Top dog now, what the heck???

Since Colby's agility retirement Roscoe is now my top agility dog. He has been ROCKING MY WORLD, with his desire and drive lately. He is such an enigma! Our little housetraining issue last fall seems totally gone. He seems happier and more relaxed at home. Less reactive, more willing to offer play behavior to Spur. A different dog. Different from four months ago, different from last year, different.........WAY different from when I first got him.

This little dog has taught me more than I will ever know. Seriously, his little break throughs, his small changes, all make me go.........hmmmmm. I have learned about fairness, consistency, motivation, clarity, drive and the ability to adjust. All because of a 9lb biting dog!

He LOVES being top dog! Who doesn't? So, my challenge is to keep him feeling that way. And to keep ALL my dogs feeling that way. To be mindful of my treatment, to be fair and consistent. To let them all know how important they are. My instructor friends have always said that to me, but I just forget sometimes. The more important Roscoe feels, the more intense his desire to work for me. He always has desire, don't get me wrong. Show him a cookie and he would try for the moon, but he will get bummed out and not offer up trained behaviors at times when stressed or feeling used. Like when I used him to get Spur jealous and pumped to do things Spur was afraid of. That wasn't fair to Roscoe and it hurt our work. Like last summer asking him to run agility in rain and puddles. That hurt our work. That isn't fun for him, AT ALL, he doesn't want to do it and asking him to "suck it up, dude", will not help. He will not run in rain ever again. Heck, it isn't fun for me, but I did it last year because we had SO much rain I hated to lose all those entries. But, entries will be lost this year if it rains on a trial. I won't be asking him to run in rain or puddles. What for? He doesn't run well, so even if we do Q it would be just for the Q, not for the fun and that's not how I want to do agility or anything. I want to do it because it's fun for me and him. Q or not, we do it for the fun. Yes, Q's are a bonus for sure and great to have, but if it isn't fun why should we run?

Last night he showed me his drive, his desire. He was FREAKIN' pumped!!! He hit the A-Frame with all the force he could muster, slamming his face and shoulder into it as he leaped up from the ground to about half way up!!! SMASH went his face and shoulder, stopping him dead in his tracks, only to scramble and grab his way to the top. OI!!!!! He just wasn't thinking.

Up side has always been a bit of a hard hit for him, he just never learned properly how to climb it. He isn't a natural athlete like Colby. He has terrible jumping form, he doesn't think about his body much, he just goes and does it. Last night he just FLUNG himself on the frame. I am thinking I should start using hoops to MAKE sure he enters the frame lower and with a better angle, instead of slamming his body on it like he did last night. Crazy little man, seemed fine, I kept going to keep him moving out of it and keep his muscles loose. I gave him some arnica and walked him out, no limping, but damn that had to hurt!! He seems fine this morning, but I know he has to be sore. No limping, all his teeth seem solid and intact. That face plant could have easily cracked his teeth. We ran our second run and he did fine, I made sure he climbed the frame well. Hoops on entry may be in his future so he practices good entry now. Good GRIEF, the little guy is 11 years old, these kinds of crashes are scary.

I am thankful I warm him up with a lot of heeling before we do anything, so at least his muscles were warm and lose.