Alien Animals

For some reason my animals always turn into aliens at work

Pocket


Abby


Temporary office cat


Super creepy, right???

Notice who is missing???
My perfect angel of an old man would never turn into an alien at work!

Playing Catch-Up

It seems that this year has gone by faster then most of the others. It seems that this year has also been busier then most of the others too. And most of it has been "good busy" filled with things that I enjoy doing. By looking at this blog, one would think that the only thing I enjoy doing is playing with my dogs. It is true that's when I enjoy myself the most, but that isn't the only thing I have fun doing. One of my other passions is books. I love books of all kinds (save that ONE genre) and read at least one book in each genre each year - even if I don't really want to.

Even though my year has been busy, I still managed to find time for my beloved books. And this year has given me a few firsts in books 1) I joined a book club (with actual people) 2) I stopped reading books that I didn't enjoy 3) I paid for most of my books (and some were new) 4)I bought a few books at those giant impersonal stores. My goal was to read 50 books this year....did I make it? I think so, but I didn't keep track of all the books I read. I also cheated a little - there are a few books that I re-read every year, and I think that those should count to the total. Also, some of the books were short stories(blech!) but I read them so they definitely count!

Some of my favorites of the year:

Control Unleashed (Dog training book)

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Colors of the Mountain by Da Chen

My Life in France by Julia Child

These are all excellent yet easy reads. And when you have had a year like I've had, you need a few easy reads.

I'm hoping to keep my reading list up to date next year...but I'm not going to hold my breath...

Merry Christmas

Confession

I vaccinated my dogs...


People and Veterinarians are all over the map in the how/when/why to vaccinate. Local veterinarians say one thing and the Vet schools say another. Holistic vets say something else entirely...One years...three years...only puppy series...titer,titer,titer...It's exhausting and confusing for the individual pet owner.

I haven't vaccinated pocket in 5 years, and mole in 6 years. After talking to my vet, we decided that due to my work and the age in which my dogs were vaccinated that they were probably safe and that they didn't need to be re-vaccinated. She recommended titering them every one to three years. We did one about 2 years ago...but haven't done one since. Why I didn't do it on this last round of blood panels is beyond me and I am still kicking myself for it.

Work has been hectic lately and things have been going from bad to worse...common in rescue work...Part of the worse is two parvo puppies that need a lot of care. And because we have a trained tech and a vet, we can do a lot of things ourselves and save the organization hundreds of dollars. But that means that the trained tech is spending most of her time surrounded by active parvo. And while we are taking every precaution necessary, there is still some *slight* risk of transmission. And parvo can be deadly...

I've been going back and forth for almost a week now - plenty of time for the virus to transfer...but yesterday I decided to go ahead and just do it. I would never forgive myself if one of my kids came down with parvo. And I have vaccinated them before and I know that neither had any obvious reaction to the vaccine. I would have rather titered them, but things are so hectic around the office that I new it would never get done. I vaccinated pocket and mole, but Abby was vaccinated a year and a half ago, so I didn't even consider her - plus she has seizures and that was the last thing that we needed right now...


This decision has been really hard for me. I am very much against over-vaccinating, but I am very much for my pet's health and safety. I know that I am not going to be completely ok with my decision until a month or so - after the vaccine has reached maximum efficacy and having seen no adverse reaction. My kids are tough...they are troopers...they will be just fine...it's me that you have to worry about...

I Broke My Dog

On my break from agility I am trying to teach my dog the command "left" While in some cases this is a simple spin trick, in the case of agility it is often a valuable tool to have under your belt. When running a course, your dog may need to take an obstacle that you cannot get to fast enough to usher in with signals. This is where having a dog under voice control using directions (left, right, go on) can help you finish with a "winning time"

Abby and I are not interested in winning anything...I am still just so happy that she actually finishes a course. She doesn't need to have directional commands because she doesn't run fast enough (yet). But training Abby is really about training me - and one day I may have a dog that is fast enough to use directional commands, and it makes sense to start using them now so I feel comfortable with them when I actually need them.

Unfortunately in teaching Abby "left" I somehow broke her obedience in the process. Abby really should do obedience - she is a fast learner and she has a great memory. She loves hearing that "click" and almost vibrates with anticipation of it. Even when I don't train obedience for a while, she can still do everything I ask without hesitation. . .until a few days ago, that is...

Now when I ask Abby to "finish" she walks half way around, does a left (full spin) turn before finally completing the behavior. GGGRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!! What happened??? Was turning left so rewarding that she did it even when she wasn't asked???

I'm trying not to be too hard on myself because I know that this is easily fixable and it happens a lot when training a new behavior...I can only hope that when we actually use the left, that something else doesn't break, like running half way into a tunnel, turning a circle, then coming out... The last thing we need is more "abbyisms" taking up time in a trial...

Old Videos

So my internet is finally working a bit more regularly then it has been... and i was finally able to upload the old fun match videos of abby doing her standard run. Remember, this was a fun match in mid November, and I was allowed to treat and touch my dog.

This first run I spent most of my time running Abby over contacts. She really doesn't like "new" obstacles. I spent the first few seconds of my run trying to convince her to take the new dog walk. But once she see the A-frame, there was no discussing. . .she was happy to take it. I wanted to make sure that we wouldn't have a problem with another "new" a-frame, so we went over this one a few times.



The second run was a bit more fun. Once Abby knew what we were doing, she totally blew me off and took the a-frame all on her own...silly girl! But she got back on track and was doing well until she saw the teeter and mistook it for a dog walk. I think I scared her a bit with it, but that was probably a good thing. She can't do a baby teeter on a good day, and a standard teeter would have terrified her enough to put her off contact obstacles for a while.

