# The boys are busy... (update)



## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

I wanted to share some pictures and news I have collected over the last month or two while being banned for I'm not sure what. lol. All three of my boys are now happy swimmers and jumpers and we're doing as much as we can. Recon has been disc training and dock diving a lot, Sir has been doing a lot more agility and off leash work, Frag has gotten a few lure coursing legs to a title, and doing a lot of dock diving + agility. They all have events every weekend this month for DD, LC, and agility! So happy with all of them; they're doing fantastic! My little foster dude Tug got adopted a few weeks ago now; I miss him a lot and seriously wanted to keep that dog!

Here's a link to Frag's first lure course!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8729325148/

Some pictures of Frag with a new toy that I made him...

DSC_2268 by DJetzel, on Flickr


Frag and his Orbee by DJetzel, on Flickr

Sir's still a little ribby, but he was up to 50.1 lbs in this picture! YAY! We were doing some obedience training at an elementary school during a lacrosse game, and there were some loose dogs playing in a field; lots of distractions! 


DSC_2581 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2585 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2566 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2597 by DJetzel, on Flickr

Sir loves to sunbathe


DSC_2261 by DJetzel, on Flickr

Sir got a new hoodie...


Joker Sir by DJetzel, on Flickr


Asian Sir by DJetzel, on Flickr


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Recon loves the disc...

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/972252_10151451678002705_1373487753_n.jpg[img]

[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/946838_10151457646342705_1906943125_n.jpg


DSC_2431 by DJetzel, on Flickr

A trip to the store last night with a friend









And a few group shots... 










Boys by DJetzel, on Flickr


Frag and Friends by DJetzel, on Flickr

And now the water pictures... all three of my boys wet, jumping and swimming!


DSC_2312 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2313 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2318 by DJetzel, on Flickr


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

DSC_2330 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2335 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2368 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2374 by DJetzel, on Flickr


Did I do good? by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2382 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2387 by DJetzel, on Flickr


Mid Air! by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2412 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2603 by DJetzel, on Flickr


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

DSC_2604 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2607 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2613 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2622 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2636 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2641 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2643 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2644 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2649 by DJetzel, on Flickr


DSC_2651 by DJetzel, on Flickr

Thanks for looking, I know it was a long update! XD


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## kadylady (Sep 23, 2010)

Great pictures! I always enjoy seeing pictures of your boys, it looks like a great group!


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## Vicky88 (Jan 29, 2012)

Great photos. Looks like your boys have been having fun. They are all beautiful dogs.


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## MonicaBH (Jul 5, 2008)

I'm no genius, but I daresay that Sir's prong is not only entirely too big but also entirely too tight.

And before you go off on some tangent, yes... I do know what I'm talking about.


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## SydTheSpaniel (Feb 12, 2011)

Those dock jumping shots are awesome! Thanks for the update, I love Recon. They look like they had a blast with the water.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Thanks guys! They definitely all love the water. I wish Sir had more opportunities to swim. 



MonicaBH said:


> I'm no genius, but I daresay that Sir's prong is not only entirely too big but also entirely too tight.
> 
> And before you go off on some tangent, yes... I do know what I'm talking about.


I'm not sure why you think I'd go off on a tangent?

I know the prong size is a little big, but we tried a size smaller and he didn't respond any differently to it than a flat collar, so I stuck with this one that I already had because it worked. Now he doesn't actually pull with the prong on, so it doesn't really do anything but sit there. We're working on weaning it out now so a lot of the time his buckle collar is the one a leash is attached to anyway. Here I wanted a little more control because there was a lot going on and he's very driven. As for tightness, we'll just have to disagree there. I can fit a few fingers underneath it just fine and it has enough room to spin and slide down his neck though I wish it would stay up. I've worked with about half a dozen trainers that use prongs and fit them this way, so maybe it just looks tighter than it is in pictures. He has a lot of wrinkles that fill out into prongs if that's what you're seeing? They're definitely supposed to be snug and behind the ears though... I've used prongs on dozens and dozens of dogs, so I like to think I know what I'm talking about when it comes to them, too? :/


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## MonicaBH (Jul 5, 2008)

That prong is pulling his skin taut while there is no pressure on it at all. Tell me how that is appropriately fitted?


