It is with terrible sadness that yesterday, while the home was still being consumed by blazing fire, that I learned a Puppy, Starshine, had been trapped inside and died.
This little puppy just graduated from my Petco Puppy Class this past Wednesday with Pet Parent Betsy. She was so full of life, energy and smarts!
I got the call from another dog trainer friend, Barbara Darrow, who was going to work with her on Flyball and Dock Dogs and other Border Collie activities! Starshine, also called Star, was a red Border Collie. I was just getting ready to email pictures of her to Betsy, but hadn’t photoshopped them yet.
She will be greatly missed. I know Betsy lost her entire home, barely escaping with her life. Please pray for Betsy as she grieves the loss of her belongings and the loss of Star.
Tag Archives: Dogs
What to do with your dog?
So… you have a new Puppy, a new Dog, perhaps you found your new friend wandering the streets, picked her out at the Shelter, or rescued him from a local Rescue group… what’s next?
The best thing you can do for you, your dog, your family is take a dog training class!
But… you might say, “I have books I can read, I can watch dog trainers on TV, I can surf the net, what do I need a dog training class for?”
Well… I commend you if you have done all your research! Bravo! Your dog will love you for all the effort you are putting in to learning about your new canine friend.
Or… you might say, “I have owned dogs all my life and have never had any problems training my dogs in the past, what else is there?
Dog Training Classes offer a great opportunity for you and especially your dog or puppy to socialize and test their dog training skills in a variety of distractions. Will your dog come to you when it sees a squirrel or a cat running in his path? When you take your dog for a walk on a leash, does your dog pull, get in your way, trip you up, get distracted and yank your arm out of your socket? Is your dog friendly to strangers or other dogs? Does your dog jump on you, your friends, your family? Can you trust your dog to be gentle with children or the elderly? Does your dog bark, whine, howl? What about housetraining issues? Does your dog Trust You? Are you the “Leader of the Pack”?
These are the kinds of things besides just a simple sit, down, stay that you can learn in a book. What if your dog presents a challenge that you never imagined and no matter how many books or articles or tv shows you gather information from, you are still left with no answers?
Each and every dog, just like people (even twins) are unique and have unique personality, breed and temperament traits. There is not only ONE way to teach a dog. Experienced Dog Trainers have learned to have what is called the “Trainer’s Toolbox” a variety of ideas and training techniques that will fit your own dogs unique personality.
As a dog trainer, I can offer some ideas, training tips, and yes Dog Training Classes. Presently, I have some new classes beginning at the Petco in Redding, CA.
For Puppies that are 3 – 6 months, there are classes beginning Wednesday, October 28th @ 5:30 p.m.
For the Family dog that is 6 months and older, there are classes beginning Thursday, October 15th @ 5:30 p.m. and Wednesday, October 28th @ 7:00 p.m.
For those who would love to do something a little more challenging and get an AKC Canine Good Citizenship Certificate, you can join the class that begins, Wednesday, October 15th @ 7:00 p.m.
Plus if you take a look at my website you will find more information about me, my dog training classes, free seminars and free 1/2 hour one-on-one private sessions. K9 Kelts Family Dog Training.
I look forward to seeing you!
My Dear Ol' Paddy Boy
It has been awhile since my last post and my buddy Patrick Ryan, Paddy Boy is doing just fine. The biopsy on his lump turned out to just be a fatty tissue and is “just there”. This last week Paddy had a visit to the vet for a dental cleaning and everything came out just fine! So for all of you thinking or praying for me… thanks.
He still is having his senility moments, but less so now that he is on a prescription called Selegine. He sleeps much better and so do I. He also is less anxious.
We are hoping to go to the Hangtown Dog Show in Placerville over Memorial Day weekend. I plan to enter him into some Rally Obedience competition and I think he will come out just fine!
In June, we are hoping to go to Gridley for a 4 day dog show and compete in Obedience.
In the meantime, I am plugging away at my dog training school work, building and designing websites, training dogs at Petco and with Nor Cal Dog Training Club.
Oh… by the way… I am attending St. Nicholas of Japan Orthodox Mission Parish here in Redding it is part of the OCA diocese. I really enjoy the family of God there. It is home to me… after a hiatus of wandering in the desert.
Teardrops on Fur – God's Comfort
Flyball Tournament September 2008
It was 27 years ago yesterday that I rededicated my life to Christ on this very night at a Bible Study in a subdivision called Lake California, Cottonwood, California. It is also the birthday of a dear spiritual mentor/father to me, Nick Roetto. For he was there that night and told me he thought of no greater birthday gift than for someone to commit their life to Christ on his birthday.
