Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Some Spur videos

This is his standard from last weekend. He took the off course jump after the chute. It's a VERY short chute and I didn't call him soon enough. It was a pretty nice run, good start and he was OK about the teeter. It wasn't weighted this weekend, just the normal sand bags. Papillon people were chief ring crew, so they also feel the weighted base really affected the dogs. Makes it MORE solid feeling and many don't like that. I guess they would rather it have more give/bounce? It's interesting.


Here is his JWW. I really like this run. I do one back cross at the start and I think he starts pretty well. I do two blinds that could have been smoother, but they worked. Then at the end I planned a back cross before the second to last jump, but I was THERE and decided to serp it instead. I did walk the serp, but thought it might be too much pressure pushing him to that last jump, but nope I'm fast enough to get out of his way. :D



This is from last week. My yard FINALLY cleared of snow and he was SO happy to train some dog walks!!! Notice how he drives to that jump before all by himself. That's pretty new behavior, good little man. We can't get gambles, but he can drive out to a jump if it means his DW is next. I LOVES to train his DW!!!! Looks like going into nothing is A-OK.



And this is our homework for Silvia's foundation class. I am trying to get him to do a restrained start using his new harness. He's been doing just OK. She suggested maybe I try him with the restrain to just the tunnel/ball first and see if I can't get him driving forward off the start better that way. And try another start for the wrap work. Plus, we angled the jump wrong, it should be facing the tunnel, but I start him the same, then he sends to the tunnel without running along beside the jump, so I have to re-do that. Not sure if I will get that done before this blasted snow comes. >:/ NOT happy about that, my yard is so nice and clear now. Damn it, snow!!!!

Monday, February 27, 2012

RIP sweet Kojak

I can not put into words how much I loved this dog. Enough that he has a place on my home page of my website. The greatest dog to ever live. I say that without any reservation. He wasn't even my dog, but he was the greatest dog I ever knew.

I am sad beyond sad..........he was 14, survived Mast Cell cancer treatment and helped to raise my Spur as I would walk Spur with him because he was the nicest big dog ever and showed Spur that big dogs could be nice. He lived a long life, but not long enough. It is never long enough. This the the kind of dog everyone should know, but few will as he was so rare. Special in every way.


Friday, February 24, 2012

The cows needed a scolding

The cows haven't been in the pasture in a while. Today they were out there and Roscoe was just not sure they belonged there. We were all the way on the other side of the sunflower field and he just saw the pile of them all together and I'm not totally sure he knew they were the cows, but he was sure they needed a talking to, whatever they were.
Look at the hair on the back of his neck. LOL!!
I spoke to him and got this expression.......
They got a tongue lashing........... I tried to tell him they actually belong on the farm, they LIVE there and that HE is actually a trespasser, but that didn't stop him from saying bad words to them anyway.

Did you know there are only 24 days left until spring?? We count those days. The dead, brown grass is getting old. The mud is disgusting, the damp, grey landscape is a bore. Time for spring to arrive and some bright colors to return. I am happy we don't have a pile of snow, but the mud and brown grasses are starting to bore us. I actually broke my shedding blade yesterday. It's what I use to scrape the mud and loose hair from the horses. It was probably 30 years old, but living without it for ONE day was NOT nice. I went to the pet store and bought a new one. I'm trying to imagine the size of the dog this one is made for. Definitely like a bernese mountain dog or malamute or saint bernard. Or horse.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Class last night

We are SO lovin' our classes with Kim. It's just the most supportive group and everyone seems to have a great time. This was a fun course and I thought the wrap after the first tunnel would be really demotivating for Spur, but he sure handled it just fine I think! My worry was that he would not know he was turning right and would then back jump it. Nope, he did that just fine, nice blind cross execusion there? Maybe I hesitate just a wee bit?

