Ooh, I was so excited last weekend when I got to meet the famous Richard Curtis (www.k9freestyle.co.uk) who is one of the the top Canine Freestyle / Heelwork to Music trainers from the faraway place called England.
We were very lucky because Richard was very nice to spend a long time on the Big Flying Machine and come all the way to Australia to do some trainings with the doggies here. He was giving a ‘doggie dancing’ workshop at Camp Tailwaggers on the Gold Coast and so of course, my human signed us up immediately!
Here is an exciting movie of the highlights!
.
Hsin-Yi was very excited because it was always her dream to meet Richard – especially because Richard always supports other types of doggies doing Canine Freestyle too and not just the usual working breeds. He was also very kind to help Hsin-Yi a few years ago when she was writing an article for her UK dog magazine, Dogs Today.
Hsin-Yi was also happy because Michelle, who is my dancing buddy, Bodie the Border Terrier’s human, was visiting us from NZ and coming to the workshop with us. There were so many things to pack – especially my crate this time – that it wouldn’t all fit in the car machine! Just my beanbag bed took up most of the back seat! So my humans had to tie my crate to the roof of the car machine and Hsin-Yi was driving very carefully because she was worried it would come off and fly away! 
Anyway, we arrived on Fri afternoon after 2 hours in the car machine. It was great to get out and stretch my legs at last – Camp Tailwaggers is a wonderful place, with forests and hills and ponds to explore and everything is off-leash so us doggies are free to roam wherever we like! There were so many people coming for the workshop this time that they had to bring extra caravans for people to sleep in.
But we were lucky because we got a cabin. If you remember my post about the ‘doggie dancing’ camp I came to here back in Feb, the cabins are fantastic, each with their own doggie door (although they don’t fit giant doggies like me) and come with doggie beds, bowls and towels supplied! They also each have their own fenced garden and doggies are allowed inside.
As soon as we settled in, I went to say hello to my new neighbours: Molly the Old English Sheepdog and Jazz the German Shorthaired Pointer. (Actually, you might be able to see that me and Molly were saying rude words to each other in this picture but our humans gave us each a Telling-Off – so after this, we were good and polite to each other! 
)
After Registration, Hsin-Yi and Michelle went to meet Richard and have dinner with all the other humans. And then after dinner, there was a Cabaret show again where we all performed our routines to show Richard what we could do.
I have been practising very hard for this with Hsin-Yi in the last few weeks but it’s been very difficult for me because Hsin-Yi wants me to learn to do my whole dance routine without getting a single treat in the middle! 
Can you imagine? That’s like concentrating for 3 whole minutes doing 30 tricks and moves in a row! (Yes, I counted!) Who on earth would do all that work for nothing?! I mean, I’m not a workaholic Border Collie or Malinois or something, who thinks its fun just to do lots of tricks again and again for nothing! I need to see that my human is holding something really yummy in her hand and that she is going to give it to me soon – otherwise, I’d much rather just lie down and have a nap! Huh! So there! 
But Hsin-Yi said I had to learn to be like the Border Collies – humph! So I have been trying, although it is really hard, and has been making both me and Hsin-Yi very stressy… I hoped that Richard will tell my human at this workshop that I’m NOT a Border Collie and so she can’t make me like them, no matter how hard she tries!
Photo by Andrew Cartlidge, Rivergate Photography (www.rivergate.org.uk)
Still, I did manage to do my dance routine at the Cabaret without any treats after all! 
Although it was not a competition and so our humans were allowed to use “motivators”, Hsin-Yi decided to test me and try to do the routine without any rewards - but she did bring my dinner bowl and put lots of yummies in it and then left it by the side of the dance floor so I could see it.
So I tried my best!
I did miss a few of my moves and my mind did wander a few times – hey, how can you expect a girl to concentrate when there are no treats to focus the mind? - but considering that I was doing it all for nothing – I think I did pretty well! Anyway, Hsin-Yi was pleased with me – and as soon as we finished, she let me eat all the yummies in my dinner bowl!
Well, the next morning, the workshop started very early. Because so many doggies and their humans had come to do trainings with Richard, they had to split us doggies into 2 groups: Beginners on Sat and Advanced on Sun and I was in the Advanced group, can you believe it?!
