I think many of us have been in a situation where we have to make a decision that affects our four-legged friend. Here I am not only talking about the last and most difficult one, choosing the time to say goodbye, but also about the stages that come before – I have been affected by those in the last few years, and they also hurt terribly in many ways.
Choice 1: “Aren't you going to have a second dog soon that Emma can “train”?”
I've been asked this question (asked with the best of intentions 😊 ) many times in the last few years, precisely because Emma is 10 years old now, and it would make sense to many people, because it's great to let an older dog raise the new one, it's just the law of nature. But here there's just a big BUT for me. In nature, Emma would never have puppies at the age of 10, it's unnatural. And Emma "hates" puppies - well, she ignores all "very-active" dogs. She thinks they're a bit overhyped 😊
Therefore, I could not in any way think of sending a little "beast" into our home for Emma at her age – for me, that would be an assault on her. And that would be solely in MY interest and not the dog's! Keep in mind – if Emma had been 5-6 years old, it would have been a different matter, and they might have found great joy in each other, but NOT now that she is 10 years old. So I have 100% opted out of that – Emma should have her senior years alone in peace and quiet with us ❤
Choice 2: When is it time to stop competing at the NW3 level?
Look, I just made that choice (3 days before this post was written), and it was with lots of tears when I realized it.
NW is for all dogs – yes, we very much agree on that 😉, but when you are at the NW3 level, it just requires that extra bit of your dog: There are large areas – there are much longer search times – sometimes up to 12 minutes in one search (endurance) – there are high springs (up to 180cm), which must be investigated by a small, slightly overweight, short-legged beagle. It just often takes time to investigate a high scent, and there are often many “checks” up and down (up on hind legs and down and up again 50 cm further forward, etc.) – and it is just not optimal for a senior dog, where you want to take a little care of the back/legs/hips.
Why cry about it - some might think, but if you haven't worked with NW and the "togetherness" you have - the bubble you are in with your dog - then it can be difficult to understand.
Emma and I have worked together for so many years – I have read her tiny signals that are used to help her around the area – we are 100% concentrated and do not pay attention to the judge/timekeeper or anyone else. And that togetherness is indescribable, which is why it hurts to realize that that “era is over”.
After a few tests that didn't work optimally, and I had a little feeling in the back of my mind that I ignored, I was at a NW3 course one Saturday – and here I could simply see that Emma didn't feel like doing a long outdoor search anymore. She stopped searching and looked at me with a look that almost said "I don't feel like it. It's too long, and it's too hot – I just want to go and relax".
Here I made the decision – said to my trainer, “It’s over now, Emma won’t be competing in any more NW3 trials – and we’ll do the training as it suits us = as it suits Emma” ❤ …and then the floodgates opened in my eyes. It was hard to admit, but it IS the right decision! Competing should ALWAYS be on the dog’s terms NOT the handler’s!
So what now? you may ask – yes you tell me 😊 I have chosen to fight for us to get an official NW Senior class up and running – so that we senior dogs can still compete but on the dog's terms. We are a number of senior NW dogs who have a burning desire.
This means that the times are often a maximum of 3 minutes per search, and the scents must be at a maximum height of 1 meter. This means that far more dogs can walk down on their 4 legs and untangle ❤. There are so many NW dogs now who have reached senior age, but who still think it's fun to search and have fun at the competitions. I/we are fighting and will do everything I can to influence the debate.
If that doesn't work - I might try to teach her to detect high scents without walking on her hind legs and make a sit mark under the source, then I might choose to downgrade her to 2, where the search times are max 5 minutes.
I will also adapt the training to her. I will not stop training NW – far from it - because it IS a sport that EVERYONE can participate in, as long as it is ADAPTED to the dog and where it is in life ❤ and it keeps it active, and it is allowed to do what it loves – namely using its nose.
Now I just want to say that Emma LOVES to search, so it IS for Emma's sake too 😊...as soon as I take the glass jar out at home with the contaminated "stuff", she starts acting crazy until she gets the harness & leash on and off and searches for them 😉
So don't give up even if you have challenges or difficult decisions (that aren't life/death) – there is almost always a way out or an alternative, it just has to be found.
About the blogger.
Lotte currently works as a dept. assistant and spends most of her free time training with her dog Emma, who is a 10-year-old beagle girl. They have trained and competed in Schweiss's track for several years. Agility without much success (you can't tempt them with treats), and now they train Nose Work a couple of times a week or more if they can get to it. They have competed at NW3 level, but have withdrawn from the competition due to age, but they still have a party together when they apply <3 – because the most important thing for this dog handler is that the DOG has fun, and that you learn the most from the mistakes you make. So instead of being angry/disappointed about a test that hasn't gone as it should, learn from it! - in most cases it's not the dog that makes the mistake <3
Senior dog - making a decision (on behalf of the dog)
I think many of us have been in a situation where we have to make a decision that affects our four-legged friend. Here I am not only talking about the last and most difficult one, choosing the time to say goodbye, but also about the stages that come before – I have been affected by those in the last few years, and they also hurt terribly in many ways.
