What happens to the day?

I don't know. It was a busy week. I had extra goldens to walk. It was warm and sunny. I was outside ALL DAY, ALL WEEK.It was a golden filled week!

Colby had moles to hunt.........

They all had cats to tree........

And Roscoe is just waiting for this weekend!!! It's all about Roscoe this weekend....

Off to the USDAA Team Tournament. Our team is Roscoe and Divot, the papillon. Our team name? "Roscoe Stomps a Divot".

Spur is entered in Performance Speed Jumping, but we may not make it to that class, the END of a very long day it looks to be. I have little patience with LONG trials and this one looks to be VERY long!

My FIL is here and he's an engineer!

He is on a mission to build me a contact trainer. An electric contact training like the ball launcher thing I posted here a while back. He is retired and enjoying this project. It kind of has him stumped a bit, but it is fun listening to him bat around his thoughts and ideas. Using blue tooth technology and touch pad sensors and stuff. Very cool, if he can figure it out. I am sure the technology will be there in the not so distant future, but for now all we seem to have is the "Hit-It Board" by nosetouch.com

I am using that now for Spur. It's a SLOW process. He is getting it ever so slowly. Trouble is we rewarded him for not thinking about the contacts for so long, just running as fast as he could go, rewarding speed always. Maybe that wasn't the right thing. He has that memory. AND he isn't all that pumped up about food like the Pin Heads. It's OK to him, but what REALLY means something is the ball. But, the ball is what I used to get speed. Now I am using food to get accuracy and understanding of the contact zone being a place for paws. LOL! He's getting it, but we do have failures sometimes and I try like heck to just bring him back around and try again.

This morning's session NO failures, YAY! This afternoon with FIL filming us, we had a couple failures. Perhaps the stress of me chatting with my FIL that broke his focus? I don't know, but we tried to stop when it was a good hit.

Some hits were back feet only, some hits were one front foot and some were both front and back. I would love consistency, but I don't seem to be getting that. Oi, this is one of the hardest training projects I have ever encountered....

Both front and back -


Just back -


Just back -


Just one front foot -


It really is a tough training project!! I am dedicated to making it work and doing what I need to do to make this work. He seems happy enough with the work, so we keep plugging along.

Tomorrow's post today?

I just feel like I won't have time for a post tomorrow. And today was SO nice I just HAD to get some shots of a pretty little horse named Jewel, sunbathing on the warm ground! I know I got one of Precious, who with her CRAZY Morgan winter coat still thick as can be, she was hiding in the weak shade of the honeysuckle tree, but damn I can't find it. Damn YOU Picassa photo program!!!!! Not my friend!! >:/
It didn't provide her much shade, but enough, I guess. Jewel never grows such a thick coat and LOVES her spring time mid-day sun naps!Notice the lower lip drooping as she snoozes..............

These were taken this morning on our morning farm walk, before it warmed up.

Colby - she looks so athletic and able, even though her eyes are squinting, she seems to see just fine in most light outside. Her blindness is really just a night time thing or going from light to dark, like when coming inside or entering the darkness of the barn after a bright sunny walk. She knows her way and manages. Outside, free running she seems to do quite well still...........so athletic..........

Roscoe - he looks like such a DORK! I have to say I don't ever use the word "athletic" when describing Roscoe...........

OK, so can I tell you how much I love the longer daylight?

However...........I gotta say it messes me up for a while! Next thing I know it is WAY later in the day then I had planned and I end up seemingly far behind on my plans for the day. I mean, really, it's nearly 6:30 and I am JUST coming inside. Now I have to shower, make dinner, plan tomorrow's schedule, and yet it is STILL light out and maybe I will just take the dogs out for another walk and who knows when dinner will be and I'll probably have to shower and go to bed with a wet head!

But, can I tell you how much I love the longer daylight?

I just get so pissed!!

Everyone told me Picassa was THE best photo program to work with. Easy, easy, easy for anyone to use. HUH???? I guess I am not anyone. I am someone. And this someone can't figure out Picassa. I am SO frustrated with it that I may dump it all and find another program. Anyone have an easier one they suggest? Wait! It was upon suggestion that I used Picassa, so maybe I shouldn't take any suggestions.

