The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: dogs

  • Having a doggone good time at the Dog Expo

    Having a doggone good time at the Dog Expo

    By Griffin Mancuso

    Last Sunday, in the middle of a warehouse bustling with families and dog lovers alike, I stepped into the compact demo area, waving nervously to the packed bleachers on either side. The president of Humboldt Disc Dogs introduced me and my dog-child athlete, Oscar Meyer, as newer members of the club with a lot of promise.

    While Oscar leaped into the air trying to grab the frisbee from my hands, I lead him to the center of the demo area and gave a thumbs up to the president. The familiar start cue before every disc dog game echoed through the warehouse.

    “Ready, set, go!”

    I had the honor of participating and volunteering at the annual Dog Expo hosted by the Humboldt Dog Obedience Group. After a grueling five-hour set up the day before, I was ready for Oscar to show his skills – and to buy dog supplies that I didn’t need. 

    Even though the expo was hosted in one building this year, it was still packed with visitors. Thirty dog breeds were present for visitors to meet and learn about, ranging from the Golden Retriever to the Lancashire Heeler. There were also demos for dog sports like disc sports, rally, carting, and agility.

    Only a few Humboldt Disc Dogs members were interested in participating in the demo, and I wasn’t surprised. We normally have our games on an expansive, lush green field in Fortuna, and we were now having to show off our sport in a 30-foot long rectangle with rubber mats for traction. I was determined to make it work.

    I thankfully had the foresight to practice on set-up day and realized that my plastic discs would either a) hit a spectator, or b) go skidding out of the demo area and Oscar would follow suit.

    Equipped with a new rubber disc that would not injure anyone or send Oscar flying over the fence, I demonstrated the games 4-Way Play and Throw n’ Go along with a few other teams. As Humboldt Disc Dogs is a newer club, I felt its reputation weighing on my shoulders. I felt obligated to prove that my dog had the skill and focus to catch frisbees while surrounded by cheering spectators and barking dogs.

    Brimming with energy, Oscar caught the first frisbee throw with ease, drawing cheers from the crowd. I yelled, “Good boy, Oscar!” as he ran back to me, frisbee in mouth. Before I could tell him to drop the frisbee, he started to violently spin and thrash it around. He had too many ants in his pants. The more I chased after him, the faster he spun away from me. Once I grabbed the frisbee, we engaged in a brief game of tug-of-war as the audience roared with laughter. 

    Besides the spinning shenanigans, Oscar did fantastically and I did not hit anyone. I left the demo area with a relieved smile and gave Oscar lots of love and treats for a job well done. After the fact, the president told me Oscar was a crowd favorite.

    I spent the rest of the conference sprinting around trying to recruit booths for the upcoming All Breeds Show in July and observing the demos. Keeping myself busy helped me resist the urge to spend hundreds of dollars on dog-themed hoodies, leather collars, leashes, homemade dog treats, dog art, ceramic dog bowls, and wooden dog coasters.

    As someone who is just starting out in dog sports, I was glad to have the opportunity to see demonstrations of the sports I haven’t tried yet, especially agility. I have been told by several members of the dog sport community that agility is a rich man’s sport. Coming in at a whopping $22 per entry and hundreds of dollars for classes, it would not be an ideal sport for a college student. However, watching a poodle go flying over hurdles and diving through weave poles is really convincing. I might have to consider it despite the state of my checking account.

    One of my favorite parts of the expo was getting to meet dog breeds I otherwise wouldn’t see out and about in Humboldt. I got to meet a lovely 8-year old Drentsche Patrijshond named Mr. Tickles. The more I pet him, the more he drooled, and he’d paw at my hand if I dared to stop. The Irish Wolfhound, whose back reached just below my chest, stared at me blankly while I ran my fingers through his wiry coat. Vinnie the Lagotto Romagnolo’s entire body wiggled with excitement before I even approached him. One of the Greyhounds, Maxwell, wanted nothing to do with me and refused to sit still for a photo. Maxwell was my favorite.

    While I enjoyed the expo as a dog nerd, this event is especially important to the casual dog-lovers and families visiting. The Dog Expo exists to educate the public on responsible pet ownership, how to take care of different dog breeds, and all the amazing skills dogs are capable of. Maybe next year I’ll suggest a rescue dog booth for Oscar and I.