Choice 1: “Aren't you going to have a second dog soon that Emma can “train”?”
I've been asked this question (asked with the best of intentions 😊 ) many times in the last few years, precisely because Emma is 10 years old now, and it would make sense to many people, because it's great to let an older dog raise the new one, it's just the law of nature. But here there's just a big BUT for me. In nature, Emma would never have puppies at the age of 10, it's unnatural. And Emma "hates" puppies - well, she ignores all "very-active" dogs. She thinks they're a bit overhyped 😊
Therefore, I could not in any way think of sending a little "beast" into our home for Emma at her age – for me, that would be an assault on her. And that would be solely in MY interest and not the dog's! Keep in mind – if Emma had been 5-6 years old, it would have been a different matter, and they might have found great joy in each other, but NOT now that she is 10 years old. So I have 100% opted out of that – Emma should have her senior years alone in peace and quiet with us ❤
Choice 2: When is it time to stop competing at the NW3 level?
Look, I just made that choice (3 days before this post was written), and it was with lots of tears when I realized it.
NW is for all dogs – yes, we very much agree on that 😉, but when you are at the NW3 level, it just requires that extra bit of your dog: There are large areas – there are much longer search times – sometimes up to 12 minutes in one search (endurance) – there are high springs (up to 180cm), which must be investigated by a small, slightly overweight, short-legged beagle. It just often takes time to investigate a high scent, and there are often many “checks” up and down (up on hind legs and down and up again 50 cm further forward, etc.) – and it is just not optimal for a senior dog, where you want to take a little care of the back/legs/hips.
Why cry about it - some might think, but if you haven't worked with NW and the "togetherness" you have - the bubble you are in with your dog - then it can be difficult to understand.
Emma and I have worked together for so many years – I have read her tiny signals that are used to help her around the area – we are 100% concentrated and do not pay attention to the judge/timekeeper or anyone else. And that togetherness is indescribable, which is why it hurts to realize that that “era is over”.
After a few tests that didn't work optimally, and I had a little feeling in the back of my mind that I ignored, I was at a NW3 course one Saturday – and here I could simply see that Emma didn't feel like doing a long outdoor search anymore. She stopped searching and looked at me with a look that almost said "I don't feel like it. It's too long, and it's too hot – I just want to go and relax".
Here I made the decision – said to my trainer, “It’s over now, Emma won’t be competing in any more NW3 trials – and we’ll do the training as it suits us = as it suits Emma” ❤ …and then the floodgates opened in my eyes. It was hard to admit, but it IS the right decision! Competing should ALWAYS be on the dog’s terms NOT the handler’s!
So what now? you may ask – yes you tell me 😊 I have chosen to fight for us to get an official NW Senior class up and running – so that we senior dogs can still compete but on the dog's terms. We are a number of senior NW dogs who have a burning desire.
This means that the times are often a maximum of 3 minutes per search, and the scents must be at a maximum height of 1 meter. This means that far more dogs can walk down on their 4 legs and untangle ❤. There are so many NW dogs now who have reached senior age, but who still think it's fun to search and have fun at the competitions. I/we are fighting and will do everything I can to influence the debate.
If that doesn't work - I might try to teach her to detect high scents without walking on her hind legs and make a sit mark under the source, then I might choose to downgrade her to 2, where the search times are max 5 minutes.
I will also adapt the training to her. I will not stop training NW – far from it - because it IS a sport that EVERYONE can participate in, as long as it is ADAPTED to the dog and where it is in life ❤ and it keeps it active, and it is allowed to do what it loves – namely using its nose.
Now I just want to say that Emma LOVES to search, so it IS for Emma's sake too 😊...as soon as I take the glass jar out at home with the contaminated "stuff", she starts acting crazy until she gets the harness & leash on and off and searches for them 😉
So don't give up even if you have challenges or difficult decisions (that aren't life/death) – there is almost always a way out or an alternative, it just has to be found.
About the blogger.
Lotte currently works as a dept. assistant and spends most of her free time training with her dog Emma, who is a 10-year-old beagle girl. They have trained and competed in Schweiss's track for several years. Agility without much success (you can't tempt them with treats), and now they train Nose Work a couple of times a week or more if they can get to it. They have competed at NW3 level, but have withdrawn from the competition due to age, but they still have a party together when they apply <3 – because the most important thing for this dog handler is that the DOG has fun, and that you learn the most from the mistakes you make. So instead of being angry/disappointed about a test that hasn't gone as it should, learn from it! - in most cases it's not the dog that makes the mistake <3