Changes

Life changes. I mean, really, one day the fields are mostly dry, the next day SOAKING wet. Everything changes. We wonder if Precious is going through changes. Can horses have menopause? Their ovaries must shrivel up at some point. She's SO grumpy since Jazz arrived.

Roseanne Barr wrote this about changes......http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/11/20/roseanne-barr-on-the-joys-of-menopause.html
Seriously funny chick. Although, good grief at age 49 I am not looking forward to the "changes". Damn it!

There are changes all around us and some make me sad. Yeah, I worry about my own body, but I have Roscoe who is 12-14 years old and going through some changes. His neck is sore, his eyes are weakening, his mental state is in flux. He wants to hump everything now and is trying to play with Spur. Poor Spur doesn't believe him and really just wants to KICK his ASS, but he is being good and over-submitting...........just lays on his back so Roscoe can sniff his dick. What is up with that??? Dogs.........it's all about pheromones and scents and things of importance that we don't get. Like rolling in a HUGE pile of cow shit. Why was THAT pile so good and all the others just worth a taste? I don't know. I guess the cow shit goes through changes, too.

I stopped Roscoe's buspirone. He seems to be so much better around other dogs. Other than always wanting to hump poor BAM!, the border collie. He offers to play with other dogs now. 10 years ago that would NEVER happen. He's still an asshole at home, but that never really changed with the buspirone. It helped mostly with his dog-dog aggression and that's just not even an issue much any more. We'll see how that goes, drug free.

He's old and it makes me sad, because I don't have enough time to do the things he likes to do like Rally obedience. But, we still do trick training and now that winter is coming upon us that work will increase and he really loves that. Like Rally? No, he LOVES Rally. Maybe after the new year I can get him back to a regular class in Rally. We'll see, I barely get through my day lately, it seems. The changes I am party to seem to allow me less time in the day. The days zoom by and I don't even know what happened. Damn the changes. What if we all just stayed the same? Would that be dreadfully boring? I don't know.

Did you all have a Thankful Thanksgiving?

I did!! I am thankful for so many things! For having big open spaces to walk my dogs............
They are thankful for all the smells they find on our walks.......hmmmm.......must have been interesting. Coyote? Fox? Some other dog?............I am thankful Roscoe likes to back up to the compost pile to poop.....

But, lately I am most thankful that every morning when I find my two "feral" barn kitties ready for breakfast. We went to the Harvest Dinner for the Cape Farm Alliance a few weeks ago and the discussions all seemed to center around the "Wolf sized coyote packs" seen around town. Oi. One farmer even hired a trapper to live trap one and relocate it as it was jumping her five foot ELECTRIC fence and taking her ducks. Wow!

I love where we live, but we sure to worry about the foxes and coyotes. I love seeing them, as I love all animals, but I sure do worry about my wee critters. I had a pet sit visit over by Willard Square over the weekend, houses packed together with tiny yards and saw a lovely young fox scoot through the back fence. The next day a big, fat black kitty walked that same path. Oh MY! It's a dangerous place, the outdoors, but what a lovely place it is!!!

Spur learns one of Roscoe's favorite tricks!

It took a while for him to figure this one out, so we took a break. Came back on Tuesday while it was freezing rain out and did some work on it. He's getting it!! Very cute and good style for an independent "hand stand", I think!!!!



I call it "Bum's UP!" :D

Poor Roscoe

It hardly seems this blog is much about him, lately. He's old and is retired, except for Rally, but we just only have so much time in a day. I did take him to Rally class last week for the first time since spring and I sure wish I have videoed it. OMG, he was PERFECT! It was breathtaking, really. He never missed a beat!! Good little dude!!! I must get him back to class more, if I can. He LOVES it so much!! Almost as fun as being Captain Roscoe on the boat. Almost.

I must give him credit, though, for all the work with Spur. He helps me a lot by working some and making Spur jealous. It's very important work. Although, doing some weaves the other day I think made his neck sore, damn it. :( Poor guy. So, no weaves for Roscoe for a while.

