Woman Crashes When Teaching Dog to Drive

AP ^ | 8/28/06 | Staff

[Lady Jag]

Do you drive a car? Why are you nervous; are you driving on 10 yo Learner's plates? LOL!

The LPs bring up the question of what was the dog driving and what were the plates? Plus, in order to get one's license, does one have to be castrated? That would answer why it takes so long to graduate to licensed driver.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Don't ask, and.. er... nevermind! ;)

[stopsign]

Warning, Objects in mirror are closer than they appear... : ) <<< me

[Lady Jag]

[Lady Jag]

Don't ask, and.. er... nevermind! ;)

Okay, I'll let my imagination run with it.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

If you wish.............................

[RepoGirl]

Wow, Tori is SLEEK. I still can't get over how lean these dogs are, most labs I see tend to be big and husky (I guess its all the cardio they get from the agility trials they're the canine equivalent to marathoners).

[AnAmericanMother]

Part of it of course is the extensive exercise they get - not only with the agility but doing hunting retriever tests as well. Tori has her HRCH title in UKC - which takes some serious doing. Watching her work in a flooded cornfield is a joy and a privilege -- on one of her Finished tests after she one-whistled the blind, the whole gallery broke out in spontaneous applause.

But a good part of it is the breeding. Conformation (show) Labs and field (hunt test/field trial) Labs have diverged a good deal in body type and in activity level. Field Labs are slender and sleek not only because they are "on the go" all the time, but because they are bred for that "on the go" temperament AND a lean body type.

My dog is an odd bird, because she is one half conformation and one half field. Her dad is a simply gorgeous conformation Champion, who probably couldn't find a bird in a phone booth if you gave him printed instructions, and whose idea of exercise is a trot across a nicely mowed green lawn to pick up a tennis ball. Her mom on the other hand is the offspring of the only Chocolate Lab ever to win the National Field Champion title, bred to a Chocolate from the best field kennel in the country. She was the puppy most like her mother -- but she still is sturdier in build and wound a little less tight than Tori. Here they are exiting the very same tunnel, from the very same angle:

But people think Shelley is skinny . . . until they meet Tori.

[RepoGirl]

Yeah, Shelley has a much deeper chest in that pic and she's not as 'shredded' as Tori appears to be.

Once it cools off a little down here, agility classes will be starting up at my dog trainer's (summer in Gainesville is exceptionally brutal). I don't know how Ursa will take to it, she really seems more inclined to therapy work, but I'd like to get her a regular work out and she needs something to strengthen the leg she broke. I think she'll jump at the chance to run around a bit, but those tunnels freak her out.

The one funny thing about rotties is they can be ridiculously clumsy and blocky, but yet can be so graceful when they really hit their stride. Last year, I was at the local pet fair sponsored by our science museum, and I saw a 115 lb. male rott complete an obstacle course in 11 seconds, beating a Jack Russell that was a quarter his size. It was amazing.

[Paved Paradise]

The comments on this thread are all pretty funny. Laugh all you want, people, but at least in China, they only drive; over here, I'm sure there are plenty of them registered as Dems.

[AnAmericanMother]

The trainer will be able to lure Ursa into a tunnel! Many dogs don't like them at first, but there are all sorts of tricks - shorten and straighten the tunnel, throw a favorite toy through the tunnel, get halfway in yourself and call the dog . . . and treat, treat, treat! Be sure to make it fun. Shelley is slow on course, because I hovered too much when she was learning and she is anxious about making a mistake.

Summer has not exactly been a bed of roses here either! We lower all the jumps one or two cups, water the arena, and give the dogs GoDog and dips in the baby pool. And in the field we do mostly water marks (and give them GoDog.)

If you could see Tori and Shelley from the front, Shelley's chest is almost exactly twice as wide between the base of her forelegs. She is a wide-track model.

[Roberts]

Beautiful.

[Scothia]

[Allegra]

I still don't know if I will ask to be on the list. I know you will be ready to go back when it comes. Do you live in a tent and have shower trailers?

I did do the tents/shower/bathroom trailers my first year here. But I'm living the good life now. I have a large room, a balcony overlooking the Tigris and my OWN BATHROOM. (Luxury of luxuries!)

It pays to stick around here a while. I've paid my dues. LOL

Good luck with getting an assignment in the region. I'm pulling for ya!

[marmar]

I wouldn't get all your niffty perks......I am happy to have the tent and plywood to have my privacy. As for the Showers....well, I have a cool spa robe that I wear, and that is good. I will let you know what I decided. And once again...........WELCOME HOME..............

[Ptarmigan]

Odie, is that you?

[green pastures]

Late to this thread, but just wanted to say I loved your " Crouching Terrier, Hidden Driver" post.

:-)