Frustrations of a Multi-Dog Household

Sure they look innocent enough. . . but try to do something with one alone and they turn into screaming banshees!


Abby loves to train. Mole loves treats. Pocket actually doesn't care either way...


Agility is done for the year. Due to weather, holidays and trials, we have a 3 week hiatus from formal training. That doesn't mean that I can stop training, however. There are certain things that I am supposed to be working on with Abby... but I have almost no motivation to do it because it brings chaos into my otherwise calm household.

All of my dogs are clicker trained - even the ones that don't really like the click itself...Not that I am trying to be mean and use a scary clicker for a dog that doesn't like the sound, but in my trying to find a click that my dog's don't hate, they have learned that clicking means TREATS!!!!!! And while I have stopped using clickers with mole all together, he still thinks that he should get a treat when he hears the click for another dog. And when he doesn't get a treat, he screams his head off.

I am positive that I am not the only person in the world without a yard I can train in, and with multiple dogs who are clicker trained. But how do these people train one dog without the other dogs going to pieces??? Or maybe people live with the barking for 15 minutes at a time??? But considering the fact that I will probably always be a multi-dog household, and the fact that I will probably always be training at least one dog, I need to figure out a way to train in peace!

Maybe frozen kongs and knuckle bones. . .

Sunday NADAC event

This past sunday was our first actual agility trial. This means that I couldn't use any food in the ring, and I couldn't touch my dog. It also means that we were being timed. Abby did quite well for her first trial. She took all the obstacles without ever being treated and her tail was wagging non-stop - a few times she even did a mini-yahoo! My only *complaint* is that my dog us too social in the ring. She keeps trying to go over to people to say hi. She never goes up to anyone ever! Yet she all of a sudden wants to meet the pole setters and the judge!!! Who is this dog????

The video was expertly brought to you by 4 legged flix. They go to a lot of the shows and other dog events and take wonderful video. I totally <3 them.

This was the first run of the day: a jumpers course. Abby ran it in 59.41 sec (1.63 y/s - kinda slow). It felt like an eternity out there - especially when she visited the pole setter.



The second run was a standard course. She ran this one in 67.99 sec (2 y/s - faster!!!). This dog walk was was different then the last one that she ran on here, so it took her a few seconds before she decided if she wanted to take it or not.But once she got going, it was all fun and games - especially on that A-frame!



We did a third run, it was a tunnelers course. Abby did great at the beginning, but I think she got a little bored because she decided that she was done 3/4 of the way through...We didn't buy that video...

So Amazing

I saw this video on a training blog that I read regularly, and I thought that it would be good to share it.



What I find interesting is that this person had gotten this dog for a specific purpose, but the dog wasn't the right fit for the job she wanted him to do. But she still worked with the dog and found the perfect fit for him. I think that a lot of us with dogs can relate to this in one way or another. None of my dogs turned out like I had originally imagined - after allowing them to be who they really are, they turned out even better then I hoped/imagined/believed possible.

Almost Finished!

Almost done with ONE person's christmas gift...

Winter Hobby

Winter hobby is in full swing!
I'm not entirely sure how these larger needles are going to work out. . . or how knitting with mohair is going to be. . .but it should be fun finding out!

When to Euthaznize Your Pet

This is a very sad time for one of my best friends. Her beloved cat is dying and she is facing the decision whether/when (or not) to euthanize her. The cat has been sick for over a year, but it has just been in the last few weeks that things have started taking a turn for the worst. I think that this is doubly hard for her because she has never had to make this decision before.

The decision to euthanize a pet is very personal, and it is often one of the hardest decisions that a person will have to make. Some people can't possibly bear the thought and process of having their pet euthanized and have decided instead to "let nature take its course" and allow their pet to die at home. Other people feel that this allows the pet to feel unnecessary suffering and are thankful that we can put our pets to rest before their suffering becomes unbearable. And if you are of the later opinion, the second, and often harder part of that same question is when.

When does it become appropriate to put down a beloved family member? I get this question frequently and my answer has always been "you will know when it is time." What I usually fail to mention is that your time might be different then my time, but both are the right time. I think that the right time is less about the pet's suffering itself, and more of what you can live with when everything is all said and done. That may sound harsh and contradictory to the process, but it is true. Pain and suffering in animals cannot be measured scientifically, and what one person perceives as pain/suffering, may not be seen as such by another person. And what I perceive as suffering, you may not, as your experiences with any particular animal will be different then mine, therefore our perceptions on when the right time is will be different. This does not mean that either person cares less for the pet.

I have had to make the decision to euthanize an animal many times, and I have witnessed too many euthanasias. But the decision to euthanize your own beloved pet never gets easier. Its unfortunate, but this topic is coming up more and more in my circle of friends. We all got our animals about the same time, and we all rescued, so as our own individual animals continue to age, this topic hits closer and closer to home. And even in conversations about someone else's pet, you can't help but think of your own geriatric pets. Even though our own pets aren't allowed to die, it gets harder and harder to believe it when the aging signs come up more and more. And while I don't like to think about it, I often wonder if I will be able to make that decision and know when the right time is when it comes to my kids.

You Tube Frustration

This past Sunday we had another fun match up near Sacramento. Let me tell you, it as not nearly as fun as they have been in the past. And it wasn't Abby's fault at all, it was the weather! It was freezing cold! And the fog was so thick you couldn't see 10 feet in front of you. It was totally yucky! I wore so many layers of clothes that I looked like the abominable snowman! Abby wore a jacket between runs and even then her poor feet were so cold that I had to warm them up in my jacket! But she did really well despite the weather. . . and despite me. . .