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

MonicaBH said:


> That prong is pulling his skin taut while there is no pressure on it at all. Tell me how that is appropriately fitted?


It's pulling his skin because he has handfuls of skin down there that get caught in the prongs. I spun it around because the D ring had fallen underneath his jaw and I didn't pull his skin out. My bad. Would you like to see a picture of all of that skin in my hand? Lol. Fistfuls, literally. He is still pretty underweight/muscled and needs to fill out into that. I can take a picture of my hand underneath the collar on him, too, if you like?

Eta; Also, it appears in the pictures where you can see that, that he is turning his head, so his skin moves and pulls then, as well. Rolls pull out of one prong into another.  It's snug, so it happens.


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## MonicaBH (Jul 5, 2008)

It just seems to me that an esteemed trainer such as yourself could figure out, just by visualizing this photo, that his prong is too tight. Clyde wore one as an adolescent and also when were were in novice OB; both were fitted by his trainers (one an CPDT KA trainer and one with several OTCHs and NOIs under her belt) and never once were the prongs digging into his neck... regardless of whether or not I adjusted the collar.

But I guess you can justify it however makes you happy. You'd probably get better results if it were fitted and placed properly, but again, I'm no genius.


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## Jacksons Mom (Mar 12, 2010)

I love your gang  
Great pics!!


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## Labmom4 (Feb 1, 2011)

I have to agree with MonicaBH here. That prong is way too tight. I've worked with some very good trainers at my guide dog organization and they sure as heck dont fit them like that. I do think you'd get better results if you got a better fit.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

MonicaBH said:


> It just seems to me that an esteemed trainer such as yourself could figure out, just by visualizing this photo, that his prong is too tight. Clyde wore one as an adolescent and also when were were in novice OB; both were fitted by his trainers (one an CPDT KA trainer and one with several OTCHs and NOIs under her belt) and never once were the prongs digging into his neck... regardless of whether or not I adjusted the collar.
> 
> But I guess you can justify it however makes you happy. You'd probably get better results if it were fitted and placed properly, but again, I'm no genius.





Labmom4 said:


> I have to agree with MonicaBH here. That prong is way too tight. I've worked with some very good trainers at my guide dog organization and they sure as heck dont fit them like that. I do think you'd get better results if you got a better fit.


I don't rely on a _photo_ to tell me that my dog's collar is too tight or loose. I rely on feeling the dog, feeling the collar tighten, and feeling the collar. Here's a link. This collar does not appear to be fitting any differently than Sir's... It's just smaller. And as I said, I had GREAT results using this, this way, as seen and approved by my boss, also a CPDT-KA trainer. He doesn't even USE the collar much anymore because he did so well with it. And again, yes, it's larger, but he did not respond to the smaller, so I used this because it works. It may also be that you're not used to seeing a prong right up against skin instead of fur... I'm sure if you saw shaved pictures of other dogs in prong collars, they would look very similar. Especially dogs with so much loose skin they could pass as a shar pei 

Anyway, thank you for your opinions, but I don't really care... Sir is not harmed, everyone who has seen the collar IRL approves, and he doesn't wear it much anymore anyway. He's graduated to a chain martingale for most events which I like a lot more because it doesn't make him look as scary.


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## MonicaBH (Jul 5, 2008)

Far be it from you to take any constructive criticism or open yourself up to friendly suggestions.

Par for the course, though. No big surprise here.


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## SydTheSpaniel (Feb 12, 2011)

Honestly... I think it just LOOKS bad, because of the way he is positioned. He seems like a perfectly content dog . I also think his coat color and how short it is makes it LOOK bad in pictures. It's hard to judge something like that by pictures alone... JMO.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

MonicaBH said:


> Far be it from you to take any constructive criticism or open yourself up to friendly suggestions.
> 
> Par for the course, though. No big surprise here.


