Wayne

Yes Eileen, I gave some to a local museum today just for that purpose.

Thanks for all the info! For your trivia file: Cuddebackville is just a few miles from where NY, NJ and PA all meet.

Thanks for the info. I just found someone who makes felt, I'll ask. I don't have much of it, I'd give it away- I just don't like the thought of throwing it in a landfill.

I had my sheep shorn and I now have some poor quality fleeces (most of the sheep are Katahdin crosses). I know the wool is no good for spinning- what do I do, just throw it away?

I trialed in AKC events for a couple of years. My time is very limited and after years of chasing horse shows all over the place, I vowed to limit my travel for agility to about two hours. Even if I extended the travel, AKC offers many more trials then the other organizations. My dog is not AKC registered but he does have an ILP. He's from working stock, we work sheep regularly, but I (and my dog) also enjoy agility. I do agility because of/for my dog. I didn't get my dog for agility. I'd venture a guess that the overwhelming majorty of the particpants at an AKC or any agility trial are there for the fun of it. Certainly there are those who are breeding for agiltiy and want to be a world team member, but the is a handful at a trial for 400-500 dogs and their handlers. I also agree that the courses need to be handled! If your dog knows where he's going next (because you gave him a cue) he'll turn safely and you will also have a faster time. In fact, that's a lot more predictable and controllable than some moves I've seen some sheep make!

Watch them in action! A dog standing still looking at a goat, a dog standing still in an agility tunnel. Boy, that action took my breath away!

I think the weight of a steel base is an advantage in keeping the ploes stable. With all of the other equipment that's made of aluminum, I don't recall ever seeing aluminum weave pole bases.

I don't know about that model in particular, but I have a small one (1750 psi, I think). It does fine for the kinds of things you mention. The important specifications are the pressure (psi) and the amount of water it puts out at that pressure (gpm). Remember that they have enough pressure to damage the wood on your deck. It not only takes off the footprints, but can basically "sand" it down to bear wood. They can also rip loose trim off a vehicle. Of course you can avoid these things by being careful. A low gpm model like that will not make a great car washer, in my experience. It's kind of like trying to paint a house with spray cans.

"the alpacas have obviously been sheared recently, yet they are left with a "topknot" and a bushy tail. Why is that?" Are they also poodle owners?

Do a Google search on "Hunte Corporation" and you'll find a lot. for example: click here

Going from two to three dogs is a geometric increment.

My Luke is almost always off leash, but that's because we are in a very rural area with no real road threats. We walk to the road to get the newspaper every day, but from day one, I never let him touch the pavement unless he was on leash. When I get near the road (maybe 50 feet away) he stops and waits for me to go get the paper. Hey, isn't that the opposite of what a dog is "supposed" to do? I thought THEY fetched the paper! Anyway, anywhere else where there is a road nearby, he's on leash. It's not worth the risk.

I e-mailed WAMC with the same comments I made in my last post here. Here's their response: Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I will pass your comments on to Jon as well. The show is designed to be more about dog owners and ownership than just dogs. We try not to tread on the ground Sue handles so wonderfully. However, we deal with the calls that come in and often training issues can not be avoided. Again, thanks for writing.

I've heard Katz on WAMC a couple of times. He's a writer, not a dog trainer. The real problem I see is that people call in asking for advice- and he gives it. WAMC also has a regular guest , Sue Sternberg, who is a dog trainer and behaviorist and who, I think, gives very good answers to people with dog problems- any dog not any specific breed. I think the listeners are used to calling her for reliable info, and assume they get it from Katz as well. WAMC ought to direct the Katz shows to stories and writing, not advice.

I put the house on the OUTSIDE of the kennel. Just cut a hole in the fence or incoroarate it into one of the sides. Why use up that kennel space with the house? More room to play!