Category Archives: boston terrier

Booker at the Boston Terrier Specialty Show

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Fran on Friday

Booker the Boston Terrier at the Boston Terrier National Performance SpecialtyI did it again. I subjected myself to embarrassment and ridicule and entered a dog show. Not just any show – no. I entered the Boston Terrier National Performance Specialty shows. 9 trials in 3 days. 3 agility, 3 obedience and 3 rally. In the agility trials, I entered 3 runs each. So that’s a total of 15 runs. I knew it was a lot when I sent in my entries, but I wanted to support the Boston Terrier Club of America. I would have been happy with one ribbon, because I know that my Booker is a wild man.

The first day was all agility – 2 trials, 6 runs. Booker did really well! He qualified in both novice standard runs (with contact obstacles), one open jumpers run (a more advanced class – don’t ask me how we got past novice jumpers with weaves!) and 1 Time to Beat run! Time to Beat is a modest course showcasing speed. All levels compete on the same course.

The second day was everything! 1 agility trial, an obedience trial and a rally trial. Again Booker qualified in standard and Time to Beat. I honestly don’t know what happened on the jumpers run. It felt good, but I must have missed something. The obedience trial was interesting. Let’s just say that Booker and I have had better moments. But we qualified in Rally!

The third day was obedience and rally (2 trials of each). I was happy that Booker’s performance in obedience improved with each trial! And Booker got his Novice Rally title!

As good as Booker was, and I’m so proud of him, I have to say that the best part of going to the Nationals was getting to meet other people who love this breed.

Crazy time dog training time again

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Fran on Friday

Booker the Boston Terrier jumping at an agility trialI must be crazy. After taking the entire winter off from class and trials, I’ve entered Booker in more trials than I have fingers on both hands! One was last weekend, and Booker was so excited he could not contain himself. It was an agility trial, and I really thought that, since we’d been working so hard on the contact obstacles (teeter, dog walk and A-frame) during training that we wouldn’t have a problem. We were at a fun match a few weeks ago and he did so well… He didn’t balk at taking the obstacles like he did at the previous trial we were at, months ago. But he didn’t stick his 2-on, 2-off landing on the teeter and dog walk, and he flew off the A-frame above the yellow. He’s supposed to run all the way down the frame.

So, back to the drawing board. We’re in class again every Thursday night. So hopefully that will calm down his excited energy a little bit, being around lots of other dogs. And we’re in another trial next weekend, so maybe he’ll start to get more used to the trial environment. All this in preparation for the Boston Terrier Performance Specialty show in three weeks. He’s entered in agility, obedience and rally. Please pray for us…

Is Booker a Canine Good Citizen?

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Fran on Friday

Booker

Booker

The American Kennel Club (AKC) offers a title for dogs called “Canine Good Citizen (CGC).” Many people who never continue to earn other titles for their dogs want this one, since some insurance companies offer a discount on homeowners insurance with the title. Plus, it’s neat to say that your dog has a title without having to go to obedience classes!

There are 10 behaviors that a dog and handler must pass in order to achieve this title. The powers that be at the AKC believe that a well-behaved dog should be able to perform these behaviors in public. The behaviors include walking nicely on a leash (with other people around and not), coming when called, sit and down on command, having another person brush the dog and look at its ears and paws, not freaking out when a loud noise happens close by, and being held by a friendly stranger for 3 minutes with the owner out of sight.

Our obedience club offers the CGC test occasionally at a nominal fee to its members and other people who train with us. This coming Tuesday is CGC night, and I’ve put Booker and my name down to participate. Yes, Booker has an obedience title (Beginner Novice), but will he be able to contain his glee (and his tongue) when another person is so close he can lick them? We’ll see!

Play = work

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Fran on Friday

Booker

Booker

It occurred to me that I should start training Booker some higher-level behaviors. If we can conquer the group exercises in AKC Novice Obedience (long sit and long down), then we’ll need some new skills. So I started training him to hold the dumbbell. Booker already likes to fetch things, so perhaps it won’t take long for him to bring me the dumbbell. The AKC Open level requires the dog to retrieve the dumbbell a couple of times and to hold it in his mouth until told to drop it.

The hard thing will definitely be for Booker to hold the dumbbell for any length of time. He did hold it for half a second or so today, but he’ll have to do better than that! I’ll start by having him hold it while heeling, perhaps. Then it won’t be as big a stretch for him to hold it when I’m stationary. Hopefully! That’s the plan, anyway. And in dog training, plans always have a way of changing. As dog trainers, we have to be flexible. Something is always changing, or not working right. And if something isn’t working, we have to find a new way of training.