Practice, practice, practice

[DonParrot]

(Shot with the G1 and the 45-200 kit lens)

Now that the summer is over and the new winter-sports season is approaching, a new four-man bob team has been founded that is supposed to represent the city of Hildesheim (Germany) in national and international races.

Last weekend, the squad met for the first dry run. But it quickly became obvious,...

...that some of the young sportsmen still lack of discipline - or aren't aware that you have to sit behind and not next to one another, in a bobsled.

These early difficulties, however, are quickly overcome, thanks to hard work and strict orders of the...

...trainer team.

The entire squad listens attentively...

...to the orders of the strict trainer...

...does its best to implement them...

...as good as possible - and hey:

About 24 hours later, they prove that they have learned how to sit in a bobsled.

The following point is running for fitness, and even star driver ...

...Bossman Starsky demonstrates that he is prepared to run until his cheeks are inflated, for the success of his team.

That's the end of this weekends practice...

...now it's about the theory. This part of the education also is attended by...

...the squad of bobsled Hildesheim II...

...that isn't complete, for injury reasons.

Annoying for the trainers: The discipline problem that seemed to be history. appears again!

Nonetheless: Altogether it was a very successful first practice weekend. (please continue with part II: http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?p=144164#post144164)

 

[petermcwerner]

Very nice series, I enjoyed immensely
Cheers
Peter

 

[Audii-Dudii]

Nicely done, but what's with blue tongues?!

 

[jonoslack]

:ROTFL:
Smashing Don
I really enjoyed that.

 

[Diane B]

Nicely done, but what's with blue tongues?!

I believe the 2 on the right are Chows. Blue black tongues are a distinctive breed feature.

Neat series--enjoyed it--other than I don't know what that 'distraction' was LOL.

 

[DonParrot]

Thanks everybody,
great to know that I could entertain you.

 

[DonParrot]

I believe the 2 on the right are Chows. Blue black tongues are a distinctive breed feature.

Neat series--enjoyed it--other than I don't know what that 'distraction' was LOL.

Yep, you're absolutely right. The four red dogs are two Chow Chows and two Shar Pei - and they all are known for their blue and purple tongues respectively.

(and in the bubble it just says: "You are supposed to look to the other side!")

 

[Terry]

That was fun. Surprised you did get them in a row!

 

[ddk]

Very entertaining, great series!

Surprised how those Chows behaved so well with the other dogs, they're very aggressive normally.

 

[DonParrot]

That was fun. Surprised you did get them in a row!

Thanks.
All the four are really cooperative so shooting series like that isn't too difficult if you've got a helper. Otherwise it's somewhat more difficult as the younger of the two Shar Pei, Miss MoneyPenny, is just 11 months old and therefore has her obedience problems, every now and then. *grins*

 

[Joan]

Wonderful! Made me smile, thanks.

 

[DonParrot]

Very entertaining, great series!

Surprised how those Chows behaved so well with the other dogs, they're very aggressive normally.

Thanks for the praise.

But who told you the stuff about the aggressive Chow Chows?
As I see it, just the opposite is the case. In the 5.5 years with our Chows, they haven't displayed aggressive behaviour for a single time. And if they don't like a situation, they tend to turn around and leave as they just don't like to get involved instead of starting barking or trying to attack.
In the 30 years I have been with dogs we haven't had any other dogs that behaved like that. So I would say they are less aggressive than nearly any other breed I know.

But it goes without saying that this also depends on how a dog is brought up.

 

[Diane B]

Yep, you're absolutely right. The four red dogs are two Chow Chows and two Shar Pei - and they all are known for their blue and purple tongues respectively.

(and in the bubble it just says: "You are supposed to look to the other side!")

Thanks. I forgot the Shar Pei have blue tongues too and should have remembered as our closest friends had Shar Peis for years and I knew those dogs well. Only one experience with a Chow--a friend in the north had a black and he and our Standard Poodle loved running the beach together. My feeling with Turk was not agression but rather standoffish-ness until he got to know you. Maybe a good trait LOL.

My amazement is getting so many dogs to respond to commands at the same time.

What are the small dogs--one looks like a Papillon. the middle perhaps some terrier??

 

[DonParrot]

Yes, standoffish-ness describes their character rather well.
It's "Leave me a lone and I'll leave you alone too, right?"
When thy see you for the first time, they check you with their noses but then they tend to ignore you up to the fourth or fifth meeting.

And despite looking so cuddly, they don't like cuddling a lot. Five minutes in the evening and when you come home - but apart from that they will stay close to us but don't want to be touched too often. While the Pei are like cats and love to be cuddled 24 for hours and hours. Particularly our male, John Patrick McEnroe, is a master cuddler.

____
edit:

Yes, one is a Papillon and the other two are - as far as I know - Jack Russel Terrier mixes.

And when it comes to responding to the commands... We were three persons: my wife, attending to our four dogs, the owner of the three small ones attending to hers - and me, shooting the pictures. So it was rather easy. Shooting a series like that without helpers would probably be virtually impossible.

 

[Cindy Flood]

Don, Your dogs are beautiful and your series is very entertaining. I love the shots with the Papillon and terriers as a foil to your big dogs.

 

[DonParrot]

Don, Your dogs are beautiful and your series is very entertaining. I love the shots with the Papillon and terriers as a foil to your big dogs.

Thanks a lot, Cindy. You're too kind.