…so on Saturday, I just relaxed at the cabin while Hsin-Yi and Michelle went to watch the workshop…
There were LOADS of doggies there – mostly Border Collies and Malinois and German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers, of course, but Hsin-Yi said it was really nice to see quite a few “non-traditional” breeds there too. She went a bit crazy and took 403 photos! 
(Don’t worry – am only showing you some of the best ones!)
.
Hsin-Yi especially fell in love with one big, beautiful Malamute boy who was “so photogenic”!
And it was very exciting because although she had heard my blog friends, The OP Pack & Army of Four talk a lot about ‘wooing’, Hsin-Yi had never seen it in real life…
… until this big Malamute boy started wooing at his human to throw him the treats!
.
.
.
.
He was a great catcher too – look at those teeth!
There was also a little Border Terrier there, like my friend, Bodie, so Michelle got very excited when she saw him!
And there was even a tiny little Malinois puppy who could barely keep her eyes open by the end of the day after watching all the excitement! 
But all the doggies were very good, waiting patiently for their turn and being very friendly and polite to each other, even though most hadn’t met before…
And Richard was a great teacher! He explained everything really clearly and showed the humans lots of clever ways to make training more fun for us doggies.
I couldn’t wait for my turn the next day!
After the workshop finished on Saturday, Hsin-Yi & Michelle came back to the cabin and took me for a nice walk before they went back to have dinner in the training centre with Richard and all the other humans …
.
…but they did share some late-night snacks with me later!
(self-timer photo!)
.
The next morning, I sprang out of bed, bright and early, all ready to join the workshop!
Er…well, OK, maybe I didn’t quite ‘spring’ – that’s far too energetic! – but I did get up. Eventually. After a lot of prodding.
When I finally staggered to the training centre (am so NOT a ‘morning doggie’), I found all the other doggies there already, ready for another exciting day!
We started with some “warming up” exercises, just to help our doggie brains wake up and get our attention on our humans…my brain took a LOT of warming up…
Richard said it was very important for us doggies to learn to always keep our attention on our humans all the time, no matter what was happening around us…
…and even if our humans are walking around…
…well, I’m normally quite good at ‘attention-walking’ (a.k.a. Heeling) – I have practised lots with Hsin-Yi – although I have to say, I do find it a bit difficult staying in the right position next to Hsin-Yi’s knee AND looking up at the same time. You know us Danes don’t do “multi-tasking” very well!
Besides, I don’t know why humans want us doggies to be looking up at them all the time when we are walking beside them - it gives us a crick in the neck! Still, I can do it – in fact, I’m proud to say that I can Heel as beautifully as a Border Collie when I’m feeling energetic (which, OK, is not very often)…
But to make it more interesting and challenging for us, Richard got us doggies to Heel on the right side of our humans…this is something that only dancing doggies learn because most Obedience doggies only learn to Heel on the left side but dancing doggies have to learn to Heel on both sides (we learn a different command – my left side is “Heel” and my right is “Side”).
Richard also got us to do this around cones to make it more challenging…
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDJoy_GNw2w
After that, we did some more funny exercises around cones to test our attention. Like our humans had to put their hands on their heads (so no treats to lure us!) and walk backwards around the cones while recalling us – and us doggies had to remain in exactly a straight line in front of them …
…or they had to walk with us next to them but with their arms held out so they can’t rely on it to keep us in Heel position or use treats to lure our attention…
Here is a short movie of me doing the ‘Recall-Around-Cones-Without-Arms’ exercise with Hsin-Yi:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aOQ2lgivSo
After this, our brains were so warm they were sizzling! Ha! Ha! Then we started practising some dance moves.
First we did some Paw work…
(learning the 3-legged walk...)
(the good old "Shake")
(more 3-legged walking...)
.
…some Weaving…
… some Bows…
.
…and Reversing Through Legs…!
This was a really hard move for me – as you can see in my highlights video at the top – am just too tall and Hsin-Yi is too short! Hee! Hee! But Hsin-Yi is determined to come up with our own version – after all, everyone told her she could never do weaving through the legs with me – and we have proven them all wrong!
