What an awesome morning :)
We had a JDX run and a JDO run; DQ for the former, NQ with two faults for the latter, but who cares because Charlie was fucking brilliant.
Today we just clicked. Totally and completely. I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that today's runs are the best we've ever had- qualifying runs inclusive of that statement. This is literally the first time I've ever felt like I was actually running my dog and not just happening to be on the same course at the same time as him.
Two rock solid leadouts both times. I think I've cracked that particular nut, thank god. I don't know if it's because of this, but both runs today I didn't feel like I was constantly just trying to catch up, but like I was actually handling my dog around a course. It just flowed and it felt so amazing. He did feel a bit slower than usual, but after watching the footage dad took I think it's probably more to do with the fact that I wasn't having to try and race him.
JDX we DQ'ed after Charlie didn't decel enough coming out of the tunnel and went around a jump and I didn't take him back to redo it, and then I was in totally the wrong place for a rear cross second to last jump and he went around that too. JDO Charlie entered the weaves on the wrong side, and fifth obstacle in I forgot where I was in relation to the equipment and was too crowded in to fit the rear cross in so he scooted out and around the jump.
So totally me. All my fault. Two strikes to my handling, two strikes to my training.
I need to do more work on Charlie self regulating his speed because at the moment he literally doesn't even try to make an obstacle if he's coming out on a wide angle. He's just like, "Eh... I could, but... Woops, already passed it". And I need to do more weave work, especially with independent entries. He used to be a popper at ten poles, but he's been pretty consitent with that lately- still something I want and need to work on more, though.
But I have an idea of what we're lacking in now, though, and an idea of what I should be doing to work on it.
Just our raw JDO run since the end bit of our JDX run isn't even worth putting up.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
More Socialising
Zeke had another outing into town this morning. He was ready for a nap before we went, so now he's absolutely exhausted and will probably sleep the rest of the day away. I've put him back on the dog bed three times already, because every time he stretches and rolls over he slides a bit further off. I need to re fix his position again once I'm done posting this since he's currently sleeping on his head.
He had pats with a little kid and his mum while we were waiting for the little crossing light man to turn green and, thankfully, didn't use his teeth. We wandered about and watched a lot of traffic like we did on Wednesday; he was really good again, but did spend most of the time whinging which I'm putting down to him just wanting to go to sleep.
After we were finished we stopped in to see my great gran on the way home and Zeke was very well behaved. Probably because he was tired and ended up falling alseep on her lap, but no matter. He had manners, and that's all the matters at the moment.
I probably shouldn't be taking him up to the trial at Oxley tomorrow, but I don't have any other option. I'm just hoping he behaves himself in his crate because him yapping and whinging and howling would just piss everyone off. Considering that puppies can start being shown before they've finished up their full set of vaccines, and I've seen a lot of people take very young pups along to trial grounds, it shouldn't be that big of a concern. I just won't be letting him do a lot of walking around and I'll take a blanket to put down on the ground for when he's out as well.
He had pats with a little kid and his mum while we were waiting for the little crossing light man to turn green and, thankfully, didn't use his teeth. We wandered about and watched a lot of traffic like we did on Wednesday; he was really good again, but did spend most of the time whinging which I'm putting down to him just wanting to go to sleep.
After we were finished we stopped in to see my great gran on the way home and Zeke was very well behaved. Probably because he was tired and ended up falling alseep on her lap, but no matter. He had manners, and that's all the matters at the moment.
I probably shouldn't be taking him up to the trial at Oxley tomorrow, but I don't have any other option. I'm just hoping he behaves himself in his crate because him yapping and whinging and howling would just piss everyone off. Considering that puppies can start being shown before they've finished up their full set of vaccines, and I've seen a lot of people take very young pups along to trial grounds, it shouldn't be that big of a concern. I just won't be letting him do a lot of walking around and I'll take a blanket to put down on the ground for when he's out as well.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Cute Spam
Picked up the coats for Mr Monkey yesterday evening. Two of them fit really well and look very cute on him. See?
The bottom one is a teeny bit long, so it's been decided it'd be a good sleeping one and the little grey number's good for the evenings and early mornings. I've also got a little normal jacket thing that fits perfectly and will probably use for going to training unless Zeke keeps eating it and worming his way out of it. Perhaps he likes the way the fitted jackets enhance his figure?
Also, meet Bunny.
Zeke's new reward toy for training I bought from work the other day. It squeaks. It's longer than Zeke. I can keep my hands a great distance away from sharp, snapping puppy teeth. Awesome.
The bottom one is a teeny bit long, so it's been decided it'd be a good sleeping one and the little grey number's good for the evenings and early mornings. I've also got a little normal jacket thing that fits perfectly and will probably use for going to training unless Zeke keeps eating it and worming his way out of it. Perhaps he likes the way the fitted jackets enhance his figure?
Also, meet Bunny.
Zeke's new reward toy for training I bought from work the other day. It squeaks. It's longer than Zeke. I can keep my hands a great distance away from sharp, snapping puppy teeth. Awesome.Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Socialising The Monkey
Epic puppy is epic.
