The light is SO nice this time of year!

The trouble for ME is capturing the image I want. I tried to get some shots of the horses running to the lower pasture. These were the best I got! Timing, it is all about timing!

 Do you call that a Rooster Tail? I do!

 Spur got silly as we headed out to do a little training and jumped on my tunnel that was folded up so rain would not get in and the wind would not blow it away. I decided to try for a portrait, the colors were so brilliant with the bright, low fall light. Roscoe decided I must be asking for his handstand and held that position the whole time, silly dog!

 Trouble is the light makes them squint. It makes Colby pretty much just close her eye. Poor thing. She really has a tough time of it these days and is probably nearly blind most of the time. Sucks.

 It looks like Roscoe might be saying something to Colby and it probably isn't nice. She might be nearly blind, but she can still read his body language!!! She's such a good dog and he is mean to her sometimes. He is just an asshole, sometimes. OK, most of the time? He is like that irritating, uncoordinated bully on the playground. Picking on the weaker kids.

 The sky, SO blue!!!!

 It really is all about timing. OH do I love this shot, but he started coming towards me sooner than I was ready, so the only thing in focus are the bits of grass in the foreground. Damn! This is such a Spur moment, happy, happy, happy to be out on such a beautiful afternoon! We really do love this time of year. No bugs, not hot, just perfect weather! Although, it does sound like we are in for about 3 days of crappy weather. It has been a good week, though, so far! The colors are tremendous, the air crisp and cool. My most favorite time of year! I don't have to lather myself with sunscreen and bug spray. I feel energized and the dogs do, too!!!

 Again, it is all about timing. This beautiful little hawk flew up on a branch near us on our walk. I got this silhouette shot and then managed to walk on the other side for a sun brightened shot, but by the time I zoomed in and started to focus it left.

This weekend is the USDAA Nationals. I went last year, all the way to Louisville KY. This year it is in Denver. Outside. It would have meant a plane ride for me and Spur and outside???? What??? Denver can have SNOW this time of year. I am envious when I see the HUGE soccer fields the event is taking place on, but then my friends show photos of the storms and there has been rain. I think the crating is simply under big tents. Brrrrrrrrrrr..............I mean most of the time I guess the temps have been good, but rain means damp and a chill and that just doesn't seem good. They do have some field turf to run on and that must make it really nice. LOVE field turf, but running in rain and dealing with all that doesn't make me wish I were there. In fact, I am not even watching the live feed on the computer. I might buy the video on demand and watch the finals, but it is TOO nice out around here to be sitting inside watching live feed.

I don't know, I guess I am just not that much of a championess seeker. I think Spur is a champion. He has conquered his fears, learned to really love the game, sometimes post really awesome times, but champion? He just isn't that fast or that well put together to be champion. If the real champions mess up, yeah, Spur has a chance, but that would be his only chance. I just don't see championness in his future. I never did! I saw a cute little worried dog who I could hopefully bring out some confidence and joy in and I sure have done that and that makes him a champion to ME! And to many others! The Spur Fan Club is HUGE and growing all the time. He has so many fans!!! Someone I don't even know last weekend at the trial asked me how close he was to his MACH. I said I think about 6 double Q's. She said I had to promise to tell her if she was there, during a possible MACH run weekend. OK. I will. I will make sure everyone knows. Some people don't want everyone to know, but I do. Spur LOVES his fans and the more to cheer him on, the better. I know people get all quiet and hold their breaths during possible MACH runs, but I'll be sure to tell everyone to cheer loud and long for him as that is our best chance to run fast and clean!!! :D

More hard homework!

These courses are really, really hard for us. I had to break it down several times. This is our first time running the whole thing! He did fine, but his speed at the start with all those pushes and also the jumps after the a-frame are not that fast. She said I could try doing some pole to pole wrap work with stick in the ground poles set far apart to try to get him driving with more speed toward them. Just easy, fun, ball tossing work. Plus, she wanted to be sure I was doing lots of ball tossing while working this course. I did some when I broke it down, but now I am thinking not enough. So, I am going to try to do that and get this course going with some more speed and happiness. He SURE is happy on that last straight line and his DW. I totally succeeded in making that DW a happy thing, so I just need to make these jumps as happy. Lots and lots and lots of ball throwing for the jump work.