Aside from tricks, we also practised some of the Heelwork to Music positions. For those who don’t know about this, ‘doggie dancing’ is split into 2 types: Canine Freestyle and Heelwork to Music (HTM). For HTM, there are 8 positions that us doggies must be in when dancing and we must never move out of these positions for most of our routine otherwise we will be disqualified -
If you think how hard it is for us doggies to remain in the correct ‘Heel’ position just on the left side, with our shoulders perfectly in line with our humans – imagine how difficult it is for us to make sure we are in the ‘correct’ position for another 7 different positions! It takes a lot of training and practice – and needs a doggie to be very ‘precise’. That is something that is quite difficult for giant breed doggies like me.
This is not like Canine Freestyle where us doggies can be anywhere – even really far away from our humans - and we can do any kind of tricks and moves we like. Me & Hsin-Yi have always done Canine Freestyle because it is more creative and fun – and also because it is hard for me to do the very precise moves needed for HTM. But after Richard started showing us some of the Heelwork positions, Hsin-Yi got inspired and decided it would be a good challenge to try and teach me some of the other positions. I already know 2 of them (Heeling on the left and on the right) – but we started learning some others at the workshop.
First, we learnt the position where the dog is on the Right side of their human but facing backwards, with their shoulder in line with their human’s leg - like this:
HTM position: Dog on Right side, facing backwards, shoulder in line with human leg...
It’s very important for the doggie’s shoulder to remain exactly in line with their human’s legs all the time, no matter how fast their human is moving or where they are turning…and most doggies learn this by their humans holding a treat at their hip to show them the correct place to target…
…but it was really hard for me ‘coz I’m so much taller and bigger than the other dogs, so in order for MY shoulder to be line with Hsin-Yi’s legs, I would have to target the side of my muzzle to her shoulder…but it was hard for her to hold a treat in the right place to show me what she wanted! 
Huh?
WHAT?
Like this?
Make up your mind, woman!
Oh, I think I get it...
I think I’m going to need LOTS of practice!!!!!
We also tried another of the HTM positions, where the dog is in across the front of their human, facing to the right:
HTM position: Dog across front of handler, facing to the right...
This was also difficult for me ‘coz I’m much longer than other doggies and so Hsin-Yi’s arm isn’t really long enough to hold the treat out far enough, so that I am making a perfect T with her body – and so that my body stays straight (v important!) – without my head curving towards her, which would make my bum swing out…
Other humans could just stand up straight and hold their arm out with the treat and their doggies could just line up straight, across them but me…? *(sigh) Nothing is simple and easy with us giant breed doggies!
Still, I did sort of get the idea and Richard put on some cute music for us to try dancing to in this position (you can see this in my highlights video – the bit where we are all skipping sideways to the “bum-bum-bum” music).
It wasn’t just the positions that were hard for me…it was really hot (even in the shade) which always makes me feel sluggish and OK, I have to admit, I am just not a ‘morning doggie’. I usually go straight back to bed after breakfast and don’t stir again until around 4pm in the afternoon for my daily walk…so asking me to do anything in the morning is a real effort, never mind using my brain and dancing!
So while all the other doggies were whizzing and spinning across the floor, I was sort of – um – trying to collect my thoughts…well, see for yourself:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85Wq_crp3DQ
.
I was really glad when Richard said us doggies could have a break after lunch (whew! a nap! hooray!) and the humans were just going to do some trainings by themselves.
Richard gave them some interesting exercises and fun games to do, like making up dance routines for different types of music or guessing which tricks and moves look good together – or even learning some dance moves themselves, like how to do a snazzy walk with a cane!
And can you believe it, the humans even pretended they were doggies so they could act out some of the dance routines they made up – gosh, they looked silly! But then, humans are always doing silly things!
When us doggies joined in again, Richard gave us some games to test our ‘reliability’ – he said that it’s really important for us to practise all our commands in lots of different situations and with lots of different distractions, so that we can perform them anytime, anywhere, in any position.
In fact – unlike other types of dog training which often likes to teach us doggies to rely on hand signals more - in dancing, us doggies have to learn to respond to just verbal signals (voice commands), regardless of what our humans’ bodies are doing - so that our humans’ hands are free to do other things in the dance. Also so that it is not obvious that they are giving us a signal, which would look very ugly in a dance. The reason ‘doggie dancing’ looks so beautiful is because humans & doggies are moving together as a team, in time to the music - and not the human just standing there, waving their arms around, telling the dog to do tricks.