Zeke came to training last night and although he did a lot of barking in his crate he eventually shut up and went to sleep. He watched the Dog Gym class and Obedience One, did some click and treating and lots of meeting and greeting. I also checked with Cathy and we're going to slot into her Puppy Preschool class as of next Tuesday evening. They're up to week three, but we can always just do another round of the class afterwards because I think he'll be much too young to start obedience with anyway.
Today we spent an hour and a half in town. Zeke got a snazzy new collar and lead- red, reflective, super stylish, Rogz- and this rabbit squeaky toy thing that's longer than he is. He had some pats and cuddles from some of my co-workers, then we went for a walk around town. Or rather I went for a walk and he got carried.
We went through as many of those little pedestrian light things (whatever they're called... with the button and the waiting and the cars stopping when the man turns green and makes that horrible dinging noise) as I could find; found some magpies, noisy minors and an ibis; saw lots of different people including two wheelchair users; we sat in a couple of different locations near to the road and did some c/t, offered focus and tugging with the special spaghetti rabbit plushie; walked past and sat beside the road as trucks, buses, cars, motorbikes and this weird little mini tractor thing with a trailer drove past; popped down to the train station and watched a train pull in and pull out again, as well as listen to this annoying lady screeching over the PA system... He didn't bat an eyelid and took everything in his stride.
And as a bonus he's now completely exhausted and will probably be asleep for at least the next couple of hours.
He's now been mistaken for a shepherd as well as rottie, haha. People actually look at me like I'm lying when I say, "No, he's a kelpie". I'm blaming the colouring, and the fact that he still doesn't have much of a face yet XD
Zeke came to training last night and although he did a lot of barking in his crate he eventually shut up and went to sleep. He watched the Dog Gym class and Obedience One, did some click and treating and lots of meeting and greeting. I also checked with Cathy and we're going to slot into her Puppy Preschool class as of next Tuesday evening. They're up to week three, but we can always just do another round of the class afterwards because I think he'll be much too young to start obedience with anyway.
Today we spent an hour and a half in town. Zeke got a snazzy new collar and lead- red, reflective, super stylish, Rogz- and this rabbit squeaky toy thing that's longer than he is. He had some pats and cuddles from some of my co-workers, then we went for a walk around town. Or rather I went for a walk and he got carried.
We went through as many of those little pedestrian light things (whatever they're called... with the button and the waiting and the cars stopping when the man turns green and makes that horrible dinging noise) as I could find; found some magpies, noisy minors and an ibis; saw lots of different people including two wheelchair users; we sat in a couple of different locations near to the road and did some c/t, offered focus and tugging with the special spaghetti rabbit plushie; walked past and sat beside the road as trucks, buses, cars, motorbikes and this weird little mini tractor thing with a trailer drove past; popped down to the train station and watched a train pull in and pull out again, as well as listen to this annoying lady screeching over the PA system... He didn't bat an eyelid and took everything in his stride.
And as a bonus he's now completely exhausted and will probably be asleep for at least the next couple of hours.
He's now been mistaken for a shepherd as well as rottie, haha. People actually look at me like I'm lying when I say, "No, he's a kelpie". I'm blaming the colouring, and the fact that he still doesn't have much of a face yet XD
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Kind Of A Little Bit In Love
Zeke is just... epic. He's an epic, awesome, wonderful little dog.
I am so, so happy with him and have no regrets about getting a pup from Noonbarra. Bloody hell, when they say they can give you exactly the pup you ask for, they really do mean it!
My parents have some parent/teacher interview thing at Liam's school this evening, so I have to go to training about an hour earlier which means Zeke's coming along and he can do some meeting and greeting and we may sidle on into the puppy preschool class for a sit in and socialisation play session.
Tomorrow I want to see if I can get into town to do a bit more socialisation work with him: people, cars, traffic, sounds and sights and smells. He's got such a confident, happy-go-lucky personality I don't want to let that go to waste by neglecting to continue working on exposing him to lots of new experiences.
He also needs a little jacket and a proper lead, so I'll pick that up from work tomorrow as well.
He catches onto things really, really quickly. His self control is lacking- especially when toys are involved; he kind of gets a bit over the top and then I get nommed on- but I was doing a bit of work with him before and I just took one withdrawal from me for him to get the message: teeth on me = no play. He goes a bit bananas especially over this one toy, which was Fletcher's "cuddle thing". It's this little bunny with a spaghetti-ish back; Zeke's no soft mouth (he's nearly ripped one of the legs' off) but he was doing some serious tugging on it. He accidentally let go and then leapt for my hand and started biting and shaking, so I stood up and ignored him until he backed off, then we played again. Next time I got the toy off him, he just sat there and did scary intense eyes, so he got the toy to tug with again. He's getting the hang of going to the toilet outside as well, with his potty word.
I've started click/treating, but not for anything in particular, just charging it. I don't really think I'll get into too much "serious training" until next week or so. We'll just have a lot of bonding this week, clicker charging, impulse control and bite inhibition.
But he's a lot of fun :) Even if my hands have tonnes of tiny holes in them.
I am so, so happy with him and have no regrets about getting a pup from Noonbarra. Bloody hell, when they say they can give you exactly the pup you ask for, they really do mean it!
My parents have some parent/teacher interview thing at Liam's school this evening, so I have to go to training about an hour earlier which means Zeke's coming along and he can do some meeting and greeting and we may sidle on into the puppy preschool class for a sit in and socialisation play session.
