Come to Rogue Dogs June 25, 2014 for a fun dog community event to raise money for the Scappoose Dog Park!  While you have a glass of wine served by Avenue 30 your dog can snack on cookies from Wiggle Butz.  You can meet some of the local dog business owners:  Just Dogs, Rogue Retrievers, Whiskey Creek Goldens, Marge’s Critter Care, and Doglandia will all be there!  For more information please call 503 522 9896 or email adrienne@rogueretrievers.com.

As you might know last summer we had a big scare with Hemi!  She got really sick and we couldn’t find out why?  We thought we were going to loose her!  We did x-rays and blood work and we couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her!  She would just lay on the floor in pain!  For more information you can read about in my previous blog, Hemi, My Little Brown Dog.

I ended my last blog with heading to Dr. Skinner, a neurologist at the Oregon Veterinary Specialist Hospital for a consult.  After chatting with the veterinary technician, Hemi getting an exam, more x-rays at a different angle, and chatting with Dr. Skinner, he decided that what Hemi had was an infection in her spine called, Discospondylitis.  He wasn’t a 100% sure, but he was pretty sure and since Hemi was already on antibiotics he said that we should just keep her on them for 5 more weeks, and x-ray her occasionally.  Hemi continued to respond to the antibiotics and her x-rays continued to confirm the diagnosis. 

Finally, Hemi finished her antibiotics and Dr. Skinner told me if she could go 14 days with no symptoms Hemi was fine!  So we took Hemi pheasant hunting and I held my breath for 14 days!!!  We had one more re-check after the 14 days.  Since Hemi was acting normal and the X-ray confirmed Dr. Skinner’s diagnosis Dr. Skinner happily informed me that Hemi was fine!!!  He said she was, “clear to be Hemi” (only those who know Hemi would understand that quote) she could do agility, hunt, run, play, compete and even have puppies!

After Hemi was cleared to be Hemi she had a GREAT fall and winter!  She retrieved 100s of ducks on the Lower Columbia.  She did a little up-land hunting where she worked the field like a machine.  She also competed in her first Agility trials getting her Novice Jumpers, Standard, and Fast Titles.  It is surreal for me to think that just last summer we thought we might loose her! I have lost dogs of old age, had sick dogs, but I have never had an experience like I did last summer with Hemi.  The experience has really made me appreciate everything I get to do with her and my other dogs!  Now when competing I am more concerned with just being able to do compete and be with my dog then the ribbon.  Don’t get me wrong I still like to get ribbons, but the bigger picture is much more clear! 

I LOVE my field Labradors!  I love watching them run/work as HARD as they can whether it is in the duck blind, at at hunt test, or in Agility but…  I thought I needed to try my hand at working with a show dog!  In the past I’m sure I’ve told people that I would never have a show dog (they have their place) they just can’t keep up with a field dog!  Well as they say, “never say never”!  So meet Tulip the Show Dog!  What she lacks in speed and agility she makes up for in beauty and personality, she trumps the field dogs in that department any day!

The real reason I have Tulip is for my mom.  She needs a calmer Labrador and has always wanted a yellow Labrador.  So I picked my mom out at nice show puppy (Tulip) from a friend’s kennel. Tulip is out of Euro Winner, Pol. Ch, Am. Ch., Cz. Club Winner, Lit Winner Arlon Hyspire Bohemain Ink, “Hemi” (I don’t even know what have those titles mean lol) and Dolce Vita in a Web of Excellence, “Charlee”.  

Probably the only perk of having a daughter that trains dogs is that she will start your puppy for you and she LOVES doing it!  She will potty train it, socialize it, and in this case even take her to handling class!  While I don’t do every dog sport with my dogs but I’ve done a lot!  I am taking Agility classes at Everything Canine in Portland Oregon, I compete in AKC Rally, I obviously do AKC Hunt Tests, I’ve done a little nose work and just recently have even participated in the new sport Barn Hunt.  But, what I haven’t  done or honestly ever thought I wanted to do was enter the “Show Ring”!  The main reason I have never thought about the show ring with my Labradors is because they are field labs not conformation/show labs so they would get laughed right out of the ring!  But now, I have Tulip and the Labrador National is on the West Coast this October so I thought I better get training…how hard could it be they just stand there!?!  Well let me tell you it is pretty damm hard to get a fun loving, happy, silly, Labrador puppy to stand with out moving!  And, I have to her feet in the right place (I can never tell if they are?).  Besides attempting to practice at home we are taking a Handling Class at A Dog Gone Good Place in Hillsboro, Oregon.  After our first class and being shown up by a six year old boy and his dogs we have been practicing more and are getting better…I think?  Well I guess I better go practice stacking Tulip so I don’t embarrass myself too much at the our next handling class!

Along time a ago while practicing AKC Rally Obedience for an up-coming dog show a friend and I had an idea that Rally exercises could be used to form a drill team!  Much much later that idea formed into a team!

Most of the people on the team had taken a Rally class from me, some even competed at the Rose City Classic on a Rally Team.  Others hadn’t done anything like this!  We practiced almost every Wednesday evening in Scappoose or St Helens, Oregon for a about 2 months.  Everybody helped either by taking pictures, sewing collars, loaning shirts, helping plan the routine, and/or music!

Again THANK YOU ALL for training your dogs and trying something new…it will made you better dog owners!!! 

Hopefully we can all do it again next year!!!

As Hemi my little brown dog runs at warp speed in the yard, in a way that can only be describe as a freak, it is almost surreal to think that only one month ago she was sick and in severe pain.  She was in her dog bed curled up quivering in pain, hot to the touch, and unrecognizable as my four year old hard charging Labrador!  My boyfriend (Max) and I could barely talk about her because both of us were in fear of her dying.  Nether of us wanted to say it out loud to upset the other one even more!  We slept on the floor with her for days.  My friends brought her get well toys that she didn’t touch.  I would give her her meds in the am go to the kennel, and come home and check on her.  When I got home I would hope more then anything that she would meet me at the door and jump on me but no.  I would have to go look for her passed out some where odd like the bathroom.  She wouldn’t even notice I was there!  I normally don’t write upsetting blogs.  I try and make my blogs fun or informative for others.  But this blog is for me because I have been so upset over Hemi I needed to tell me story. Continue reading →

Unfortunately for you waterfowl hunters, the duck and goose season is coming to an end…luckily a lot of you also compete in Hunt Tests! If you are new to Hunt Tests and training for them here is some gear I would suggest that you get as soon as possible.

Crate: You may already have a crate. If not you can often get one on Craigslist or I have found good prices at www.DOG.com. Make sure to use your crate when you go out to train! There is nothing more embarrassing then your dog jumping out of the truck and running after a bird that is not his to get! It is also very disruptive to your training group and you might not get asked back. Continue reading →

There are many small things that can happen to your retriever out hunting (or hiking or running on the beach), thorns in their feet, cold tail, seeds in their eyes, ticks, and more. Most of these things can lead to a trip to the vet unless they are immediately addressed. I suggest that each time, after having your hunting dog in the field you put him on the tail gate of your truck (or wherever) and give them a once over.

If your hunting dog has been swimming make sure to dry them off when you are done hunting. Drying your hunting dog’s ears can prevent ear infections. Drying his rear under his tail can prevent cold tail. On top of everything your hard working retriever will love be dried off and it will most likely save you a trip to the vet in the future. Continue reading →