The grandparents came up this time so that they could see what we do. It was a shorter then usual fun match so I figured it was a good time to go up without wasting their entire day up there. Grandpa took videos with his (point and shoot) camera, so the quality isn't excellent, but you can still see what is going on.

The first two runs of the day were the jumpers runs. Abby did great, but she consistently missed the second jump in a series. After looking back at the video, I think that I was crowding her. My attempt was to have her close enough to me where she had no choice but to take the jump. . .but I think that I was too close to the jump itself that she didn't feel safe next my clumsy self!

In the first video she surprised me completely by actually running at all! Not only were we inside (which she hates) but there was a lady in the next ring yelling at her dog!



In the second video Abby does a bit better. She saw the same course a few minutes earlier so she is a bit more confident and she moves a bit quicker. She also tries to go up and see a dog that is laying outside the ring. I was a bit mad, but not at Abby - the dog was literally laying on the fence - not entirely fair to the dog running in the ring. The funny thing that happens in the second video is that I get lost in the middle of the run! I really wasn't planning on her doing so well. . .I didn't learn the entire course, just what I thought she would do...



There are two more videos to come, but we are having intermittent internet activity and the videos won't upload properly. . .grrr!

How Its Supposed to Look

A few weeks ago Abby and I did a fun run. She did a standard course, a tunnel course, and a jumpers course. Abby did excellent on all of them . . . And I finally have the video to prove it (well, only for the tunnelers course)



Didn't she do great? We stop a lot for treats, but can you SEE the tail going????? I didn't finish the course because the goal is for her to have fun - not finish.


I'm super proud of her, but this is how it is supposed to look:



Colette and Chloe have been doing this a while and they have it down!

And just for fun, this was the best lure coursing of the day:



And since I'm showing everyone else off, I have to show my best girl off too

My Puppy

I recently heard that my grandmother did not have any pictures of pocket; although I did not share this news with pocket. She has lots of pictures of mole, and even some of Abby... but poor pocket was no where to be seen. This is really very tragic. It is extremely important that all her great-grandbabies are shown equal love (we all know that she really loves mole best, though). In trying to rectify the situation, I came across some of her old "puppy pictures".

Pocket was about 11 months old when she came to me. She was full of energy and spice. She was the perfect second dog for me, and the perfect companion for mole. Looking back, I think that I missed so many great training opportunities with her, but I didn't have the resources that I have now. And while pocket is still full of spice, she is now filled with more spice rather than energy!

Here are some of my old favorites:

She used to wear a lot of clothes!


She is still protective of her chewie (this one also shows how sleek her coat was and how narrow her face was)


Typical:

She's Talking To Me!

Abby has been doing amazingly well in class. She is no longer the cowering dog that refuses to do anything when someone else is watching her. For the most part, she is happy and fast - like she is on Sundays when it it just us. This really surprises me for two reasons 1) there are a lot more people in class now 2) its dark the entire class.

When we first started the class, there were two other people - a dalmatian and a Brittany (and the trainer with her BC). Abby was a wreck for most of those first classes. Not only was she in a different yard, there were now people and strange excitable dogs to have to worry about. But now, we not only have those three dogs, we also have a golden, a bedlington, and a viszla. And with those dogs also come (duh duh dun) people.

The other concern when training abby is that the yard is now lighted by flood lights. Sure they emit a ton of light, but they also give huge shadows around the equipment. Tunnel entrances are darker. Jumps now look bigger and longer. Only the up side of the A-frame is now lit and the down side is almost entirely shadow. These shadows are scary for most dogs, not just wiggy iggys.

Despite all these obstacles Abby is doing well. She spends most of her time focused on me and not the entrance/exit door to the yard. She no longer has that worried face when the other dogs get the zoomies. She can do multiple obstacles in a row without veering off course. It's almost like she has forgotten that everyone else exists and that it is just the two of us on a Sunday morning having fun. Well, that was until Laura talked to her. . .

Laura is a very nice lady who trains DJ, the golden in our class. Laura is always very positive with her dog. She never raises her voice, never gets frustrated. She rewards frequently. She is really the only one I admire in the class. Basically, Laura is a nice person who is good to her dogs. We chat frequently in class - partly because she is so nice, and partly because her dog is well behaved and doesn't futz too much with Abby. Abby has seen Laura probably 10+ times by now and never seems worried or afraid of her. That is, until Laura talked to her.

Abby and I spend a lot of time doing relationship building/focus exercises in class. She is rewarded frequently - mainly for just watching me. Most of these exercises are mindless for me and I can easily watch the other students, learn from the instructor, or chat. Abby and I were doing some of these exercises, I was chatting with Laura; Laura said something to Abby. . .Abby looked at her, this strange look came over her face as if to say "are you talking to me?" Then Abby stood up, turned away, and refused to turn back. She wouldn't even look at me! Laura and I both started cracking up laughing. It was so funny to see Abby change like that. And it was also really funny to see Abby looking away like that - almost like the ostrich who sticks it's head in the sand. Or maybe, if I don't look at her, or acknowledge her, maybe she will go away and leave us alone.

Even after that, Abby finished the class well. But I don't think she will ever look at Laura again.

Testing Dogs

I go to local animal shelters regularly and temperament test dogs. Every rescue has their own version of a temperament test (sometimes, and more accurately called behavior evaulation) and every person who performs that test, even in the same rescue, will do it differently. And, as you can imagine, the same dog will test differently with different people. Because I am the only person who tests dogs for the rescue I work at, the dog has to *pass* my test.

