and tick treatment, fragrance, two types of doggy drying (more on that later) and a good ole rinse setting. This gives enough choices so that everyone can get what they need out of the wash. The soap is generous, so you have plenty of time to rinse after applying. The sprayer is easy to handle and the wash has a convenient ramp (which Hincapie hated, we need Agility Obstacle training!) to help with getting your dog into the wash area. The rinse is heated, possibly a little too warm for Hincapie's taste but enough so that it pulls the soap off quickly.

After a quick wash, fast thanks to the equipment not necessity, we were ready to dry. There was a neat drier that was supposed to pull the water out of your dogs fur. I suspect that Hincapie's short hair was not what this was designed for as I didn't see much improvement when trying it. I used the good ole fashioned blower to get him dry. I had plenty of time on $5.00 to wash and dry Hincapie.

The owner stepped in while I was washing and asked how everything was working. This is always a plus in my book because it shows they care and it gives a chance for feedback. I informed that it would be nice if you got more time on the rinse as it requires more time. The times when the wash opened were 4 minutes for one dollar. The reason he changed this was because it was costing to much money on soap. He found out that you can set the rinse to be different giving the customer more time if they are on the rinse setting than they would get on the soap setting. This will be a much welcomed change if he can figure out how to make that one happen. All in all everything made it easier to wash and well worth $5.00. I will return many times this summer I am sure. Let me know your feedback if you get a chance to try this wonderful addition to Jefferson County.

Just an Update

2011-03-01T21:36:00.000-06:00

Sometimes exercise isn't enough. I have been working to teach some new tricks, but the biggest problem standing in our way is Hincapie's age. He is too young and has too much puppy left in him to stay calm with heavy praise. I am waiting on competition until he is older, but we are looking to take the CGC or AKC Canine Good Citizen test. We are taking a class at the club preparing for the test. I am hoping that he can count that as his first title, even though it isn't quite a title.

Hincapie is getting better with kids, but he still growls a bit when he first meets them. He is protective of Alexis in ways we never imagined though. Alexis was holding a puppy that we are rescuing and fostering right now and she started to squeal when the puppy left. I guess that Hincapie thought that the puppy had done something to her because he snarled and was showing teeth at the puppy. Guess that is good for when Alexis decides to play in the yard.

Running Partner

2011-02-19T20:45:00.001-06:00

Today for the first time Hincapie and I took a run together. I learned an important lesson, Hincapie runs better than I do. He was all about running, even after his long fetch/disc session. I was searching for tips on running with your dog and found several lists of the better breeds to run with. German Shepherd Dogs were on every list. So in my running tomorrow I will have to run without doing the fetch first, and just see how peppy he is running long distance. I know he has the short range chops, he is a fantastic sprinter clocking in at 33 mph.

Upkeep.

2011-02-15T19:34:00.000-06:00

I made a post on Facebook today that got quite a lot of response. I posted that I was watching the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, and making Hincapie's eggs for the week. The eggs sparked peoples interest and so I thought that I would cover what I do for Hincapie during the week.

He gets to eat his kibble two times a day, once sometime between 12:00 and 2:00 pm, and again at 9:00 pm. He gets three hard boiled and peeled eggs a day. One for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This is to cut down on scratching, and keep his coat shiny. I also give him a fish oil tablet from time to time. I brush daily, and use Musher's Secret on his paws to keep the concrete at the liquor store from eating at his pads.

Traveling Dog.

2011-01-31T08:38:00.001-06:00

This weekend Hincapie and I went for a boys weekend. We picked up one of my old roommates from college and headed to Fayetteville, Arkansas to visit the other roommate from college. This was Hincapie's first road trip that lasted more than two hours. He made the ride perfectly and was just a bit hyper when we arrived. He got along with Andy, who is the native Cocker Spaniel and an older dog.

The best part of the trip for Hincapie was getting to visit a new dog park, and getting a good 3 mile walk on the Fayetteville walking trail.

