* Make sure you didn’t miss Part 1 with special guest performances from Kaycee the Sheltie & Paris the Border Collie, dancing great routines using props!
Welcome back to Dancing with the Doggie Stars – Week 5 (Part 2)!
Well, with just 3 & 1/2 weeks to go until the DWTDS Finale, our dancing teams have been working hard!! It is such a wonderful feeling going around Blogland, seeing everyone practising their dance moves and getting into their routines – and laughing and having fun together with their humans.
You know, encouraging more doggies to do fun trainings with their humans was always me & Hsin-Yi’s dream with this contest – so I really want to say a big thank you to all the doggies who have taken part and are making so much effort (even the ones who aren’t working on full routines but just taking this chance to learn a new trick)…when we first thought up the idea for DWTDS, we weren’t sure how many people would be interested so we’re really delighted & touched by all the people who have supported this contest by getting involved – and even those who are just spectators (this time! 
) – thank you for your comments and enthusiastic support of the dance teams. You have all really “made our day” and made all the time & effort we’ve spent on organising this contest worthwhile! 
And we have a couple of late additions to the official DWTDS dance team!! This week, I got messages from 2 new doggie friends who would like to join in too – they’re Chispita the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel , and Enzo & Prana the Dachshunds who live in a faraway place called Estonia!
So without further ado, here is another “behind-the-scenes” sneak peek at some of our dance teams and what they’ve been up to…
Starring: Ludo the Sheltie, Zeppelin the Harlequin Dane, Kirby the Crossbreed, Lexi the Great Dane, Shiva the Crossbreed, Penny the Crossbreed, Beryl the Greyhound & Frankie the Pig-Dog, El’bow the Mastiff & Hauwii the Small Musterlander and last but not least, Enzo & Prana the Dachshunds.
(Hsin-Yi thinks that Enzo & Prana’s human is amazing to be able to practise dancing, with her baby human pups & other household doggies all running around the room. And my God – did you see little Enzo reversing?? I think he must have wheels instead of paws! 
)
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Don’t you think they’re all wonderful? I really want to say again that you have all been working on this yourselves – self-taught! – at home, with no support or guidance from classes or dog dancing clubs or anything – so you are really doing AMAZINGLY and you should all be VERY proud of yourselves!!!!!
My blog friend. Ludo the Sheltie, who stars in the video, told me a very good training tip that I’d like to share – it’s something that my human, Hsin-Yi, often forgets about since she’s so used to training me: a big, slow, “low drive” doggie who needs lots of hyping up & motivation…but when you’ve got a doggie with the totally opposite personality (like Ludo!), then it might not actually be a good idea for the human to get too excited or squeaky-voiced.
Because these doggies are so naturally excited already, if their humans don’t help them to calm down, they can totally lose it and go into a frenzy and just not be able to think or do anything! So their humans have to do the opposite of what Hsin-Yi does – which is to talk in a very quiet, calm, low voice and not make any bouncy movements and really try to keep everything “controlled”. So yeah – different personality doggies need different training methods. Thanks for the tip, Ludo!
Now, I promised I’d show you how I learnt to dance around a cane so here is a video tutorial that me & Hsin-Yi made this afternoon (with a bonus appearance by Muesli showing off her latest trick at the end! ). It’s really quite a simple trick but looks very snazzy, especially as a dance move!
I’m looking forward to adding this trick to Lacey’s list of tricks! Thanks, Honey!
It is a great trick, really!
Nice video of the participates, I wish them the best of luck and a lot of fun.
My dog and I are learning to ride in the trailer, and he is doing so great, he can turn when he is inside (to face me or the other way), it is much more easier now for him to enter from the front side, where is the tire of my bike, and he listens to me when I say him “down” while driving, so it is great!! And he has a happy face most of the time, so that is the most important thing -- that he enjoys the ride as much as I am.
Getting used to it
PHOTO 1
PHOTO 2
Bye,
~Mina
Oops! Penny and I have fallen in a hole with our training…
It’s back to work tomorrow!
I am so happy to see El’bow in the competition. Another doggie who takes his time considering his moves….
Slobbers,
Mango
P.S. Loved the human pup in a bag
Lol, I see what you mean about Enzo having wheels. He’s a show stopper with that move:)
Great video and as always, wonderful tutorial video too. I was thinking about trying to teach Beryl to go around something and might have a go and see if she’s likely to pick it up quickly as our marching isn’t going very well! I think we’ll be doing lots of spinning as she enjoys that more. Hope I don’t get dizzy:)
Muesli does a great High Five!
I think high 5 is the cutest cat trick ever. I will have to teach it to Frou. I still don’t have a video camera so I haven’t put up any updates. Hopefully I will have one before the deadline!
Wonderful sneack peeks! And that is a wonderful reverse from Enzo! There must be wheels hidden somewhere!
One thing that I would like to learn someday is that reverse thing through your humans legs (or leg
) That looks so cool 
And I’ve been thinking of how you could teach that. But I know it’s a little bit difficult for you two (but not impossible of course 
I’m sure you would find a way of doing it somehow with a lots of time atleast) so if some others would have a training video already or would like to make some, that would be great to see!
-Lilli-
Everyone looks like they are having so much fun!!! Thanks for showing us how to get the dogs to go around something, very cool trick! I also love Muesli’s high five, so cute!!
Kirby’s mom
It is so cool to see everyone working on their tricks and routines. Our human really enjoyed watching the video on training to circle an object. Muesli looks so cute doing her tricks.