Tomorrow I want to see if I can get into town to do a bit more socialisation work with him: people, cars, traffic, sounds and sights and smells. He's got such a confident, happy-go-lucky personality I don't want to let that go to waste by neglecting to continue working on exposing him to lots of new experiences.
He also needs a little jacket and a proper lead, so I'll pick that up from work tomorrow as well.
He catches onto things really, really quickly. His self control is lacking- especially when toys are involved; he kind of gets a bit over the top and then I get nommed on- but I was doing a bit of work with him before and I just took one withdrawal from me for him to get the message: teeth on me = no play. He goes a bit bananas especially over this one toy, which was Fletcher's "cuddle thing". It's this little bunny with a spaghetti-ish back; Zeke's no soft mouth (he's nearly ripped one of the legs' off) but he was doing some serious tugging on it. He accidentally let go and then leapt for my hand and started biting and shaking, so I stood up and ignored him until he backed off, then we played again. Next time I got the toy off him, he just sat there and did scary intense eyes, so he got the toy to tug with again. He's getting the hang of going to the toilet outside as well, with his potty word.
I've started click/treating, but not for anything in particular, just charging it. I don't really think I'll get into too much "serious training" until next week or so. We'll just have a lot of bonding this week, clicker charging, impulse control and bite inhibition.
But he's a lot of fun :) Even if my hands have tonnes of tiny holes in them.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Introducing... Noonbarra Zeke
So we got a call at ten to one this afternoon (twenty minutes before we were going to leave for the airport), from Sydney airport with the news that "Your puppy missed his flight". Um... No, Mr Airport Man, you missed my puppy's flight, since all you had to do was pack his crate into cargo.
Zeke was then shifted to a later flight and touched down just before four thirty this afternoon instead of two thirty like he was meant to. We picked him up from the freight terminal and as soon as I got him out of the crate I knew I had the perfect little pup. There was a lot of traffic news, aircraft overhead, cars, and he was just alert, tail up, ears forward, watching it all without a care in the world. I walked him back a little way to the car and he runs. For an eight week old puppy with little legs he has some serious speed going on.
He is just... insane. There's no other word for him. He's an absolute lunatic; awesome toy drive, awesome food drive- once he realises I have food in my fingers and I'm not actually offering him my fingers to eat. Get-up-and-go like a little energiser bunny, but he's been settling quite quickly and nicely as well which is a bonus. He's quite body aware as well- he climbed half into the toy basket before (got stuck in the middle, whinged for a minute, then upended the whole thing all over the floor... but no matter). He's very, very mouthy. We need to do a lot of work on bite inhibition before he grabs, clamps and shakes. And it really hurts. A lot.
Charlie's in love with him- and Zeke's quite besotted with Charlie. They've done a lot of wrestling since Zeke came home.
I've had him for five hours and already I know he's going to be one heck of an awesome dog. I'm so excited to see what's in our future together, because without a doubt anything involving Zeke is going to be fun, fast and just a little bit crazy.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Countdown
Woo! It's about eighteen hours until Zeke touches down :D :D :D
I'm nervous and excited and have no idea how I'm going to manage to sleep tonight.
Today's plan got done in bits and pieces: no schoolwork (obviously, haha), but I did some weave work with Charlie, decided on a Nikon D5100 and now just have to decide on where I'm going to buy it from, and sold Sybil who will be going to her new home on Tuesday afternoon.
And I even found a home for Taco if I can't place him anywhere else; he'll go to a friend of mine from work if I need to shift him and no one else wants to take him.
And I'm pretty much set on needing to buy a little camcorder, so I just need to do a bit of research and find one of them as well.
So not a bad day at all.
I'm feeling a lot more... positive, since turning eighteen. I don't know if it's a subconscious thing, or I just feel a lot more... I don't know, relaxed because I'm weird like that, but it's nice. I'm actually going to be working hard on school stuff tomorrow, if only to try and make the day go quicker to pick-up time.
In eighteen hours time, I'll have my puppy. So excited :)
I'm nervous and excited and have no idea how I'm going to manage to sleep tonight.
Today's plan got done in bits and pieces: no schoolwork (obviously, haha), but I did some weave work with Charlie, decided on a Nikon D5100 and now just have to decide on where I'm going to buy it from, and sold Sybil who will be going to her new home on Tuesday afternoon.
And I even found a home for Taco if I can't place him anywhere else; he'll go to a friend of mine from work if I need to shift him and no one else wants to take him.
And I'm pretty much set on needing to buy a little camcorder, so I just need to do a bit of research and find one of them as well.
So not a bad day at all.
I'm feeling a lot more... positive, since turning eighteen. I don't know if it's a subconscious thing, or I just feel a lot more... I don't know, relaxed because I'm weird like that, but it's nice. I'm actually going to be working hard on school stuff tomorrow, if only to try and make the day go quicker to pick-up time.
In eighteen hours time, I'll have my puppy. So excited :)
Plan For Today
It involves some weave work this afternoon with the moose.
Some IT work, to finish off my certificate course.
A trip to Camerahouse up at the Hyperdome with dad to finish off deciding what camera I want to buy- and if that happens, then I'll hopefully be placing an order this afternoon.