Sometimes, when I am testing, I will come across a dog that doesn't pass, but also doesn't fail. This is where good judgment, and past experience, comes into play. More often then not, however, I will take these dogs in. Even if it is just to give them a chance to pass later on. Many of the dogs I see don't do well in shelters, therefore they test poorly - or sometimes not at all... And I hope that by giving them a second chance, they may show something worth saving. And, more often then not, they do.

One of my biggest challenges when testing dogs is testing the small dogs. Small dogs, of all breeds, require a different type of evaluation, because they are completely different from larger dogs. My small dog test, however, is completely flawed. I am a small dog person. I have three of them (sometimes four). I know what to do to help the small dog be at ease in my presence. I know how to behave so that a small dog will not feel frightened when I pick him up. I pass more small dogs then I fail. I think they can sense that I am a small dog person and show their friendly side - and sucker me in to take them out of the shelter.

Some days, like today, I can't handle iffy dogs, or small dogs. I need great dogs. I need dogs that I can stick with kids - even my friend's kids. And on those days, I pull hounds. And that isn't to say that all hounds are great with kids, or that hounds in general are better then any other class of dogs. But, in my experience, most hounds pass my test. I am in no way a "hound person" but sometimes you need an doofy, easy going dog that wants to watch the birds. And sometimes you would rather test an easy going doofy dog then one that *might* bite you. And, in all honesty, sometimes you would rather test a dog you know you can take and easily place then one that might not pass and you will forever wonder what if. . .

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)

Ignorance is Bliss. . .

. . .and knowledge will keep you up at night. Earlier this afternoon a coworker and I agreed that it would be so nice to be one of those ignorant pet owners who went about their lives not worrying about the health of their pets. But we aren't. I like to think of myself as only slightly neurotic, but very on top of my pet's health needs. I make sure that they have regular dentals (9 months for pocket, 1 1/2 years for mole), yearly blood work, acupuncture, x-rays when needed, etc. I know the benefit that early detection can bring - and that early treatment can add months, or years, to your pet's life.

I did Abby's yearly blood work today. Abby freaked out half-way through her blood draw and I only got enough for a chem panel. I tried for more blood, but she wasn't having any of it. I didn't press the issue because this was just routine blood work - I wasn't seeing anything in her behavior that caused concern. I really wish that I pressed the issue because her kidney panel came back high. And while I am trying not to panic, I know too much about what could be wrong that I can't help but panic.

I talked to a friend about this - before the panic set in - and I said "this dog can not die". As soon as I said that, it struck me that this is my dog. Some how in the craziness that has been the past year, I fell in love with this girl and she has become an instrumental part of our family. She is one of my kids. I love her completely and totally. I have to make sure that this is just a simple infection and not something more. And until I have concrete proof that she is 100% fine, I am going to worry. Abby, on the other hand, just wants me to crawl into bed and cuddle her. And because I love her so much, I am going to pretend that everything is fine, so that she can remain blissfully unaware that something, somewhere is wrong. She has had enough crap in her life, she shouldn't have to worry that her mom is crazy too.

Dogs: Companions or Property?

Let me start out by saying that I love my dogs. I have scheduled my life around their needs including taking jobs that allow me to bring my dogs to work. I spend the majority of my income on their medical, food, and fun bills. I call them my kids because they truly are a part of me.

All that being said, I am thankful that they are my property. I am glad that I own my dogs and that someone cannot come and take them away from me just because they have different ideas of how I should care for them.

While many people who know me would think that it is ridiculous that someone would even try to take my dogs away from me. After all, they spend the majority of their day with me. They are well trained and social members of society. They eat a healthier diet then I do, and they get regular vet care. However, there are a few things that I do differently then most people that could cause someone, somewhere concern. First, I do not vaccinate my dogs - at all. While vaccination requirements are under debate, what I do is still considered *rogue* by some vets. And on top of not vaccinating, I bring my dogs to work every day where they come in contact with potentially sick animals. That could be construed as endangerment. The second thing I do that can cause controversy is that I keep my dogs thin. Studies have shown that animals that are kept just slightly under weight live years longer then animals that are over weight. And while one of my dogs is supposed to be thin based on breed standard, she is often viewed as too thin by the general public. From time to time, she is too thin based on my standards too, but she is very active, has a high metabolism, and she eats food based on eye-balled amounts. I try, but I am not perfect, and maybe to some, I neglect the caloric needs of my dogs.

I understand why certain groups are promoting animals as companions and not property. I would love to see the abuse and neglect of animals put to an end. But I think that most of that can be done with stricter enforcement of already existing animal cruelty laws. My dogs are MINE, your dogs are YOURS. If there is concern about the welfare of someone's dog, a call to a trained animal control officer will sort things out. Once that has been done and proper care has been established, you do not have the right to steal another person's pet just because you disagree with how it is being housed/cared for.

This is Why

Some days, this job can be too hard. Years of working in animal rescue has "hardened" me some, but not completely. There are still a few days I go home and think "I can't go back tomorrow and do this all over again." But I know that I have to. It's my job, and for the most part, I love it. I just need to remember my reasons for staying.

And here is one



All better and ready to go into his forever home.

Totally worth it.

Procrastination

Procrastination is never a good thing. I always do it, and I am always sorry I do. And when I finally get around to doing what I've been procrastinating, I always think"gee, that was easy. I should have done that earlier."