He sure is getting speedier about some things. And that weave entry is killer, good boy! Funny little guy has to take a stop for something on the ground after the weaves. That doesn't help me as I end up too far ahead. Still, all in all he did quite well on this hard course.

Self portraits? Hah!

Huh, well, I think I need help. It was SUCH a nice fall day, with such pretty light so I thought I would give it a try. First, I think the camera isn't focusing right and I am not sure what I am doing wrong there. Plus, getting the dogs to relax isn't working too well. AND, I guess I need to take off the hat! It means I might squint, but maybe not if the sun is off to the side and not directly in my eyes?

 Love the wind in Spur's hair in this shot..............the rest of us,......... look goofy..........

Trying to look "natural" walking down the trail. All the dogs can do is think about a cookie!!

 They are nice little heelers, though!! Rotten Roscoe in perfect heel position! Good boy. He loves his competition heeling!

 Again, Roscoe in perfect position! :D

I guess I need help. The setting is sure nice, but must remove the hat and get someone else to take the photos. We had fun, though, and the dogs enjoyed their heeling and getting cookies for walking along with me even though they would rather be chasing chippies or hunting grasshoppers! A cookie is worth a few minutes of attention! :D

Some runs from last weekend's USDAA trial

OH, so close on both gambles. The one in this video you will see he gets to the teeter and a sun spot gets him. There are these 5x5 windows at the top of the building and wouldn't you know the sun comes in and zeroes in on the teeter. He bailed. The other gamble isn't on this video, but he did really well, missed one jump. Most dogs didn't go as far out as he did, so I was really pleased with our gambles this weekend, even though no q's.

Jumpers was tough and many dogs just came SHOOTING out of that straight tunnel. Thanks to Silvia's homework he came pretty nice and tight! Good boy! Messed up that one jump, so no q, but he recovers and finishes happy, YAY!!!

The standard he won and I am VERY pleased with his table. Table after the teeter is always a bummer for him and sometimes causes a refusal to down. He lost only a couple seconds there, YAY! We don't have much competition in his jump height, so even when he loses a couple seconds he can win. :P

It was a good trial for him, he ran GREAT and HAPPY. He likes that place. Busy, crowded, loud. His kind of trial!!!

50 MPH winds make for a bad night's sleep

Miss Colby Carlson was scared. I brought her downstairs at about 11:00 to sleep in her snuggle sack there, which is sometimes her better place if we are tossing and turning, which I am sure I was as the winds were scaring me some. At about 1:30 she starts whining at the bottom of the stairs. I bring her back to bed, but she won't settle. She is shaking and whining. OI!!! I grab my pillow and her and head to the couch. She curls up next to me and falls fast asleep. Why was the couch so much better??? It actually seemed louder downstairs???? I managed to doze off some, but damn it the winds were LOUD!

My dogwalk fell over and broke some, but it is still useable maybe for the rest of this season. Then I need to make some new planks. One tunnel broke free of it's tunnel holders and probably took flight as it is the light fabric kind and ended up at the FAR end of the pasture wrapped around a fence post. I'm tired. A good morning to take a short job, but I'm too tired.

So, instead I will play with some of my trial videos from the weekend. For now, here is jumpers. The ending got cut off, which is OK since we did miss one jump, so NQ'd on this tough course, but I was VERY proud of how tight he came out of that straight tunnel. Thanks to Silvia's homework we have worked on that! Most dogs shot FAR out of the tunnel and went WAY wide there. Spur kept up good speed and looked great, really. I also like how I managed to get out of his way and just run on my blinds and fronts. Good ME!

Lots of cows!

Another epic failed attempt to capture motion. Damn it!

OK, now for the cows. These are the babies this year. The brown one is Midnight and I think she is SO pretty!!

 The black one is Summer. She always looks kind of serious and intense.

 Pretty Midnight!!!

 The red one is Little Nate. He is the CUTEST!

 This funny photo is Spur hunting chippies on the rock wall. He never catches them, but he loves to run along the wall hunting them. LOVE his long, pluming tail!