The last tunnel jump is hard to see how difficult from this angle, but you really had to push the dog to the other side of that jump as they came out of the tunnel. For the big dogs that was REALLY hard. For Spur I pushed, then blinded it and he did fine. He does look at the off course blue jump as I run to the last wing jump, but he stays with me good little man. I just needed to connect a little more.

I LOVE his speed off the start. :D That's really been holding up for us!!! He's very careful with his weave entry and always is. That's a good thing, but some day I hope to see him diving into that entry as that really wasn't that hard an entry. He never misses his entries, his weaves are really rock solid. :D He shortens his last stride on the DW a bit more than necessary, but with all those options available I can see why he would. He is nicely in, regardless. I could have pushed harder to get more speed on his DW and I must remember to do that. I get careful sometimes, quiet and inhibited and he wants lots of info and coaching and "cheerleading". He needs that and the more I talk to him and encourage him the faster he goes.

Fun course!!!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Ewwwwwww

OK, I am going to admit here that I am not a doodle fan. At least, not of the giant variety. The smaller ones are cuter, to a point. Sure, they can be really nice dogs sometimes, but so often they just seem very dumb, big, dirty, not at all visually appealing to me. I know, snob, right? Standard poodles do nothing for me visually, either. I know they are very smart dogs, but visually, nothing, nada, ugly. Sorry doodle/poodle fans!!! And I know some really sweet ones, but visually....ugly.

This morning on our walk we learned we have a new neighbor. A giant, grey, ugly, goofy, doodle. We heard and saw the guy in his car calling for his dog. As we headed back through the woods we could hear the dog barking. GREAT, I envision it standing in the manure pile barking at the horses. I have our three approaching and that just isn't going to go well. My dogs don't "do" doodle. Thank goodness Rich was with me and I handed him a leash and some cookies and I stayed in the woods with our three. He got the goofy thing on a leash and headed off to the house we were pretty sure the dog belonged. Of course, no ID on it's collar. >:/ Guy just moved in, right, no ID. Shit.

Poor Rich, the guy is still out driving around apparently. He returns with the doodle and we are about to tether it and call the police hoping the guy has reported it missing. We aren't TOTALLY sure it belongs at the house we think. Suddenly the guy drives past and we wave and he comes in. Um...........hi there dude, you need some ID on this dog..........I look up and the guy has a HUGE pile of chaw in his mouth. OMG, I seriously felt my stomach turn. We do introductions he explains why no ID......yeah, whatever, there IS no good excuse.........and then proceeds to exclaim how he knows us through Rich's brother. I am SO grossed out I can barely keep talking to the guy and force a smile on my face and try like heck to be neighborly. It's before NINE and the guy can barely talk he has so much shit in his mouth.

And to think I took off my glove to shake his hand because it had his doodles slimey manure drool on it. Not sure someone with a mouthful of ick would really care about manure drool doodle slime? Sorry, that was simply the most disgusting thing so early in the morning and definitely NOT a nice first impression. EWWWWWWWWWWWWW.................GROSS ME OUT!!!!!!!!!!!! That is DISGUSTING!!!!!!! The only saving grace is at least he didn't have a cigarette hanging from his mouth and so that I would have to breath the second hand smoke or get the smell on MY hands after the handshake. But, still, it just turns my stomach. And I'm sorry nice new neighbor if you are reading this, your mouthful of ick is disgusting. It just is!!! GROSS!!!!!

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Working on Spur's Magic Word

I signed up for another on line class with my idol, Sylvia Trkman. Her agility foundations class. Here is one of the pre-class homework assignments.......finding a special word that makes your dog run fast. I use "shhhhhhhhhhhh". It works for tunnels, for chasing birds, for playing chase me at the beach, for going faster in weaves, for any time he runs fast I say "shhhhhhhhhhhh" and it gets him pumped!!! I combine it here with his start line..."Read, READY? GO!"



I used to use it when he and Roscoe did the chase me game, but that's what resulted in the loss of Roscoe's front tooth. :( Now he won't chase Spur any more, can you blame him? Ouch. Can you blame him?

