All Saints Day

Demos in VI Animal Show

On this weekend took place the VI Animal Show, on Jardim Almeida Garrett, in Portela (Loures).

These initiatives are created with the goal to promote and educate the population in their relation with their pets.

Since the dog is the pet more adopted by the families has their 4 leg companion, it is on him that this kind of events is more focus.

Pedro Araújo of Doggy Clube presented by João Sá, of the Os Cãogurus, the school that organized the event

As such, in this event, several schools, associations and other entities were represented and it was possible to watch a demonstration of physical therapy and its benefits organized by the Monte dos Vendavais, watch a demonstration of obedience organized by Os Cãogurus, where the Obedience National Champion made a demo temperate by a Frisbee game, and watch a agility demonstration also organized by the school Os Cãogurus.

João Sá of Os Cãogurus presents Pedro Araújo of Doggy Clube in a very excitement demo of Obedience and Frisbee

Other initiatives, like adoption of animals, interaction with animal, like rabbits, ponies and horses (made available by Escola Profissional Agrícola D. DINIS - Paiã), were also available to the visitors.

Me and my sun, as members of the team Os Cãogurus, couldn’t have ceased to be at this event to help represent the school.

For my sun it was a very positive experience, because, until now, no working or showing attitude was requested to him as a representative of his work with Bianca, his Golden Retriever.

My sun and Bianca, his Golden Retriever, in the Agility demonstration

Of course, not all was gold, since as a child, he was extremely exited with the games that were available for the kids in the event, or he was exited with riding the horse and ponies, or he was exited with the other animals like rabbits, or … So it was difficult for him to calm down and focus on the important task of represent the club and some exercises were forgotten (I hope the master wasn’t to mad).

Teco, Bianca, my sun and a little friend

But to be fair, Bianca in her Golden Retrievernature and in the middle of much pamper from the children also forgets to turn off the “pamper” mode and turn on the “working” mode, so she doesn’t focus on the demanding tasks (yes a lot of patience is required) and so adding the Bianca excitement with my sun excitement we got ...

Well, but his mother wasn’t exactly perfect and she is older and experience.

Teco, my Australian Shepherd

It is never easy to work with dogs in a middle of a crowd and with extra distractions like smells, other animals and females in that “hiper appealing” phase, is lesser easier. So in the obedience demo, me and Teco, my Australian Shepherd, on the first day wasn’t so bad, but on the 2º day he wasn’t foul by the tasty rewards and the “hiper appealing” colleague odour attract him (I thought in placing a nose mask) and his work was far from good (oh, well, now the master can shoot us).

Angel, my Australian Shepherd in the agility demonstration

At this stage I thought that Angel, my Australian Shepherd, would save our good name and represent us in a glorious manner … but or her owner, like a crooked head she sometimes is, got wrong in leading, or the distractions were so many that we couldn’t got the slalom right, witch left us frustrated and very sad.

Well, we went, make our presence, showed will and tried to shine ... only it was a very low fainted shine ... << sigh >>

Pedro Araújo of Doggy Clube in a very excitement demo of Obedience and Frisbee

Anyway it was always a learning experience and we only have to thank our presence to the school Os Cãogurus and to the organization by Câmara Municipal de Loures.

Other activities:

• Herding with an Australian Shepherd SummerDogCamp 2010


• 115th and 116th Lisbon International Dog Show


• CNEMA 2010 - Portuguese Breeds and Agility !


• Spring Trophy – Agility Alenquer


• Belém - First Agility Experience


• Obedience Competition in Lagos 2009


• International Dog Show of Santarém 2009


• Scruffts 2009


• Lisbon International Dog Show 2009


• Portie and Aussies in Algarve Dog Show


• Obedience 100 Secrets


• Obedience Seminar


• Agility Workshop


• Cookie achieved Excellent in Obedience Class I


• Dog Show Int Vila Franca Xira 2009


• Workshop in Dog Behaviour on Educacão


• Dog Show Int Norte 2009


• Dog show Sousel 2008


• Teco acomplished Excelent in Obedience class I


• International Dog Show of Estoril


• Australian Shepherd in Herding Training Curse by Educacão


• Australian Shepherd and Golden Retriever in Sweet Fair at Lagos


• Lisbon and Mediterrânea dog show with our Aussies


• Angel and Teco, the two ambassador of our family


• Canine demonstration in Externato da Torraltinha


• Aussies and Golden in Dog Show at Elvas 2008


• Herding with our Australian Shepherd in Montemor-oNovo


• Australian Shepherd, Angel and Teco, on the 5º Journey


• In school with our Australian Shepherd

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State Budget 2011 - a reality

With great apprehension I have seen, heard and even dream about our nation state!

Because I am the sole provider in my house and doing every month gymnastics to our income in order to keep providing, I am worried about the future cuts to our budget and future increase to our expenses, and therefore have to make decisions, perhaps severe within my family.

It is easy to read, talk and even suggest austerity measures to others, but when they reach to our door, it is a different story.