Took Spur's running contacts into nothing on the road last week. He did WELL!!!! See for yourself -



I am not rewarding the high hits any more. I used to reward everything to keep him "up", but no more. He LOVES the work, so I can be pickier now.

I submitted my wraps to Silvia. We don't do much of this work because when he's "wrong" he starts to worry. Notice his body posture when he starts going to the left and I ask him to go to the right. We had already done three wraps to the left, but my camera filmed them all blurry for some reason. I will slowly introduce these in the manner she likes for training, but for now I am just getting some "muscle memory". He can only do so much, we have short sessions training. Too long and he worries. Unless, of course, it's running contacts, LOL!! He could do those all day if he (and I) had the breath!! He LOVES his RDW training!!!



Trial report from the weekend. AKC. Nailed the Open Fast Saturday. Nice run with a FREAKIN' awesome RDW in standard for a Q. The dogs before him in the standings were all top dogs. An Invitational dog, last years National Champ, a World Team contenter, and others. I wish I had it on film, but I don't. JWW we had some mistakes. I took my eye off him and had a melt down, but cool thing is at the end he ran great and barked as I got his leash on. That is always a sign he is OK! :D

I tried my start line behavior, then aborted it because in Standard I asked him to back up into the wall. What an IDIOT I am. Then at lunch my friends all said I really need to stick with it and keep trying. Heck, it was two years to get his RDW. I have patience, right? They are right. So, in Jumpers I actually even asked for a vault before I took his leash off. Again, I didn't give him enough room for his back up, but it still worked MUCH better. YAY!!! I am hoping I can continue and get this going. Ears up at the start is SO important.

Table sucked in Standard. His first time NOT putting elbows down before the time was up. Oi. They have no position required in AKC, so I have been going as soon as time is up and usually his elbows go down just before, so it's a nice reward. Nope, not Sunday damn it. I left anyway as I am NOT going to train in the ring. In USDAA I will have to insist, or take an NQ. I MUST get his table more happy, too. Teeter again an issue, but he was fine. I can't really do more than I am, I don't think right now. I don't know. It will always be an issue I think. So much to work on!!!

Is Spur a tougher project than Roscoe was? I am starting to think that way, but maybe because my memory of Roscoe's work is slipping away? I don't know, but with Roscoe I could always break through with food. Not so much with Spur. I love the work, though. I love Spur with my whole being, more than breath itself. OK, maybe not because then I would be dead, right? He is worth all the effort and stress, that is for sure. He is THE best little buddy!!!

The long and winding road

It isn't that long and it isn't that winding, but on film and in my head it is!! :D It takes us to the top of the knoll in the middle of the farm. Up there the dogs find it SO interesting. Rodent Town. I mean, there must be millions or rodents living up there.

The Pin Heads are too short to produce a shadow, but look at Spur's LONG shadow. Love the fall light.
Can you see the Pin Head butts?

Here is what they do at the top of the Knoll, Rotten Town. - They hunt.....
And hunt.......
And hunt......
They rarely catch anything, but the hunt is the purpose. I believe Colby feels it is HER purpose. Her whole reason for being. Hunting. Of course, she would LIKE to catch something, but the variable reinforcement schedule and jackpot makes the act of the hunt almost as reinforcing. Do I sound like a "dog trainer"?

Last night we dropped in at Rally class. We haven't been since the spring. Colby took a while to adjust her eye and remember her work. It's just very hard for her. Roscoe - what can I say, it is his thing. He was nearly perfect. He didn't forget one step, he is obedience KING of this household, for sure Such an oxymoron - Roscoe, obedience dog. Spur - needed some reminding, but he looked great!!!! He's so flashy!! Great fun, I only wish I had more time to go more often.

Chickens and a horse with hives!!

Look at this ingenious watering system!!! I think he could patent this!!!! The whole thing is on wheels! It's SO cool! Not sure it will work come winter, but I think come winter the chickens move to the hoop house?