I have been procrastinating my 100K mile car tune up for about 20K miles. Its not really a good thing when you consider how much I travel for dog stuff. I really should have taken care of this a year ago, but car stuff is always a pain to deal with and it is always so expen$ive!

My car started smoking today. Real smoke. Luckily I was literally one block from my mom's house. I pulled over, grabbed the dogs and ran. (I'm a little paranoid about car smoke because my friend's car caught on fire a few years ago.) I called my dad and he came over to check things out - turns out it wasn't as bad as I had thought (well, at least not according to the estimate!) It seems that there is just a crack in one of the hoses. And while my dad can easily fix that, I figured that we might as well take it to a professional and have them do everything that's needed. Another lucky break - our mechanic is only 5 blocks from our house. My dad braved the steam and drove it over there. I should have it back tomorrow afternoon.

And while I was very lucky that this didn't happen on my way to sacramento, if I had taken care of the tune up, this never would have happened at all. And it probably would have cost the same amount. And I still would have been out of a car for a day. But I wouldn't have been worrying about it randomly at night when I couldn't do anything about it. Let this be a lesson: don't procrastinate car stuff!

I <3 Dave Mills

Alternate Title: First Place Bitches!

About 3 weeks ago, Mole's back went out. That meant no more agility for us. But we were already scheduled for a trial this past Sunday and while it probably wasn't the best idea, I went ahead and ran him in a tunnelers course. We scratched the runs with the jumps, but tunnelers has no jumps. . . and it was our one and only chance to really do this. . .

The day started out as well as any day does when you wake up at 4am. No coffee places are open, and when you finally find one (two hours later), your dog drinks your coffee (thanks Abby!) The dogs sleep soundly in the back seat while you drive there in the pitch black, trying to remind yourself that this is fun. Once you get there, the dogs are ready to go and all you want to do is sleep. But once the trial starts at 7:30am, you forget your exhaustion and are ready to run!

The tunnelers course was the third run of the day. It was still early enough that it wasn't too hot, but late enough that we all had a chance to get settled in. I was a bit worried how we would do as we haven't done anything in a few weeks. On top of the lack of practice time, this was the first time that mole ran in this field with these tunnels. And one of the tunnels was CLEAR! wtf? Even if we had practiced, this would be the first time that mole would run a course with 14 obstacles. That is a lot for an 11 year old dog! And all this while being timed!

But mole is the best dog in the entire world, so we really had nothing to worry about! He not only ran his heart out, but he won first place! Ok, let's be honest, the other dogs in the 4" category didn't exactly finish the course. But that is part of trialing! And since we are being honest, I really should mention that we didn't even Q. . .He ran the course in 75 seconds - 30 seconds off course time. But WHO CARES!? We both had a fantastic time out there.

And this is why I love Dave Mills:






Not only does my guy look happy, he looks like every other dog on the field! If you didn't know us, you would have no idea that mole is not an agility bred dog (ok, you probably would. . .) You would have no idea that mole was as old as he was. And you would have no idea that we have only been doing this for 6 months - and only in classes for 3! These pictures are so beautiful that they make me want to cry. Who would have thought that my little old man, grumpy uncle mole, would ever do this? I am so proud of him, and so thankful that we were able to do this together at least one time.

Computer Gripes

My computer is trying to die.

My computer has been trying to die for the past two years. But I have been resuscitating it regularly because I am too cheap to buy a new one. But I am thinking that my computer's lifespan is running out faster then ever at this point. Every time I restart it, something else doesn't work. After a few restarts it will eventually start working again. . .at the cost of more things. Some of the items that don't work: mouse, DVD/CD drive, photo upload, video watching. . .

I go from slightly frustrated, to very angry at my computer for it's suicide missions.

Right now I am moderately annoyed that my mouse doesn't work and that I can't watch streaming videos. If I didn't have the new season of grey's anatomy to keep me busy, I might be very angry. . .

Proud Mama

Abby went to her first agility CLASS tonight. And boy was I scared. I was afraid that she would refuse obstacles, that she would cower and shake. That she would try to run away. After all, there would be at least 4 new people and 4 new dogs in a yard that she is only semi-comfortable with. And it was only recently that she really started jumping her full height - and going all the way through the tunnel. . .

The class we attend is for young/baby/beginner dogs. But most of these people have been doing this for a few years. . .We have only been doing this for a few MONTHS. And only a hand full of times in that yard. And, if you know Abby at all, you know that the new environment is the biggest challenge! Since most of these people have been doing this for a bit, many of the obstacles are strung together to form a sequence. Sequences are not something we are really doing. We are rewarding for EVERY jump, EVERY tunnel. This was going to be a new experience on so many levels. I really wasn't sure if my dog was up for this. . .

But the girl surprised the crap out of me!

Sure it took her a few requests to do the first jump, but after that we were "golden". And not just golden for Abby. . .golden for ANY new dog. Abby had no fear of the strange people or dogs. She took every jump I asked, although a few I had to ask more then once. She took every tunnel. She happily walked down the A frame and the dog walk (we are still working on the "up" part. She did a great job on her weaves. . .but then again, she has always done well on her weaves. . .And not only did abby do well with the agility, she also did well when I asked for obedience. She was a completely NORMAL dog tonight. It was so weird to watch, and be a part of. Who was this dog attached to the other end of my leash whose tail wouldn't stop wagging?

I Forget

Mole can no longer do agility. His back went out, and while he is feeling better, we aren't risking his health. It's sad, because we both really enjoyed it.