I am not the only soul to cry out for social justice and above all, to cry out to all of those that are taken decisions about our lives, stating that wages above 700 € are too high, should be the first to try to live and support their families with that amount.

Anyway ...

In front of this facts I am thinking, if in 2011, when the year starts, with less money and more expenses in basic needs, like food, water, gas, electric, school (yes, since my sun only has public school until 13 h), social pass, diesel, where am I going to stretch once more ?

At this point, people that wish me and my sun well, ask (yes, once again) if “it is time to reduce my dog number ?”

Since I am a mother and I fear to look in the future to my Sun and say I don’t have hot water for him to take a bath, or in worst case, give him to eat … also … I start thinking … “is it that time ?”

Anyone who knows me, knows that I've been through a divorce, several job changes, several house moves and two major changes in area of residence, health problems and have always achieved (yes sometimes better, sometimes in worst conditions) to keep my four leg family.

But …

Lets face our national reality … for sure I am not the only one to face budget and psychological stress of a uncertain future (no one guarantees that this measures are the solution, for the contrary), so, even those that do like the monkeys (not see, listen, and talk) will also face on 2011 the consequences of all that is happening (no my friends, it will not go away).

Well if it isn’t me that for years lived, fought and shared the good and the bad with my four leg family, that I love, who is ? and this, my friends, is the reality of it …

Oh yes, some clame that there are those that have better conditions … can pay better food … that … and I answer yes, there is, but that can’t be so next year when the economy stops and more people become unemployed … and them ? wasn’t I who make the promises to my dogs to keep in their side until they die ? so will not be on me the responsibility of what happens to them in the future ? … oh yes … maybe the abandon and passage of responsibility to others (so typical of our rulers) isn’t the solution.

It is very annoying to have consciousness, isn’t it ? I wish this country was rule with the some level of consciousness …

So my friends, soup for the two leg members, economic ration for the four paws, electricity, water and gas on the minimum (one bath per week … ) and really nothing of nothing of extras may be the solution.

So, once again I am appealing, don’t abandon your pets and don’t deliver then to the kennels, they are your responsibility and a responsibility that one day you took !

Dog trekking in Almada

Cookie, Australian Shepherd and Bri, Golden Retriever

The goal to initiate my sun in trekking is to try to maintain some level of physical activity, adding the learning of our natural and cultural environment, and sincerely without having money for more, trying to avoid him from occupying his free time with sedentary activities, like video games and TV.

Of course in our case, that we train our dogs exists a big component in our lives out of the sedentary environment, but I still feel that our return to Lisbon drastically reduced our outdoor activity (or maybe this feeling is caused by our agility performance being largely overcame by our dogs running capability … anyway ...)

My sun with Bri, Golden Retriever

As such I try to keep the spirit of doing a physical activity with our 4 leg family members, were we can meet other people and at some time do some physical activity.

As it is obvious, this time, I appeal to the spirit of helping an association for abandon dogs has a last push and there we went, with an additional reason to go, and walk with our four leg friends.

Me with Bri, Golden Retriever and Cookie, Australian Shepherd

So, armed with a solidarity spirit, we participate in the dog trekking organized by the HousePet in Almada. It was a city dog trekking without the natural beauty of our previous adventure, but even so, an excellent opportunity to make new friends and support a very close cause.
We brought Cookie, my Australian Shepherd and Bri, Golden Retriever witch is Bianca mother.

A lot of people went and so I have to admire the several people solidarity spirit!

The group

Other trips and travel:

• Dog trekking to a museum


• Dog Trekking in Serra de Sintra


• Alcochete - goldens and aussies


• Economic Trips with Dogs


• An Australian Shepherd in Salema Beach


• An Australian Shepherd in Armona Island


• Dogs in Meia Praia


• Silves, a visit to medieval times with Cookie, our Aussie


• Two Golden Retriever in Monchique


• A trip to the São Domingos Mine with our Australian Shepherd


• Taking a Golden Retriever to the fortress of Sagres


• A walk with my Australian Shepherd through Luz, Algarve Portugal


• A Walk with Brad, our Golden Retriever through Lagos


• Portugal Algarve, Amado Beach with our Golden Retriever and Australian Shepherd

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St. Francis of Assisi and Animal day !

Today is 4 of October, the St. Francis of Assisi and Animal day !

St. Francis of Assisi was dear to my father and he always said that when he would dye it was to his heavenly garden he would go to help St. Francis of Assisi to take care of the animals over there, so it is where I imagine my father soul.

For those that don’t know St. Francis of Assisi, he was a man that was born in a very rich family and along his live path decided to dedicate his life to the church and animals. He defended the ideal of a brotherhood that would integrate men with nature and animals.
For him each living being was an expression of God kindness and to love an animal was to love God and his creation.

This year, the lost of members of my four leg family, were high and it is to then I dedicate today my memory and prays. It wasn’t suppose for then to go so soon … and certainly not without having the chance to give their best and enjoy life.