This chickens are such cool colors. My cheap camera didn't focus well on them, but you get the idea. Very cool color patterns!!

And funny looking heads!
Poor Precious developed hives last weekend. Weird. She is getting benadryl and they are better, but they started oozing some. ICK! She seems unaffected. We are not sure why, perhaps mental. The stress of adding Jazz, even though it's been nearly two months. She's kind of a mental case. Lost some weight, gets all uptight and ears pinning a lot. Grumpy girl. A vet is coming in two weeks to check things out.

Found a headless hawk in the field last weekend. How strange is that??? The body was in perfect condition and no head to be found. It was in the open field. Aren't you glad I didn't photograph that??? LOL!!! My thought is another bird of prey attacked it and snapped it's head off. Do you think a crow could do that? If it grabbed the head and the hawks body just slung just right I think that seems possible? Or an owl? I don't know, it sure was strange. And why leave the body? A very eerie murder scene!!!!

The sunflowers again!

Remember the giant carbine?? I really should have put one of the dogs on it to show dimension. It's HUGE!

It looks like they tried to harvest the sunflowers. See the empty stalks on the right and the headed ones on the left?

Then maybe this happened............Oi! A planting experiment that didn't pan out? Not sure the deal, but I wonder if they simply need a smaller carbine? Is there such a thing? I should have asked Nick at the Harvest Dinner Friday night. But, we couldn't stay long as Rich wanted to go see an extreme skiing movie, so we had to sneak out after eating (Yummy roasted beet salad someone made with tons of fresh garlic - I ate TOO much).

One more reason my weekend didn't go as planned. Saturday morning The Spur-minator rolled in something SO stinky it nearly turned my stomach. Probably just fox scat, but who knows...........see on the left side of his neck a tiny smear of black shit! That stunk SO bad and was on his back, too.

Bathing Spur isn't easy, it takes time to get him fully wet. He's "waterproof". But, now he's squeaky clean and fluffy, but that was an hour I really didn't NEED to waste on Saturday.

Time sucking technology simply sucks time!!

I had the weekend "off". I had this list of things to get done on my first weekend off in months. I mean, this was a FULL weekend, two whole days with no trial, no matches, no jobs, NOTHIN'. I could get SO much done, right?
Um, no.........no way, what do I do instead??? Time suck, get sucked into cyberspace, iPad searches, video searches, making movies..........OMG.........I was about ready to smash my computer. OK, not really, I am not a violent person like that. Yeah, you might here me SCREAMING at my dogs like if they don't come the FIRST time I call them, I am going to KILL them, but really I have not killed my dogs, ever. I do think of it at times, like I say those words.........but, no, never have I done that. They all live long lives and die of natural causes, like heart disease or old age. Only two of my dogs have ever died. Well, yeah there were the dogs growing up, but only two of my adult life dogs have ever died.

I digress.........the weekend of catching up on my list of things to do. What did I do? My list -

*Wash windows (we have 43 true divided light windows, meaning a LOT of little panes of glass, both sides and the storms) - none got washed.

*Dremel Colby's nails - got that done!!!! :D

*Trim Jewel's feet - nope, didn't get done.

*Clean up all the gardens - Hmmmm, does it count that Rich did most of the ones in the front? I got half the vegetable garden done and that's not very much.

*Vacuum bedroom and wash sheets - nope, gonna have to do that today!!!

*Ride Jewel - nope, chose to go visit my friend Mary who is recovering from open heart surgery instead. Well worth not riding Jewel as I sure would want my friend Mary to come visit me in that situation!! Mary's doing GREAT! Gave her the last pumpkin whoopie pie that Rich was saving for himself. He thought I ate it and was pissed. Not sure he felt any better that Mary ate it. YUM!!! Thanks Kathy for making all those yummy pumpkin whoopie pies!!!

*Get the scooter running again. - Nope, it just stayed where it was, collecting dust.