What this means for us, is that Abby will have to step up her training. I was thinking that we would have a year where we could slowly introduce obstacles and settings, but that leisurely time is gone. She is going to be on the fast track for training. Although the "fast track" for Abby is anything but fast for me. It is painfully slow. . .

We went to the yard today to do some basics, and boy was it basic. I had to re-teach EVERY jump. . .BOTH WAYS! Something that she can do easily in one place is suddenly scary and new in a different place. It's frustrating for me because she knows this. WE know this.

And in the middle of my frustrations, I have to remind myself that Abby really is doing a great job - for Abby. I forget that she spent the first 5 years of her life in a box. I forget that she used to run away from me. I forget that she had no socialization to anything but other dogs during crucial periods in her mental development. I forget that Abby has come so far. . .I forget that Abby isn't Mole. Mole is a once in a lifetime dog and partner. And on top of his all around greatness, we have also had 6 years together to develop a bond and trust that makes doing agility easy and fun. Not only is Abby not there, but we aren't there together.

This doesn't mean that we are going to slow down training. . .it means that we are going to have to take a different approach than mole and I did. It means that I have to work at her level, and that we need to do more bonding exercises. It means that I have to become a better trainer...

Olive Kitteridge

Olive Kitteridge, written by Elizabeth Strout, was a book that my "book club" recently picked to read. And while I have never been fond of "linked stories" (ie: short stories) I thought I would give this one a fair shot. And I hated it. I hated every single word of this book. I was frustrated that the characters flitted in and out of my life so easily. I wanted to stop reading the book. I put it down time and time again, but something made me pick it up again. And in the end, I was very glad I did. While I didn't ever really like the book, I did become fond of the main character, Olive Kitteridge.

Olive Kitteridge was a grumpy old woman, to put it mildly. She had a short temper and never offered a kind word to anyone - not even her husband or son. But as the stories progressed, you learn that Olive doesn't really like herself much. And while she knows she isn't perfect, you recognise that she can't seem to help herself. You recognise her humanity. And it is her humanity that makes you fall for the character, not her do-gooder personality like in so many other novels.

This book was the first book in recent months that has made me think. And maybe it wasn't the book itself, but the timing of the book with other events in my life. The pure humanity of people has been a recent theme in these past few weeks. Whether it be crazy landlords, disapproving doctors, lying exes, or supportive friends; we all have a bit of something in us that makes us imperfect - or in some cases, perfect. None of us are all or nothing of one or the other. We are all a little bit of both. And it is seeing both in someone that brings us closer together as friends, partners, family, etc. It is only after we have been seen, for what and who we are, that we can start being better humans. That we can give ourselves the freedom to reach out and try, knowing that even if we fail, that there is someone there ready to pick us up again. . .because we are all both perfect and imperfect at the same time.

Hungry?

This is my drivers license. I know it is a bad picture, but I think the teeth marks are obvious.

ABBY ATE MY DRIVERS LICENSE.

The sad thing is that I wasn't even mad... part of it had to do with the fact that she ate it on Sunday and I already had an appointment the next day at the DMV to renew my license. Part of it was that it just doesn't surprise/upset me anymore at all. And in the scheme of things, this was one of the cheapest things that she has eaten.

Lets review what Abby has eaten:
books
receipts (that I need for work for reimbursement!)
pillows
part of my mattress
pens
seam ripper
electrical cords
empty plastic containers
plastic bags (countless. . .)
plastic container that still held sewing needles (I found all the needles)
bait bag (this one I completely understand)

And this is a short list of what I can remember off the top of my head. And this is all stuff she had found in a "dog proof" room.

So you can see why eating something as easily replaceable as a CDL isn't that high on my frustrations with Abby scale. . .

Sometimes the only thing you can do is shake your head and sigh. . .

Favorite Pictures

I have been thinking about doing a post of my favorite pictures for a while, but I can usually only get it narrowed down to 10 pictures per dog! But tonight I sucked it up and picked out one of my favorites for each kid.

Pocket: I love this picture because the blown-out background makes her look like an angel. And while those of us who know her best know that she is anything but. . .in reality,though, she really is my easiest dog.


Mole: he was the hardest because I love EVERY picture of this old man! This one tops my list (for today) because it shows a side of him that not everyone gets to see - his smiling face! Mole usually takes the serious route. . .it's hard being in charge of everyone! Since we started agility, I see this face more and more. And it makes me happy to see him so happy. Even the trainer noticed it today when he was doing the dog walk. She said "wow, that really is his favorite obstacle!" I love when other people get to see the side that I see.


Abby: Her face is a little blurry in this picture because I was actually trying to get a picture of her *new* collar, but I think that this picture shows her doggy side. She has come so far in the past year, and she is becoming more and more like a regular dog. In some ways, she already is, but since I require more from my dogs then the average person, she has to come just that much farther. And she is continuing to surpass my expectation every time I set them.

Iggy Love

There is a wonderful couple who run Italian Greyhounds in agility. They are wonderful not because they run IGs, but because they run RESCUE IGs. Having a bit of a basket case myself, I can fully appreciate just how much work they have put into their girls to get them competition ready. Their main star is miss bella blue - I don't have her history, but I imagine that she has one. . .most rescues do. . .I believe that she runs level 4 CPE - quite a feat for any dog, let alone one from poor beginnings. Here is a clip of her running - again, I apologise for my video tape ineptitude.

CPE 8-2-09

Trials days are full of fun . . .and mayhem. I am very lucky that I have friends who have been doing this for a while so they can teach me the ins and outs, and the rules, of the games. Mole's first official trial will be on Sunday, September 6th. I am not entirely sure how we are going to do, but I want video for posterity reasons. And since I am not that great with video equipment, I needed to find someone else to practice on first!

