Honey the Great Dane

* To see all my dancing routines and training, check out my Canine Freestyle Videos page.

 

NEW!  My latest routine:

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My human, Hsin-Yi, and I do this great thing together called “Canine Freestyle” - I really like it because Hsin-Yi always gives me free treats when we do this kind of training – I just need to figure out which trick makes her give me the treat!

 

It’s dead easy, though – she usually gives me clues with her hands and legs or the way her body moves, and I also know I’ve got it right when she makes a CLICK noise with a small plastic box called a clicker. This is called clicker training and it’s a really good way to help us dogs learn things.

Then Hsin-Yi puts on this special noise called “music” and we put the moves together to the music, like a dance! It’s fantastic fun and Hsin-Yi laughs a lot and I love being with her when we do this.

The best thing is that I don’t have to do anything I don’t like or find difficult to do and I can do things the way that’s easier for me, at my own speed. Not like Obedience or some of the other dog sports where everyone has to do things EXACTLY one way only.

Here is what Hsin-Yi wrote about Canine Freestyle in a magazine:

“What is Canine Freestyle?
Canine Freestyle’ or ‘Heelwork to Music’ (HTM), as it is sometimes known, uses clicker training and food rewards to teach dogs a series of tricks and moves. These moves can then be choreographed and performed in time to music – so that owners and their pooches can literally “dance” together as they go through the routine. It was originally developed to show the public how interesting heelwork could be but what started as a simple performance in time to music has exploded into one of the most popular dog sports in recent times. A quick search on YouTube results in nearly 600 video entries! No longer just about heelwork, the sport now includes ‘Canine Freestyle’ where the dog does not have to remain close to the handler, meaning that routines can become more sophisticated, with increasingly daring moves. Not only does the combination of music and dance allow handlers to demonstrate their skills and partnership with their dogs but the training also develops the dogs mentally and physically. The activity has gained huge popularity as more and more people embrace its philosophy of fun and enjoy the bond they develop with their dogs during training.”

 A lot of people laughed at Hsin-Yi when she decided to do Canine Freestyle with me – they said that Great Danes are too big and too slow and too stupid to learn to dance! Some people even told her to get herself “a proper dog” like a Border Collie! (GASP!)

Hsin-Yi says that nothing is impossible if you put in the time, effort and patience – and she needed loads of those with me! But she said that she would rather do it with me than with the usual faster, more agile and clever working breeds because she loves me and just wants to enjoy doing things with HER dog, not only care about wining ribbons. And she doesn’t mind if it’s a bit harder and takes more time training me – she likes a challenge!

But we surprised everybody – I learnt some fancy tricks and dance moves and we even put together a sassy routine to “Big Spender” by Shirley Bassey. We were so good that they started asking us to take part in displays and competitions! Hah! We showed them!

And then we got asked to compete at the biggest dog training event in New Zealand: the National Dog Training Assembly (NDTA). Dogs and their owners come from all over the country and there is Obedience, Agility, Heelwork to Music/Canine Freestyle and lots of other doggie sports. It is a really big event and all the humans get very stressy.

Here are some photos of me and Hsin-Yi in the Canine Freestyle competition at the New Zealand NDTA, Oct 2007:

It was all a bit strange, with so many dogs and people staring at me – and I could feel stressy vibes coming from Hsin-Yi, which made me nervous too. But I think I did OK. She was laughing when the music finished and I could feel that she was happy.

Then after, I heard my name coming from the sky in a really loud voice and then Hsin-Yi was REALLY happy! And that’s when I got the silver cup which they said is the Shayiska Trophy for Best Routine.

Hsin-Yi was really proud of me – she said we showed everybody that big dogs can do things too – it doesn’t matter if you’re “different” as long as you believe in yourself…Well, we ended up beating all those other fast, clever working breeds – hah, we showed them! Impossible is nothing!

Here is our first routine, at the NDTA (Big Spender):

 

 Here is my latest, newest routine (Me & My Shadow):

 

Here is another routine I learnt (Sway):

 

To watch more videos of me performing at shows, demos and pet events – plus footage of me doing dance training – check out my Canine Freestyle Videos page

 

For more information about Canine Freestyle and how to get started:

Check out my Clicker Training/Tricks tutorials page

Here are some good resources:

This is a really good book for teaching dogs tricks, with step-by-step pictures & instructions:

“Dog Tricks: Fun and Games For Your Clever Canine” – by Mary Ray and Justine Harding

ISBN: 978-0600611776

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here are some good websites with more information on Canine Freestyle – and some of my favourite doggie dancing duos!

Tina Humphrey and her rescue dog, Chandi – Video: Dancing at Crufts 2007

Richard Curtis K9 Freestyle http://www.k9freestyle.co.uk/index.htm  – Video: Mission Impossible

Attila Szkukalek http://www.dogdance.net/english_version/index.html - Video: Charlie Chaplin, Gladiator

Mary Ray http://www.maryray.co.uk/ - Video: Working 2 dogs

Mary Ray and Richard Curtis performing Me and My Shadow together with 2 dogs!

Carolyn & Rookie Canine Freestyle http://www.caninefreestylemagicmatch.com/

Melbourne Canine Freestyle http://melbournecaninefreestyle.com.au/classes.html

Canine Freestyle GB http://www.caninefreestylegb.com/index.htm

Heelwork to Music UK http://www.heelworktomusic.co.uk/

Canine Freestyle Federation http://www.canine-freestyle.org/

Musical Dog Sport Association (US) http://www.musicaldogsport.org/index.htm

World Canine Freestyle Organisation (US) http://www.worldcaninefreestyle.org/

Paws N Music Association (UK) http://www.paws-n-music.co.uk/