We found the park thanks to the great signage around the area, leaving no doubt that the drive over would be worth it. We pulled up to a park, with no dog park in sight. This left an uneasy feeling, except for all the leashed dogs around. This let us know that the park was indeed there, just not right there. We walked back down a trail at the back of the park and found what turned out to be one of the best dog parks I have been to. The Iam's Dog Park was impressive, in that it was simply a field, nicely fenced with an area for small dogs, and large dogs on the other side. They even had enough space to throw a disc on a busy day. This was great for Hincapie as he wasn't too keen on some of the dogs. We exercised him and then when he had enjoyed enough of the park we headed back.

On the next morning before heading home we took our walk. It was a great chance to relax, if it weren't for the new shoes on my feet, which caused blisters. We enjoyed getting to watch all the squirrels, and to dodge the cyclist, which seldom yelled on the left to us.

All in all the weekend trip went well, preparing us for a trip to a dog show. Now we just have to master the hotels and we will be on our way!

For more information on the Iam's Dog Park in Fayetteville Arkansas CLICK HERE!

Latest Portrait.

2011-01-08T19:32:00.000-06:00

I have been taking pictures of Hincapie in front of the beer at the store since he was a puppy. Here is his latest picture.

Application for Membership, and the Almost Indestructiball

2011-01-06T08:38:00.000-06:00

I have started the process of joining the Little Rock Dog Training Club. Last night my application for membership was read for the first time, and I was welcomed with open arms. I couldn't ask for a more inviting training environment, or better people to work with.

I was looking for more ways to entertain Hincapie when I found the Almost Indestructiball. He loves it and it keeps him on his toes. Hope you enjoyed the video!

Getting Ring Time!

2011-01-02T22:33:00.000-06:00

Last night I sent a message to the Training Director at the club to reserve a spot in the Novice Class. After some discussion we got a position, and I was informed that I could participate in a "Match" at the club that was held today. I didn't know the difference in a match and a trial, so she filled me in.

A match provides you with an opportunity to be judged, without it being official. Another advantage to a match is that you get to use corrections, and treats, as well as verbal commands and praise. This is all prohibited in competition, but useful in training. A trial is a recorded run that counts on your dogs record with the AKC.

I got to ride up and participate with Hincapie, and it was a very worthwhile experience. I got to expose him to the ring/trial environment, and get some useful feedback. I also was able to secure the endorsements necessary to place membership with the club.

I didn't plan all of this, and I was exhausted after closing at the store the night before (had to be at the club at 8:00 a.m.). I learned a lot, but the most important thing about it all is that now I have been in a ring, and see what the rush of it is like. I know that today was nothing serious, but it still was close enough that when Hincapie messed up it embarrassed me. That shows that I cared about the outcome like I would in a match. I hope that my next experience, whether it be a match or a trial is as fun as this one was.

Demodex Mites Attack.

2010-12-29T18:31:00.001-06:00

I just returned from vacation, which means Hincapie just got out of boarding. I don't think I have ever seen him that excited to see me. He was bounding around and peeing on everything. He even knocked over some stuff that they had on the counter at the vets office. So after working some energy out, we are relaxing at home.

Our trip out of town was not without incident. Hincapie has Demodex mites on his face. They are not contagious, and so he didn't catch them from another dog, but he is suffering their wrath. It is kind of like a doggy version of Staph, in that they live on their skin naturally, but the immune system keeps them in check so that they don't go all crazy. The vet said that they think something may have stressed Hincapie to weaken his immune system, or that their may be a bigger underlying issue. We are keeping our fingers crossed that this goes away and doesn't come back.

He had a great birthday though. We didn't do the steak, but he did get half a roast and it was gone fast enough that we know he had a good birthday! So now we have an adolescent dog.

Now all we are waiting on is class to start back up! So if your interested get to looking at the website, because orientation for the next session is on Tuesday January, 4 at 7:00 and you have to come to put in last minute paperwork! Check out the site link in the Little Rock Dog Training Club tab for more information on class!

Another Graduation.

