Spur's RDW

So, Spur is experimenting with going faster on his DW. That means the occasional miss. Not at trials, he may never feel confident enough to try it that fast at trials, but at home, he is trying for five strides, or six hits. However you want to define it, he is taking out two hits! He used to always do it in a 2, 3, 3, hit pattern, making some major adjustments to collect to hit. Good boy, but I probably stressed him too much about it and made him feel the need for those adjustments. Plus, my old wooden 10" wide DW probably never made him comfortable enough to run it that fast. Well, now with this new rubber 12" DW he is feeling a LOT more comfortable running it faster.

Last week's session -


This week's session -


Silvia says just keep working on it and let him work it out!!! Fun to be training it again!!!

Summer time!!!!

Lots and lots of blooming flowers right now!!!! 

The sky turned lavender one night!!!! People saw it all over New England and posted photos on facebooK!!! It was really spectacular!!!

Yesterday I spotted this injured swallowtail! it managed to fly and feed just fine!!!

The other night two HUGE young bucks were grazing in the pasture!!! 

I mean HUGE!!!! This guy was FAT!!! 

worrisome weekend!!

Shpuld have been a happy and wicked fun weekend and at times it was, but many times it was worrisome. This past weekend was the big New England USDAA Regional event at an AWESOME indoor sports arena in RI!  Always coincides with my birthday and in sort of my little gift to myself. a weekend of agility, indoor in awesome AC!!!! LOVE this facility!!! Great field turf to running, both me and Spur love it. big, busy trial with competition from all over. plus, this year with the new jump heights we lost some of our greatest competition as they moved to a different height. That means Spur's class is smaller and less competitive and he had a chance to do well, maybe even make the podium. 

well, that didn't happen because towards the end of the day Friday he started having reverse sneezes before his runs. Poor beggar. I would get him relaxed and calm and he would run his course pretty well, but next time up the same thing!!!! It had to be wearing on him. We teamed with another junior handler this year and we both had small issues in too many runs and ended up DEAD last!!!!! The dogs actually ran great, really, but little mistakes added up. Our team name..... Fluffernutter Monkey Pants!!!! A combo of our dog's nicknames!  :D

Anyway, the following day I knew he felt crappy. Thought maybe gas from inhaling too much during his reverse sneezes, but who knows. He felt crappy enough we packed up and went home!!!! SUCKED!!!!!

Then I get home and read Facebook and a friend's little papillon has been hospitalized for water intoxication!!!! WHAT???? That can kill a dog and this wee thing is only 6 pounds!!!! well, they caught it early enough, he had been playing ball and drank too much water and the owner knew the symptoms as it had happened once before to this dog. Really worrisome, but today the report is he is fine!!! Phew!!!!!

I feel like the weekend was a blur and just too much worry. Spur is so sensitive and I am just glad he fully recovered and looks great now, but I was definitely worried about him Sat. Morning. 

Plus, I had to leave my friend there who I was rooming with. she found friends to hang with, but we have so much fun together it double sucked to leave her and go home early. Oh well, there is always next year.........

The nicest gift!!!!

My friend Laura gave me this garden frog in memory of Colby. Her MOST favorite thing to do was hint frogs at the edge go a pond. She would do that for hours even never catching one. She loved it!!!! 

I will always think of Colby when I look at this frog!!!!

We had rain!

And that means we do some trick training!!! :D

Roscoe's first try learning to kick a ball. He already knows kick, so we were ahead of the game here......

 

I taught Spur to hold an object with one arm, so now have decided to try for both arms. He is struggling a bit. I can see he sinks down some, so I think maybe learning to hold the sit up might be something we need first? When he grabs the toy he pulls down on it. 

 

And then the rain stopped so we did some training. His hard weave entry with a rear........his hardest of all!!!! Then some DW work. He is consistently taking out the third hit on the top plank, but goodness his footwork is funky on the down. Traveling on his front feet at the top! Funny little guy, if he would just run normally I think he could do it in 2, 2, 2, but he works so hard to be right.

Holy cow, another week gone!!!!

what happens to the time???? OK, I will blame it on the weather. We have had some FABULOUS weather!!!! last week was SPECTACULAR!!! Cool and crisp and sunny! This week we are getting some heat, but it is still nice!!! So, I have been OUTSIDE enjoying the great weather. Lots of nights on the boat enjoying the beautiful Maine coast!!! Casco bay has to be one of the greatest places to boat. So easy to get around some amazing places. 

Took Rotten Roscoe out last weekend. boating has always been his most favorite thing. Oddly, he wasn't so happy........we can't figure it out. I was a little sad. He wasn't miserable, but he wasn't thrilled either. He is a bit finished with the loss of Colby. He thrived on being rotten to her and now he doesn't have anyone to be rotten to. Spur won't put up with it. His metabolism has soared!!! we are now feeding him triple what he was getting. Strange. I suppose I could do some blood work, but he seems fine. He's old!!!!

We are now fully into summer and all the beauty it brings!!!! The wild Daisies have lined our fence line so beautifully!!! Naturally!!!!

New babies are active and adorable next door!!!!