The Adventures of Mookie the Mudi

   Titles and awards earned this month....    NACSW ORT (Odor Recognition Test    Scent Work Container Novice Elite (SCNE) Scent Work Container Advanced (SCA) Scent Work Interior Advanced (SIA) Scent Work Buried Advanced (SIA) Barn Hunt Crazy 8's - 30 points! Link to Mookie's titles   What is a title, really?  (...a must read!)  APRIL photos are in this album!  APRIL videos are added to this album! NOSEWORK training and trials (Click here for more details) NACSW ORT - This Odor Recognition Test was held at Camp Bandy and the final odor Mookie needed was anise which he got with no problem earning him the title!!   AKC trials The  Timber Ridge Obedience Club of Central Wisconsin ,  held a trial at the Plover WI Boys and Girls Club.  They offered INTERIOR and CONTAINER searches so Mookie was entered in 2 searches/day each element in both novice and advanced which is 16 searches of which he passed 14 earning him the Scent Work Container Novice Elite (SCNE) title, the Scent Work

 Dog love to sniff!  Dogs NEED to sniff!  And yes there are lots of things they can sniff for!  (Google is your friend with this!)   The sport of NOSEWORK  or SCENT WORK is a very cool activity for all dogs!  I started with Jake, by default actually, when I was having my knees replaced and needed to entertain him for a few winter months.  After researching the sport, I started taking online nosework classes from the Fenzi Dog Sport Academy and was immediately hooked on the training.  Jake's 5 year journey from zero to UKC Champion and AKC Master Elite and Detective is documented on his website, Rock Star Jake . Naturally, because I love the sport, I plan to teach it to Mookie.  The 3 venues we will start with are: AKC Scent Work UKC Nosework NACSW Nosework I've revisited the beginning classes I took and we are well on our way.  Below the photos, I'll document (in reverse order) the monthly progress of this adventure! Click here to go to Mookie's Scent Work Photo Album

    Titles and awards earned this month....    AKC Virtual Scent Work Experienced (see explanation here) Link to Mookie's titles   What is a title, really?  (...a must read!)  MARCH photos are in this album!  MARCH videos are added to this album! It's been a good month!  A COLD WINTER month.. February was warmer..  but nevertheless, it was very active for both of us!  I'll just list what happened below! SCENT WORK - Always...  all the time...  here, there and everywhere!  I created a spreadsheet to keep track of where we searched so I would stop at lots of new places and we're up to about 50 different locations and most locations have more than one area.  We work on fast easy searches at gas station potty areas so he'll learn to ignore the smells and longer searches at parks.  I set up buried hides (sand and water) on my porch which we do regularly and have boxes ready to go in the garage! OBEDIENCE and RALLY - Yes we practice at the dog club multiple times each

The Muzzle Up! Project Muzzles are a fantastic tool to help keep dogs and people safe.  It's said best at  The Muzzle Up! Project which will help teach you all about muzzles and their proper use. This site includes training and resources that you'll need to get your dog the right muzzle and get him used to wearing it!   Did you know that dogs wear muzzles for all sorts of reasons?  Dogs might wear muzzles because: He eats rocks, socks, or other non-food items that can be toxic or cause expensive and life-threatening surgeries. She is nervous of other dogs, and the muzzle helps keep everyone safe during off-leash hiking or on-leash walks. The muzzle works as a cue to tell other owners to give the dog some space. The owner wants to teach their dog to be comfortable wearing a muzzle in case the dog must wear one someday at the vet's office. A properly-fitted basket muzzle can do all of this, and more! Best of all, if you take the time to train your dog to wear the muzzle, it

Barn Hunt ...  dogs finding rats safely tucked away in a tube and then telling their handlers they found it.  That's it!  Sounds simple doesn't it?  Well, for some dogs it is and others, well, not so much.  This is from the Barn Hunt website: Barn Hunt is based on the traditional roles of many breeds in ridding farms, barns, crop storage areas, and homes of destructive vermin. Some breeds were specifically created to fill this role, and for many of those breeds, Barn Hunt provides their first true opportunity for responsible breeders to test proper working traits in their dogs. Barn Hunt is also open to any dog of any breed or mix who wishes to play the game and can fit through an 18" wide by bale-height tall tunnel And now you want to know more, right?  First thing, click here to check out the Barn Hunt website. I was introduced to the sport at the second trial offered in Wisconsin in 2013 with Jake.  He excelled in it and was one of the first 2 dogs in WI to reach the Ma

Yes .... SHED HUNTING IS A THING!   I started to do shed hunting with Jake but when his back gave out he couldn't continue.  Now I think this is something that Mookie would love to do AND the United Kennel Club (UKC) has a program called ELITE SHED DOG ! Click here for a link to info on the UKC website that explains the sport. Click here for the rules of the sport. Below is a video I found from the UKC that explains the sport. I plan to log adventures here (in reverse order) so I can keep track of Mookie's progress.  :) 2023.4.2 - Talked with nice neighbor and he dropped off a SHED antler!!!  I was so excited that I hid it around the house for Mookie to find and he LOVED it!!  Click here for a link to the video of the that search!! 2023.3.29 -  Learned about antlers that have been SHED and antlers that have been cut off and will need  Rack Wax Dog Training Scent for mine because they are cut off and that will give them the scent needed for Mookie to find it.  Plus it's use

COOPERATIVE CARE  involves training an animal to not only tolerate handling and husbandry procedures, but also to be an active, willing participant in these experiences. This is a sentence from a great article in the Whole Dog Journal that can be read by clicking this link !  I can't say that any of my German Shepherds actually cooperated in their care and, for sure, they were often not a willing participant!  I thought this is going to change with Mookie..  Time will tell, it's a LONG process and I'll update here.  2023 April  We made some progress this month!! Muzzle  - THIS is great!  Got a muzzle that fits and he accepts it well.  It's the best slow feeder I've had!!  I wrote a post about it here.  Nails  - it is really working!  Mookie is now giving me his paw to grind the nails.  We're at 1-2 at a session per paw followed by a piece of dehydrated salmon!!   Bath tub  - This is a work in progress.  I bought him a tub which he sat in when it was on the floo

   Titles and awards earned this month....    AKC Virtual Scent Work Intermediate  4 Best of Breed (4 First Place, 4 Best Male), Group 3 (UKC Conformation) Link to Mookie's titles   What is a title, really?  (...a must read!)  February photos are in this album!  February videos are added to this album! Lots of training and adventures this month but only one show and no competition trials!  I know I'll be glad when winter and snow are gone but I'm not sure about Mookie!  As he has all winter, he delights in chasing his ball around the yard and running and jumping in the snow!  Because he has dog door access to the yard, he is in and out when we're home.  I used to worry when it was quiet and go looking for him but now I just look outside and there he is running or hanging on the ball on a rope on a tree!   As always, we spend a lot of time at the Winnegamie Dog Club!  Two mornings each week training early and helping with rally classes.  This month was a "Senior Dog