Flint
Breed: Chihuahua cross Miniature Pinscher
Likes: Food, Barking, Sleeping, People, Tricks, Mantrailing, Scentwork, Competition Obedience
Dislikes: Sharing, Rain, Cold, Cats, Mornings
History
He was specially chosen to be my trick demonstration dog and the first housemate to Nell.
So on a wintery evening in 2018, he was collected from across the Pennines! He was the tiniest little thing you ever did see, except for these huge oversized ears!
Home he came to a specially sectioned compound in the house so that the oldest could acclimatise to this new rat/dog/bat creature.
Introductions were made slowly with Nell but he settled in to home life really well. when he did finally get to meet her face to face, he was fine! he was confident enough not to be the slightest bit bothered about the grumpy Staffie!
From the first week he arrived he started his training journey. First came tricks and Mantrailing, he was amazing at both! He picked up the skills needed for tricks really quickly and Mantrailing he loved because it involves a pot of food at the end!
In his first year he attended several charity tricks demonstrations as part of a Trick Dogs demo team who performed a group routine to "Summer Holiday" and strutted his stuff at one of the local colleges (which he has been back to several times since!)
Then we discovered competition obedience. This was a challenge at first for us as he is so small, we thought maybe he was too small but we persevered, attended lots of training workshops and did lots of practice and we started entering competitions in 2021!
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Top three loves
His ultimate love is food. any food, he isn't fussy! there isn't yet a food he wont eat, he even eats his vegetables!
Second is learning!
Sounds a bit weird but he absolutely loves training and learning new skills. He is a little performer at heart and can turn his tail to most things (there are limits when your legs are only 6 inches long!). Tricks are his favourite thing to learn, closely followed by all things Competition Obedience! He loves Scentwork too. He started Mantrailing when he was 8 weeks old and has loved it ever since!
Third is a tie of barking and people.
It's a breed thing. I jest. He does love barking though and he is very good at it! He doesn't bark all the time, just if there is a chance we are being invaded. His best work comes when looking out of a window, doesn't matter whose window, he shows the same dedication no matter what the location!
He also has a nice high pitched excitement bark that he saves for people who he loves. Its more of a scream/squeal and you have to be very honoured for him to show that level of love for you!
Being a bit of a performance dog, he was very well socialised with people, loves 99% of them (if he doesn't like you, I take that as a red flag!) . Loves 5% of people a little too much but I would rather that than him be terrified of them!
Training and Qualifications
Powerpaws Heelwork Competition - 1st place - March 2020
Preston Trick Dogs White Tricks Bandana - April 2020
Mantrailing UK Level 1 Assessment - August 2020
Preston Trick Dogs yellow tricks bandana - February 2021
Do More With Your Dog Novice Trick Dog Title - February 2021
do more with your dog Intermediate Trick Dog Title - February 2021
Do More With Your Dog Advanced Trick Dog Title - February 2021
Do More With Your Dog Expert Trick Dog Title - February 2021
Preston Trick Dogs Orange Tricks Bandana - March 2021
Newton Heath DTC Kennel Club Obedience Show - Pre Beginners - 1st Place - July 2021
Kennel Club Pre Beginners Certificate of Excellence - July 2021
Kennel Club Beginners Certificate of Merit - July 2021
Nuneaton British Competitive Obedience Society Bitesize Show - Grade 1 - 5th Place - September 2021
Phoenix DTC Kennel Club Obedience Show - Pre Beginners - 4th Place - November 2021
Phoenix DTC Kennel Club Obedience Show - Beginners - 5th Place - November 2021
Northern Inter Regional Crufts Team Tryouts - November 2021
Wigton DTC Obedience Show - Pre Beginners - 5th Place - November 2021
Empowered Dogs Trick Training Filming - February 2022
Canine Hoopers World - Level 1 Achievement Award - March 2022
ABC Obedience Danesford Obedience Show - 2nd Place - August 2022
ABC Obedience Solihull Obedience Show - 4th Place - August 2024