2010-12-11T19:06:00.000-06:00

We had our windows painted for Christmas at the store and I thought you might like to see Hincapie's portrait.

Last Monday Hincapie graduated Sub-Novice Obedience at Little Rock Dog Training Club in Little Rock. I have a link on the page for them. I am happy to announce that he will be entering in the Pine Bluff Dog Show held at the Pine Bluff Convention Center on February 4th and 5th. This will be his first exposure to competition obedience and if everything goes right will be our first shot at a Title. As I mentioned in the previous post he is competing to the Beginner Novice Rally title which was just created in the past year. This title is a little easier to achieve than the Novice title and is just a way to get started and learn what Rally is all about.

I am taking a class next session at the club that will introduce us to how entering shows works. A do's and don't class to help us acclimate to the experience. We are also starting Novice Obedience at the club which will help us to prepare for the upcoming show.

Hincapie has a birthday approaching very soon. On December 19, 2009 he was born to breeder Arnold Roe in the Harrison Arkansas area. I don't know any more than that about him but I do know that he has turned out to be a member of my family. He is a guardian, friend, and most of all a side kick to me. I couldn't imagine going through my day-to-day without him by my side. So on December 19th he gets a steak for his birthday dinner. This will be the only thing that we are able to do special for him due to my family's Christmas. We always get together one week prior to Christmas so that just happens to be the big day.

Hincapie shortly after that will be going to Hunter's Animal Hospital in White Hall for boarding. If you want to see pictures of Hincapie while he is boarding join their Facebook page and they usually post several pictures a week of their boarded dogs. They are my vet of choice and really go above and beyond the call when it comes to your pets.

So this will likely be the last post before Hincapie's Birthday, and after that for the year. So in the event that I am unable to post a birthday picture of him, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and break those stinking resolutions early so that you can live guilt free!

Finding Hincapie a Title

2010-12-04T22:39:00.000-06:00

Today I got an interesting and exciting email. Hincapie's Sub-Novice Instructor emailed me letting me know that next February Hincapie will have a chance to get two legs of the Beginner Novice title. Then in March he can get his 3rd and final leg. This will give him the Beginner Novice title after his name, still not clear on what that means other than bragging rights.

So his feet have healed enough so that he can go without the boots now. He isn't limping, and I really think we can do the rally stuff that we need to for him to pass Sub-Novice. I think he is getting far enough along that he won't get certificates any more, now we compete for prizes.

Boots?

2010-12-01T20:55:00.000-06:00

After talking with the Veterinarian, Hincapie got new shoes. He is wearing dog boots to conceal the raw parts of his pad so that no debris can recontaminate the wound. We attended class, but were not able to do any moving exercises. So he got to practice long stay's with hurt feet. Not hard for a dog that is in pain when he moves.

If he performs alright during the mock put thru's then he will graduate to Novice Obedience.

Hincapie is preparing to enter in the Southeastern Kennel Club's Obedience Trials in February. He will be in the Beginner Novice class. His first show will be in his home town, how great is that?

Training Neglect

2010-11-29T08:05:00.000-06:00

The last two weeks have been filled with neglect for training. Alexis, my daughter, has been sick and needed me at home. This meant that I missed Hincapie's Sub-Novice class two weeks in a row. So today was going to be the triumphant return of the great Booze Hound to training. That is now in jeopardy.

This morning while getting his morning exercise Hincapie rubbed the pad raw on both back feet, making it pretty painful to walk. He is getting around alright, just a slight limp. This is not good when we are doing mock rally tonight. So we will play it all by ear and see if he is doing well enough to compete tonight.

Other than that we have been far to busy to learn any new tricks since the last post. The Holiday Season gets pretty busy at a liquor store.

Couped Up With Plastic Bones

2010-11-22T09:40:00.000-06:00

If any of you have owned a German Shepherd Dog and have experienced the work that is involved in keeping one indoors then you know how intensive life with one can be. For those of you who don't know, think of a four year old who weighs 80lbs, and likes to run when bored. This is a tiring existence. Every day involves some sort of strenuous activity to keep the energy levels down low enough for Hincapie to go to work at the store and be that calm sweet dog all of you know and love. No exercise, that would be a disaster, or would it?