Sunday, February 19, 2012

That damn teeter

They added nearly 300lbs of weights to the bottom and it feels different to the dogs. Most have gotten over it, it probably feels good, nice and solid, but for Spur it was "different". And it's going to take him some time to get used to it. We trial here a lot and he knew how it felt before and now it feels different and it has spooked him. But, he ran well and did an awesome turn off the dog walk into that tunnel. I have only trained that like 2-3 times!!! He likes his tunnels!!!

I LOVE how he starts this run. That is really holding up for us!!! :D




However, after this nice run he had a very slow and pokey Jumpers with weaves. 36 seconds! That's VERY slow. He qualified, but he should have done it in about 30 seconds. Was he worried about the teeter? Maybe because about half way he sped up. Did he suddenly realise this was a jumpers run and there would be no teeter? Maybe. Who knows, we have our ups and downs, for sure.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

I'm feeling really lucky right now

So, what's my most favorite thing to do, like ever? Walk dogs. I could walk dogs all day. Oh wait, that's what I DO! I am SO lucky. I get paid to walk dogs. Does it get any better than that? OK, maybe if I got paid to walk my own dogs? Imagine that. Who would pay me? Me?

This is one of my paid jobs. Wylie! He's so fun and so cute and so happy. And my legs look SO long. I think photo illusions are strange. Wylie's head is NOT that big and my legs are NOT that long. And my hair is NOT that grey. OK, well, maybe that last one is true, but no my image of my hair. It's definitely still brunette with highlights of blond and red. Really pretty, but not grey.

I get to walk dogs in hoods with funky doorways. Purple and sage green. I love those colors. I love this doorway!

And past lawns with hippo benches. I want this in my yard! It's too heavy to steal. Where does one get such a thing? I have never seen anyone sit on it. I would sit on it if it were in my yard.




And past sheds with little flower containers that look like bicycles. Sweet.

I am a lucky person. I think that little wheel has hearts for spokes. It's all about hearts this week. I like Valentine's week!!! Spread the LOVE!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Monday, February 13, 2012

Colby looks pretty good still!!

This photo was taken a few years ago when she could see pretty well and still had both eyes and doesn't have much grey on her face.This was taken a few days ago. She looks pretty much the same! More grey on her muzzle and lower legs. Funny how the grey hits the mahogany coloring first.She's lost some muscle tone, but really not looking too bad for a nearly 13 year old almost blind girl!! If she were not blind I know she would look more fit, but she still works the gardens and fields and even caught a mouse the other day!!!
That same day Spur was alerting to the neighbors playing across the street. Showing his "bulldog" stance, I guess. He does have a wide chest and elbows that wing out some. Colby's ortho vet said his elbows felt good! Still, kind of odd looking front, for sure. He has some conformation faults, for sure, but he still manages his body pretty well for having spent his first five and a half months in a cage!!!

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Weekend goals never happen, or do they?

I made goals this weekend. Why, I haven't a clue, I am not a goal setter. Oh yeah, I once determined to run a mile and I made that goal. A whole mile I ran. I also once determined to finish my morning coffee. That got done! I like my coffee so maybe that shouldn't be a goal?

This weekend I was determined to do just a couple things - TWO goals.

Do my blasted newsletter which I know is going to take me like four hours of hell because my dinosaur computer system sucks ass and makes me insane and is SO slow and dreadful and horrible. Did you know the tick can go nearly a decade without food? I swear my computer can go that long without loading a page of my newsletter, it's on a major diet of despair and doom and I start to feel like maybe the hammer downstairs would fix things. Did you know that about ticks? I saw that this morning on Animal Planet TV. Ticks are the number one dieters in the world. A decade? Then they can eat 600 times their body weight. I hate ticks. I'll never diet for a decade or eat 600 times my weight. That's just stupid.

