Hawaii Five-O

Hawaii Five-O Undercover K-9 Cops

Check your local TV guide for the Fall 2011 Series Premiere featuring Newman McGarrett, his faithful sidekick Roger "Book 'em Danno," and the gorgeous Thelma Lua Kaluha.

DSA Sanctioned IMPROV Trial

Looking to try something new with your K-9 companion? Join us on August 13-14 for the first ever Dog Scouts of America sanctioned IMPROV trial at Dandy Dog Training in Newville, PA, sponsored by my Troop 161. You do not have to be a Dog Scout to compete. However,all dogs must have DSA Competition Registration Numbers (CRNs) prior to event registration. Registration deadline has been extended to Saturday, July 30 (see details below).

Created in the 1970s by Lonnie Olson, IMPROV stands for Impromptu Multifarious Performance Requiring Obedience and Versatility. In short, it is a different kind of obedience competition, which puts the emphasis on a dog's ability to perform cues as asked.

IMPROV tests how ready dogs are to be useful in real life. There is no standard course or judging format. However, it does have standard categories of exercises like retrieving and touching strange objects that would be found lying around your house. Each time you go into a ring, you are required to do a different set of exercises. This is what makes IMPROV more fun and challenging than standard obedience, because you never know what you will be asked to do. For more detailed information on the rules, download a copy of the IMPROV rule book from the Dogs Scouts website.

Mom has registered me in the novice category and I hope not to embarrass us too much. Really, the whole point is to have fun and for Mom to use her brain to get me to complete new tasks by using skills that I already know. So, basically she needs to “think outside the Milk-bone box!”

Even if you don't plan to enter, come show your support for this relatively new sport and learn what it's all about. It's entertaining for participants and spectators alike. Plus, we are going to have some really nice raffle baskets that you can enter to win. Believe me, I know. Mom is the Volunteer Coordinator and has been busy collecting all kinds of cool K-9 commodities, including interactive games, tasty treats, as well as grooming and first-aid supplies.

IMPROV Trial Premium List

Date: Saturday, August 13 and Sunday, August 14
Trial Schedule:   (tentative)
Saturday – Trial 1: Novice and Standard; Trial 2: Novice and Standard
Sunday – Trial 3: Novice and Standard; Trial 4: Novice only
Competition starts at 8 a.m. both days. The second trial will not begin before 11 a.m.
Location: Dandy Dog Training, 72 Lonesome Road, Newville, PA 17241
                             
Details:  Entries will be $25 per run. Dogs must have DSA Competition Registration Numbers (CRNs) prior to event registration. Revised closing date for entries is July 30, 2011. Facility is indoors and climate-controlled. For additional information, contact Troop 161 Scoutmaster Ann Withun.

Happy Birthday

Happy 2nd Birthday to my baby bully sister, Thelma Lou, and her littermates, Ammo, Bella, and Floyd. Have a good one, kids!

Birthday Girl waiting for party to start

Backyard Brushtown Bullies

Although having been reared as huge Philadelphia Flyers hockey fans, the Backyard Brushtown Bullies are in no way affiliated with the legendary Broad Street Bullies, who in 1972-73 shed the mediocre expansion team label and became known as the intimidating Broad Street Bullies. The nickname was coined by Jack Chevalier and Pete Cafone of the Philadelphia Bulletin on January 3, 1973 after a 3 to 1 brawling victory over the Atlanta Flames.

"The image of the fightin' Flyers spread gradually around the NHL, and people are dreaming up wild nicknames. They're the Mean Machine, the Bullies of Broad Street and Freddy's Philistines," wrote Chevalier in his reporting of the game. Cafone wrote the accompanying headline, "Broad Street Bullies Muscle Atlanta."

Note: No Bullies or Boxers were injured in the — although I can't speak for the hostas.

Puppy Public Service Announcement

Stars and Stripes Fur-ever

Puppy Public Service Announcement:

For some dogs Fourth of July fireworks are a major source of anxiety and fear. To help keep your furry, four-legged friends safe, I've put together a list of tips that I picked up from various sources along the way.

• Do not take your pet to fireworks displays.
• Do not leave your pet in the car. With only hot air to breathe inside a car, your pet can suffer serious health effects—even death—in a few short minutes. Partially opened windows do not provide sufficient air.
• Keep your pets indoors at home in a sheltered, quiet area. Some animals can become destructive when frightened, so be sure that you've removed any items that your pet could destroy or that would be harmful to your pet if chewed. Leave a television or radio playing at normal volume to keep him company.
• If you know that your pet is seriously distressed by loud noises like thunder, consult with your veterinarian before July 4th for ways to help alleviate the fear and anxiety he or she will experience during fireworks displays.
• Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a tether. In their fear, pets who normally wouldn't leave the yard may escape and become lost, or become entangled in their chain, risking injury or death.
• Make sure your pets are wearing identification tags so that if they do become lost, they can be returned promptly. Animals found running at-large should be taken to the local animal shelter, where they will have the best chance of being reunited with their owners.