I spent three days this weekend sick and bedridden. I am catching the brunt of my daughters building immune system. This means that Hincapie was crate bound for most of those days. No exercise like normal. I fully planned for disaster, but I was the sick one that didn't have to deal with it. My wife had a remarkably easy time with him. He didn't try to kill anyone (except a little tire toy), and was pretty calm for the days he was pent up.

Many people have told me of the dangers of rawhide chews. I have used them for lack of a better option. I did try Nylabones and Hincapie didn't like them. While I was sick we ran out of chews, so I pulled out the Nylabones and tried to spark some interest. Success struck quickly and the $30 worth of plastic bones now are worth the money. Here is proof!

Walking Sunday Away

2010-11-14T12:23:00.000-06:00

Every weekend I try to do something different with Hincapie. This week we decided to walk the whole trail around Lake Saracen. This was quite a feat after playing 30 minutes of Super Fetch. So we started with a break around the Jeep, got a drink of water.

The first mile was full of fetch, rolling the ball, and drilling on obedience and tricks. This was all done using the tennis ball as a reward for a completed exercise. This keeps Hincapie ready for when you all want to see tricks, or just see him do what dogs should do if well trained. I try to work with him several times a day, and at least once formally. Formal training for him involves a correction collar, and treats for reinforcement. One of the trainers at the club explained treats as payment for the work done. They asked if I would work without payment, which I agree makes sense, but with a dog so praise driven I am able to work him with my voice as a reward.

After getting to the gravel portion of the walking trail we stopped playing any kind of fetch. Have you ever rolled a tennis ball on gravel? If so then you know how rough it can be trying to keep the ball from flying off the trail. We never quite realize how long this trail can be, or at least how long it feels like it is.

After arriving at what will be Phase 3 of the trail, we took the picture. We don't cross this bridge/dam, because Hincapie doesn't like the way it feels on his feet. It is large grate material and I wouldn't wanna walk on that barefoot either! We then started back with some Itzhak Pearlman playing on Pandora Radio. This set the scene when we were visited by a River Otter. I didn't even know that they would live in a man made lake that never gets much more then 4-5 feet deep. It was a truly scenic walk, that had Downtown Pine Bluff in the background. For those of you from around here you know how run down Pine Bluff's reputation is.

After finishing this 3.3 mile walk we both were ready for some water and a nice rest. Way to start a Sunday.

Wanna Play Catch?

2010-11-12T08:00:00.001-06:00

Hincapie has been entertaining people from his first day in the store. With his training he is learning more and more to entertain and is showing off a bit. He has learned a swath of different tricks to amaze and impress with, but none more than the long range tennis ball catch he plays.

This started with teaching him to get his front paws on the counter, and progressed with teaching him to catch the ball on all fours. Eventually both were put together at a short range and then extended to what you just saw. We started letting customers throw the ball to him. One day he missed and the ball shot out into the store. The customer was a little intimidated by dogs and when Hincapie did like always and went to go get it they had beaten him to the ball. They didn't realize that he was barking for them to toss the ball to them. After they did he was fine.

Hincapie seldom is on a tie down in the store anymore. He has learned that when people are in the store that he is to be behind the counter. We even call his corner behind the counter "Your House" as in "Go to your house!" which you will hear from time to time when he wants to greet a customer with that personal touch. He would love to get around and see everyone, but we have learned that many people are truly afraid of these "Police Dogs". This doesn't stop him from watching everyone! And if you wanna see him mad step behind the counter...

Lucky Dog

2010-11-09T20:28:00.000-06:00

Tonight Hincapie broke out and started winning. He has won over $200 since he arrived at work around 4:00 p.m. I have been telling people that I will rub their tickets on his head for luck, and most of the time they think I am joking with them. Tonight a group of ladies took my comment seriously and it paid off big for them. They put $1.00 in on a Fast Money ticket and won $50.00. This started the frenzy which even had us buying tickets. His winnings just keep on climbing and the word is getting out about this lucky dog. Could you win big off Hincapie? Never know till you try!