What I should probably do is FIGURE OUT WHY I CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT!!!!!

I load photo, by "importing". Then I open my Picassa program and can't FIND THEM! I need to be able to find them!!!! I can open my computer files and find them, but I can not find the files in the Picassa program that I JUST IMPORTED THEM TO!!!
WTF!!!! >:/

The photos I wanted to show were from the other night after one of our major down pours. The light on the marsh grass in front of our house was kind of eerie and had a very cool golden glow. Rich said it would not show in the photos. It really doesn't, but this is the photo.........This one shows it a little better. Maybe I had to take it through the window to show the golden glow?

This was taken this morning. (I KNOW, it's sideways! Remember that thing I said about Picassa???? I can't FIND IT TO ADJUST IT!!!!! Damnit!!!!). The SUN is out this morning and of course there is a golden glow. Can you find the Pin Head snuggled on the flurry bed on the chair that is only for the dogs?.........
He's just waiting for me to stop typing on the computer and head out for our walk.......in the SUN!!!

OH, and today I get to try out my new sunglasses. They are HUGE and I look like a bug, but my last ones allowed SO much light to come in from above that they were really useless unless I wore a ball cap. These cover even my eyebrows and allow hardly ANY light in. I do look like a bug, but the people at my eye docs all said these were in fashion anyway, so not to worry. Fashion? ME, in fashion??? Bwaaaaaaaaa.............I'll get a photo if I can EVER FIGURE OUT MY PICASSA AGAIN!!! I have done it before, so whatever I am doing now is wrong, I guess. DAMN, I can be SO computer illiterate!!!

Mirroring and immersion training

We know we all learn from "mirroring". We do it almost automatically or unconsciously. Ever notice how when people are standing around talking, we often end up in the same stance. If one person is crossing their arms, very often the rest will, too. If one person rests on one foot, soon more in the group with, too. It's fun to watch that stuff happen.

Animals do the same thing. Like when one dog picks up a stick to play, so often the other one will, too! Mirroring.......it's just something we do. - Not sure if I can call my weave pole training this morning as mirroring? I have done this before.....run Roscoe right ahead of Spur, to speed up Spur's weaves. Spur gets worried at times, and even though he loves his weaves and is quite good at them, we lose speed when he is worried. Run Roscoe through them ahead of him? NO worries, man, he ROCKS.........screaming after Roscoe doing the fastest, nicest weaves!!! It's useful, I think. It's amazing, really. I need to film it.

Immersion training? What the heck? On Patricia McConnell's blog she mentions that......

"IMMERSION–patients are immersed in therapy. Standard physical therapy was one hour a day, several times a week. In contrast, this therapy uses what they call “massed practice,” in which patients work for 3 to 6 hours a day. Think of how fast people learn a foreign language when they move to the country in which it is spoken, instead of practicing an hour a day…"

Good GRIEF, can you imagine? 3-6 hours of training? OK, no way, I can train and I have stamina, but 3-6 hours? NO. This reference is about working with stroke victims to help them regain the use of parts of their body.

However............I do think it may be useful with some of my work. As you know, my never ending quest for answers to Spur's running contacts brings me to wondering WHY am I having such a hard time with it. I can teach a dog to weave. My dogs weave. They love it, they know it, they weave. No wondering what's required, they weave. I wonder why I can teach a dog to weave SO well, so quickly, yet I am really struggling with running contacts. Roscoe was solid on weaves in two months. Seriously solid! Spur, about four months. Not solid, but really good. OK, so one thing I did was a sort of immersion therapy (training). I trained twice/day for five minutes. Every day, for two months. Spur, I did it for four months. Maybe if I had trained four times/day with Spur he would have been solid in two months? The training is short, seriously like five minutes each session. Can I use immersion training with Spur's contacts?

Maybe! I tried it last week. We had really good weather, so I could training every day. I decided that since he was really happy doing it, and since I have really messed up his contacts (he's quite good at running at top speed and missing it - bad trainer!!!), we could train up to 8 times/day. Five minutes only, but that many times. I never did manage to get in that many, but I think one day I did 7! The most repititions we did were 10. Most were between 5-7 repititions. I am using the electronic hit-it board. He is getting it. Getting it quite good now!