  • Don’t have sex with your pets… in the room

    Don’t have sex with your pets… in the room

    by Alex Anderson

    Love is in the air and in the bedroom during this time of the year. Enjoy yourselves and rejoice in the shared desire to bump uglies with the one you love, or happened to stumble upon, during Valentines day. The bedroom, living room couch, or steamy vehicle is where it typically happens, but one needs to read the room – or SUV – and contemplate what really needs to be in said room when the romance gets hot. Maybe some candles, speakers, a throw blanket to protect the furniture, but your pet does not make the list. Keep the pets out of the bedroom during the heat of battle. They do not need to fall victim to your bad angles. 

    Pooches, felines, hedgehogs or guinea pigs should not bear witness to your sensual endeavors. Subjecting your pets to such debauchery is not the move in today’s somewhat civilized world. Boundaries need to be set and your pet should be aware of those boundaries. Be a good parent and send the fur babies out of the room or to a friend’s house if needed.

    I know that some of you may be in sticky situations where you don’t have the opportunity to send your furry friend out of the bedroom. I do have sympathy for you but I hope you know that the pet knows you’re terrible at sex. I don’t care how bloated your ego is, they know the truth.

    I’m aware that I am spoiled with a one-bedroom apartment and the ability to close doors on curious pets. My partner recently moved into the apartment, bringing all four of her cats and her chihuahua that sleeps over occasionally. These animals, plus my glorious cat named Tibbles, brought the total to five cats and one shit-eating chihuahua. I love them all, which is why I now try to protect their sanity. 

    I used to be a degenerate, not caring what these animals witnessed, but several instances have forced me to reverse my opinion. I am not proud of it. Trust me. The last thing you want is your partner’s chihuahua licking your feet while journeying to the promised land. Or when you regret having the mattress less than a foot off the ground and one of the cats decides it’s a great time to purr in your ear when you’re quite preoccupied. I know this is Humboldt and standards are typically thrown out the steamy window, but there’s a time where lines need to be drawn. 

    You spent money on a nice dinner, watched “The Notebook,” and turned on the Lumberjack’s pleasure playlist to lay the framework of a beautiful sexual experience. Then, your partner’s blind cat yearns for help after getting stuck at the top of the cat tree in the middle of your romantic exploration. I can only laugh during these moments, but damn I feel bad for the little critters. They definitely did not sign up for this sort of weird connection to their owners and they most definitely talk shit behind your back.

  • Put your dog in sports

    Put your dog in sports

    by Griffin Mancuso

    When parents have an especially energetic child, they often put them in some kind of extracurricular to provide them with an outlet and give themselves an afternoon of peace. That child may take to a certain activity, like karate, swimming, baseball or chess. Dogs are pretty much the same.

    My beloved, hyper Oscar Meyer and I joined Humboldt Disc Dogs back in September after I discovered them on Facebook. My main concern was the stories I heard of dog sport groups being very exclusive and impatient with newcomers, but that was thankfully not the case. We were fully embraced and offered tips for frisbee throwing and game strategy, and Oscar had a blast.

    Little did I know, disc sports was just a gateway drug. We now participate in disc sports, Fast CAT, rally and are hoping to start barn-hunting in the spring.

    Many dog breeds were originally created for a certain job. Border collies herd cows and sheep, bloodhounds use their sharp sense of smell to hunt and cane corsos protect their family and home. Most dog owners don’t have a need for a working dog, but their dog still needs an outlet for their energy and drive. Unfulfilled dogs often become restless, develop neurotic habits or resort to destructive chewing.

    Even if your dog isn’t a purebred working breed, they can still find joy in dog sports. I have witnessed a 14-year-old chihuahua crush everyone in disc sports and a poodle-mix run in Fast CAT.

    There are several dog sports to choose from, with most of them being created by the American Kennel Club. The “CAT” in Fast CAT stands for coursing ability test. A 100 yard course is set up with a motorized lure that runs down the middle to encourage the dogs to run. Despite the lure only being a plastic bag, dogs love it. Dogs, especially hunting breeds, are triggered by movement and will gladly take off after it. This sport is great for beginners since it involves minimal work from the owner.

    Dock diving entails your dog running off of a 40-foot-long dock, catching a toy in the air and making a grand leap into a pool. Depending on the game, the goal can be for them to jump as far as possible or swim as fast as possible to the end and back. 

    Obedience and rally are two sides of the same coin and provide mental exercise for your dog. Obedience involves multiple different trials of demonstrating your dog’s ability to follow basic commands like sit, stay, on and off-leash walking, and so on. 

    Rally has you take your dog through a course of signs with different maneuvers and commands that your dog must be able to follow. The course is different every time, and the 322 available signs allow for infinite combinations. Rally is also a mental exercise for the owner, as it involves memorization and fast thinking in the ring.

