Never underestimate the dog world--hunting poodles & small service dogs & many workin

Stef

It has recently been brought to my attaintion that it is unaware what a wonderful world of working dogs we have. Not ALL dogs in a pound are adoptable though many are. I think its good to get from the pound but some people who have had bad luck in getting dogs with no known past turn to places where you can get pre health checks, see the parents, get good refrances and so on. I find it hard to judge people who do this. So, reputable breeders who make sure pups go to good homes are not seen as bad in my eyes. I know that some here differ with that opinion and thats okay. Nothing to fight about (just in case as I don't know all who is here) just one of those things that as adults we agree to disagree.

I have recently found that I hate the expresion "designer dog". It used to be that a poodle/cocker mix was just that, a mix. Now its a cockapoo with a label. labeling has made people who don't know this breed think that it is something to haul around in a purse and to be a desiner statement who you can treat like a pillow. It is not. With both breeds being a hunting breed this makes a high energy dog that needs room to run and lots of activaty. If you are in an apartment this dog only seems to work well if you are active with it. Thesepups grow a bit bigger then expected by people who dont do their homework and has way more energy then thought and has high grooming bills unless you want a fluffy dog and then the fluffy dog takes maybe more time then ever expected. There are tons of these Cockapoos in pounds, on craigslist, on petfinder...... Because these dogs have been labeled, they are not amune to homlessness. Some people don't want to get these dogs for fear of being labeled themselves for having one. So now, I hate the whole labeling certin breeds just as much as the pit people do.

But there are some things that are wonderful about our dog world that should not be lauphed at, rather, marveled at. Breeds can be used as the things that they were bred for, small packages help in ways that change peoples lives alltogether and on my next break I would like to share the things I have found to prove how wonderful our dogs really are.....

Stef

Field and Hunting Poodles

June 23rd, 2009

I’ve offered quite a lot of information and videos of poodles who have been trained to service jobs - search and rescue, guide dogs

, assistant dogs, etc. There is another class of working poodles (in addition to sheep herding and such, which they also do very well). It is the field and/or hunting dog.
Poodles were originally bred as hunters and retrievers, and their water

skills led to a whole different poodle-like breed, the Portuguese Water Dog - of which the Obama family’s “Bo” is currently most famous. Their tendency to tolerate gunshots near them without fear also led to them being among the best of war dogs.
The best site I’ve seen out there on the web for all sorts of information about these sporting poodles - and yes, sports like these are indeed work - is the Working Field Poodle section of the Versatility In Poodles site. They offer excellent information about finding the right trainer, what a good training regime should look like, what things must be covered during that training, and it offers great lists of skills to be earned from the beginning through intermediate and advanced training.
But perhaps more important overall is the good information on choosing just the right poodle puppy for this sort of activity. The first criteria is to choose a driven retriever. Which my beautiful black Kenya proved herself a star. This is a pup who’s always got a ball or stick or toy in his or her mouth, and is constantly trying to get you to throw it. Not only do they chase, they also bring it right back so you can throw again. Kenya would retrieve anything, but her best was a snowball I’d throw into a snowbank. Now, THAT is a committed retriever!
Second on the list of inborn traits you’ll want to look for is a love of water. Not just being unafraid of a bath, but ready, willing and able to jump right into water and swim. If the pup hasn’t yet been exposed to water enough to swim in, a pup that plays in their water dish, chases water from a hose or really enjoys a bath is a bood bet.
You’ll want a pup that likes people and isn’t aggressive to other dogs. You want one that doesn’t act skittish or try to hide at any sudden noise. A pup that will confidently walk with you over unfamiliar terrain is good too, try flattened cardboard boxes or creek bridges.
Poodles are such intelligent dogs that it’s not that difficult to evaluate traits early, even at 6 or 7 weeks of age. Some are better suited to certain tasks than others, though almost any well-bred poodle can be trained to do things other dogs only dream about. Go on over to the Versatility in Poodles website and check out some of their good information about all sorts of poodle jobs!
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Stef

<H1>American Poodles At Work




American Poodles At Work (APAW) is a non-profit organization training services dogs in CentralAbout Us