Hincapie did pretty well in his Sub-Novice class on Monday night. He is learning "finish" and "swing" which are used in competition obedience. We are also working on reinforcing the stay command. This is harder outside of the Liquor Store than you might think. He is used to the whistles and the clicking noises that people make, and he has staying while I get someone their stuff down. He doesn't have staying while a tantalizing toy is being squeaked behind my head, or a tennis ball is being bounced. We all know how he loves his tennis ball!

On a much more convenient note he is getting in and out of the Jeep without assistance these days. Something that several dogs at the club have problems doing.

Disc Dog

2010-11-08T09:54:00.001-06:00

Hincapie loves to play Frisbee. He plays so passionately that he cuts his mouth on the disc. So after having enough of taking back a bloody disc, I decided to try a Kong disc. I am one of the biggest Kong fans you will find, and I have been working on buying one of every Kong toy made. They are indestructible and well worth the extra money, because you save when you don't have to repeatedly replace their toys. He loves them too, as you can see from the photo.

So we start off with some slower throws, just letting him get a feel for the heavier disc. He couldn't get a single catch. I walked away from the first session feeling like he just stole twelve bucks from me. I didn't expect to ever feel like trying that again.

Eventually I did try it again. I figured that even if he couldn't catch it I could at least get some fetch in with it. I threw the first throw with the passion of a pack of wild monkeys and low and behold he caught it. He had to put some extra bananas in the tank but he was able to get the disc out of the air. So I tried again, and again learning that if you throw it with enough spin it will stay up just long enough for him to catch it. This makes for a shorter game, but he tires faster so it makes Mike happy.

I usually let him catch the real disc a bit before we go, just so that he can get some long range catches in. I completely understand why hunters prefer a softer mouth on a dog. He love to BITE his toys.

Tonight is training night. Sub-Novice at Little Rock Dog Training Club.

Linebacker or German Shepherd

2010-11-06T18:01:00.000-05:00

Friday, we set out on a journey. Hincapie and I had been planning on attending the Little Rock Dog Training Club's yearly AKC Agility Trial. We started out going to Regional Park here in Pine Bluff to burn a little energy before the hour ride over to the Saline County Fairgrounds in Benton. The goal "Superfetch", which is my own blend of fetch and circuit running, designed to swiftly wear a dog down. It is the fastest way I have found to take the energy level down a notch.

"A Tired Dog is a Happy Dog" - Ceasar Millan

We began with a fury, dirt and grass flying as Hincapie passed repeatedly at full speed. The game was going great, and we were working our energy down to a acceptable level. Hincapie's excitement got me fired up, so I decided to trick him by throwing it a different direction at the last possible second. This had provided tons of laughs as he would slide by gripping the dirt with all his might. So as he came in I turned, and he stuck my legs, full speed. I went head over heels and landed on my neck and shoulder, a video would have been priceless.

Now Advil is my best friend, now I know not to tempt fate with a 80lb German Shepherd who pays more attention to the ball than the doofus throwing the ball.

We finally made it to the Agility Trial and Hincapie was pulling on the lead way more than is normally acceptable. I didn't bring the prong collar because the AKC has banned them on trial sites. They don't mind them for training, but they don't want people to see them at events. He got a chance to take in the sounds, and smells of a trial so that he can concentrate when the time comes to compete. I am planning on jumping into the world of agility next session at the club, but I may have to do two classes to fit it in. We only stayed for about an hour, but we learned a whole lot about how things work in that hour. I also learned that if you need to cross a puddle of water, you go before the dog, because the dog will drag you into it mid jump.

I am starting to wonder who's side Hincapie is on anyways...