But of course, this is easier said than done, especially as us doggies usually find it much easier to follow body language and hand signals, rather than verbal commands. Many of us can do a trick when our humans give the hand signal but have no idea when they just say the command. So again, lots of practice! Richard made our humans fold their arms so they couldn’t use them at all – and then tried to get us doggies to weave through their legs, follow them, twist and spin…just on verbal signals…there were a lot of blank doggie faces, I can tell you! Hee! Hee!
What’s more, Richard said us doggies had to learn to do our tricks even when our humans aren’t facing us! This is really hard. It’s a great test of how well you know your commands – if you can still do them when your human has their back to you. Try it and see!
Here is me trying it with Hsin-Yi at the workshop…
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiYJda9H7uA
.
…hey, I was actually quite good! Guess us Danes aren’t as dumb as people think!
Actually, Hsin-Yi had already taught me some dance moves where I have my back to her or she has her back to me…
…in dancing, these are considered “advanced moves” – so that makes me an ‘Advanced’ doggie!
Well, after that, it was time to wrap up the workshop – and for Richard to go to the airport to get on the Big Flying Machine back to England!
We had one last fun game where we practised having fun ‘in the ring’ – coz a lot of us doggies are great during training but then freeze up when we have to go in the ring – because our humans get all serious and stressy. So Richard said it’s really important to practise having fun in the ring too and not only go in there for scary, stressy competitions! So he put on some really loud music and got each of our humans to run into the ring with us and jump around and act silly and give us treats and play fun games. It was very exciting!
Here is my turn:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeXt_SvVXyk
.
And then it was all over! Time to pack up and go home!
Whew! I know this has been a mammoth long post but I did so much exciting stuff that I just wanted to share it all with you! I hope you enjoyed it and feel a bit like you came along to the camp too!
* A big thank you to Bodie’s Human, Michelle, for taking all the photos & videos of me and Hsin-Yi! Usually, Hsin-Yi takes lots of photos & footage of other doggies but there is no one to take any of us – so it was wonderful to have our own “cameraman” this time!
******
Richard Curtis is a wonderful trainer and instructor – and does brilliant workshops, both in the UK and lots of other countries overseas!
Check out his website www.k9freestyle.co.uk for more information.
He also has some great DVD’s and books available at his shop, which can be ordered online.
.
.
.
Oh my, this is indeed a long post and an interesting post too!! We love all the action pictures. We love to see you and Hsin-Yi dance and we love to see you in training. We really admire you!
Oh my DAWG! i don't know where to begin… that first video, it looked like the dogs were holding a beat to that song you had playing! AWSOME!
of course, beside the DANES, i love the GSD's, the Malinois, the Huskies and are you ready for my last favorite… the TERRIER! LOL. I love the border terrier. or any terrier for that matter. they're so silly!
Love the videos… great report. i will remember to practice commands with my back to them. we've done that before, but not enough. i like how i got to see how one of the positions was taugh (front and using a lure.) very cool!
wow what a clever girl you are and my mum really admires you Hsin-Yi . she can see the love and patience you have Honey AND how much fun she makes it for you. this has really cheered up Jeannette she was feeling down and just watching you both gives her some thing to smile. She sees a lot of 'dane isms' like the sleeping in in the morning and the flappy shaking of our heads
cheers for now
Thanks for sharing your exciting weekend. Loved reading all the stories and looking at the pics and videos. Honey was very clever to twist on command when you weren't facing her. Gemma's not a morning doggie either! I would love to have more time to train her a bit. Do you think dogs need training from the start or is it never too late. She was about 4 years old when we got her. She will sit and come (most of the time), but she loves learning new things. Answered my own question there I guess!
Just trying this out, adding Gemma's blog page.
Ok, the link to Gemma's page works but still can't work out how to get a picture of her next to my posts!!
Hi Honey,
Thank you for sharing your experience at the workshop with Richard Curtis! This post was really long as you say but it is also full of hints for us doggies learning to dance.
Keeping my attention on my human whatever happens around me is definitely impossible! But, I will try my best to master it.
