Enjoying the Last of Summer

Watching #Portlandia and #Grimm Being Filmed

We occasionally run into Portlandia and Grimm filming around the city. Mr. N was not perturbed by the fake zombies and he thinks he would make a very scary wesen (fairy tale creatures in Grimm).

We didn't have a chance to watch the most recent filming of Portlandia due to errands in another part of the city. They were packing up as we walked by but Mr. N posed at the pizza place they were shooting.

Which show would your dog like to be an extra in?

From the Archives: Mr. N's First Lure Coursing Run

The first time Mr. N went lure coursing and won his first CAT (coursing agility test) title after three runs. I was looking at some old photos and found this video from his first trial. He's running on a dirt field so he basically looks like a moving speck of dirt after the first fifty feet or so.

The dogs chase a plastic bag on a line pulled by a series of pulleys. The non-sighthounds run the CAT. Small dogs (under twelve inches) and brachycephalic dogs run 300 yards and the big dogs run 600 yards. The dogs run individually and in order to pass, the dogs must complete the course in under a minute and half (300 yards) or two minutes (600 yards). 

Taste Testing #InstinctRaw. Nature's Variety Instinct® Raw Bites, an Easy Way to Feed Raw.

This post is sponsored by Instinct® and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Instinct Raw but Tenacious Little Terrier only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Instinct is not responsible for the content of this article.

Mr. N is a super snob about food. Or as he prefers to think of it, he is a gourmet. This is the dog who turns his nose up at kibble and goes on a hunger strike which is why we switched to raw feeding. And certain people in this household are terrible about remembering to thaw extra food after feeding Mr. N and the container is empty. Hint. It's usually not me. Nature's Variety Instinct® Raw Bites is an excellent solution to both those problems. 

It's super quick to thaw which is awesome because otherwise you're trying to figure out what else to feed your dog in the morning and your dog says he is starving and needs to be fed right this instant. Mr. N appreciates the high protein and real meat of the Instinct (95 percent venison, lamb, organ and bone + 5 percent fruit and vegetables and other ingredients) although he doesn't see why there should be fruits and vegetables at all. Mr. N is a devout carnivore 

The Raw Bites for dogs come in chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, duck, venison, rabbit and tuna. Mr. N is currently eating the venison. He evidently approves because it's been about two weeks and he has eaten every single meal on time. He has been prone to skipping breakfast this hot summer. The Instinct is nutrient dense and high quality. Mr. N has been eating smaller quantities than with his previous food. 

A lot of people have health and sanitary concerns with raw dog food.I wash my hands before and after raw feeding and his bowls get rinsed with hot soapy water after meals and tossed in the dishwasher on a regular basis. Mr. N eats on a towel in his crate. I wipe down his crate with vinegar weekly and towels get washed in hot water. So far neither of us have been sick with salmonella or anything like that. 

We've been using the Instinct mostly during meal time but I've been using them for trick training as well. Here's Mr. N practicing crossing his paws with the Raw Bites as a reward.

 And saying his prayers before he eats. He is thankful that he gets to eat his favorite things for dinner like venison and lamb and beef and all the other animals bigger than him. 

If you're interested in trying out Nature's Variety with your pets (they make a cat variety too), they're offering a $3 off coupon. For more information and other offers, follow them on Facebook. 

Recovering Reactive Dog

We were walking down the street when a car drives by with the window open and a dog barking his head off at Mr. N. Mr. N turns and looks for a long second. He gives a huff and proceeds to turn away from the dog and we cross the street to get some distance.

 The car parks and a woman walks out and apologizes for her dog saying he always gets really excited around other dogs. I tell her that it's OK. That we've been there.

We are still there but he gets better and better every day. Even though it feels like we backslide sometimes.

Mr. N is a recovering reactive dog. These days, his outbursts are much fewer and usually provoked by our neighbors' dogs (with territoriality added to the mix) or unexpected close encounters like when we go around corners. He has been making mostly good choices and will turn away or emit calming signals.

Little Dog is learning some impulse control. He is a good boy.

Golly Gear Review and #Giveaway

Good gear is paramount. It's an added plus if said gear is stylish. Mr. N goes for walks every single day or he's pretty unbearable to live with. He always wears a harness due to small dogs being prone to collapsing trachea.