*Vacuum the Cube - YEP!! Kind of got that done. I did the front and just what I could see in the back, which isn't much. But, that job is on the "done" list, really. I mean, no, I should have removed everything and vacuumed it all, but I didn't. So, shoot me!!!

That's it, that's all. What else did I do that took all my time - technology sucked!! Seriously, I decided to do some running dog walk work and film it. Rich, good man, helped me - with much begging. Then making ONE fucking movie took me an hour. It's a 1 minute movie!!! I was ready to kill my computer.

Then I had the brilliant idea to try my iPad to film. Wow, cool quality. Much better than I thought and way better than the camera. But, making a movie? Nope, there is that Apple proprietary issue. I need to spend another $50 to get the right app. They sure have that done. Suck you into their technology and your money right along with you........can you hear that sucking sound............ssssssssssssssssssssssssUCK!! I didn't give them my money........yet.

I leave you with something really cheery, so you aren't feeling that sucky feeling from all that technology sucking. One of my favorite scarecrows from around town. Love this gal!!! -

She's really COOL! And strangely flexible. I know I can't move like that!!!

We have a new path!

The cows have taken over the back pasture. This is Bunny at the old path.

She is entertained by us and we are entertained by her!

Kind of looks like we are walking backwards.

Yes, this is a reverse photo log!!

We are on the other side of the rock wall now. It's a pretty little meadow, but not every sunny.

This is our new pathway into that meadow.
The dogs are STILL not sure why the cows are in the pasture. Notice Spur's tail all flagged up!!! And that would be Rosoce, ready to charge at a moment's notice. He did that once. We encountered baby Beacon loose in the sunflowers and came upon him by surprise, so he bolted down the path a little with Roscoe hot on his heels. :O Um, little Dude, chasing cows isn't in your Pin Head blood I don't think!

The shadow is funny. I looke like I am wearing a big skirting coat. No, just my three quarter length down coat, it was FREAKIN' cold that morning. The snow is all gone now and it's just WET out there.

Wow, where does the time go???

Is it just me or is this time of year hard to keep up with time? This week just flew by and I am SO far behind. OK, behind on shit like housework. But, that starts to irritate me. I like to keep up!

Had a full load of walks and the weather was SO good I think I spent a little extra time with each dog so I didn't get home as early as I usually do? That's my excuse anyway and I do think that's true. It was SUCH a nice week!!!!!

My walks have changes some and I am walking farther and harder now, which is awesome!!

I am also trying to do lots of training with Spur while we have the ground and light to do it. That will be lost soon.......Hello Winter.

My friend Mary had open heart surgery and I HAD to make sure to visit her because last week I had a little cold and sure didn't want to visit her then. Saw her yesterday for several hours and that was really nice. She is doing amazingly well!!!! Planning her next agility sessions already, good girl! Hard to keep and active girl down! Just amazing! She is bored and was happy for the visit. We talked dog training and dogs and training and dogs and more dogs and, well, we must have talked about something else, but I don't remember what????? Oh yeah, we watched some videos of dogs on my iPad. Dogs, dogs, dogs.

Laura, Lance and Vito!! - No worries about our start line. I am SO happy to have Spur doing so well I never get too bummed about our issues any more. I know we can work through them now!!! I didn't always know that, but I do know that now!!! He is SO resilient, it just amazes me!!! Good Little Monkey Pants!!!

USDAA BARK trial report!

OK, so my start line plan kind of fizzled. At first I thought it looked OK. His ears came up for JUST a moment as I pushed into him to back up, then off we went. But, it seemed to kind of not work as the runs went on. Too much pressure? Perhaps. What I noticed, though, was I was too disconnected from the ingate to the start line. I need to do what I can to keep him focused on ME. He wants to go say hi to the ring crew, if possible, or just look stressed. So, what seemed to work best was to remove leash and GO! Keeping him connected, running to the line at the last minute, then tossing off the leash and GO.

