From this year’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ competition…
I still think Kate & Gin had a better, more professional routine during the 2008 competition, but Chandi does get extra points for being a rescue.
In case anyone’s curious (i.e., before anyone freaks out), if you want to do canine freestyle, first you figure out your dog’s personal skill set, and then you choose the music and choreograph the ‘dance’ that will best demonstrate those skills. Notice that both Chandi and Gin are grinning and wagging their tails all the way through their acts — that’s not something you can punish a dog into doing.
Yutsano
Obligatory PUPPEH!!
You could just tell the judges thought it would be nothing but a typical corny dog act. But Chandi is definitely a dancer, and she knows it. More importantly, you can tell the two are bonded very deeply.
Brandon T
I’ve been watching the british PM debates on ITV’s youtube channel. Definitely popcorn-worthy. It’s interesting the way Cameron and Brown are outright not prepared for some of Clegg’s policy arguments, even though they’re prepared for each others’. It’s also kind of depressing to watch, when the most conservative guy in the room argues about how they need to be easier on drug offenders and they talk about being able to change the number of representatives and their voting system at will.
trollhattan
Aww, kuuute puppeh!
I think she really enjoyed being out there. (Mine would be terrified.)
General Egali Tarian Stuck
Sometimes Charlie freaks me out with his ability to stand on two legs longer than any dog I’ve ever had. Usually does it when he wants to go out, and then when we go outside, it’s all business, like he’s on the job for hunting wild critters and/or discovering interesting smells to ponder later on to wile away the evening hours, I think. I read where Australian Terriers were bred mainly to hunt small game and that surely describes the little guy to a tee.
jnfr
Oh, that was lovely. Thank you.
Yutsano
@General Egali Tarian Stuck: I’d take him up into the mountains one of these weekends and let him go to town on a few chipmunks. I doubt he’ll get close enough to actually hurt the little critters (and if he does take it out of his mouth as soon as possible, you never know where that chipmunk’s been!) but he’ll have the time of his life trying. Plus a good walk in the woods will do him wonders. It’s where we scattered my grandfather’s ashes, and the setting could not have been more perfect.
General Egali Tarian Stuck
@jnfr: I adore the wacky British sense of humor. You can see it in this routine. And yes, both dog and owner are happy campers doing this routine together.
Joey Maloney
OK, here’s my idea. There are plenty of places online – such as here or here – where you can buy whole chickens and have them shipped, frozen, by FedEx. One chicken plus shipping might run thirty or forty bucks.
I’m sure Ms. Lowden would be thrilled to receive campaign contributions at her campaign offices at
6655 S. Tenaya Way, Suite 170
Las Vegas, NV 89113
or
961 Matley Lane, Suite 105
Reno, NV 89502
Now, you’ll need to make sure whoever you buy from includes the total value of the order, product plus shipping, so that Ms. Lowden can comply with all applicable campaign finance laws!
What do you think?
General Egali Tarian Stuck
@Yutsano: We go to the forest a few miles away, at least a couple days a week. He does love it, but I have to keep him on an extended ten foot leash I have tied to my back pack. When he gets the scent of something to hunt, I don’t have much control over him with voice commands, as he enters fully into instinct to track. He already got lost once from that.
Anne Laurie
@General Egali Tarian Stuck:
Wild dogs stand on their hind legs to look bigger, and of course that’s even more important for our little bitty “lap” dogs. (Of course I’ve also seen small dogs, usually terriers, stand tall on their front legs so’s they could pee higher & impress future “readers”.) My first Papillon, the late sainted Galliard Threepwood, had a particular Toy Poodle playmate who was his “dancing partner”… the two of them would rush up to each other, stand on their back legs, and solemnly do-si-do for a few passes before dropping down & continuing the conversation. Galley never did this with his other canine friends, large or small, but Teddy was a committed “dancer”, so apparently Galley felt it was only polite to respond in kind. (And no, unfortunately, I never got a video or even a picture, alas.)
Yutsano
@Joey Maloney: Good idea, but I think rubber chickens would be more effective (since her whole statement was a big joke) plus I hate to waste good food on a political protest when there is still hunger in this country. I do like it if we could send her a ton of those, I’d definitely chip in for that!