A room clean up.
Fingers crossed that I get enquiries about buying at least some of the birds from at least someone, because I'm starting to feel like it's a hopeless case.
My new batteries for my camera should be charged up properly by now, so I'm going to attempt a bit of filming- the moose's "handstand" as well as some weave work and make a little video up this evening as well.
Now... Onto today!
Some IT work, to finish off my certificate course.
A trip to Camerahouse up at the Hyperdome with dad to finish off deciding what camera I want to buy- and if that happens, then I'll hopefully be placing an order this afternoon.
A room clean up.
Fingers crossed that I get enquiries about buying at least some of the birds from at least someone, because I'm starting to feel like it's a hopeless case.
My new batteries for my camera should be charged up properly by now, so I'm going to attempt a bit of filming- the moose's "handstand" as well as some weave work and make a little video up this evening as well.
Now... Onto today!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Demo, Dock Diving, Camera, Weaves
Today was good :)
I got to see some friends from training that I haven't seen for a while because of not going to as many classes at the club as I used to, so that was lovely.
I got a distraction from counting down to Monday afternoon, which was helpful.
Charlie had a blast during the demo. It's definitely a good idea to have an extended break from obedience, because when he actually needs to perform he gives it a hundred and fifty per cent. He was such, such a good boy- our routine was super short because of handler, space and time restraints and was essentially just stays, but I had some focused heelwork and he was on the ball. Our agility was also a bit different because of lack of space, so we set up two lines of four jumps and a curved tunnel at the end of each and had little races. Charlie was kind of slow- by Charlie's standards, anyway- and I'm putting it down to the pretty warm day we had. He had two runs; first against a golden retriever called Winston (who is so cute; he jumps like Superman), and second we had a "run off" with Java, a GSD who very nearly beat Charlie. Dad wasn't impressed to hear that, haha. Joan and I had a bit of a competive streak emerge and it was awesome fun; I was really pushing Charlie for as much speed as he could give- which I don't usually have the need or desire to do- and he really kicked it up a notch. One jump in, I was putting pressure on and driving him and you could almost see his face go "Woah! Alright, let's do this".
We'll also probably be giving dock diving a bit of a shot. Angie from training has an awesome dock set up at her place and quite a few people from the club are putting their dogs through it to see how they go, so I'll organise a few things and see how that pans out. No idea how Charlie would take it, but it can't hurt to try; who knows, he might surprise me and we might have another sport to get hooked on.
And cameras. I've had a headache for three quarters of today, and trying to figure my way through deciding what DSLR camera I want to buy has been making it worse. So after a Panadol and a cup of tea with lots of honey, I'm feeling a bit more up to the task. Hopefully I'll drag dad into Camerahouse tomorrow and have a chat to some people. At the moment I'm torn between a Canon EOS 600D and a Nikon D5100. I'm definitely buying one online, though; it's between one hundred and three hundred dollars cheaper than through a store :O Insane. I'm also seriously considering a little camcorder as well if I have some of my budgeted money left over, but I'll sort out the camera first and then go from there.
It's all very exciting, my life at the moment. Lots of new things happening, lots of new projects. I bashed six stick in the ground weave poles into the yard this afternoon and am resolving to work on entries with the moose. I need to set up some tight little sequences and get him navigating them on his own as well and self regulating because I get the feeling he's relying too much on me and my handling and not being independent enough. He's just been a different dog the past week, and I'm sure it's to do with me and my new approach with not only training him but just living with him in general. He's been a lot more relaxed, a lot more engaged with what we're doing, a lot more interested in training, a lot more confident in general. It's good :)
I got to see some friends from training that I haven't seen for a while because of not going to as many classes at the club as I used to, so that was lovely.
I got a distraction from counting down to Monday afternoon, which was helpful.
Charlie had a blast during the demo. It's definitely a good idea to have an extended break from obedience, because when he actually needs to perform he gives it a hundred and fifty per cent. He was such, such a good boy- our routine was super short because of handler, space and time restraints and was essentially just stays, but I had some focused heelwork and he was on the ball. Our agility was also a bit different because of lack of space, so we set up two lines of four jumps and a curved tunnel at the end of each and had little races. Charlie was kind of slow- by Charlie's standards, anyway- and I'm putting it down to the pretty warm day we had. He had two runs; first against a golden retriever called Winston (who is so cute; he jumps like Superman), and second we had a "run off" with Java, a GSD who very nearly beat Charlie. Dad wasn't impressed to hear that, haha. Joan and I had a bit of a competive streak emerge and it was awesome fun; I was really pushing Charlie for as much speed as he could give- which I don't usually have the need or desire to do- and he really kicked it up a notch. One jump in, I was putting pressure on and driving him and you could almost see his face go "Woah! Alright, let's do this".
We'll also probably be giving dock diving a bit of a shot. Angie from training has an awesome dock set up at her place and quite a few people from the club are putting their dogs through it to see how they go, so I'll organise a few things and see how that pans out. No idea how Charlie would take it, but it can't hurt to try; who knows, he might surprise me and we might have another sport to get hooked on.