By the way, did Richard give any suggestions on how to call each HTM position? I am curious, as I think they all must be given distinctive commands. Also, did he tell you how to practise three-legged walking? You know. I am struggling with it…
This post made me miss you a lot!! I wish I could practise dancing wit you!
Love,
Cinnamon
wow that was an unbelievable weekend for you two! that must be more mentally exhausting than physically, even though you are being ver physical. our mom has no attention span for that sort of thing, and we are not obedience trained. we just go for adventures and don't use our brain too much. we are definately in awe!
Hi Honey -- omg you are amazing! My human spent a long time reading about Camp Tailwaggers -- she loved every word and photo. She kept pointing at the screen and saying "Indy -- we need to try this!". Please thank your human for writing all this up for us -- I indeed feel like I went to camp with you! You did GREAT, Honey
:)
Hugs and SLobbery kisses:
from Indy in Baltimore MD (USA)
I signed on this morning to find your blog entry waiting…what a wonderful way to start my day here in the US.
I made my human come watch, too, and we both
enjoyed every minute we spent visiting Doggie Dancing with you.
I convinced my human to try a musical freestyle class and we just had our first lesson. Don't tell her, but I have the moves down much better than she does. It's going to take a LOT of practice to get her up to speed. Fortunately, Hsin-Yi has shared lots of ideas for my human to read and watch.
Love to you Honey and Hsin-Yi, too
Katy the Cavalier
We are going to have to come back and read this post a couple of times. So much great info you shared. What fun for both you and Honey.
Yes, that malamute was gorgeous, such soulful eyes. We love to woo, even little Ciara has started to work on hers. But Mom says none of us can woo as sweetly as princess Dakota.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful time.
Woos -- Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara
Honey you are one lucky dog, I think you get out more than I do and I am a human! That place you stayed looks amazing, I wish there was something like that in the US. I loved the photos too!
Hi Honey!
Thank you for sharing! My human just loves to read about all this training -- she dreams of getting me to dance or properly heeling…but it's true what you say…looking up makes my neck hurt, so I just stare at the treat…hee hee
Wags!
OH MY!! Thank you -- I really loved seeing all the photos, viewing and learning through the videos and reading how you train for this. So facinating! Hey I saw two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in your videos and pictures!
Holy Smokes Honey! What a weekend you had! It looks like you had a great time. We will have to watch all the videos with Meowm when she gets home from that jobbie place.
oh WOW! thanks for sharing your experience at the camp. We love the photos and videso and feel like we were there with you this weekend too. You did a great job, Honey. I bet a dancing Great Dane stands out big time among those Border Collies, Malinois and German Shepherds. I am super impressed by your "attention walking". I told my mommy she could forget that (unless she didn't mind holding a chicken leg with my name on it the whole time).
oh oh I want to let you know that Mommy followed your "blanket trick" tutorial and taught me the trick. I nailed it in 10 min. I can't wait to share the video on my blog. I am good at learning tricks like that but dancing? not in a million years! thanks for keeping my mommy entertained. she loves watch dogs dance.
wags,
Preston
What an informative post with a great highlights video. Thanks for sharing your weekend with us Honey -- it looked like you and Hsin-Yi had a great time, and we can almost imagine being there seeing you both dance.
Woofs,
Riley
Oh Honey! We want to come to camp too! How fun everything looked. What a grand time!
Thanks for sharing this fantastic learning & bonding experience.
You made me really appreciate Oreo's size in the weaving legs part! LOL. I'm only 5 foot tall. I think I'd have to start going to the gym if I was going to do leg weaves with a great dane.
I'm sooooooooo not a morning person either, Honey.
What a fun Doggie Dancing Weekend! Wish I could've gone too.
Gosh! I watched the movie when you posted it and forgot to read your words as well. I noticed that you were the only full sized doggie there. You represented all of us! What a super duper job.
Those little motor bottom pups were so serious. I think you were better off taking the time to look around and enjoy your holiday.
Your Hsin-Yi sure is short. How inconvenient that must be for you.
Speaking of dancing… I think momma is mad at me because she waited until the last minute to make our dance movie and I kind of improvised a little and she says there won't be the right time and lighting to do it over. Oh boo hoo.
Slobbers,
Mango
Wow, that was an interesting weekend. Looks like you two have lots to add to your bag of dancing moves.
Thanks fur sharing all those great pikhs of some furry pawesome khanines!