Dee Loralei
@Joey Maloney: A fine idea, sir! I heard somewhere yesterday, the Nevada Dem Party sent someone to Lowden campaign headquarters with a live goat as a campaign contribution. Not sure if it’s a true story or not. But what a hoot if it is.
John, I enjoyed it so much, I wanted to see the Kate&Gin one and that linky is broken.
When my Goldens were 6 weeks old, and for the next few months, when I walked both of them at the same time “The Lonely Goatherd” used to run through my brain because of the way they moved together on the leash. Now I wish I had gotten that on video! Drat!
fucen tarmal
@Joey Maloney:
might i suggest chicken bullion for the price conscious.
for an intermediate option, restaurants in the areas of her campaign office might have online ordering, pay for and send chicken menu items, leaving staffers to tip out of petty cash or other expense money, or suffer the consequence of being shut out of the local market for food delivery when the campaign kicks in earnest….
blackballed if you will
the waste of food is a potential problem, perhaps a donation in the name of the campaign to one of the organizations that purchase livestock for people in undeveloped countries. i mean they can trade good will as well as hard goods right?
Joey Maloney
@Yutsano: The rubber chicken is good as commentary. But I want them to either deal with the incredible tax hassle that barter creates (I would certainly enjoy reading their FEC filing if they choose to go that route) or admit that the whole thing is a stupid idea.
Punchy
Just saw That 1 Guy in concert. Tits show. Highly recc’d.
Anne Laurie
@Dee Loralei:
Aggh! I thought I had proofread but FYWP strikes again! I think I’ve got it fixed now — let me know if it’s still busted at your end.
(Bond, James Bond… )
MikeJ
Both of those dogs are smarter than Ant and Dec.
de stijl
King Of The Hill did a rather sweet episode about dog dancing competitions: Hank & Ladybird vs. Bobby & Connie’s dog.
Tattoosydney
Hello all.
@Yutsano:
Howdy.
Yutsano
@Tattoosydney: Konban/nichi wa. Life is quiet tonight and I’ve been throwing resumes all over the Internet. I also realized I’m in decent shape chicken-wise for my next doctor’s appointment. Oh and for some bizarre reason I’m craving lamb for dinner tomorrow. How’s life? Are you going to give your puppeh dancing lessons now?
Tattoosydney
@Yutsano:
Apparently that’s what your body is telling you it needs. Mine was telling me “fruit cake” so I made one. It’s, um, kind of spectacular.
Pedro is still having “not biting” lessons – I think dancing is a way down the track.
I sent you a first draft of the first chapter. I say wifey has to write the next one.
Yutsano
@Tattoosydney: Don’t ask me why, but I found out that lamb is very high in selenium, so you may be on to something there. I read it and left a few snarky comments in your inbox. Okay so they’re not exactly snarky. I was trying to imagine Jack-Jack doing anything that sophisticated, then I remembered border collie, uhh, notgunnahappen. I think I just want either lamb or Greek food.
Yutsano
Song of the night, for no good reason whatsoever:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylSqKdbZGRc
Tattoosydney
@Yutsano:
Cute boy. Nice voice.
I’m listening to this old thing, because it makes me feel smoogy inside.
Yutsano
@Tattoosydney: How you and the other half met mayhaps? Or is that tale perhaps a wee bit more salacious? That video is bizarre and romantic at the same time.
Tattoosydney
@Yutsano:
Pffft. Yeah – as if when Bradley and I met there was romantic lighting and waltzing. There was salaciousness, however.
Yutsano
@Tattoosydney: Romantic first meetings, who does that anyway? Hell half the time you don’t even figure it out until it’s about three or four months in the past. Of course you could have the honesty of my youngest brother who met his wife with the understanding she was just going to be a one night stand as she was working at Subway. They’ve made it to nine months so far.
eco2geek
That’s sweet and silly and amazing, all at the same time.
(Here’s a working link for a Kate & Gin routine. Yours is now TOS’d.)
MikeJ
@eco2geek: Actually it’s not tos’d, but if you click on it it links to something that was. Weird.
Tattoosydney
Robin’s fruit cake – this is my mother’s light fruit cake recipe, which needs to be saved for posterity – having cooked it today it is the easiest thing in the world.