Miss Stompy Pants : level 3 wild card run




Stomper had a great run. She NQ'd because she took an extra jump - rules, rules, rules. . .But that was handler error, not dog error. So in my book, she not only Q'd, but she also got ANOTHER blue ribbon for the day. Yes, stomper won first place in the her standard run. I fumbled with the video camera and didn't get it on tape (obviously I need more practice!) But you can trust me, and the judges, it was perfect!

The Meaning of Sit

As a "trainer" I get very frustrated when people use the words good sit. Humans will never understand that dogs do not get the nuances of our verbal language.

Human: sit
dog: huh?
Human: siiit
dog: flowers!!!!!yahoo!!!I want to sniff those!!!!
human: SIT!
dog: oh yeah, I know that one! but on the ground! got it!
Human: good sit
dog: wait. . .my but is already on the ground. . .what do I do now. . .oh look...butterflies!!!!

When we humans use the word sit we are asking the dog to do a behavior -the word sit is a verb, meaning TO DO. Sit to us means butt on the ground. If you are a good trainer, then sit will also mean butt on the ground to your dog as well. And while your dog may be very smart, he will never really understand the true meaning of an adverb. Therefore, your dog will never understand good sit. Even though you added the adverb, your dog will only understand the action that the verb requires. So, saying good sit, is like repeating a command (which you should never do) after your dog already followed the command in the first place (super confusing)

All that to get to my issue of teaching Abby to sit from a down. Abby *vaguely* understands the verbal command sit. She understands it enough to know that you can't truly sit from a down position; because, for Abby, sit means put your butt on the ground. And, since her but is already on the ground in a down position, it is difficult to put it down again for a sit. But, I really need to teach Abby to sit from a down position. So I tried and tried. No real luck. (I know, and even I don't get it at times!) A friend suggested that I use a different command. And you know what? It worked. I chose up because I wanted her to move her chest up off the ground. It was easy for me to remember. And, it was a completely different command for a completely different behavior, so it was easy for her to understand. And while many trainers have great success at teaching their dogs the nuances of language and can conjugate the verb to sit every which way; I cant. I can hardly keep from tripping over my dogs when walking. There is no way that I can teach them language and behavior at the same time. I am not a good enough trainer - and neither are most of the dodo heads that I see saying good sit.

Remember This Guy?

Look how much he has grown! 8 months old now and the *perfect* puppy.



I know it's blurry, but this is the only picture I could get of his face. The boy wouldn't hold still!




So handsome. . .paying attention to mama deb!






Its hard to believe that he has been out of my home for 6 months! I still think about him almost every day. He is turning into an amazing dog. I know that I am a bit biased, but he really is a fun boy. Sure he has naughty moments, but he is still a puppy! And a boy! I am so glad that his new mom is so tolerant of my butting in and allows me to continue to follow him as he grows.

Crash - Test Nightmare

I have this recurring nightmare where I am in a terrible car accident and my dogs are severely injured. Because my dogs come with me almost everywhere, the likelihood of them being in the car with me if I ever crash is extremely high. I worry about their safety at all times, but this is starting to become a serious fear - not as bad as my needle phobia, but slightly higher than a normal worry.

My dogs do not ride safely in my car. Pocket is usually helping me steer and Abby and mole are usually asleep on a bed in the back. I know that riding in this manner is not safe, but its easy. When you have three dogs that get into and out of the car about four times a day, ease of use often becomes the norm.

I have tried different methods in the past, but they have all failed. For starters, crates don't fit well in my tiny back seat. When I finally found a crate that did fit, the dogs got out of it. Yes, my perfectly crate trained dogs can get out of crates when they feel that they are being crated unfairly. Harnesses are difficult for many reasons. For one, I have three dogs and two back seats. Second, I have one dog that can't be in a harness anymore (old broken ribs) and one dog that will chew her way out of something uncomfortable. That only leaves one safely restrained dog - and while I do love him most, that doesn't mean I want the others injured.

On top of restraint issues, I have a second fear. . .this one is slightly more crazy than the first. . .I am afraid that something will happen and I won't be able to get my dogs out of their restraints. First worry: I drive off a bridge and they drown. Second worry: I get in a fiery crash and they burn. Third worry: I get car jacked and my dogs are stuck with a man with a gun. I know I am crazy, but these are serious fears, even if they are slightly irrational.

I bring this up because I saw a post on a dog forum today about crash-test dogs using different restraint methods. The video is in German so I am not really sure how fast the car is going or what the reporter is saying, but the images speak for themselves. And after watching this video I imagine that I will have a whole new batch of nightmares. But I am going to have to rethink my non-restraint methods.

Any idea would be greatly appreciated. . .

Meet Jackson

Jackson is an amazing little guy with a story I wish I knew. I found Jackson on Wednesday at the Berkeley Animal Shelter while I was out temp testing dogs. While there were many available dogs at the shelter, there were none that fit into our program at the moment. And while I did not take Jackson home with me right away, I made a mental note to tell my ED about him. Once she heard about him, I knew that HAR would take him in! Little did I know that she would fall in love herself and foster him in her own home.

Jackson is somewhere between 9 months and 1 1/2 years old. He is probably a pure bred Yorkie, but it is obvious that he was poorly bred. He has a genetic (non-contagious) skin condition called Demodectic Mange. This is what has caused his massive hair loss. And while demodex doesn't itch, it still causes skin irritation which has contributed to his secondary skin infection. This mite/infection has made it's way to his eyes causing some corneal scaring. Jackson also has a malformed jaw which caused him to retain many of his baby teeth and which also causes his tongue to hang out constantly.