How khool to see both kinds of Mals
The Malamute was a khwite the looker!
Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra
Looks like you had so much fun honey!! Kaj has been so busy with work the last few weeks. We don't really get to go out and have as much fun as we used to. He feels bad. But I understand he only works 6 months of the year. I love your danceing. And love love how yu ae breaking the sterotypes of dancing doggies!!!!!!!!!
Tha was a great post Honey!
We loved it -- and definately agree that it takes a lot of work to train for a dancing routine… People say to our human that it's absolutley amazing that she can teach a dog to tug open doors and push buttons, and take socks off, but to be honest that is easy in comparisson to what some of these dancing dogs are taught to do
So well done to the two of you!
And danes are definately not dumb…hehe
Lick and lots of Slobber,
Lexi and Jasper teh Danes
OMdoG… what a fun and activity filled weekend!! Loved the video… BOTH of you looked like you had a blast! Can't believe how many border collies there were too..
So glad you have posted about the workshop! I've been waiting to see your videos. I thought you would get some good ones. And also lots or photos -- hooray!
I'm about half-way through this post, and I'm going to come back tomorrow and read the rest. For me it's a great refresher about what we did here in Melbourne.
You shook hands with Richard very nicely. There were some very nice looking doggies there, but you shine in the crowd! And doing a while routine without any treats is a wonderful accomplishment, indeed!
I'm now 9 years old, and I have never been a morning doggie, either. I'm more of a noon doggie now that I have reached such a distinguished age.
Drools,
Thor
It's so cool that you got to go to a freestyle camp with a master of freestyle! Looks like you learned a ton! Love all the photos and all the different dogs!
Did we see us there???
Oh Honey, you're SUPER!!
Momo & Pinot
hello honey its dennis the vizsla dog hay wow that luks like a gud time and so menny diffrent kinds of dogs!!! amayzing!!! ok bye
Woo! Honey, what an exciting post! I hope I remember everything I wanted to say. First, I'm so glad your Hsin-Yi got to hear a Malamute "woo"! Ammy thinks that guys was mighty handsome -- did you two get to meet, muzzle to muzzle? Or were you working?
My mom is in love with that Aussie Shepherd and the little Malinois puppy! (I think I'd have a hard time keeping my eyes open after a long day like that, too….)
I'm not a morning pup, either. In fact, your version of springing out of bed looks a lot like mine. Woo.
Was that super-training guy totally impressed with you? I am -- I'll bet you were the best there! I mean -- you and Hsin-Yi have some added challenges — especially that leg weavy part.
Great, great post! I think I need a nap after seeing all of that!
Luv,
Dave
What a fun weekend you had,Honey! You and Hsin-Yi are so talented! Thanks for sharing doggie dance with us. Those doggies looked so nice too!
Oh Phew!that indeed was LOOOONNGG. BUT we ENJOYED IT
Honey, u did a pawsome job, and without treats too. WoW! u look really wonderful in all ur videos n pics. Mummy specially likes that cabin with paw towels and a bowl for u.
Mummy has sent u a huge hug. We are not very sure she can hug the whole of u though!!
Yeah!we did feel like we were at the camp for sometime.
Wow, Honey -- that looks like a fantastic experience. We love the photo of you and Richard Curtis, that is so cool that you got to meet him like that.
It looks a very fun trip that you had, that place you stay in looks so nice, we love how you have a nice fenced in garden but can see your doggie neighbours too.
Thank you for sharing it with us.
We found those links on our blog, it was not long after we started blogging that we saw him and Mary Ray at a show. There are some piccies of them both on there, if you get chance to take a peek…
http://hollyzacandtheiradventures.blogspot.com/20…
http://hollyzacandtheiradventures.blogspot.com/20…
Hopefully the links should work.
Have a great week!
We should have just posted a comment but it isn't showing up, so we are not sure if it actually posted.
We are just sending this to see if this one shows or do the comments need approval now?
We hope you get the other one.
Not sure what has happened here, that one posted but when we went to re post the other one it said we had already posted it……
We will come back tomorrow and see if the other comment shows up and if not will do another one then…..how strange?
