Glen Highland Border Collie

Highland Festival: Event celebrates Celtic traditions

The White Pine Celtic Arts Council held the fifth annual Midland Highland Festival on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Chippewassee Park near the Tridge in Downtown Midland. Events included the opening and closing ceremonies, athletic games, Celtic dancing, Celtic folk bands, sheep herding demonstrations, Scottish bagpipe band performances and Celtic vendors. Scattered throughout the festival area were three flags standing together: An American flag and the two Scottish flags.

The athletic games started off the morning and continued for the rest of the day. Games included stone put, caber toss, weight throw, Scottish hammer throw, and weight over bar.

The caber toss uses a tree, which is cut and trimmed. One side is rounded off for the competitor to cup his or her hand around to throw the 16- to 22-foot and 100-180 pound caber. The game is scored by how close to the twelve o'clock position the end of the caber lands.

The Scottish hammer throw is the same as the modern hammer throw, but it uses a 16-22 pound metal ball attached to the end of the cane shaft, about four feet in length.

Around noon, in a marching band grid formation, all four bagpipe bands played together. The bands that performed included White Pine Pipes and Drums, Cabar Feidh Pipes and Drums, Glen Erin Pipes and Drums, and Flint Scottish Pipes and Drums. Throughout the rest of the day each band showcased a number of traditional songs. All the musicians were dressed in kilts.

For the opening ceremony, Amy Alcorn spoke briefly. Alcorn's husband, Ivor, conceived of the idea to have a festival six years ago and made the event a reality. Amy spoke because Ivor is currently serving in the National Guard in Kuwait. Amy said her husband was happy the idea took off five years ago and took "'a crazy Scotsman's dream'" and made it into this wonderful festival.

Next, Jim Valley from the Lansing area, dressed in a white shirt and a green kilt, gave a sheep herding demonstration. First he communicated with the dog that led the five Scottish blackface sheep out of the fence stall, around the park, and then back to the penned in area.

Summer School Gone to the Dogs | The Bark

Next month, my puppy, Remy, and I are headed up to Susan Garrett's Say Yes! Dog Training for two camps, Advances in Dog Training and Critical Elements for Sport and Life (formerly know as Puppy Camp). I can't wait to spend four full days dedicated to honing my dog training skills and working with Remy.

This summer, use some of your vacation days to learn more about dog-related topics, sharpen your training skills, meet fellow pet lovers, and spend quality time with your furry crew. There are many upcoming opportunities to develop existing skills and learn new ones.

Activities For You and Your Pup

Dog Scouts Camp in St. Helen, Mich. - June 20-25 and July 11-16 Earn Dog Scout badges while introducing your pup to agility, dock diving, hiking, clicker training, freestyle and boating, just to name a few of the activities. There's even a class to teach your dog how to paint! Proceeds from the camp support the Dog Scouts of America's educational and charitable endeavors.

Splash for Joy in Trumbull, Conn. - July 1-3 Enjoy 175 acres of trails, meadows and swimming, while partaking in a multitude of activities including agility, tracking, water sports, herding, flyball and treibball. When the dogs are napping, you can attend lectures on animal communication, Tellington touch and canine massage. Proceeds from the camp benefit the work of Glen Highland Farm and Sweet Border Collie Rescue.

K9 Nose Work Training Camp in Poyntelle, Penn. - September 2-6 Discuss ideas and solutions to creating a better world for animals at this annual conference. Topics include protecting puppy mill dogs, building advocacy campaigns, addressing legal issues and developing grassroots campaigns. The conference also includes a Student Summit on Sunday for teens and young adults.

Chicken Camp in Sequim, Wash. - various dates Sharpen your clicker skills by training a chicken at one of these camps, the brainchild of legendary animal trainers, Bob and Marian Bailey. The chicken's fast speed and low tolerance for bad training will challenge you to improve your coordination and timing.

Are you planning on attending any dog-related camps or workshops this summer? If you're stuck at home, Julia Kamysz Lane will be blogging about online canine courses in the coming weeks.

Extraordinary Dogs, Inspirational Stories of Dogs with Disabilities

Dog to Dog Communication, The Right Way to Socialize Your Dog

AKC gazette

Dog fancy

Veterinary technician