Me? I am sore. All that running, OI! I know, it's only like 5-7 times the length of the dog walk, but Muffin Heads, it's SPRINTING. I am sore.

Today I tested my training. I brought it to a new location. DAMN, he did it five times BRILLIANTLY !!!!! We had to do one re-do where he DID hit the contact zone, but not the hit-it board, so the beep didn't occur. That's fine, I just continued around and did it again, BEEP = JACKPOT!! YAY!!!! He isn't at top speed, but he loped each time. Not once did he trot, so I am feeling pretty pumped about things!!! I think he is really starting to understand. I think it is working. He seemed SO proud of himself! I was happy, he was happy, OH happy day!!!

My "immersion training" will have to wait a few days. This bad weather isn't good for running his dog walk. But, I am feeling like MAYBE we are on the road to getting this. FINALLY!

Must bring camera!

I stop doing that in the winter. My hands get too cold. Time to start the habit again because this morning I missed a photo-opportunity! The moles are active!! Well, more active, I guess I should say. I swear they have been busy all winter in my perennial garden chowing away on all my spring bulbs that are trying to sleep. My rock wall garden looks adulterated by moles right now and I am worried some of my bulbs are no longer there. Colby and Roscoe are busy "rototilling" the tunnels. Thankfully, they are focused on one area of irises that I really don't care about. Volunteer wild irises that aren't even that pretty, so it's OK, I guess. As OK as it can be to dig up my garden.

This morning on our farm walk we came across a mole "highway". It ran straight across the path and was FRESH! The dirt looked new, the mound wasn't there yesterday, it was definitely fresh and the dogs knew it. Roscoe started at one end and Colby on the other. It was amazing!! Rich and I (and Spur - who doesn't seem interested in mole hunts) stood there watching, thinking perhaps there IS a mole in there and they are trapping it between the two of them? Colby is quite good at mole hunting and instead of "plowing" her nose and digging in, she just grabs a chunk of sod and rips it out, then goes along that way. Gets the job done faster that way. It's really something to watch. Poor thing has to stop and spit dirt out of her mouth between grabs. Oi! The two met with just a nose between them. No mole. It was probably long gone? Did I say Colby was good at mole hunting? Well, kind of, if quickly uprooting the mole "highway" is good, she's GOOD!

Must bring camera.

Hello Mr. Fox!

I know, I know, they "carry diseases" and "kill cats" and are supposed to be unwanted vermin? Really? I guess. I find them appealing. They stink, yes, they REALLY stink. But, they are so cute and furry and adorable!! I saw this one today while out doing my mid-day dog walks. I was in Oakhurst, heading to Jake, the Spinone's house. I had just walked Gritty, the golden. I just happened to have my flip video handy. I have been bringing it lately in hopes of capturing one of our "puppy parties" in Oakhurst. See, there is a new kid on the block. Dylan, the collie puppy! And sometimes everyone happens to be out walking at the same time and we all make a fuss over Dylan. He's cool. Cool as a collie should be, cool! He has many friends. Oakhurst is dog-central, it seems. Some days we see so many dogs. It's one of my favorite neighborhoods to walk. It's dog friendly, that's for sure!

Anyway, on my way to Jake's and I spot this fella. Just trotting along, minding his own business. No concern about me, right on his tail in my BAT - big ass truck. Nope, not at all concerned. Like not at all concerned enough to stop and hunt for a mouse or something, with me right there video in hand talking to him, truck running, it was strange!! I just stuck my flip out my window and got the whole thing.

Then he headed off on his merry way, crossing in front of my truck, so I couldn't continue with my video. Wish I could have because the bold little guy goes over to Posh's yard and pees on one of her soccer ball!!! Seriously, I saw it with my own two eyes!! Posh never even saw him, she was sunbathing in the back of her car, hatch up so she was comfy and snoozing in the sun. Posh is an Old English Sheepdog, who might not have liked Mr. Fox peeing on her soccer ball! Posh REALLY likes her soccer balls. She might not like this one now. :O

This is the cutest one.......