[NAGDU] Training request, and (Jewel) Why a Silken Windhound?

[Tracy Carcione]

Hi Peter.
Would it be possible to acquire an offset harness handle?  I found it
helpful with one of my dogs, when I kept stepping on her.  If you haven't
seen an offset handle, it comes straight out a bit, takes a turn at a fairly
sharp angle for a bit, then straightens out again.  The upshot is that you
can follow your dog, but she's a bit farther out to your side than she is
with a plain, straight handle.

Very interesting about your chosen breed, which I'd never heard of before.
Tracy



-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Peter Wolf via
NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2016 2:32 PM
To: Jewel; nagdu at nfbnet.org
Cc: Peter Wolf
Subject: [NAGDU] Training request, and (Jewel) Why a Silken Windhound?

Jewel!

Great writing!  You had me totally cracking up at the afghan story, and also
how stupid the guy was, not realizing he was an inferior life form.  

We can write or talk on or offline about training, and perhaps I might
benefit hearing about yours.  Everyone, I still would like to hear about
your successes, please share on or offline- specifically in harness-handle
training when your dog had a curious nose.  We've been on leash, and it's
time to harness.  Metukah is going to have a challenge, because with my
equilibrium, I catch myself stepping on her feet at least once or twice a
day.  So she keeps a little distance, which will have to close with a
handle.  I at least am learning to sense it and back off my foot and not
crunch her.  That's progress.  Handle will be good also because I'll always
know exactly where she is and won't step on her anymore.  Once we convince
her she won't get stepped on.Gotta get past that catch 22.  Comments anyone?
Time to get started.  I need help.

The breed:  Because my dog is so slender and bony, it's a process getting to
the actual harness order with Julie but we are close, figuring out how to
fit those narrow spaces.  One photo below for anyone who can make it out is
a shot on the beach, where we can tell how lanky this girl is.  I know that
having her only barely pull will solve a lot of my concern for "dog
breakdown" in harness, and it will be a softer harness.  At that, the way I
hold her in the photo significantly spreads her front legs at the chest,
like double of actual width.  These people are airblades.  The whole front
of dog is only 5.5 inches wide!  

Now, onto your message Jewel.  For the rest of you, indulge if you want,
from here on, but it's me, talking about Silkens, and some photos if you can
make them out.  Yes Jewel, as we hear it, there was some distant sheltie
influence way back in forming Silkens.  As we understand it, however, how
Silkens arrived was from Russian Borzoi breeders starting in the 80's,
combining long haired whippet with Russian Borzoi.  The woman credited for
it is a horse rancher/borzoi breeder from Texas named Francie Stull.  We met
her at a SilkenFest, which is an annual event.  I asked her what on earth
she was thinking, that a human could actually create angels.  Francie, with
perfect, crusty rancher voice:  "Well, I wanted to shrink down the borzoi
and take the bitch out of her, make a dog so gentle a child could force it
into the corner, and the dawg would just lick-er".  A bit harsh, but hey,
Texas.  

When we got the girls, a condition was that we had to show, and possibly let
them run some races.  We held to integrity, and did show at first, the first
year as promised.  Even did private training to show elegantly.  We both
seriously dragged our heels at that, but then I found it to be a fantastic
puppy socializing and task forming discipline.  For one thing, as you know
there are huge amounts of dogs, hanging out between events in their standing
X-pens, and also milling all around.  Then, the silent line of dogs all
together in a row on leash, before and soon into the ring. Then, to show, as
you know there is a lot of training and focus required, and head up walking
fast on that little slip know shoelace of a what is more a string than a
leash.  It turned out to be a perfect puppy socialization to stay on task
and focus amidst a LOT of activity, noise and other dogs.  That's in any
population.  And some aren't as nice as ours, even barkers and snarlers.
Our girls bark once or twice a month.  It's been said, if you want a
watchdog.don't get a silken!

But we only let the girls run once, and at no racing, and just solo, after a
lure on the lure course, and just a straight line to the end of the football
field, because we did not want to develop prey drive.  We had the fun, then
said "ok, thanks" and never went back to that.  Holy smokes, here's at what
a flying silken looks like.  It's Kira.  Her back feet have just left the
ground:


I loved your pillowcase story.  What we tell people they are, depends on the
situation, or their possible sense of humor.  In this case, I'd say, Comfort
Hound!  Young Kira (my wife's dog) and Metukah. his and hers dogs!!  They
are cousins, three months apart - their mothers are sisters.  
 
That's me, under the puppy pile.I'll never get up.

Here's my dad in L.A., napping.  Hey, nice blanket...


Heres's 1 year old Metukah, tolerating being snatched up in my arms for a
moment during a beach run with a bunch of other silkens in San Diego.  She's
running like she's on crack, and about to launch back into action.  We have
a joke around here (a few actually, because these people are Humor Hounds)!
It goes like this.someone asks, "Hey, wanna grab a drink after work?"   We
reply, "No thanks, we have a couple of Long Necks waiting for us back home!"


Ok, enough fun for now.  Thanks for celebrating.  Cheers!
Peter

On Sep 29, 2016, at 1:37 AM, Jewel <jewelblanch at kinect.co.nz> wrote:

> Peter!  According to Wikipedia, the Shetland Sheepdog [Sheltie] played 
> a part in the creation of the Silken Windhound.  What a picturesque breed
name!
> I will be very interested in your training as, for many years,  I 
> owned, bred and showed Afghan Hounds, another of the sight hound
fraternity, both in conformation and in competitive Obedience.
> The noted dog behaviorist, Stanley what was/is his last name?  I have,
temporarily, forgotten it: 
> Warren?   fell off the radar as far as I was concerned when he rated
Afghan hounds as being stupid 
> beyond belief when they refused to take part in  the idiotic games that he
set for them!
> "You want me to do what?"  get that piece of cheese from under that 
> can?"  It is no skin off my nose if it stays just where it is, but if 
> you want it, you get it as it was you who put it there in the first
place!"
> 
> "You want me to get out of this pillowcase that you have stuffed me 
> into?  I admit that I did put up a battle when being stuffed in, but 
> now that I am here, I really find it  quite comfortable, so I will 
> stay where I am if it is all the same to you, and if it isn't all the same
to you, I really don't give a rat's arse!"
> 
>          Jewel
> 
> -----------------------
> 

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