Spring is coming, right"???

I I am REALLY missing my agility yard!!!

It is STILL covered with about two feet of snow!!! Been driving to Raymond to rent a facility to train and that is getting old!!!! 

I know, just a few more warm days and the grass will appear, but it seems like it is taking FOREVER!!!!

Yes, The winter has been beautiful and fun......at times......

Spur has loved it!!! Hiking at Sugarloaf has been stunning, really.

A pleasure to be deep in the woods where we don't run into idiots with unruly dogs charging us, like we sometimes do around here.

I say that now because our local trails are becoming more and more popular and people are not so good at keeping their dogs respectful. One of our local areas even shut out off leash dogs due to too many issues. Well, duh people, you let the dogs be unruly and you lose their off leash privileges. it's that simple!!! One guy let his two big labs charge us and slam into us a couple weeks ago. I said...."Why do you let them do that"" and he asks me what I wanted him to do about it. Um, really?????? DONT LET THEM DO THAT!!! Seriously, dude, have a CLUE!!!! He looked at me like I grew horns. 

I don't really understand why people think that is OK????

I made some notes to leave on cars in the lot at these trail heads. The adventure dog walkers got pissed and defensive. Oi!!!! Really????? Might be time for them to start doing the same thing!!! Help be part of the solution and try to educate people. But, no they just don't seem interested in that sort of the. I have been charged and barked at by dogs in the hands of these adventure walkers and it's starting to piss me off!!! My friends are bitching to me about them, but I don't know them. Sucks they are causing issues like this!!!! I have only run into one adventure dog walker who had his dogs in good control. He should be showing the rest of them how it's done!!!!

How do we explain to our dogs when we lose our off leash areas? We ARE losing these places more and more. Buck up, people and stop being so irresponsible!!!!!

This weeks practice. A little better.

Still hesitating before the spreads, but practice only once a week is hardly going to be a fast recovery!

http://youtu.be/J32ybXLbKYA

We are stuck in another pattern of brutal cold and wind!!!! Damn it, will it ever end!!!! I struggle to celebrate things each day. The dogs can walk on the snow since it is rock solid frozen still!!! I guess that is worth celebrating??? Better than knee deep mud? maybe. 

I just want my agility yard, damn it!!!! The sun is now out until at least 6:00, so it's time to have my yard back'!!!

So, we celebrate the lingering winter with another attempt to ski. Better be warm enough'!!

Last week's practice!

(Huh said this never published? It was from March 9)

Went much better! Right away he was more into it! The DW was set up so I could toss a ball for him after and he LOVED that. Great way to warm up and get him into the game better. Then we tried 8", then 10" , the 12". I only put out the double this time and, as per my usual idiocy, I forgot his new spread cue.

Plan this week will be to do pretty much the same thing, only try this time to make sure to use my spread cue, do 8" and then 10". Not do 12" for now. And try the triple. Silvia suggested to try the double after the DW because it was the triple after the DW into the crowd that he knocked at one trial. That was a VERY unusual set up to see, so I want to try to set that up and be sure to cue it so he isn't surprised.

We had an AWESOME weekend at the ski condo!!! Lots of friends there, lots of partying, playing card game (Cards Of  Humanity) and both dogs did GREAT! Even Rotten Roscoe did very well. I think it was so crowded and so many people that he just couldn't keep up with his Rottenness! :D I think he even endeared himself to some of my friends who are not even dog people. Silly little dog, why do people get so fascinated by him??? And his rottenness. Spur was a HUGE hit and so cute right in the middle of it all!!! The condo is small, so space is cramped, but he did great!! We even did a hike on Sunday and he LOVED that! And before that we marched over to the base for coffee just to "take in the scene" as my friends said. That was a LOT for Spur, kids and people skiing around, the coffee shop is about 200 sf - TINY little place and he wanted to march right in and say HI to everyone. He was a big hit with his tiny toes in his red balloons! :D

My friends!!!! Beautiful trail!!!

He really does enjoy being social!!! Both dogs were pretty mentally exhausted. Which is good, little Roscoe has not had much activity lately, so this was good for him. Some excitement, even if he didn't get much exercise. Tough winter for a tiny little 16 year old!!!

Rotten Roscoe gets to GO!!!

Been a rugged winter for a 16 year old MinPin. He doesn't celebrate the snow like Spur does! He can manage if the trails are WELL packed and it isn't too cold. Well, when you get snow every other day the trails don't stay packed for long. And it has been too FUCKING COLD! So, poor buggar stays home. He SO wants to go and is trying to bolt out the door, I have to give him a big cookie to eat or stuffed kong every time we head out without him. I could take the time to get him to the bark, ........ if I HAD the time. So, yesterday we had several days without snow and several times the snow mobile had been through, so it was pretty well packed. COLD, but I thought I would try the booties on him. He hates to be touched, so putting them on is a challenge, but he was actually quite good about it. :D

So, off we went!! Crazy buggar was SO happy!!! We didn't go that far, but far enough for him to get out and feel included and I think he seemed pretty happy about it!

Spur, on the other hand is LOVIN' the snow!! Our hikes have been spectacular!' The snow is perfect and even though it is cold we manage fine!!! The balloon booties are a life saver, keeping the snow balls from forming and keeping some warm in. Yesterday morning, though, I thought it was cold enough for a coat and the MuttLuks. We normally wait for it to warm up some, but my friend had things she had to do, so off we went. Spur did great and the MuttLuks stayed on!'! They are not quite as secure as the balloon booties, but this time we never lost one!! HE doesn't seem to walk funny in them like Roscoe. he just runs along like he isn't even wearing them.

I only have photos of him in the balloon booties today, though.

Tess in her coat and balloons, she is such a super model!!! Yeah, six legs here, Spur was right on her heels!!!!