Hincapie the Medical Alert Dog

2010-11-04T08:00:00.001-05:00

I have been having some issues with my blood sugar levels. It isn't anything new, but it was getting worse. I stopped my diet about six months back and it all fell apart. Now I have gotten back on track, but not without some times where bottomed out blood sugar made life uncomfortable. So in the process I started to investigate what it would take to train a dog to detect diabetic episodes of any kind. In other words what it would take to train Hincapie to help me with this issue.

In all my research I learned some interesting things. We don't understand what about an episode makes a dog alert, only that they do. So I have done some asking around and reading to further my understanding. The trainers I spoke with have all backed up what I read, which said the only way to train is to be around the dog 24/7. I have a unique situation being a partner in a small business. I can take my dog to work, home, and around with me during the day. This had made it easy to train Hincapie to detect my episodes. That is if you can consider watching a dogs behavior training. All the experts told me to keep a journal of his behavior during my day.

I didn't start the journal. I figured that if he wasn't reacting that there would be nothing to record. I didn't have much faith in the whole "Just take him with you" method. I was wrong.

About a week ago I had a day that I didn't eat breakfast or lunch. I created (by accident) a situation in which I would want him to alert. After I realized that I was fading I started to eat to try and counter the episode before it got to bad, this was important being that I was working alone at the store. Then it happened. Hincapie alerted me that something was wrong by very insistently nuzzling me with his mouth. He was basically pulling a "Lassie" on steroids. I hadn't seen him act like that before, and he hasn't done it since. He gave me total faith that in the event that my health deteriorates he can be an effective tool.

So guess I need to get that journal going...

Taking Money from Customers?

2010-11-03T08:00:00.025-05:00

Last night Hincapie started learning a new trick. This one is not an original, but then again who does truly original performances anymore?

Yea, Makin Money

One of our Salesmen told me the other day about a convenience store in southern Arkansas that has a dog which takes money from the customers, and brings it to the clerk. This caught my attention. So tonight we started practicing this trick with one dollar bills, because lets face it what dog needs to eat a $100? It all started out good, but he quickly lost the point, thinking that he got the treat only for going around the counter and returning. We made it fun, a little too fun. He snapped at the money a bit, and we had to really use the "easy" command to calm him prior to taking the money.

He only nibbled a little bit on the money, and never punctured a bill. I am using real money, because that is what I want him to take. I will update on this trick as things come along.

In Sub-Novice he is learning to stand for inspection, to come to front, and the verbal down in heeling position. He already has the verbal down, and come to front is coming along nicely. The stand for inspection is getting there, I never used a hand signal and the signal is a little flamboyant for his taste ( and mine too).

He is mastering basic disc work, but is having issues with bleeding, mainly due to hard catches after the disc starts to show wear. I am working on teaching a softer catch so that he can play longer. He understands that sometimes you bite hard, and other times it is not to his advantage to snap down those vice grip jaws.

First Entry -- The Beginning.

2010-11-02T18:07:00.000-05:00

Hincapie's First Night of Work

Hincapie was born somewhere in North Arkansas. I say somewhere because we are not sure where the breeder lives that hatched this marvelous dog. We don't really know much about the breeder. His first owner was planning on spoiling him beyond belief. They wanted so much for him and had big plans, then came more good news for them. They found out that they were expecting a baby, and knowing what a bundle of energy that Hincapie (then Dexter the Kibble Killer) was they didn't feel that they could keep up with him. So, happily I adopted this wonderful dog to be my own for the low price of $200.

I mentioned that they felt they wouldn't be able to keep up with Hincapie. I thought that they were over estimating this puppy. Surely this little dog wouldn't be that bad...or could he?

Hincapie was so full of energy that every morning I had to be up at 5:00 a.m. to walk him 2-3 miles, and again had to walk him in the evening, for another 2-3 miles. He always needed the walk, if you forgot he would run all over your house, running into everything along the way.

Hincapie has come a long way from the bundle of energy that we came home with. Now he weighs 79lbs at just 10 months old. He has completed Puppy Kindergarten and Beginner Obedience. Now he is taking Sub-Novice Obedience and all my free time. We hope that you will follow his adventures and accomplishments here.