So first my apologies for how long it has been since my last post. Some how life just got in the way. Jet and I have been very busy but I won't bore you with the details. Our schedule looks something like this...Sunday mornings - hike at Christies; Sunday PM flyball team practice; Monday PM flyball training with Kelly; Tuesday PM agility class; Wednesday PM TTW classes with Margaret; Thursdays - hopefully tracking...hopefully Friday and Saturday are training of some kind or another and then back to Sunday. Oh yes and in between there is work for me and lazy days for Jet! If you haven't figured it out yet, keeping a bully busy is the best tactic for a relatively peaceful co-existence.
The other tactic is figuring out what she REALLY wants. I mean what she would stand on her head and spit nickels for...not just something that is 'okay' in her mind. Everything you do with a bully has to be their idea. No pretending they do it because they love you (oh what a naive concept that is)..and you can just forget about making them do anything. Trust me you don't want to waste your time getting into a battle of wills with a bully. The score would be bully 10000000 - human ZERO!
For Jet, other dogs, especially border collies that like to run and play tug and do all kinds of wonderfully exciting things, seems to trump all. That is until I discovered sardine cakes. Making these things will stink up your entire house so I would suggest only doing it in the summer months when the windows can be wide open. Better still try doing them outside on your BBQ (will have to try that advice next time I make them).
These little wonder treats have managed to convince Jet that leaving the other dog in the other flyball lane alone and forcing her bully brain to keep to the task at hand (namely hitting the box and getting the ball and coming back to mom) is worth it. It was funny to watch her brain fight with itself...no I really want to play with that other dog over there...but wait hmmmm sardine cakes await with mom back there...hmmmm dog....sardines...oh my goodness what a dilemma...lost my mind a bit...ran down the lane beside the jumps...can't concentrate..oh there is the box...got the ball.. ok mom here I come...get those sardine treats ready!!!
Now I want to be careful with these golden nuggets and save them for only the really tough training moments in case they start to lose their value. No telling what other gross concoction I might have to whip up next. For now though the sardines are winning!
Basic recipe - 2 cans sardines (drained of their oil); mash them in a bowl and add one egg and enough flour or bread crumbs to make a thick cookie like dough (it took about 1/2-3/4 cup); scoop it onto a foil lined and lightly greased cookie sheet like you were making cookies and press them slightly to flatten them. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until done and then turn them over and leave them for another 5 minutes in the oven to help dry them a bit. I like mine a bit soft so I can break them easily into little pieces for training. They freeze well so when you feel you can stomach the smell make triple the batch and get it over with all at once.
P.S. If trying the BBQ thing, heat one side of the grill and bake the cookies as above on the cool side of the BBQ with the lid closed just like an oven.
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