</H1>American Poodles At Work (APAW) is a small training facility pleasantly located on 6 acres of field and woodland in Warren, MA, between Springfield and Worcester. APAW shares the facility with another canine business, Wow Take A Bow Boarding & Grooming. The owner is Jillian Gartner. She has been active in the dog community since puppy-raising her first assistance dog when she was 11 years old. When Finlay began advanced training, Jillian started volunteering in the training kennel of NEADS and continued to do so for many years, eventually becoming the 'official' volunteer groomer for the service dogs there. She gained valuable experience working with many dogs of various breeds/sizes, grooming, walking, playing with them, and cleaning plenty of kennel runs. Jillian was homeschooled her whole childhood, meanwhile registering and completing the animal care certification program at Becker College and finishing a formal grooming apprenticeship. Free to follow her interests, she studied sign language and Braille, learning to appreciate the challenges faced by folks having disabilities. She joined the Holden Huggable Hounds 4H club, renowned for their promotion of therapy dogs. Pursuing her passion for dogs, she started a small home-based grooming business by the name of 'Wow Take A Bow'. After her 18th birthday she moved to California to pursue an Associate's Degree in Assistance Dog Education from the Assistance Dog Institute. Upon graduation, Jillian received a business offer to renovate a recently closed boarding and grooming establishment back in her home state of Massachusetts. That kennel is now Wow Take A Bow Boarding & Grooming. She was gratified to receive several awards for teen entrepreneurial businesses in 2007. Jillian runs both Wow Take A Bow Boarding & Grooming and American Poodles At Work in the same facility. A Life Centered Around Canines

Jillian has competed in 4-H, AKC, UKC, and IABCA events with her Standard Poodles, Max (now passed away) and UKC Ch, Int'l Ch Charlie CGC. They participate in conformation, obedience and rally. At ADI Jillian worked with 11 dogs ranging in age from birth to 2 1/2 years (old enough to graduate into a permanent placement). She spent time teaching all of these dogs how to be well-behaved, unobtrusive service dogs. As part of the training process, one-at-a-time they accompanied her to classes, errands, restaurants, field-trips etc - even on weekly visits to an elementary school to listen while children read to them, and various therapy settings (nursing homes, hospitals, special ed. classrooms). She has also a working knowledge of hearing, guide, and lap-top service dog training. If you live in Warren, West Brookfield or the surrounding towns, you will see her often with a service dog puppy in training, acclimating the dog to all the various sights and sounds of the real world. Massachusetts law is progressive and allows a service dog still in training to enter most establishments while accompanied by their trainer, so if you see a trainer leading a young caped dog at the movie theater, a restaurant or the library, then that might well be Jillian. Besides assistance-related experience, Jillian has some familarity with hunting (for retriever competition) and is currently training for canine Search & Rescue in the Berkshire region. She has plenty of experience teaching basic manners and many tricks (cute, smart, and helpful!) - including teaching dogs how to READ!, which is described in the training area of this website. Jillian, and her personal dog Charlie occasionally audition at casting calls and dream of being Hollywood stars someday. Jillian is a certified Red Cross Pet First Aid instructor and is a trained volunteer for the United Animal Nations' EARS (Emergency Animal Rescue Service) program. Jillian is a certified Pet Care Technician recognized by the American Boarding Kennel Association (ABKA) and is a member in good standing of the New England Pet Grooming Professionals (NEPGP). You can rest assured when your dog is boarding at Wow Take A Bow - Jillian lives on the premises and can intervene immediately should there be an emergency.
Kennel Owner lives on premises

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1299 Bemis Road, PO Box 1933
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Stef