Jackson looks like a mess. . . and probably feels like a mess. His medical bills are adding up quickly and he still has a long way to go before he gets better. If you would like to read more about Jackson, or if you would like to donate to his medical fund, please click here.

Great Idea. . .Needs Work

Let me first say that I love Smartdogs. They are a training facility in Minnesota that focuses on communication with your dog rather then obedience. And like most trainers, they understand that when you can communicate effectively with your dog, you will have a more obedient dog. Smartdogs also has a weblog that I read frequently. They post a lot of news stories regarding animals or animal rights but they also post a fair amount of thier own personal thoughts/opionions.

Recently they created "DO-TAG" or Dog Owner Threat Assesment Guide. You see, dangerous dogs aren't the real problem. . .the owner is. And it is the management by the owner that either creates or allows the dog to cause a problem. According to their website:

The goal of this draft guide is to provide a free, easy-to-use tool for authorities to employ in assessing a given dog owner’s risk to his dog and the public. The guide could allow local authorities to identify potentially problematic dog owners with regard to their real or potential threat so that limited resources can be focused on those dog owners most likely to have unplanned litters, encourage aggressive behavior in their dogs, let them run at large or otherwise engage in potentially dangerous and/or antisocial behaviors.

That sounds like a fantasic idea, but sounds difficult to implement so they came up with an assesment sheet. A simplt 10 question test to determine the owner's risk factor. I was interested, so I went ahead and took the test. And, according to the test, I am either an annoying dog owner or a dangerous dog owner - depending on how truthful I am with one of the questions.

1) When you call your dog does he:
I would never let my dog off leash! -7pts

2)When you are gone your dog is:
Loose in my house where he doesn’t get in trouble. - 0 pts
Crated in my house because he’s destructive and can’t be trained. - 6 pts
(I gave myself 3 pts here since its a little of both answers)

3)When you walk your dog on leash:
He constantly drags me down the street no matter what I do. -8pts
(I gave myself 5 pts for this one since we are working in it . . .for a year!)

4)When you groom your dog:
He doesn’t like it but he puts up with it. - 2pts

5)When your dog misbehaves:
I usually discover what he’s done after the fact. - 8pts

6)Your dog is:
A dog with a dog’s needs and desires. - 0pts

7)When children are around:
I lock up my dog. He hates kids. - 7pts

8)I have two or more dogs because:
I know that I can take better care of them then anyone else - 20pts (and I may be a hoarder)
I have the time, energy, space, money and other resources I need to enjoy them all. - 0pts

9) Your dog was:
Spayed or neutered before I got it. - 0 pts

10) Your dog obeys commands like sit, down, and stay:
Only if there are no distractions around. - 8 pts

I consider myself to be a good dog owner. I think that most of my friends would consider me to be a good dog owner. But according to this, I am, at the very least, an annoying dog owner. Those of us that know Abby, know that in this case, it is the dog. . .not the owner. . .that is the problem in this relationship. But as an good owner, I know that I can manage my problem dog safely in society. But, also as a good owner, I know that if I could not manage her safely, then I would also have to make some tough decisions so that everyone in our life would remain safe.

I think that this DO-TAG is a really great concept and when I read it I wanted to scream FINALLY! It would be wonderful if we could come up with an easy way to red flag owners so that the owners could be managed better; and, in turn, both the dogs under their care, and the general public could stay safe. This is a much better idea then mine idea of taking the dumb owners out back and having a "come to Jesus meeting. " I don't think that it would go over very well once the media got involved. . .

My Obedient Dog

Sure, she looks like an angel when she is sleeping. . .

But those of us who know pocket know that she is anything but! Pocket is a little spit fire - and that is the nice way of putting it! She is naughty in every sense of the word. She only does what she wants when she wants. She will only listen to you if you have really great treats, and only if she feels like it. She has bitten more then one person just because they were making her do something she didn't want to do.

But pocket isn't a bad dog. She isn't the typical biting chihuahua. She isn't afraid of people - not even strange and creepy men. She doesn't turn away from bouncing children. She doesn't get snarfy with other dogs. She isn't even a barker. Pocket is actually a really good dog - as long as she is doing what she wants to do.

Which is why she totally surprised me last weekend at an AKC obedience match. Obedience has very strict guidelines. There is a designated course that you and your dog must follow including heel, sit, sit stay, down, down stay, stand for exam, and recall. This may sound easy but everything must be executed according to the rules and guidelines set forth by the AKC. Many people can do some of these things with their dogs, but not many people can do it in a distracted setting with other dogs and judges. People who do AKC obedience train for a long time before their dogs get even the basic CD.

Why in the world would I ever think that I could walk into a ring with my non-obedient dog (not exactly disobedient) and do half of these things? Because I was doing it with little miss pocket. And you know what? She was flawless. . .almost! She had a perfect heel. Beautiful automatic sits. Her right turns, about turns, and left turns were smoother then mine. She did a wonderful stand for exam for a strange woman with a scary cane. She did an excellent stay - too good of a stay. She never recalled off the stay. . .yep. . .that's my dog! I was starting to wonder what happened to her to make her behave so well. I was almost relieved when she made me look like a fool. But eventhough I looked silly at the end, we didn't look half as silly as some of the people out there. And we somehow managed to still have fun through it all.

So I guess this means that we are doing obedience and agility now. . .

Seriously??????????