Canine Circus School- Way Cuter than the Easter Bunny

We had tons of fun Trick dogging at Saint Roch’s this Easter Sunday.  Norma put out bowls of candy and mint water to appease the forest nymphs, and I drilled our canine recruits on the finer points of barrel racing.  The class was both a rite of spring and a rite of passage for our fledgling circus stars.  Spit flew, and tempers flared as our pack of canine misfits vied for top pedestal.  Thanks to our level-headed handlers, the show went on.

When a minor snag leads to a major breakthrough, you are on the right path.  By the end of class every handler had developed more trust in their dog and every dog more confidence in their handler.  It was just in time because we had a visit from a San Francisco writer and impressario team looking to book a troupe of educated hellhounds for an event at Mint Plaza in SF.

Check out this slide show of Circus Class Session Two with special guest Bubba The Eyeless Akita on Piano!

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Tim & Winnie Jo go toe-to-toe at Canine Circus School.

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First Circus Class a Roaring Success

Thanks to all who participated, your dogs are amazing!  I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish in the next five weeks.

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Wiener Nationals at Golden Gate Fields

Check out these photos I took last week at the 2011 Wiener Nationals Dachshund Race at Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley.  I was rooting for Andrew Ramsey and Mitzi, his 9-year old Mini Dachshund.  I figured Andrew would have it nailed because I saw the race last year and most of the dachshunds didn’t even run directly to the handler.  Instead, they got distracted and meandered about.  Basically all you had to do was run, and the chances of winning were pretty good.  This year was a big improvement in the speed and focus of the teams.  For Mitzi it really sucked to be a Mini on a Standards field, although she did win one round.

Next year, I’m expecting an even bigger improvement in the speed and conditioning of the teams.  I find this really exciting to see people motivated to improve the health and fitness of the Dachshund. A breed that at its worst is a weak backed show monstrosity with a temper, but at its best is a magnificent Tolkienesque hunting dog, versatile, stable and useful.  The irony of racing Dachshunds shows a humility that can bring a smile to your face.  It was nice to see people being serious, yet light-hearted about their passion. The handlers and fans were stylish and all the dogs got along.  Now if they just learned how to build drive, instead of relying on whats already there, the Wiener world would be a faster place.

Favored to win! Sammy Davis, supreme Dachshund Disc Dog.

The Fastest Dachshund in the Bay Area! Diva Duches and Petra Reynolds of Petras People Training for dogs

Check out Mitzi’s Security Detail:

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After the Tsunami-12 Questions for a Japanese Dog Trainer

As the news of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami drift out of the headlines, I decided to check in with a Trainer friend in Japan to see how the disaster was impacting her day-to-day life.

I met Yuki Baba 5 years ago when she was volunteering at the San Francisco SPCA Hearing Dog Program where I worked as a trainer.  For the last year and six months Yuki has operated her Dog Training business in Chiba Japan.

1. What were you doing at the time of the earth quake and tsunami?
Having lunch with a dog trainer who works in Kanagawa. We were at a restaurant in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, but we didn’t quite realize that it was that horrible of a disaster.
All the trains stopped, and I was stuck at the Ikebukuro station for 8 hours….I didn’t realize the tsunami had killed so many people until I got home the next day.

If you are not directly affected by tsunami or radiation, try to have similar life as before.
Work
Donate
Spend money for yourself or family
Laugh

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SF Guardian Article, A Vivid Description of What We Do

Check us out in the San Francisco Bay Guardian. I can’t believe they managed to squeeze so much into one article, but I’m very thankful they did!  The closing line, to me, is the most important. I’m super glad it got in there.

the goal is to reawaken people’s ability to dream, and to imagine what animals may be capable of.

Bubba the Eyeless Akita learns to stay in Place

Folks have commented that the writer, Emily Appelbaum, got the look and feel of Saint Roch’s exactly right.  Thank you very much to Emily and the San Francisco Bay Guardian for spending the time to get to know us and our extended family.

the goal is to reawaken people’s ability to dream, and to imagine what animals may be capable of.

The Circus Ring is a chaotic and distracting place for a dog, please come prepared by fulfilling the basic requirements listed below.

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