And cameras. I've had a headache for three quarters of today, and trying to figure my way through deciding what DSLR camera I want to buy has been making it worse. So after a Panadol and a cup of tea with lots of honey, I'm feeling a bit more up to the task. Hopefully I'll drag dad into Camerahouse tomorrow and have a chat to some people. At the moment I'm torn between a Canon EOS 600D and a Nikon D5100. I'm definitely buying one online, though; it's between one hundred and three hundred dollars cheaper than through a store :O Insane. I'm also seriously considering a little camcorder as well if I have some of my budgeted money left over, but I'll sort out the camera first and then go from there.
It's all very exciting, my life at the moment. Lots of new things happening, lots of new projects. I bashed six stick in the ground weave poles into the yard this afternoon and am resolving to work on entries with the moose. I need to set up some tight little sequences and get him navigating them on his own as well and self regulating because I get the feeling he's relying too much on me and my handling and not being independent enough. He's just been a different dog the past week, and I'm sure it's to do with me and my new approach with not only training him but just living with him in general. He's been a lot more relaxed, a lot more engaged with what we're doing, a lot more interested in training, a lot more confident in general. It's good :)
Friday, July 22, 2011
Yaaaaaaaay!!!!
At two thirty in the afternoon, this coming Monday, I'll be picking up Zeke from the airport :D :D :D I can't believe this is finally all happening, and in two and a half days, I'll have my new little pup home at last. So, so, so excited.
Although I haven't heard from Maree, I'm assuming we still have the demo on at Pimpama tomorrow afternoon, so that'll give me a bit of a distraction from my excitement, hehe.
No idea how I'm going to manage to sleep for the next few nights.
Although I haven't heard from Maree, I'm assuming we still have the demo on at Pimpama tomorrow afternoon, so that'll give me a bit of a distraction from my excitement, hehe.
No idea how I'm going to manage to sleep for the next few nights.
Off The Wall!
So yesterday I got Charlie off the couch and onto the wall. He knows what to do, he's just lacking the muscle and balance to get his back feet right up :P
And this morning he was hopping up without touching the wall. Breakthrough! I think now it's just a matter of keeping him doing that, jackpotting as soon as he gets his legs up higher, and that'll help with the balance and muscle limitation.
Also, Zeke might be flying in on Monday. I'm just waiting to hear back from his breeder about his flight details and it'll all be set. Exciting stuff!
And this morning he was hopping up without touching the wall. Breakthrough! I think now it's just a matter of keeping him doing that, jackpotting as soon as he gets his legs up higher, and that'll help with the balance and muscle limitation.
Also, Zeke might be flying in on Monday. I'm just waiting to hear back from his breeder about his flight details and it'll all be set. Exciting stuff!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Reflections
As of today, I'm eighteen. An adult. A "grown up".
And it's made me quite reflective.
I don't think it's ever easy, being someone "young" in the dog world. I think it's even harder when you're first starting out and know absolutely bugger all and don't come from a real doggy background and don't have parents who get into the whole show/sport/breeding/training/exhibiting/whatever.
When I first started at VIP four and a bit years ago, I knew nothing. I had Jack with his variety of often frustrating quirks and my fourteen year old ignorant self to cope with and it was an interesting learning experience. Needless to say, I was a bit hooked and by the end of that year I had Charlie.
Since taking that first commando class with Jack, I can't even begin to list all of the amazing people I've met and become friends with, all of things I've learnt, all of the mistakes I've made and all of the right things I've done.
I've been so, so lucky. I found an awesome environment for someone like me to start out with dogs in, with equally awesome people who welcomed me with open arms, and taught me so much, and supported me through every step- they're ultimately the ones who set me on the path I'm on now with my dogs and training, and a path I hope to never hop off. Without them I wouldn't have had any of the opportunities or any of the experiences I've had over the past few years.
Without these people, and without the outlet through my dogs and agility- an outlet that has only been made a reality by their support and guidance- I have no doubt I would be in a seriously messed up place right now.
I can't even begin to thank them for everything they've done; I consider myself a pretty wordy person, and I still struggle to convey how much they and everything they've done means to me.
I owe each and every single one of them so, so much, and I love them dearly for helping me grow up: they're my friends, my teachers, my surrogate parents, my cheer squad, my reality checkers… Their the most amazing family I could be lucky enough to be welcomed into.
The world- and especially the dog world- needs more people like them: the ones who'll take a bumbling young kid with no direction under their wing and help them realise their potential.
So anyone young in the dog world: I hope you find at least one person as wonderful as the ones I did; someone who will guide you, push you, make you see sense, encourage you, help you see how amazing you are and that what you're doing isn't a "pointless waste of time".
And anyone older in the dog world: I hope you find the joy- and the frustration- that mentoring a young person needing some guidance brings. And I hope you don't simply disregard them, or belittle them, or make them feel like they don't belong simply because "they're young".
Because believe me, those young people really, really appreciate the guidance and the support.
And who knows, maybe, someday, that young person could end up helping to teach you one or two things in return.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The Moose Surprises Me
I just did a quick session with Charlie and his dinner working on his handstand and while he doesn't have anywhere near the balance or co-ordination just yet, he's getting the concept.
I was able to turn the chair around so he was pushing up on the back of it and not just popping his back feet up onto the seat- so he doesn't have a ledge to rest on anymore.
He seems to be getting quite into it.