Preheat your oven to 160 degrees C – what you lot call 320 degrees.
Take 4 or 5 cups of dried fruit – sultanas mostly, but raisins, dried cherries, glace cherries, prunes, glace apricots and candied ginger are all good.
Put in a big saucepan with a sprinkle of mixed spice or Chinese five spice, and a cup of liquid. You could use water, but brandy, sweet port or muscat is better.
Put on a high heat and pretty much boil for about five to ten minutes – the fruit gets puffier and sometimes a bit candied if that’s what you want.
Take it off the heat and mix in 250 grams of butter – one stick of butter – till it melts, then stir in 1 cup of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla till dissolved, 4 eggs till combined, and then 1 cup of plain flour mixed with a teaspoon of baking powder.
Grease a cake tin – probably about 7 inches by 7 – stick some baking paper to the sides, then pour in the cake mix. It will rise about half as much as the cake mix is deep. Put it in the oven and leave it alone for 25 minutes, then sprinkle some dried fruit or nuts if you want on the top (I used dried peaches), then cook for another 35 to 55 minutes. If it gets too dark in the last 20 minutes, put some more baking paper over it.
Take out of the oven and immediately pour a third of a cup of the brandy or whatever over it, listen to it sizzle, and then try to resist eating any until it has cooled down a little.
Never fails.
asiangrrlMN
@Tattoosydney: I loved that the first time you shared it, and I love it again. I will write the next chapter for you, but I guarantee you it will go towards the dark side. Mebbe. And TUNCH IS NOT FAT!
@Yutsano: Yeah, that can happen sometimes. Not to me, but I’ve heard it from others. How you be?
This video is too cute. Chandi is adorable and looks so happy!
asiangrrlMN
P.S. I’m trying to imagine training a cat to do this. Bwahahahahahaha!
stuckinred
My two rescue’s, the Bodhisattva and Lil Bit are sitting here saying, “turn of that stupid youtube and take us for our morning doggie cookie at the coffee shop”!
bkny
here’s a very cool pooch story. buddy, the hero:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100424/ap_on_re_us/us_hero_dog
and here’s the trooper’s dashboard video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L53sAVRZUE4
Mary
Rescued border collies FTW! (Said as the proud caretaker of two such animals.)
NeenerNeener
More Tina and Chandi:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sknEaZHHbhc
I love the music to this one.
PurpleGirl
>Joey: Thanks for the addresses. I may send her a picture of a chicken along with some comments on her idea (with appropriate mockery, of course).
asiangrrlMN
@bkny: That’s way cool. Thanks for the links!
bkny
@asiangrrlMN:
isn’t that cool… and on the part of the trooper, too. i wonder if i’d had the inclination to follow him. beautiful dog, also.
asiangrrlMN
@bkny: I would like to think I would have followed the dog, but I have a hunch I’m fooling myself. Still, an amazing story all around. It made me smile.
Rochelle Lesser
You can learn more here about canine freestyle: gottadance.landofpuregold.com
Although political victories are sweet, it’s the love of our family that sustains us. And, family, these days, is typically completed by the addition of its 4-footed members. My schtick (via my nonprofit that funds cancer research and treatment for working dogs) involves trying to lengthen the time we get to have with our furkids, realizing that all the diseases that plague us get our companion animals as well.
Since no one seems to pay me any mind unless I am giving stuff away, and part of my foundation’s mission is to support and promote holistically healthy and responsible dog care, I’m constantly creating prize-packed contests as an educational tool. Problem is: I have no money to advertise and suck at marketing skill, so even with $750+ in prizes, entries are scarce.
So, I came here to try and get some help in spreading the word about my latest: The Bone Appétit Recipe Contest. You can get the total scoop here: http://bit.ly/boneappetit
And, for the dog-loving photographers out there, I have the Paws 2 Connect Photo Contest. Again, lots of prizes and a pure cinch to enter.
Anne Laurie
@NeenerNeener: Thanks so much for that link!
And the thing is… probably the reason Chandi ended up in rescue in the first place is that she was so needy and aggravating with her urgent desire to be wrapped around someone’s leg, looking for a job to do! It’s all in finding our niche in life…