So many year ago and as the saying goes “so much water under the bridge” since that day and I certainly won’t detail it here as I’ve written enough about those bygone days in other places. I have traveled many different paths and definitely some I did not ever imagine and even some I am not proud of, but here I am in the middle of the night reflecting.
I’ve just put to bed my 3 dogs: Patrick Ryan, Dani Joy & Skippy. This evening I found a lump on Patrick’s back alongside his spine, so after I put the other two dogs to bed, I spent some extra time examining Patrick running my hands all over his body, bones, muscles, glands and everywhere. I am sure he thought it was wonderful. Thankfully I didn’t find any other lumps and the one I found feels like it could be a fatty tumor and if that is true it will be a relief… but I need to schedule a vet appointment just to make sure.
Patrick already has thyroid problems and he takes his thyroid medications just like I do. He also has the beginnings of “doggy alzheimers” and sometimes runs off forgetting who he is, his name, and everyone he knows. He just turned 9 years old in December 2008.
It was shortly after my other dog, Megan turned 9 years old that she was diagnosed with Lymphoma Cancer and I had to say goodbye to my dear sweet girl.
So I spent extra time with my little Gentleman “Paddy Boy” and the tears fell freely on his soft merle fur as I gazed into his precious sweet face. I was reflecting back on all the memories from his puppyhood on up through the years. He has alwasy been the Gentleman and a very good boy. Apart from his puppy days, I don’t have any grand tales of daring escapades or rebelliousness. He has been a good boy and one I have always been proud to show off his manners.
I realize I am probably mourning his loss entirely too soon but the irony of “9 years” I can’t seem to shake away from.
Megan's last Flyball Tournament in Fresno, CA
When Megan was 9 years old, my life was in major transition and I was learning to “not work” due to my health issues and watching a medical leave of absence turn into a permanent disability. Leaving the world of management, corporations, non-profits and lots of activity.
Now, Patrick is 9 years old and my life is in another transition where I am trying to go back to work and become a dog trainer and am starting over.
Dani Joy will be 6 years old tomorrow and Skippy will be 3 years old in March. Patrick was 3 years old when Megan died.
I just retired Patrick from Flyball due to his mind skipping out every so often. His last Flyball race was September 2008. Megan was retired from Flyball in September due to her premature arthritis.
After Megan finished up her Flyball, I had plans for her to get those elusive Obedience Titles that I had always hoped for but we had spent time doing Flyball and Agility to burn up all her energy. But Megan never did get those Obedience opportunities due to her Cancer coming on so quickly and her life ending so shortly after her Flyball career ended.
Now Patrick is finished with his Flyball and here I am making plans to again get those elusive Obedience Titles because again Patrick and I have spent time doing Flyball and Agility. I even thought of Rally Obedience and him becoming a Therapy Dog.
However, who knows what the future really holds. I am sure Patrick will have a few more years, but then again, life is never predictable.
Dani is in Flyball and Agility and we might make a run at Obedience or Rally Obedience.
Skippy just today started beginning a new chapter in his life of learning Lure Coursing. I think he really enjoyed his first day and it will be a great opportunity to build his confidence and social skills.
But my mind again turns to memories of Megan and to my “Paddy Boy” and the tears begin to form again in my eyes. I remember Megan when I heard the news that she had cancer and how I spent that night in front of my icons of Christ and the Saints in my Icon corner crying out to God…
“I have lost my brother, my mother, my grandmother, my health, my job, my ministry, my truck… must you take my dog also?” I wrestled with God that night and finally found peace and comfort trusting in God and being able to let go of Megan.
So here I am again… the wrestling is not there, but the concerns, and learning to trust God and always hold on those you love, whether it is our pets or friends or our family to hold on lightly, for all things belong to God and our gifts entrusted into our care for a time. And that time is left best in God’s hands.
When Megan passed on I was in a spiritual desert and searching for answers.
Here I am again in another place spiritually as well – but in another wilderness, hurting, tired, searching and not sure the path to take next or what turn or when or how.
So as the tears fall, I am being cleansed, purified and God’s comfort and peace come once again.
“Hear my cry, O God: attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to you, when my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle foreer; I will trust in the shelter of your wings.” (Psalm 61:1-4)
“I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclinded to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth – Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:1-3 “I will love you o Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my forterss and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn o fmy salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies… For you will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect… The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.” (Psalm 18 excerpts) “Have you not known? Have you not heard? the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak. And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary. And the young men shall utterly fall. But those who wait on the lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:28-31)