Abby Agility Pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally got a picture up!

Some people who do this have partners/spouses who don't run dogs. Many of those people take photos. After all, there isn't a whole lot else to do. Eric Lee is one of those husbands. He has a beautiful and fancy camera that takes both photos and videos! He took this one of Abby during her standard run last sunday. She has a bit of a worried look on her face, but she was in the covered ring, so that is to be expected. Videos of her in the outside ring, and actually having fun, should come later this week.

and just for fun, Eric took this one of mole.


This is happy mole at a trial - he gave up his second run to the dobbie puppy and just got to hang out with mom.

Fun Match Re-Do

We had another fun match this weekend (awesome pictures to come!)

Abby did about the same as last time - perhaps a bit better. She was slightly more used to the crowds of people, but still slightly nervous inside. Our first run of the day was a standard run. . .with a different A-frame and dog walk then we had last time! Grrrrrr!!!!!! Otherwise she did well. She took a bunch of jumps and only mildly veered off course. (insert great pictures of Abby taking jumps) The next course was a jumpers course outside. She did quite well, but I was a bit of a wreck - we were the first ones up. Since we were first, I figured that if I got there quickly that there would be less people around and would make it easier for her. But that meant that we didn't work focus before. . .I was more worried about it then she was. . .After the run we did some obedience training outside the ring - she did amazing! I really should do obedience with this dog because she seems to get it. Our last run was a tunnelers run. . .this one had huge potential for disaster. We were middle of the pack - literally. There was a line up of people and they were trying to push dogs through as quickly as possible. But Abby seems to get sucked into tunnels, so once we were past the first tunnel things were great. Well, Abby was great at the first tunnel too, but I wasn't. We didn't finish the course - I stopped her about half way. I really want to focus on fun and building her confidence in the ring. She wasn't quite ready to stop - and that was kinda the goal. (insert awesome video here)

Mole had a chance to run today too. He was signed up for a weavers and a tunnelers course. The weavers course was first and he did awesome. He was typical mole -perfect yet super slow. We only did two tunnels and two weave sets - but he had a great time. We gave our second run to the dobe puppy as she really needed the practice more then mole did. Mole and I just laid in the grass on that run - I think he enjoys that about as much as he enjoys the course!

New Computer

I FINALLY got a new computer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't really know anything about it other then that it is a gateway and that it works GREAT!!!!

It is super fast!

Windows 7 is going to take some getting used to.

The new keyboard is probably going to take the most time getting used to. . .

I have to admit that I am a bit worried about abby and all the cords. . .but hopefully she won't be able to get to them since they are on the back of the computer. . .

First Time Out.

What could I possibly have done to deserve this face?


And this one?


I ran Abby in a fun match today at WAG and mole couldn't participate... It's official, I am the worst mom ever!

The courses offered were a Jumpers w/Weaves course and a standard course. The obstacles were numbered, but you could really do anything you wanted as long as you left the ring after your 90 sec time limit was up. Since mole's back went out, we are only running tunnel courses - and no tunnels were offered today. . .Mole was very angry with me. . .I am still not entirely sure if I have been forgiven. . .

The good news is that Abby did exceptionally well - and not just for Abby! The first course we ran was inside and it was a bit difficult for the both of us. There were a lot of people and a lot of excited barking dogs. Abby was visibly stressed, and I was stressed because I haven't really run in many trials. The expected happened in that run -Abby took three jumps then ran off. I was about to leave the ring, when the ring steward told me to use the rest of my time to do a few recalls over jumps - just do something. Given the second chance, I decided to do what I felt like doing and faced her away from people - she did a few jumps, including one triple (never saw that one before!) and a tire (that looks totally different from her tire!) She left the ring a bit more relaxed - the best we could hope for at that time.