YAY, GOOD NEWS for Rotten Roscoe!

They could find no sign of cancer. He does have a slightly enlarged prostate, but she wasn't too concerned unless he starts having more bladder infections. So, looks like he was the lucky 21%!!!!

And he was a "good boy". Of course, I insisted on putting on the muzzle for them. I think he is going senile.

V-BTA

 Roscoe's V-BTA test, which stands for Veterinary Bladder Test Analytes, and tests for certain chemicals that indicate bladder cancer was positive. However, there were a few red blood cells in his urine and that could affect the test as a false positive. There is a 21% chance of that. If it had been negative, that is a strong result and we would say he didn't have bladder cancer. A positive means we need to do further testing. Which means an ultrasound of his bladder. Oh boy, that sounds really fun!! NOT! I asked if dogs usually need sedation and they just said sometimes. I think sometimes a dog doesn't like being touched or made to lie flat and still. Hmmm, what are YOUR thoughts about this for Rotten Roscoe!!! He will not have anything to eat before hand, which means, gasp............no food all day since the first appointment I could get is at 2:45 tomorrow. We are in for a FUN day tomorrow............double NOT!!!!

So, in honor of Rotten Roscoe I'll post a few photos. I really need to organize my photos more and put them in files/folders so that each dog has their own and they are easier to find.

This one is his competition obedience sit stay next to an Irish Wolfhound!! OMG, it was a sight to see!!! This was his last leg and his CD. He stayed. The Irish Wolfhound never even looked at him.

 I love this shot, he looks so young and adorable, almost sweet! We don't say that much about Roscoe. Looks are deceiving.

 His very first Novice A leg. First place with a score of 197 1/2. She told me she could take away my Q because I had that collar on him. It had a name plate. That is against the rules. Could be advertising, I guess. She was a bitch, but she did like him and told me his stand for exam was the cutest she had ever seen. He would jump into it and kick his back legs before planting solidly. :D

 He won many costume contests. You can see why!!!

He modeled for Pet Edge and made $60/hour!!!

 He was FAT when I first got him!

He heels so perfectly!

So, if he does indeed have bladder cancer there isn't much we can do. We treat with anti-inflammatory meds and keep him comfortable. That is the form of "chemo" for it. Surgery is risky and results are poor. Kuna lived for a year on the meds!!! :D I may have to invest in some belly bands (doggie diapers). Oi! Or maybe this is a false positive. Wish me well tomorrow. Handling Roscoe for vet procedures is always a challenge.

He figured out this weave entry in no time!

I moved the jump closer and he missed the second pole, not collecting enough, but I still rewarded him. Then I moved it a bit farther back and he got it!!! Then I moved it to the original spot and he nailed it TWICE!! Good boy!! So, we set it up again yesterday and his first time he is a little slow, trotting into the weaves, but they he gets it perfectly!! Good Little Monkey Pants!! He tries so hard for me!! I just love the little buggar!!!

 

Roscoe met the new vet

Roscoe had his recheck on his urine this morning and we met the new vet for the first time. My old vet sold her practice and moved away. Tough, since I had been going to her for nearly 30 years. I worked for her for two years. We had a long and comfortable relationship. But, I kind of liked this new chick. Time will tell. She was fine with Roscoe. She tried to push some dental products and that turned me off, but other than that and some bubbly, goofy new assistant, I wasn't terribly put off.

We are running a more involved test to check for bladder cancer. It will be a few days. His urine was normal, so that is good the antibiotics seemed to clear up his bladder infection.

Catalina, a cyber friend, sent me this photo. Do you think this is a friendly town?

Cows, spiders, thistle seed, a praying mantis, goldfinches, and a guessing game!

The swallows were swarming this tree and we couldn't figure out why?

 This is Little Nate!!!

 This is Summer. Born the day after the first day of summer.

 This tiny odd fellow arrived on my shade sail one evening.

 Hi there!!! Yeah, he is upside down because.......well, he was upside down!

 And, yes, a contraption I want you to guess what it is. Hint, it is "harvest" time on the farm. Does that clue you?