    Agility is one of the more well-known dog sports. You take your dog through a course of hurdles, hoops, tunnels and other obstacles as fast as possible. Herding breeds like border collies and Australian shepherds excel at this sport due to their speed and biddability, but any breed can enjoy agility.

    Disc sports are newer and not involved with the AKC, instead created by an organization called UpDog. These games can involve some agility, catching the frisbee in different zones or a combination of the two. If you want to get into disc sports, practice your frisbee throwing. You’re gonna need it.

    Most of these clubs can only be found through obscure Facebook groups, the occasional poster at a vet clinic, or word of mouth. Thankfully, I am benevolent and will share my wealth of knowledge with you.

    Up in Humboldt, there are a few groups who do dog sports. Humboldt Dash and Splash hosts dock diving and the Lost Coast Kennel Club hosts agility, rally, Fast CAT (racing), and barn hunt. Humboldt Disc Dogs is in charge of disc sports.

    One of the reasons younger people don’t participate in dog sports is the cost, but these sports don’t have to be expensive if you don’t want them to be. A Lost Coast Kennel Club membership is $15 and they only request a 5$ donation for Fast CAT practices. A Humboldt Disc Dogs membership is $10, and each practice and trial run costs $10. You can either buy your own supplies or borrow them at practices and trials.

    The most fulfilling part of dog sports is getting to watch your dog have the time of their life. It’s a great opportunity to increase your bond with them and get them de-wiggled. There’s a unique joy in watching your dog get increasingly excited as they realize where you’re driving them and seeing their tail violently wag after a great run. For the rest of the day, they sleep like a rock.

    If you have the means, I strongly recommend dropping in on a practice and seeing how your dog likes it. It may become your next addiction.

  • Dog Expo has its day

    Dog Expo has its day

    Longtime dog owners in the community showed off their pooches to raise money for spay and neutering funds on March 4 at the Redwood Acres.

    The 31st annual fundraiser was organized by the Humboldt Dog Obedience Group, also known as HumDOG. The local non-profit was founded in 1978 and provides services to “encourage responsible dog ownership.”

    The event presents an opportunity to meet with various dog breeds, share experiences and advice with fellow dog lovers and prospective dog owners.

    Proceeds from the event benefit the Terri Lockett Memorial Spay/Neuter Fund. Lockett started the spay and neuter fund through HumDOG in 1995 and was known as “the spay and neuter queen” to her friends.

    Tricia Morgan of Eureka said Lockett was passionate about the cause and worked to make spaying and neutering available to anyone.

    “If someone didn’t have money, she would pay for it herself,” Morgan said.

    Since Lockett’s death in 2005, Morgan and the HumDOG members have kept her dream alive. The organization hosts fundraisers, such as DogExpo, and receives funding from grants.

    Morgan, who has now taken the title of “spay and neuter princess,” sported a tiara at the event and performed in multiple demonstrations along with her dog Shylo, a Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever.

    Numerous families approached the president of HumDOG, Marilyn Backman, and her two Shetland sheepdogs, Indy and Dunnigan.

    “The training and classes we offer really isn’t for the dogs,” Backman said. “It’s more for the humans.”

    Eureka citizen Sara Borok is a dog trainer and owner of Siberian Huskies Karma and Hildy, who race for the Northern Humboldt Sled Dog Team.

    Karma (left) and her daughter Hildy. Photo by Lora Neshovska.

    “We are an urban mushing team,” Borok said. “We sled even without snow.”

    Dogs train up to months at a time prior to their first race. Karma, who is now 10 years old, led Borok on their first race at only nine months old.

    “This is the first year we are going to have other breeds in the team,”

    Anthony Rojas, a history student at Humboldt State University, is a dog fanatic and volunteers at the Sequoia Humane Society. Rojas, along with the society, took part in the Dog Expo on Sunday.

    “It’s a no-kill shelter and I believe everyone deserves a second chance,” Rojas said. “I volunteer here because it’s important to raise awareness for adoption, spaying and neutering.”

  • When life is ruff, pet a pup

    When life is ruff, pet a pup

    Dog Therapy to Help Students Relax during Finals

    Students were able to pet therapy dogs to destress from the stressful workload of finals in the Jolly Giant Commons on April 29. Canyon Student Assistant Elisabeth Torretti and the Canyon staff put on the event for student residents. The therapy dogs will return to campus at the library on May 8 from 1-2:30 p.m. and May 9 from 6:30-8 p.m.