The second course was a bit easier for Abby, but much more stressful for me. This course was outside. And while there is a fence, it is by no means escape proof - especially to a frightened dog. I had some help with this one and had some friends stand at the gates just in case. I started off this course with the goal of doing three jumps and one tunnel - not the planned course, but totally do-able for Abby. . .and as far away from the (much quieter) crowd as possible. Abby took all three jumps - at a RUN!!! and took the tunnel all while wagging her tail. Since she was having fun I kept going. I think that we did a total of 10 jumps - all super happy and having fun. We ended the course by taking the jumps we did in the beginning - what this means is that she was jumping facing the crowd (and auntie Marci). I figured that she would fly over the last three jumps and head straight into Marci's lap. . .but NOPE! She looked to me afterward (OK, she wanted cookies, but who cares!)

The third course was back to the inside. This time it was much quieter and Auntie Marci was in the ring with us. We did a jump, and headed straight for the dog walk. REFUSAL! It wasn't her dog walk! Same with the beloved A-frame! She sniffed both, then looked at me like "this isn't my A-frame!" Since we were on a time crunch I didn't spend time working her through it. We are going back next week, so we can give it another try then. But after the refusal she took a super long tunnel, some more jumps - including the triple, and the tire. After the tire she did a mini yahoo, but came back for a final jump when time was called. She was so HAPPY that she actually ran around! Normally yahoos are embargoing for the owner, but it was a mini one. . .and it was Abby. . . so it was alright in my book!

This was the first time that Abby ran in this space. We have been attending trials here for a few months now - mainly to allow her to settle in case we decided to do this one day. But I never expected to be able to run Abby here this year - ok, I never expected to have Abby in a class in the next year and a half! But Abby did a great job for a first time out - for any dog. . . not just for a nut case like Abby. And the most important thing of all was that she had a great time doing it. It was nice to see that after years of being mishandled by people, this little dog could learn to trust me enough to do what I ask of her in stressful situations. And not only that, but to be able to manage her stress in a way that allows her to forget the scary stuff and be able to have fun in those stressful situations! I am so proud of her!

It's an Artistic Science

After a barrage of tests, it turns out that Abby is ok. . .thank doG! I re-ran a tick panel on her - turns out everything was negative. . .again! But that was always a concern in the back of my mind. After looking at everything - objectively - and being talked down from people who know WAY more then I do - it seems that Abby just needs a diet change. Her body doesn't seem to function as well on a high protein diet (at least that is the theory, more tests later will confirm). My job is to tweak Abby's diet to make things a bit easier on her body.

Feeding is a science. There is a whole government organization (read:corporation) dedicated to animal feed - AAFCO. One of their jobs is to make sure that food on the market meets the daily nutritional value for animals. The only way to ensure that your animals receive all of the required nutrients each day is to eat one of these tested foods. They have teams of veterinarians and researchers who determine these requirements and do these tests.

I am neither a veterinarian, nor am I a researcher. I am just a single person trying to to make sure her dogs get the nutrients their little bodies require. Unlike AAFCO, I believe that it is equally healthy for pets to get their required nutrients over a period of time - there is no need to have it all in one day (just like humans!) Since my approach differs from them, none of the foods I buy/use/feed will be scientifically formulated.

And while feeding is technically a science, it is also an art. Each animal will require slightly different formulations based on their individual needs. My 9 pound 11 year old dog (being forced to slow down), has very different requirements then my 6 year old 15 pound agility star-in-the-making. I think that making your own food is the best way to ensure that each dog get's their specific needs met. And after years of feeding my dogs a high protein, low carb diet, it turns out that my newest pack member doesn't do so well with all that protein. But this is where knowing how to make your own food comes in handy!

Behold the new diet:


Ok, this isn't really the new diet. . .it's a modified version because I forgot to defrost the meat! I made two small changes 1) I added more veggies 2) I added some basic carbs - barley. The choice to use barley was a bit complicated. I can't use oats because pocket is allergic to oats. I can't use rice because Abby is allergic to rice. I thought about using quinoa, but it has a high protein content. I'm still a bit iffy on the barley - we'll see if everyone tolerates it. Also, it is a pain in the ass to cook - boiling for a whole hour! Although I hear if you soak it over-night it only takes 15 minutes. Regardless of what happens later on, Abby sure seemed to enjoy eating it.



(notice the new collar and the cold weather digs)