Once I sort out my crap box of a camera, I'll get a quick clip of what we're doing so far. It's quite amusing :P
I'm going to try sitting on the other side tomorrow because he's curving his body and mainly using just one foot, so I want to see if it's just my position making him do that or he's just being a silly moose.
I also need to get something less slippery and more grippy to make it a bit easier for him to kick back up on at this stage.
I was able to turn the chair around so he was pushing up on the back of it and not just popping his back feet up onto the seat- so he doesn't have a ledge to rest on anymore.
He seems to be getting quite into it.
Once I sort out my crap box of a camera, I'll get a quick clip of what we're doing so far. It's quite amusing :P
I'm going to try sitting on the other side tomorrow because he's curving his body and mainly using just one foot, so I want to see if it's just my position making him do that or he's just being a silly moose.
I also need to get something less slippery and more grippy to make it a bit easier for him to kick back up on at this stage.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Jejbjenchbskxn
Charlie. Is. Awesome.
We went to composite class tonight, and basically just did table rolling (which Charlie doesn't get, because he forgets he has back feet and just tries to wrap himself over the table), quoits with the dogs as the poles and hoops as the rings (and, despite Charlie not liking things touching him like that, he did wonderfully and didn't get freaked out at all- just gave a little cringe as the hoop flew over his head, haha), jumping through the hoops, and weaving two people's legs.
He's had about half a bag of Chunkers so his stomach is absolutely chockers, and there was a GSD walking about for the last part of our class so he was a bit anxious and kept wanting to keep her in his line of sight at all times, but the class isn't really why he's awesome.
At the end he was off lead, running about with a half dozen or so other dogs, and behaving himself. This is only the second time I've ever allowed him to interact, off lead, with other dogs at the club because I just haven't felt confident that he'd not get intense and over the top, but he's proved both times he can handle it. Rave, a rather crazy BC, took a real... er... liking to Charlie, but he wouldn't even tell him off for that; I had to intervene and pull Rave off. He didn't overreact, he did slip into a couple of herding mode episodes when Rave was running around, trying to get Charlie to play, but he didn't lose the plot which makes me so, so happy.
It's taken so long to get him to this point, but I'm finally feeling quite comfortable letting him have that sort of free interaction with other dogs- well, at this stage just other dogs he knows and I know, but it's a huge improvement.
And oh my God, we have such a pocket rocket cav in our class. Ebony belongs to a friend of mine and she is just so bloody cute and such an awesome little dog. She went nuts with the leg weaves and we ended up in a puddle of giggling because she was so excited and happy and pyschotic about running around our legs. I ended up standing there, doubled over with laughter, as Eb did figure of eights around my legs; we had to actually physically grab her to make her stop, and then she got all indignant and barked :P
We went to composite class tonight, and basically just did table rolling (which Charlie doesn't get, because he forgets he has back feet and just tries to wrap himself over the table), quoits with the dogs as the poles and hoops as the rings (and, despite Charlie not liking things touching him like that, he did wonderfully and didn't get freaked out at all- just gave a little cringe as the hoop flew over his head, haha), jumping through the hoops, and weaving two people's legs.
He's had about half a bag of Chunkers so his stomach is absolutely chockers, and there was a GSD walking about for the last part of our class so he was a bit anxious and kept wanting to keep her in his line of sight at all times, but the class isn't really why he's awesome.
At the end he was off lead, running about with a half dozen or so other dogs, and behaving himself. This is only the second time I've ever allowed him to interact, off lead, with other dogs at the club because I just haven't felt confident that he'd not get intense and over the top, but he's proved both times he can handle it. Rave, a rather crazy BC, took a real... er... liking to Charlie, but he wouldn't even tell him off for that; I had to intervene and pull Rave off. He didn't overreact, he did slip into a couple of herding mode episodes when Rave was running around, trying to get Charlie to play, but he didn't lose the plot which makes me so, so happy.
It's taken so long to get him to this point, but I'm finally feeling quite comfortable letting him have that sort of free interaction with other dogs- well, at this stage just other dogs he knows and I know, but it's a huge improvement.
And oh my God, we have such a pocket rocket cav in our class. Ebony belongs to a friend of mine and she is just so bloody cute and such an awesome little dog. She went nuts with the leg weaves and we ended up in a puddle of giggling because she was so excited and happy and pyschotic about running around our legs. I ended up standing there, doubled over with laughter, as Eb did figure of eights around my legs; we had to actually physically grab her to make her stop, and then she got all indignant and barked :P
Isn't This Exciting :D :D :D
Yep, I'm officially getting a puppy.
Or rather I'm officially getting this puppy:
This is Zeke, and he'll be coming home either this weekend or early next week, depending on whether or not we're driving down or he's flying up. He was seven weeks old yesterday, and sounds absolutely perfect for me.
I can't wait to meet him :)
In other news, I'm attempting to teach Charlie how to do a handstand. Even if we don't get the finished product, it's helping his touch and back end awareness anyway.
At the moment he can pop up onto the couch, but we haven't progressed past that stage because he worries and shut down which means we have to stay at the same stage for a whole lot longer. I've also got to get some rings and a toilet plunger to work on his quoit trick as well. He was getting a bit manic at training last Tuesday night when we did this, and if I was too "slow" getting the next round of treats broken up, he started very pointedly butting the top of the pole and doing nose targetting.