I completely took your criticism, I just don't know what else to say.  We train a few days a week, all of my co workers and boss have seen it on him and approve, I even put it back on him when you said something to check to make sure I could fit my fingers underneath just fine. I admitted that it was indeed too big of a size, but it works. I'm not sure what else you want. You're two people online telling me from looking at a few pictures that it doesn't fit... But everyone I train with says it does. :/

I would also have to say you were not very friendly or tactful about voicing your opinion on the matter, either, but I still looked into it.


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

I'm familiar with prong collars and didn't think anything of the photo (other than it being a little big, but that's not really an issue). No reason to get upset just because someone doesn't agree with you?

Anyway, the photos are really awesome and Sir is just gorgeous


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Thank you lil_fuzzy! I'm *trying* to hone in on some camera skills. Lol. Sir is a pretty good subject. He's so dignified and all.

Eta; Oh, and thank you Jackson'sMom... I'm so giddy about you trying out dock diving and whatnot! I love seeing DD pictures in general, but Jackson is just so cute wet. Lol. I've never seen a small breed like him swim.


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## luv mi pets (Feb 5, 2012)

Welcome back. Can we talk to you or are you still banned and in solitaire? It looks like you kept busy while you were away at least. Camera skills are great! Some really good pictures of your dogs. Sir is funny looks so dignified in one and clumsy in another one. I am referring to the dock diving picture. It looks like a dog belly flop happened to poor Sir in one of them. Or a doggie chin flop. Recon eyes are so piercing in a picture. 

The collar issue. To me it looks more like an angle thing in the picture more than anything else. That and a lot of loose neck skin like you have stated. I often see those types of collars way too loose that the collar can not do what it is meant to do. A correction. I did notice that you have the plastic caps on the ends. I also see from other photos that you posted that collar is not on all the time. The only advice I can give you is let it go before this gets blown up. I would miss seeing more pictures of your dogs if you are banned for good.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

luv mi pets said:


> Welcome back. Can we talk to you or are you still banned and in solitaire? It looks like you kept busy while you were away at least. Camera skills are great! Some really good pictures of your dogs. Sir is funny looks so dignified in one and clumsy in another one. I am referring to the dock diving picture. It looks like a dog belly flop happened to poor Sir in one of them. Or a doggie chin flop. Recon eyes are so piercing in a picture.
> 
> The collar issue. To me it looks more like an angle thing in the picture more than anything else. That and a lot of loose neck skin like you have stated. I often see those types of collars way too loose that the collar can not do what it is meant to do. A correction. I did notice that you have the plastic caps on the ends. I also see from other photos that you posted that collar is not on all the time. The only advice I can give you is let it go before this gets blown up. I would miss seeing more pictures of your dogs if you are banned for good.


Thanks  I am still back. It was oringinally a month ban for unauthorized advertising which I thought was because I accidentally put a link to my business in my siggy, but it had been down for a few days already when I was banned. Then I came back for a few days and made sure that was gone and got another ban for the same reason for a week this time. Didnt make sense that the length went down OR why. Oh well! Lol

Thank you for the comments on my camera skills as well, lol. It's a work in progress. Sir really is an interesting fellow to photograph. I was so shocked that he "jumped" into the water like that. Looks like I pushed him but I definitely didnt.  He's learning how to be graceful, currently. >.<


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## mashlee08 (Feb 24, 2012)

Good to see you back, I had a big break from the forum (ya know life gets in the way sometimes) to come back and find you banned I was like waaaaaht?! Awesome photos! I love the water ones  looks like it was a great time, no water shots for a while here as it's starting to get into the colder months for us, so I will have to live though everyone else's on here.


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## reynosa_k9's (Dec 14, 2007)

I love these pics! Very niiiice!!!!!


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Thank you guys! 

mashlee, you definitely need to post more when you can... I love hearing from you!


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## momtolabs (May 27, 2012)

Love your pictures! Recon is still a favorite of mine. I'm in a border collie kick and showed his picture to my mom and told her that is what mine is going to look like,lol.


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## hueyeats (Apr 2, 2013)

Great pictures. 
Love them water shots.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Fantastic photos! And Gosh those dogs of yours are all so gorgeous!


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Thank you all!


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