Browsing articles from "July, 2008"

Greatest American Dog: My Thoughts

Jul 11, 2008 // by Paul // 8 Comments

After watching the first episode of CBS’s Greatest American Dog, I have to say that I am a bit disappointed in the show. Maybe I was the only one, but I was hoping for more of a show that highlighted cool things that people can do with their dogs, as opposed to a costume ball filled with editing room created drama.

I know reality shows are not reality and the goal of the show is to entertain viewers, and not to actually find the Greatest American Dog, but if the goal actually was to find the G.A.D., I would hope that the talent pool would be much deeper. I don’t see how the producers could have allowed most of these dogs onto the show, most of them don’t even have a solid recall.

I am not a negative person, nor am I claiming to be the world’s greatest dog trainer or have the world’s greatest dog, but I can guarantee that our dogs, as well as most of our clients dogs, could beat the dogs on the show at any given challenge. That is a big statement, regardless of me being smug or just confident, but I actually believe it to be true. You can decide for yourself by checking out some of our videos.

Alright, so the show is not focused around training dogs, that’s fine. One thing that I do like about the show is that it highlights the deep bond between dogs and their owners, something in which we can all relate. When all is said and done, recall or no recall, owning dogs is all about the irreplaceable bond that exists between us and them, and that is reality.

What were your expectations of the show, and now what are your thoughts? We would love to hear from everyone, feel free to leave your thoughts in the form of a comment.

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Where’s My Dog?

Jul 6, 2008 // by Paul // 1 Comment

Every once in a while we stumble across great products for dogs, and this is no exception. The Garmin Astro utilizes GPS technology to track the movements and location of your dogs. A receiver is worn on the dog’s collar or harness (as pictured below) and transmits information to the owner’s handheld screen. Although this tool is mainly designed for hunters who work with their dogs in the fields, it also just looks like plain old fun for us hikers, campers and dog trainers.

As of right now, Unleashed Unlimited does not offer any type of hunting dog services, however I have always been fascinated by hunting dogs and have been eyeing up one of these things for some time now. When I play or hike with my dogs, I get a decent workout; but the dogs must travel at least 4 times further than I do with all of the running back and forth. I am curious as to how far my dogs run in an average day. The Garmin Astro not only tells you that information, but shows the path taken by each dog. Not only does the Garmin Astro help you navigate through the city streets by offering turn by turn directions, but it also allows you to do the following:

monitor the movement and location of up to 10 dogs at a time
has a range of up to 5 miles
save locations such as your truck, the lodge, and prey locations
alerts owner when the dog is on point
and much more

While this product looks pretty useful tool or toy (depending on the way it is used) there are some changes being made in the near future. As of now, the collar has an antenna that is approximately 4-5″, however it is only getting bigger. In September of 2008, Garmin is going to introduce the new DC30 receiver. It offers some improved features, such as a 7 mile range, and of course has a much larger antenna. With a estimated $600 retail price tag and aesthetically non-pleasing looks, this product is definitely function before form.

Return to “Jokerland”

Jul 1, 2008 // by Tracey // No Comments

For anyone who would like to follow the progress of this fantastically energetic dog, here it is; the sequel.

Earlier this week, we were setting up for class and I saw Joker and Kevin strolling towards our training area; they were a good distance away so I didn’t notice anything in particular. Off-leash heel has been a work in progress for some time now, and guess what? We were witnessing progress!! Joker, the dog that would circle around you as you walked and treat you like a sled if you let him, had just heeled off-leash passed other dogs, other people, birds, squirrels, you name it. I had noticed that Kevin had a leash in his hand but did not know that it was not attached!! Kevin then put Joker into a sit about 25 feet from our training area and continued on, leaving Joker behind in a sit while he kept his motion.

Kevin approached and said “This is not my dog”. We looked at him a bit dumbfounded. He went on to say that he should turn around and go home because Joker just heeled off leash from the car to our training area and that he had better quit now and end on a good note. Kevin did end up staying for class and Joker was given permission to visit Jokerland a few times that session and be a complete goofball. Below is a picture of Joker after returning from Jokerland.