The other goal? Take the bags of stuff to Goodwill that have been sitting in the front room for weeks. And go get some paint samples to test for the bedroom. Goals. What have I done?

Yesterday I bathed the dogs instead. Oh, but I did add to the bags. I'm like an anti-hoarder. I save things for years, but I am not hoarding them. Please, take them away any time I will be happy. Just take my shit and get it out of here. Why do I save it? I am not a hoarder. I have more bags upstairs that need to go to Goodwill. They have been waiting for years. Seriously, have you watched that show? It's sad. I am not a hoarder. I just don't have too much trouble piling up stuff that I really don't even want and would be very happy if someone would just take away because I'm too lazy to get it to Goodwill myself. I get it to the front room and then it sits in bags waiting. If I had one of those big "GOT JUNK" containers outside I'd happily fill it right up!

What DID I do yesterday? Bathed the dogs. Yeah, like that took me all day. They total barely 35lbs of dog meat, yet it took me all day? I don't get that. I was avoiding the trip to Goodwill? I was avoiding doing my newsletter? Yep. Lazy ass I am. But, listen I'm not really THAT lazy it isn't easy to bathe these little monsters. First, they need warmth to dry. I had to stoke the stove and crank it up to nearly 80 degrees in here so they could dry. I don't have a big blow dryer for my dogs. They are happy to sit by the fire, but I also pile them in warm coats to dry.



The bathrobe under the winter coat. He's not impressed.






He's impressed it fit him and he's all like......"whatevah....I am the cutest dog in the world, whatevahhh..........."Someone wasn't staying!!!I made him stay. I feel those eyes burn into me. Whatevahhhhhhh....... All clean, shiny and soft!!!!






Saturday, February 11, 2012

Chicken or a Charlee Bear

Roscoe heads off to far away lands these days. In search of rodent caches. The fields are full of thousands of little nests with all kinds of yummy stuff. Sometimes they find a chicken breast, once a raw drumstick, a danish, often bread and seeds. The rodents store their food and remember the thousands of places, but the dogs have stolen many.



They look like this.......small nests in the grass......



Yum......

Roscoe heads off far away........he doesn't recall like he used to. He's the one farthest ahead. He likes it that way I think because he can get to the caches before anyone else and not have to fight over them.....



Colby stays pretty close, she's the one in the red coat. She doesn't see well enough now to go too far from me. I guess the Charlee Bears I carry for recall rewards are just not good enough for Roscoe lately. He heads off and appears to have deaf ears to my calling. I may have to power up my recall cookies. I really don't like him wandering off that far. We do have healthy foxes and coyotes around here. Haven't seen any in a while, but I know they are there and probably eating plenty of rodent caches, too!!! The lack of snow exposes all those.


Colby caught a mouse the other day and it was kind of thin. I know, rodents are the largest species on earth so there is a very good supply, but they must have a tough time in the winter without the snow cover as my dogs and all the other animals around raid their winter food supply.

When they ask me at the vet's office what my dog's diet is I just say it's varied. They eat lots of different things. Seriously, some days I have to monitor the things they eat and then feed less at meal time.


We have headed to the beach a few times lately and they eat lots of crab parts. Yum..........
A varied diet, for sure!


Thursday, February 9, 2012

Mercedes or Nissan?

OK, so my stupid, snide little two paragraph post about Susan Garrett's $5000 running contact class generated a lot of discussion both here and on facebook where Daisy Peel put a link. Yeah, right, it was poignant and I did mean what I said. I LOVED the time I spent learning, obsessing and training Spur's running dog walk. Seriously, I think it is the reason he likes agility today and I think it has made me a better trainer. He is faster, more confident and doing SO well and I credit the running dog walk training with his success.
Silvia's training philosophy is a HUGE part of his success - HUGE. It's just fun. She is all about fun, run fast and have fun. She focuses on speed and fun. To Spur that made so much more sense than anything else I tried. He loved it!!!!