His regular walking harness is getting worn and shabby. So it was opportune that Golly Gear offered us a harness to review. They are a family-run business that specializes in small dog gear and ten percent of their profit goes towards small dog rescues. The store has all sorts of paraphernalia for small dogs including toys, clothes, beds, treats, harnesses and leashes. Shipping is free over $49 to the US and they have a 30 day return and exchange policy.

Shipping was speedy and the package came with a small bag of bone-shaped dog treats that Mr. N snubbed initially because he's a snob but Sage gobbled down. He did later decide if Sage was eating them, he wanted one too.

Golly Gear specializes in harnesses and they offer a lot of thoughtful advice on how to pick the right one. You can either try their DIY harness picker or fill out a questionnaire for a customized consult. They steered me away from a harness I originally was looking at, saying it would not hold up to what I wanted it to do. I decided on the Choke-Free Shoulder Collar Harness because the color would go with his leash, I prefer leather and the design wouldn't irritate his trachea.

Shopping for small dogs can be a pain sometimes because often things are way too big or I can't find anything in his size. I've ordered toys for Mr. N several times that have turned out to be enormous. I really should order with a ruler in hand... We have a stash of things that are too big for Mr. N that I give away or donate. So I'm glad there's a store that serves this niche.

Shipping was speedy and the package came with a small bag of bone-shaped dog treats that Mr. N snubbed initially because he's a snob but Sage gobbled down. He did later decide if Sage was eating them, he wanted one too.

Golly Gear specializes in harnesses and they offer a lot of thoughtful advice on how to pick the right one. You can either try their DIY harness picker or fill out a questionnaire for a customized consult. They steered me away from a harness I originally was looking at, saying it would not hold up to what I wanted it to do. I decided on the Choke-Free Shoulder Collar Harness because the color would go with his leash, I prefer leather and the design wouldn't irritate his trachea.

The harness suits Mr. N's coloring very well and he has good range of motion while wearing the harness and seems to find it comfortable. I would definitely recommend the website (and retail store in IL) if you have a small dog. 

Golly Gear has also generously offered to give away a gift certificate to one lucky reader. You can enter to win a gift certificate below.

This post was sponsored by Golly Gear. They are not responsible for the contents of this article. All opinions expressed are our own. 

Visiting the Old Mill District Sculpture in Bend

Conquering a Nemesis

There's a goose that lives a few blocks away from us. Mr. N likes to glare as menacingly as a six-pound dog can through the fence at her and she in turn will flap her wings and hiss at Mr. N. The last couple of times we've seen her, Mr. N has managed to creep up on the goose and startle her. And then she runs away, flapping her wings. Mr. N is very proud of himself.

A pictorial description.

Complicated Canine Stick Rituals

When a terrier and a Border Collie get together, they can use their powers for evil. Or for good. They mostly use them for good. On their most recent beach trip, they decided to share a stick. Sage gnawed chunks off one end and Mr. N chewed on the other. 

That is until Mr. N decided he had enough of sharing and dragged the stick away. Sage will take back the stick when Mr.N gets tired of it. Until he steals it back again. 

Do your dogs play games with their friends? 

Sneak Attack

Back to School Activities + Training Goals

Mr. N plans on being a jock this school year. He's thinking about trying out for the track team or soccer. Drama club is also an option. He does love being the center of attention. 

Dog activity-wise, he's starting up therapy dog visits again and next month, he'll be testing for his novice trick dog title. We might also try for the Urban Canine Good Citizen title if I can find a test. Next year, I'd also like to get him into a nose work ORT. There are a couple tricks like rebounds and weaving through legs I'd like him to finish learning and some other old tricks that could use some polishing like "spin." His favorite sport, lure coursing is on hiatus until the summer. But I think he'll have plenty to do until then. 

Which school activity would your dog want to do? 

Welcome to First Monday's Positive Pet Training Blog Hop hosted by Cascadian Nomads, Tenacious Little Terrier and Rubicon Days. Please share your responsible pet owner positive pet training tips by linking a blog post or leaving a comment below. Any positive reinforcement training posts or comments are also always welcome. The Positive Pet Training Blog Hop goes all week long. Our next hop will begin Monday, Oct. 5th and continues for a week. 

Canine Running Style

Mr. N is part bunny so when he runs, he bunny hops.

Soaring is also a viable option.

How does your dog run? Do they trot or gallop or sprint?

Hiking Tumalo Falls