Certified Inspection

Here we go again at the dog show and time to get into the ring. I never fail to get that nervous feeling every time my dogs parade.

Just like any live performance, anything can happen. Dogs can be at the peak of their act but there are those days that they are not in the mood to do their thing.






Every dog gets on the inspection table under the scrutiny of the judge's eyes and hands. A well-exercised dog may prove good points under the feel of the judge's hands. Teeth? Check. Ears? Check. Front legs? Check. Body? Check. Hind legs? Check. Okay, down you go doggie and let's see how you walk in the ring . . . here and there, in a triangle, back and forth. Hmmmm.

The dog must conform to the breed standard as to size, must be in the acceptable range for height, length and weight. Even how the tail and the ears are set are also considered. The color and the condition of the coat also count and how alert the dog is, is mentally noted by the judge.

The competing dogs are required to stay in a confident, steady, pose - stocking, that's what it's called. They line-up for the judge to see how they all look together for comparison and for him to be able to make the right selection for the "winner dog".

Judging can be tough most of the time. The looks, the grooming, the conformity to the breed's standard, the gait, the alertness, the dog's stage presence in the ring and the over-all appeal . . . wow, so many factors to consider and all of these mentally noted per dog.

Anyway, these dog shows are there for all of us to enjoy, the owners, the handlers, the breeders, the organizers, the sponsors, the audience and the judges themselves.

The Best in Show

I am always so excited to see Jasper compete with other beautiful dogs of different breeds for "Best in Show". I just love the parade of the best representative dogs of their breed.



Both owner and handler surely want their dogs to be included in this parade and take possession of the title as the Best-in-Show dog. This concluding portion had always been a tough one since all the dogs look great with their impressive form, but only one dog wins this coveted title, usually the one who has this unique air of confidence that winners have.

The Pomeranian won this day's event. Congratulations!

Event Celebration

What a great day this is! Today, we found out that Jasper is now a Philippine Grand Champion dog as proclaimed by the PCCI (Philippine Canine Club Inc.).

What a coincidence, for the day we got him last year and the day that he finally earned all the credited wins, is exactly the same month and day. Wow!

I just feel like a truly proud parent. I am so thankful. Yoohoo!



Above is a short video clip of Jasper's latest win for Best-in-Terrier Group category.

Dog Training Program

Dog Training
It is the process of teaching a dog (Canis lupus familiaris) to perform certain actions in response to certain commands which the dog is trained to understand. It is a general term which does not, by itself, describe what or how the dog is taught. There are many methods and objectives of training. Dogs may be trained to:

• follow obedience commands (part of obedience training)
• perform tricks casually or for circus acts
• be a guide dog to lead the blind
• be a rescue dog to find victims of a disaster
• be a hunting dog to aid in hunting
• aid in herding, tracking, coursing, and retrieving
• follow agility commands
• serve as a guard animal

Dogs as Pack Animals
As pack animals, wild dogs have natural instincts that favor cooperation with their fellow dogs. Many domestic dogs, either through instinct or breeding, can correctly interpret and respond to signals given by a human handler.

Basic Training
Most dogs, no matter what their eventual advanced training or intended purpose, live with people who want them to behave in a way that make them pleasant to be around, keep them safe, and provide for the safety of other people and pets. Dogs do not figure out basic obedience on their own; they must be trained.

The hardest part of training is communicating with the dog in a humane way that he understands. However, the underlying principle of all communication is simple: reward desired behavior while ignoring or correcting undesired behavior.

Basic Pet Obedience Training
This usually consists of (6) six behaviors:

• Sit
• Down
• Stay
• Recall ("come", "here" or "in")
• Close (or loose-leash walking)
• Heel

Corrections
Corrections should never include harmful physical force or violence. Using force while training is controversial and should not be taken lightly, because even if it ends the behavior, when applied inappropriately with some dogs it may lead to a loss of drive (enthusiasm for the given task), stress, and in some cases even aggression. A handler may decide to use force, however, the standard used by most trainers is the minimum amount necessary to inhibit the unwanted behavior.

Source: Wikipedia

Win Sweeps

Dog shows? Dog show superintendent, dog show handler, dog show training, dog show grooming . . . . yup we're back to those things. You see, the year is soon to end. Even the show ring has the Yuletide touch now.

It's been a while since Jasper had competed. We have not gone to a dog show for months since Jasper had his coat plucked. This weekend his coat is long enough to enlist in this show.

Jasper's friends have been winning the shows for the last months. That's great! Even the new doggies have taken center stage.

While Manny Pacquiao, Ang Pambansang Kamao (The National Fist), had been throwing his mighty punches, as viewed on television by a portion of the crowd at the dogshow, Jasper was also trying to walk his best gaiet at the ring.

To our delight, he captured the judge's heart to win the "Best of Breed" medal for miniature schnauzers.

Congratulations to Manny Pacquiao and Jasper, the champions in small packages!

New Born Photos

When Joaqui visited the province of Quezon, there were seven new-born puppies there. The pups were all fast as sleep just like the seven dwarfs when Snow White visited their home. The little critters were dozing off in complete contentment as their Mother dog kept on guard.

Provincial Life

Let's hear it from Joaqui, the city miniature schnauzer trying out the life in the province.

Joaqui's thoughts . . . "Hmmm, so this is Quezon province, Philippines. Sunny day and the air is cool and fresh, okidoki."

"Great staying here inside the nipa hut, cool shade from Mr. Sun. I do get to see everything from up here, but how do I get down from here."

"Okay, now that I'm down, how do I get out. I want to run out there. How about chasing those chickens. I have to have some fun."

"Hey, hey, some attention for the poor dog here please."

"Now that's more like it. This stuff is good. Can I have more?"

Joaqui did liked staying at the province for the day. He liked the cows and chickens. He loved coconut juice. He'll be visiting here again, given the chance and if there's no scheduled dog shows on weekends. Now, that's life.

Province Healthcare, Trying Out the Province Air

Joaqui checked out his calendar and saw it will soon be Christmas. He visited the province and tried the sunny atmosphere of Quezon. Hmmm, sure is warm outside just as I thought it will soon be Christmas, he was thinking then.

He has never seen cows before. He was curious but did not barked at the big white animals.

He stayed at the nipa hut for a while, just trying to get a hang of his new surroundings after hours of a very early trip here. He enjoyed the view and the open air.