But, I was being snide. I really was.

What I think happened, however, in translation is that people either thought my silly little post was SO amazing (I don't get that, but whatever) or they thought it was not nice. It was not meant to be either, really. It was snide, I admit, I was poking fun at Susan Garrett's marketing plan. And, adding something poignant about my training. That's all. I DO think the long way is often the best way. Short cuts are all well and good, listen these dogs only live so long and people want to get out there competing, fast. Nothing wrong with that and there is nothing wrong with paying all the money for that. And anyone who REALLY thought her method was a short cut isn't being very bright. It's not, she requires two trips to Canada with your dog. Hardly a short cut!!
But, there are people who feel that is wrong, charging all that money to learn her method. I don't. I don't care if you want to spend $10,000 to learn how SG does it. It's your money. You can also buy a Mercedes if you want. I don't really think it is a good idea, however. I think your money could be better spent. I really do.
I said that on facebook, but no one really got it, I don't think. I don't want to spend the money on a Mercedes when my Nissan will do. It WILL!!! I don't really understand why someone buys a Mercedes. Honestly, I don't get it. I know people with Mercedes. They run fine, but they don't run any better!!! Seriously, my experience has been that they cost more and have all the same maintenance issues and when they do need to be maintained it costs more. That's it, that's all. It's more expensive. It isn't any better. OK, so many the airbags are stronger, the frame tougher, the stability better, the ride very comfortable and smooth. I have ridden in some Mercedes, they do ride nicely. I don't know, my Nissan drives really well and handles just fine and has won awards for safety. I just hang on for the ride and zip around town with better gas mileage. And, it actually IS very comfortable, for me.
Look, Little Spur is just like a Nissan Cube. He's no Mercedes sedan. He isn't, but he is zippy and happy and runs his heart out for me!!! He has weak pasturns, slightly crooked front legs, shorter front end then rear, not much neck, but he does run his heart out for me and is cheerful and fun and my best little buddy!!! And he's cute as a button!!!
I trained him using Silvia's method. She offered me advice for free, advice as exchange for Roscoe learning to drum so well and so fast, advice I payed some money for, but essentially she coached us to a running contact and to excellent happy training for very little money. To me, it was priceless and I am forever grateful!!!! She doesn't worry about people stealing her method, her class videos are all public and open so if someone had no money they might even be able to train her method without her help. She isn't worried about that, she has enough students and mental security to share her ideas freely and she is proud to let that happen. I LOVE that about her. She has shown me kindness and support that makes me teary. Really. She is so kind.
Susan Garrett has every right to act like a Mercedes. She's costly, she's secretive, she's not willing to share with everyone her methods, she wants all the money for it so she can protect her rights. I don't hold that against her, I really don't. She can, she's Susan Garrett. People WILL pay her. Whatever. That's her deal. It doesn't mean that I will like it. I don't. I think it's proprietary and it makes me as insane as Apple allowing flash on their products. Stop it!!! After Susan Garrett has done this expensive class and taught her coveted five, her method will leak out. It will. There is no stopping it. I promise. Apple will have to allow flash one of these days. They will, it's going to happen. It's a GLOBAL world. (that's a funny thing to say)
Why not let it happen, SG, and enjoy watching hundreds of people train your method and enjoy that ride and take pride in your method and how it's available and easy and works or whatever you believe about it. Why not? Again, I don't hold it against her, really I don't. She wants the money. I am just saying, wouldn't she feel better about herself if she DID let more people do this? I would. But, I am not Susan Garrett.
I am just a little Nissan Cube. I don't have any method I can charge $5000 for. If I did I wouldn't, but I don't hold that against her. Really, I don't!!!! She wants the MONEY!!!! It makes the world go round, take the money SG!!! But, don't expect not to get critisized for it. It puts a distaste to your work, it really does. I don't hold it against her, I just don't have to think it's a good idea. That's all.