Sorry, things wernt posting right so this is how I did it

Stef

These Dogs Hunt


Training/Hunt Testing, AKC & UKC

I'm one of the few standard poodle owners that actually hunt their dogs. For the last several years going back as far as 1995 I've hunted quite successfully for both ducks and pheasants in Wisconsin, South Dakota, and lately North Dakota over poodles.
Unfortunately, at this point in time there simply are not enough breeders attempting to breed poodles with the temperament a field dog needs to retrieve ducks in freezing water, plus flush and retrieve shot birds in the upland.
However, that is changing. I'm not saying a hunting poodle cannot be found from parentage that has never seen a pheasant or duck. My two male poodles have proven that to me and I believe strongly with Callie's breeding that she will follow in their foot steps. I can honestly say the two males hunt the toughest cover as well as any of the more commonly known hunting breeds and retrieve on land and water better than most. That's mainly because they've been trained far more than the average retriever I see in the field.
Scout's sire, Powder, is a Junior Hunter with two Master legs to date. Look for those genes in both sire and dam. How does one know they're present?--hunt test titles can help. And finding the right breeder is the key. Start training that pup with live birds at 8 weeks and do not throw in the towel too early if things are not going well. Poodles mature slowly and may not show an immediate interest for retrieving in water at a young age like a lab Be patient and aware it will likely take some pressure--go easy.
Both males and Callie are still being conventionally trained as retriever's with as many birds as possible, alive and dead. They were force fetched with the ear pinch, E-collar conditioned, than walking fetch, forced to pile, double T, swim-by, etc. with the aid of remote training collars by me alone. Callie is now starting into the transition phase. Training and keeping them in good shape never stops. I'm not a pro, strictly an amateur. When Beau and Scout were ready, just short of one year of age, I entered them in UKC and AKC beginning level hunt tests--Started and Junior respectively. Callie is still working on UKC Started and AKC Junior titles and looking good.
Both males successfully advanced through both to Seasoned, and Senior and are being tested in Finished and Master. So far Beau has one Finished leg and Scout three.
No hunting dog has to be trained and campaigned in hunt tests to that level of competence to be a decent companion in the field. However, it sure does eliminate a lot of aggravation and it definitely improves the hunt.
Click on each picture to enlarge and read
"the rest of the story" at Journal

Stef

Wow, like I found tons more poodle hunting, but this is a lot of stuff to post like this, so, I guess do a search, you will be amazed

Stef

A couple of small service dogs.... http://deafness.about.com/od/hearingdogs/ig/Hearing-Dog-Photo-Gallery/

Stef

Cockapoo Club of America
LT/COL Mary D. Foley, USA (ret)
President Emeritus and Founder Obtaining a Cockapoo There are Cockapoo breeders located throughout the US and Canada. The club offers suggestions for selecting a breeder and puppy in its information page on this topic. It is also very strongly recommended that you read Larry Shook's The Puppy Report, before you buy a puppy. The book can be ordered from Amazon.com through our website (click here). The cost of a pup from a breeder who breeds to the standard, and has AKC registered dogs, who's eyes have been certified by the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF), and have been certified by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA), for patellar luxation, hips, or elbows, will be higher than one from a breeder who just sells pups they say are Cockapoos. A higher price should reflect the cost of genetically tested parents, warranted for good health, and temperament, with a written sales contract that specifies your options if there is a problem later on. The pup should be clean and free of fleas, socialized for its age, and have worming and shots up to date. You can also expect written instructions on the care of the puppy and access to the breeder for questions. Responsible breeders will also want to know something about you, your family and the type of environment that you plan for the future. Also they will follow up on all dogs they have sold. "Bargains" can be found, but you may risk spending thousands at the vet. Most good breeders maintain a deposit list system because the demand so overwhelms the supply. The CCA urges you to get in touch with us regarding any questions or concerns you may have in your pursuit of a Cockapoo. Last updated 03/22/00

Stef

There are dogs working on everything, here are just some that I found on break, sorry, kind of giving up on posting them and getting them to turn out right. This computer is having issues....
hunting tests for Cocker Spaniels, therapy dog-many are small, ARDA dogs, SAR dogs, gun sniffers, gas leak sniffers, bedbug sniffers, mold sniffers, bug in vinyard sniffers, millitary dogs, land mine dogs, bomb sniffers, cell phone sniffers, police, fire dogs, drug dogs, termite sniffer, The Cocker as a hunting companion.

I love these dogs that do work, big, small, full bred, mix... The dogs dont know what breed or breeds they are and they don't judge us for what they think breed we are, they just know what they like to do and they like to do it for us. These are amazing animals, these dogs in our world, I just love them and what they do.....
Cheers

Mikey

Thanks for sharing!! That is really cool

Did you know labs can be taught to detect cancer by smelling breath!?
Dogs Excel In Cancer-Sniff Study - CBS News

They way they do studies like this is have a control group-so one group has cancer and one group doesn't. The dogs were trained to sit down if they smelled cancer. They did this for two people in the 'control' non-cancer groups. Turns out-those two had cancer!

Also they have so many service dogs now-those to detect seizures and take their owner to a safe spot (These came about becasue peoples OWN untrained dogs started doing this) and heart attacks and so on.

VERY cool what dogs can do.