I'm actually really stoked he's showing that sort of iniative these days, since before it was always "I'mma just sit here and focus focus focus because that's safe". He's still nowhere near as secure and confident as I'd like, but he's definitely made a bucket load of progress, even just within the last twelve months; heck, in the last six months.
Despite the fact that my dad is "so knowledgable" and no one else in the house is going to listen to me and follow my guidelines (despite the fact that Zeke is going to be my dog), I'm going to be aiming to raise him with zero corrections: no physical, no verbal. My main goal for him is to develop a super confident dog that knows how to think and learn and experiment.
Everything else is just going to be icing.
Or rather I'm officially getting this puppy:
This is Zeke, and he'll be coming home either this weekend or early next week, depending on whether or not we're driving down or he's flying up. He was seven weeks old yesterday, and sounds absolutely perfect for me.
I can't wait to meet him :)
In other news, I'm attempting to teach Charlie how to do a handstand. Even if we don't get the finished product, it's helping his touch and back end awareness anyway.
At the moment he can pop up onto the couch, but we haven't progressed past that stage because he worries and shut down which means we have to stay at the same stage for a whole lot longer. I've also got to get some rings and a toilet plunger to work on his quoit trick as well. He was getting a bit manic at training last Tuesday night when we did this, and if I was too "slow" getting the next round of treats broken up, he started very pointedly butting the top of the pole and doing nose targetting.
I'm actually really stoked he's showing that sort of iniative these days, since before it was always "I'mma just sit here and focus focus focus because that's safe". He's still nowhere near as secure and confident as I'd like, but he's definitely made a bucket load of progress, even just within the last twelve months; heck, in the last six months.
Despite the fact that my dad is "so knowledgable" and no one else in the house is going to listen to me and follow my guidelines (despite the fact that Zeke is going to be my dog), I'm going to be aiming to raise him with zero corrections: no physical, no verbal. My main goal for him is to develop a super confident dog that knows how to think and learn and experiment.
Everything else is just going to be icing.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Wow...
I was looking through the catalogue from our last trial before chucking it out, and I realised that there are some seriously "old dogs" still running regularly. Couple of ten year olds, couple of eleven year olds, a twelve year old and then there's a thirteen year old mini schaunzer.
How awesome would that be: still being able to enjoy training and competing with a dog so fit and healthy, then can keep going strong long after most people would have stuck them into retirement.
How awesome would that be: still being able to enjoy training and competing with a dog so fit and healthy, then can keep going strong long after most people would have stuck them into retirement.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Clearly, I Wasn't Listened To
Making that deal with the Weather Overlord about swapping atmospheric conditions with Orange for a couple of days...
Yeah, well, we got the shit weather last night and today, and Orange enjoyed twenty four k/hr winds, a top of nine degrees, and cloud cover.
According to the weather forcast, Tuesday is literally the only day in the next week where it's meant to be "sunny"- but with a top of four degrees, I don't even know if that's enough.
I'm just kind of frustrated about it all. It's no one's fault, the weather's just being a total fuckwit, but I still can't help wanting to strangle something.
Made up a couple of ad flyers today, and posted ads on Gumtree, Petlink and Petpages, so it's just a matter of waiting and keeping my fingers crossed that new homes for the birdies are out there somewhere. I was a bit... not nervous, just concerned- actually, no, not even that. I was having reservations about telling dad, and was actually expecting a bit of a lecture. But he just sort of said, "What, all of them?" and when I nodded he sighed and told me I was a strange girl.
Which I don't dispute.
Now I've definitely decided, I just want them gone, though. Like a bandaid.
The only thing is I'll still be left with the three babies out with Helios and Tequila to handraise even if I manage to sell the others before they come into the house, so it's going to be a rather drawn out process.
By the end of the year, I'm sure I'll mostly have a grasp on where I'm going and what I'm doing. I kind of need to, because I finish school mid-November and then it all starts to get really complicated anyway.
I got a cheque in the mail today from my grandparents for the money from the bank account, so I'm actually all set for payment for the puppy anyway without having to borrow off my parents again. I'm so glad, since I just finished off the $1800 debt I got through having Fletcher; I don't like owing people things, relying on people for things. I'm sure that probably has an underlying, deeper and more concerning meaning, but whatever.
I just don't.
So I'll cash that on Monday, and for the first time since the end of last year, my bank account is actually going to look semi-decent. For a short time, anyway.
Just to add onto what has got to be the most rambling, disjointed post I have ever made, I've been doing a fair bit of trudging through information regarding studies on desexing and the "right age" to have it done and whatnot, and have come to the decision that the new puppy will be staying entire until somewhere between fourteen and eighteen months of age. This'll be the first time I'll have an entire dog- Charlie was snipped at eight weeks, before I brought him home, and even though Fletch was done at six months old, he was still a puppy so he doesn't really count.
Another reason I want a boy now. First, because I've only got a boy name picked out. And second, because I don't think my parents would appreciate a bitch having a season or two in the house before she was desexed.