I want more money, too. Money is good. I like money. But, I am not going to charge $50 just to walk your dog for half an hour. I am not that good.
I wonder if anyone would pay that? I do get people desperate for my services and willing to pay "whatever". I won't do it. I am not that good. I am just a dog walker. When you pay me you get a trusty little Nissan Cube, peppy, good gas mileage, functional and fair and I love sharing my work "secrets" with others in this field. The more good pet sitter/dog walkers out there, the better off our world is. There are plenty out there who are not so good, I'm happy to help along those who want to be good. It only helps me. When I am booked I can refer to someone good. That helps me!!!

Wouldn't that be awesome? All those with running contact methods joining together and sharing "secrets"? Amazing! How awesome would that be?
It ain't gonna happen. Not for a while anyway.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Winter has not been so hard lately! :D

I actually even got the Pin Heads to the beach on Sunday. We headed out around 3:00 thinking all those sports fans would be heading home, right? Yes, we were right!! It was amazing the exodus of cars leaving. And people, but there were still some folks there. Sundays I usually avoid the beach as it is just too busy. Spur loves people and will jump on them, especially those who coo and ahhh over his cuteness, which is everyone pretty much. I try like heck to warn them or get him before he does because even cooing people aren't impressed sometimes with sandy dog paws. And he's not great with big dogs, so a busy Sunday stroll at the beach is out for us most days. Not SuperBowl Sunday, though. :D

We had a nearly uneventful time and the dogs loved it. On the way in Roscoe was pooping and I was picking it up and I didn't see the approaching big dog (on leash), but the next instant Spur was barking at them. OH, I apologized and yelled for him to come and the people were fine with it and said it was OK. Damn it, I want to be the GOOD dog person at the beach. It really wasn't a big deal and I am glad they had their big dog (looked very pitty like, but probably nice) on leash, because they didn't have to at that point. It was the path/road in and it's not required to have them leashed. I am usually totally aware of my surroundings, but somehow missed those folks coming along.

Then after a very peaceful and solitary and lovely beach walk we happened upon the exit at the same time as a very pretty border collie mix who CHARGED little Stella, the littlest of our group and at the very last minute avoided slamming her, but spraying her with sand as he/she skidded around her. Shit, that all happens so fast. She was NOT impressed and her person fended off the rude dog. It then started to chase Spur, to which I yelled and shooed it away, saying to it's people........"Is your dog FRIENDLY????".........translation.........."Your dog is NOT friendly!!!"......to which they said......."Yep, he's friendly". To which I said........"OK, but we'll let you go along first". They sauntered down the path at a snail's pace, stopping even to take photos. NOT good dog people. The dog wasn't that bad, but why let your big dog charge a tiny dog???? Why do that and not apologize and try to get the dog away???? I just don't get that. I know dogs will be dogs, but at least make an effort???? I am sorry Spur barked at that pitty mix. I apologized and made a major effort to get him back ASAP. I tried. These people didn't even try or care. They just seemed to feel their dog should be able to charge a tiny dog any time it wants.

Roscoe and Colby both got to go and had double coats on and did fine. They were happy to have smooth walking and no ice or snow. Colby had trouble with the low sunlight, but she manages, poor thing. I would hate to go blind.

That morning I had checked Roscoe's teeth and noticed he lost the tooth he knocked last winter playing the "chase me" game with Spur. He ran into a chair. Damn. It broke and loosened, but my vet thought it might be OK or just eventually come out and not to worry about it, but to keep an eye on it, which I did and it just sort of stayed there kind of loose. I had noticed it was getting looser and looser. It took a year. Someone said I should now call him "Letterman". LOL!!!