Enzo thanks all for noticing his hard work! He is really trying to live up to his name
Another great update and tutorial from Honey! *standing ovation* It is really cool to see everybody work hard and succeed so well! The competition is hard! We too have learned all that we know of tricks and dancing from internet (there isn’t a sport like this in Estonia at all and I think only one trick class in the country but too far from us to attend) and it is really cool to see that others are on the same path and doing so amazingly well!
Now back to training
Very good instructional video! It’s nice to see a dog go around a cane or some other object. It’s impressive even though it’s SUCH a simple move! And actually, it’s a not a difficult thing to teach either. Most dogs will be able to learn it pretty fast.
WOW there sure is a lot of teams out there joining your competition! It’s nice to see that they all have been working real hard. It really shows that they are serious about this competition. Great tip by Ludo’s hoomie! Yeah, for some dogs you just can’t do the squeally voice with them or else they’ll get even more riled up & out of control. One of my doggie friends who does dancing (he’s a JRT), his handler/owner has to say the commands in a calm, lower voice because that dog is totally out of control & way way too excited! He’s like leaping, jumping, spinning & barking his head off with excitement all the time. That little thing never runs out of energy. He basically can do Agility under the hot sun till he actually has a heat stroke. He’s a crazy little fella!
Uh oh! How has time flown by so fast?
I’m slackin’ big time. Blaming it on Chewy…..
Oh gosh, our human is getting nervous now! You should see her! She has been moving about in the living room mumbling our names and cues. She said she has got a lot to remember as to who goes first and who does what since there are four of us. We told her that we just want to have fun! Now she has got a new trick to teach us after watching your video on going round that umbrella!!
Those were impressive dancing clips!
judging the final routines is going to be tough!
I’ve finally got Darwin to spin and twist! I should make a new video of her new tricks!
Loved seeing all the behind the scenes footage
Everyone is doing such a great job!!
And we love the video of teaching how to go around something
Kirsten thinks that I may be able to pick that up in time before we submit our video. We have several parts in the routine where we walk in a big circle or I circle her, and she wanted something that was a bit more…snazzy! So this may just be what she was looking for, oh and we must tell you Kirsten has this belt that has different colored hearts on it!! It’s perfect for the routine, and some of the hearts are even orange 
And is there anything cuter then seeing Muesli doing her high-five?!? Great job Muesli…such a smart kitty!
Love and Slobbers,
Zeppelin and Kirsten
Cant wait to see the big event!
Kari
http://dogisgodinreverse.com
We loved every minute of that video and my mom person is so impressed that Museli is already so well trained for a kitty!
Nubbin wiggles,
Oskar
Excellent tutorial, as always. And it’s really impressive to see all the great work so many of the contestants are doing.
Is Muesli sitting on top of the garden wall now? Has she gone walkabout around the neighborhood yet? She’s made great progress on the ‘high 5′ trick! And on a reliable ‘sit’! Hsin-Yi could market a line of cat training videos for sure -- there is very little competition in that field.
Jed & Abby
Those contestants all did so well!
Those practice videos were great! Everyone is doing really well! And yes, Enzo’s reverse reminded me of the moonwalk
Too funny!
I can’t believe you taught Muesli ‘high five’! Way cool
This is such a fun contest! Mom and I are having such fun watching!
Waggin at ya,
Roo
Wow, it seems everyone is working hard on their routine and actually enjoying it! It is always the best if you have lots of fun doing it. Seeing those Behind-the-Scene reports, I am reminded what a wonderful thing Honey came up with! I bet many of those who are not entering the contest are starting to practise some new tricks, inspired by the contestants’ hard work
Love,
Cinnamon the Beagle
Not only professional can do it ,normal people can do it too .Bravo!
Muesli wants to be part of the team also
Hello Honey & Hsin-Yi,
I sent you an email on 5/18 and again just this am. regarding the dancing competition…did you ever receive it? Let me know. Thanks.
Denise & Kasha
You can email me at dlewando@allstate.com if you like that way I’ll get the message faster.
Thanks.
No sadly I’m behind on reading your posts and working on our routine. Things have been so crazy lately.
I hope our routine isn’t a total disappointment. I’ll try to catch up on reading blogs and training soon.
The link that is supposed to lead to Chispita’s blog leads to a Youtube video instead. Chispita’s blog address is: http://littlesparklesdog.blogspot.com
Oh, sorry about that, Beth! I”ve fixed it now!
nice
our routine is almost done
whoooooop
sanne is uploading a video of hauwii’s sneek peek dance routine
he is very good
Happy sunny Kissslobbers
El’bow & Hauwii
Yeay ! So great to see what the others pawticipants have been up too ! Very impressive
I’ll post a sneek peek in a day or two
Love,
Lincoln
That is awesome, your participants are working very hard!
Wow! Look how well efurry one be doing and it looks like we is all hasing soo much fun. I so glad for you Honey that so many people is getting involved!
There’s a lot of Doggie Dancing going on around here! Vastly more entertaining than the TV show, in our considered opinion!
Drools,
Thor
Here ya go, finally a (very short very average!) couple of training snippets for you! You’re doing a great job organising this competition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzjEth2dl_g
O everyone is doing such a fabulous job!
We sometimes have that problem of getting over excited and not focused while training :p *hehe* we know complete opposite to your typical Dane!
And well done Honey and Hsin-Yi for making another great tutorial video
Licks and lots of slobber,
Leix and Jasper the Danes
So awesome. I’m sorry my human pup and the poodle we are looking after haven’t been able to join in. Zsa-Zsa the poodle, hurt her back (NOT by dancing LOL), so we had to give her a break for a while. xo