Okay….it is showing now…LOL
Sorry about the multi posts…hehe
there is a big selection of e-coli and nastiness right here honey!
http://www.giantmicrobes.com
WOWOWOWOW…What a wonderful camp experience Honey. It does feel like we were there!!!
Thank you for visiting my blog, we are sure are glad we visited you and will come back to visit more often!!
Smileys!
Dory
Oh Honey… so sorry we missed this amazing post! Unfortunately, even after refreshing about 10 times, the last three movies wouldn't come up, but we can imagine how pawsome they were! What an amazing camp! And most of all, I admire you and Hsin Yi for doing the things you both do. It is such an unusual sight to see tiny Mom with huge YOU as a dance team that my respect and admiration grow each time I see you both dance in such harmony! I am stunned by the moves a dog needs to know for the htm portion of dance. Unbelievable -- that's why I'm so upset I can't see the movie! Now…. back to your post of today! You are amazing! And so is Richard!
Hugs xoxoxo
Sammie
Wow Honey -- that's very impressive! When we went to Crufts a few eyars ago we saw a lady named Mary (sorry, can't remember her last name) who does a special dance routine with her dogs every year (a new one each year). She was very good. The year we went she had two dogs in the ring with her and the three of them danced to "Riverdance".
I am SO impressed Honey….you know how to do tricks with Hsin-Yi's back to you and heeling on the right is tricky too when you aren't use to it! Looks like a great time and it seems like you learned alot from Richard. So cool that you got to see the malamute boy too and hear him woo. Wish I could go to a dance training some day.
Kisses,
Nala
Once again, I am just amazed 1. at how clever you are, and 2. how lucky you are to have such a giving human as hsin-yi to do these things with you. You make a wonderful team …
Hurro stranger!
ruff! I finally got a chance to come read this. Mum thinks it beed realy amazing. I wish we could go to a seminar, they is all in the other end of our country which would take about 8 hours to get to so I guess I will just have to pretend I went to yours. Thanks you so much for the detailed write up. I think we picked up lots of tips. We especially need to work on working with just word cues. I guess cos of agility where you rely more on the humans body and stuff I tend to do that loads in tricks. Richard Curtis seems really nice and friendly too. Me and Mum are looking for another training school cos the ones at ours can be a bit mean to the humans and Mum bees a sensitive type of human.
How cool to see all the different types of doggies! There, Mum loveloveloved that apricot poodle.
~lickies, Ludo
p.s. You know there quite a few competitive obedience collies and stuff at my class, I guess that why Mum don't like it, cos although I a type of sheltie I a crazy nervous one who has to always be busbusy and she a bit dumb too, so we get fed up with having to get everything so exacting and precise when we just wanna have fun. Anyway, back to my topic, those crazy obedience collie owners do a trick of squishing liver into their finger nails and rubbing it over their hands so their dogs think they have treats. I bet Hsin-Yi didn't do that so you did even better with no treats!
That camp is such an awesome place! It looks like you learned lots and I love how you learned to make Hsin-Yi do all sorts of crazy things in that HTM practice! You are such a lucky girl to go to places like that and have a human who works with you so much and I think you are definitely smart!
p.s. the can that was in our post was whipped cream in a can. Same kinda can as cheeze in a can and Moose got excited about it the first time he saw it so I think he had it in his former life. he he. It might be one of those things only americans would think of though…
such a great post, such great pics -- what a fabulous time you had. That place is awesome! We especially liked the sleepy Honey picture… all legs…:)
Honey, we've been 'saving' this post for when we really got the chance to read it and enjoy it. And wow -- it is amazing!
We are going to bookmark this as we konw we are going to be referring to it again and again. It was great to see SO MANY other doggies taking part and having a great time -- well, that's what it's all about isnt it?
We wonder if canine dancing is due to really take off in the UK -- someone took their dog on 'Britain's got Talent' with this and it proved to be a huge hit. So many people had no idea of it before that, whereas we felt like old hands because of knowing you!
Fabulous, fabulous post Honey -- thank you SO much for sharing all this!
Schnauzer snuggles -- JD and Max.
Sorry it has taken me so long to visit again.
Been busy.
Looks like you had tons of fun!!! I think you should tell Hsin Yi to try a target stick (or your cane) for teaching the other HWM positions, since her arms are so much shorter than you. It might make it easier.
Glad you had so much fun!