We are practicing Spur's table a LOT. Putting "money in the bank". I have obviously failed to train a happy table. Damn it!!! We sometimes lose 3-5 seconds on the table and that stinks. LOVE AKC's "positionless" table. They don't have to do anything, just stand there, love that. But, not USDAA, it's a down. Elbows down before the 5 second count starts. Lately, though, with our indoor winter table training we are loosing only about 1-2 seconds, so it's improving!!!! Dinner last night for the dogs was boiled chicken. It's WAY cheaper than any dog treats. I bought 3lbs at Smahas for just over $6! So, lots of chicken for good tables. The Pin Heads get to practice down stays, too. Why not, they love chicken!
Toulouse found a lovely sunspot to sunbath on Sunday. Sunbathing Sunday Sunspots.
I think he's happy here!The horses napped. What's curious is how they nap. They always do this. Each one facing a different direction. They look sort of disconnected? Do you think that is a natural instinct? I do. Each one has sentry to a different vantage point. You know, in case a snow leopard or mountain lion happens to come through, right? Jazz is SO furry the poor guy has to find shade these days!!!!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Another gamble????

I can hardly believe it!! And this one was AWESOME! It felt good, I breathed. Yep, I actually took a breath. That may be my proudest moment. Breathing! I remembered that, too, later in the day. You know, how you slowly remember your dream. It all comes clear as your morning progresses. My breath, I remember that. It was as he did the second a-frame, I felt this strange relaxation...........breathing. A big breath. I just knew we could get this gamble, it was easy, I took a breath. We did it and not only did we get it we got the third most points of anyone, beaten only by Wicked and Perk.

Yep, some people name their dogs Wicked and Perk. I like those names. Kind of like Dude, only more cool, cuz Dude's not really a cool name, or is it? That's what Rich wants to name our next dog. We are always naming next dogs, even though so many of our dogs already came named. Spur's name was picked out in 84 and haven't had a dog since who didn't already have a name, until Spur. Isn't that when "The Man From Snowy River" movie came out? I think so, 83 or 84.

I can't believe it. A whole year of failed gambles, then two weekends in a row, gambles! And both had teeters in them. THAT's kind of even more remarkable. Well, not really because we have been practicing his teeter at a distance. Teeters..........the bane of so many people's agility existence. I spoke with a friend today and I never knew this about her awesome old papillon, Treat..........he had racked up 6000 MACH points before getting his MACH. You only need 750. But, it was the teeter. Six pound Treat kept flying off his teeter. That's a "failure to perform" and an immediate NQ. Damn teeter. She bought three teeters for Treat. So he would learn all variety of teeter feels. Hmmmmm, more money I need to spend on agility? More teeters? A friend suggested a swap. A teeter swap. Really? Like how we exchange books? A teeter exchange? Might be a good idea.

For now, this is the only video I have. My videographer must have turned my iPad on it's side. That's what happens when you do that. She should know this, she has an iPhone. I'll have to scold her. Do you scold friends who make mistakes videoing or not? Maybe not. Or maybe, she's actually a friend's kid, so maybe I can scold her. Maybe not. She was nice enough to video, but she also missed his opening. Oh well, another friend said she got it on her iPhone, so maybe we have a better one coming. Stay tuned.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

$5000 and you get a RDW in three weeks

How sad that supposedly many people have applied for this. Susan Garrett, world guru of dog training is taking applications. Supposedly she has a bunch to now choose for her team of five perfect students. Certainly, she would never have chosen Spur. And the time it took me to train his RDW I wouldn't trade for $5000. It was priceless to me!!! I enjoyed every minute of it and that anyone wants to miss out on that fun training makes me sad. Why? Why would you want to take so little time? Life is too short as it is. Enjoy the ride, take the time, smell the roses, enjoy your dog!!!! Those people are going to miss out on some really fun times.

I just don't get it. The time I spent with Spur training his running dog walk is some of the best times we had. We had/have SO much fun doing it, I just don't understand why people want to miss out on that. Donate that $5000 to a shelter and go have fun training your dog. Life is too short, enjoy it, the LONG way!!!!