Even in Relay where we ran second that worked OK. I could crouch and talk to him and keep him close and focused on me, then last second remove leash and go. Taking off the leash, then asking for the back up gave him JUST enough time to stress and leave me, go say HI to the ring crew which at this trial sometimes was RIGHT there at the line it seemed.

It was a tough trial, really. I was worried about trying the new start line behavior, I was worried about how he would be after his experience at Nationals. He actually was pretty good, event awesome at times, but then we had some major melt downs. Teeter was a big issue. He knocked a bar in jumpers, ...........gasp..........that's almost as bad as a scary teeter, maybe worse. But, he recovered quicker than ever, so that's cool. I made a video to show some of the contacts. He missed a DW contact and an a-frame contact (left him and took off ahead more than I would normally), but I am not surprised. This wasn't his most comfortable trial. And we seem to be in an "experimental" stage.

I am most pleased with how well and quickly he recovered from things. It was big learning experience for us. I was SO thankful for my awesome teammate who totally had no expectations and was completely supportive. Spur actually had some incredible moments, but had two E's and not many points in snooker or gamble, so we ended up dead last. My teammate E'd in standard, too, so I felt a lot better after that. LOL!!!

Here's my little video (*disregard the editing, my text didn't go where it should have. The slow mo DW was a miss. The slow mo a-frame a miss)-



I see here that the issue with the teeter is how heavy it is and how long it took to go down. I MUST put the weights back on my teeter and have him doing different weights again.

A new start line behavior????

I just have to brag about my ability to learn from my experience at Nationals! What a great experience that was for us! It wasn’t that I wasn’t aware of our “weaknesses”, but I had kind of put them on the back burner. Nationals brought them to the front burner, for sure! It is hard to be self critical, but I am trying very hard to do that and learn. Our weakest thing - start lines, for sure. That showed up big time in KY.

So, he has had the last two weeks off, basically. No RDW work, no classes, just his daily teeter and some tricks. And………………start lines. But, not really, I just wracked my brain trying to figure out what trick I could do at the start that would get his ears up and get him focused and happy.

Everything I had tried didn’t work. He LOVES his tricks, but when I asked him to do one in the ring he would go blank and not do it. So, I have settled for holding him and then just letting go to start. He has never liked it that much, it has worked just OK and we have gotten by. I needed something to do where I didn’t touch him and where he couldn’t go blank. And something that got his ears up!!!!

One of his favorite tricks is his launch off my leg to a twist, spin. Wicked fun, he loves it. But, in order to do it well he needs some distance from me, so I asked him to back up. He backs up then charges at me to launch for his push off into the twist/spin. That’s my start line!!! Not the launch part, though. LOL!! I ask him to back up and just take off!! Last night at class I tried it for the first time. OMG, it SO totally worked! I had practiced it at home during his daily teeter with a jump before the teeter, but last night was his official coming out of our new start line!!! He was ON FIRE and charged off his start, ears up!!! He ran SO fast last night he was slipping on the floor and he’s never slipped there!!! I think it might work! He can’t go blank and not do it because I always have to put SOME physical pressure to get him to back up, so back up he does, ears come up quickly, and off we go!!!!

**I have no expectations, as always with him, it could end up not the right thing, but I kind think it might work. This weekend will be the bigger test. USDAA trial. First trial since Nationals.

Scarecrow city!!!

Not really sure what one "wins", but around Cape Elizabeth has been a "Scarecrow contest". It's SO cool!! They are every where!!! I wish I had taken some photos before we had that storm. It kind of trashed some of them. This one here was completely fallen over, but they resurrected it!!!

I actually took these photos before the storm as it was right on my route and easy to get a photo of from my car window. If I were a judge THIS one would WIN, for sure. It is SO creative and cool!!!!

Halloween is a very creative holiday!!! I LOVE it! Wish I were 10 years old again so I could go trick or treating and dress up as a cowgirl. I was always a cowgirl. I don't remember ever being anything else?