My reservation at keeping a dog entire until later on was mainly to do with myself: the experience I've had with entire males hasn't been that pleasant. Every single one I'd come across would be just itching for a fight, starting trouble, constantly distracted, cocking their leg on everything and everyone. But a lady's started coming to agility with her two poodles and I was surprised to learn they were both entire (the standard's six, the miniature's ten) becsause they're just not at all what I've come to associate entire male dogs as. So that made me think maybe I was just having bad experiences, and even if the poodles are abnormally well mannered, if normal is somewhere in between I shouldn't have too many issues.
My second reservation was to do with the fact that no doubt there are at the very least a handful of irresponsibly owned entire bitches around here, and our fence isn't that fantastic: it's four foot, but the gate is two foot and kelpies are kind of... springy. But that's also irrelevant now since I don't plan on leaving any dog I own outside unsupervised anyway. Charlie jumps the gate if I'm not home, so he stays inside and the new dog will as well, so that solves any potential roaming.
I don't want an entire dog for twelve/fourteen/sixteen/whatever years. I still see desexing as something important, and something I want my dogs to have, but given this opportunity I'm going to elect to wait a while longer than I would have normally thought to, and see how it turns out.
Yeah, well, we got the shit weather last night and today, and Orange enjoyed twenty four k/hr winds, a top of nine degrees, and cloud cover.
According to the weather forcast, Tuesday is literally the only day in the next week where it's meant to be "sunny"- but with a top of four degrees, I don't even know if that's enough.
I'm just kind of frustrated about it all. It's no one's fault, the weather's just being a total fuckwit, but I still can't help wanting to strangle something.
Made up a couple of ad flyers today, and posted ads on Gumtree, Petlink and Petpages, so it's just a matter of waiting and keeping my fingers crossed that new homes for the birdies are out there somewhere. I was a bit... not nervous, just concerned- actually, no, not even that. I was having reservations about telling dad, and was actually expecting a bit of a lecture. But he just sort of said, "What, all of them?" and when I nodded he sighed and told me I was a strange girl.
Which I don't dispute.
Now I've definitely decided, I just want them gone, though. Like a bandaid.
The only thing is I'll still be left with the three babies out with Helios and Tequila to handraise even if I manage to sell the others before they come into the house, so it's going to be a rather drawn out process.
By the end of the year, I'm sure I'll mostly have a grasp on where I'm going and what I'm doing. I kind of need to, because I finish school mid-November and then it all starts to get really complicated anyway.
I got a cheque in the mail today from my grandparents for the money from the bank account, so I'm actually all set for payment for the puppy anyway without having to borrow off my parents again. I'm so glad, since I just finished off the $1800 debt I got through having Fletcher; I don't like owing people things, relying on people for things. I'm sure that probably has an underlying, deeper and more concerning meaning, but whatever.
I just don't.
So I'll cash that on Monday, and for the first time since the end of last year, my bank account is actually going to look semi-decent. For a short time, anyway.
Just to add onto what has got to be the most rambling, disjointed post I have ever made, I've been doing a fair bit of trudging through information regarding studies on desexing and the "right age" to have it done and whatnot, and have come to the decision that the new puppy will be staying entire until somewhere between fourteen and eighteen months of age. This'll be the first time I'll have an entire dog- Charlie was snipped at eight weeks, before I brought him home, and even though Fletch was done at six months old, he was still a puppy so he doesn't really count.
Another reason I want a boy now. First, because I've only got a boy name picked out. And second, because I don't think my parents would appreciate a bitch having a season or two in the house before she was desexed.
My reservation at keeping a dog entire until later on was mainly to do with myself: the experience I've had with entire males hasn't been that pleasant. Every single one I'd come across would be just itching for a fight, starting trouble, constantly distracted, cocking their leg on everything and everyone. But a lady's started coming to agility with her two poodles and I was surprised to learn they were both entire (the standard's six, the miniature's ten) becsause they're just not at all what I've come to associate entire male dogs as. So that made me think maybe I was just having bad experiences, and even if the poodles are abnormally well mannered, if normal is somewhere in between I shouldn't have too many issues.
My second reservation was to do with the fact that no doubt there are at the very least a handful of irresponsibly owned entire bitches around here, and our fence isn't that fantastic: it's four foot, but the gate is two foot and kelpies are kind of... springy. But that's also irrelevant now since I don't plan on leaving any dog I own outside unsupervised anyway. Charlie jumps the gate if I'm not home, so he stays inside and the new dog will as well, so that solves any potential roaming.
I don't want an entire dog for twelve/fourteen/sixteen/whatever years. I still see desexing as something important, and something I want my dogs to have, but given this opportunity I'm going to elect to wait a while longer than I would have normally thought to, and see how it turns out.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Decisions
I turn eighteen next Thursday- like, five and a half days time.
It's not a big deal for me. I'm not fussed on being able to legally buy grog, or go out clubbing, or whatever else it is normal almost eighteen year olds yearn for.
But it has made me go "Oh shit- I'm going to be an adult next week... And what the fuck am I doing with my life?"
And while I still don't know the answer to that particular question, after an exhaustive and emotional morning, I've come to a couple of decisions that are going to lead to some changes in my life. They're not overly major when you think about it, but for me they're definitely going to be a turning point and that's why I really, really need to do this.
I've got this... idea... in my head, that next Thursday any real decisions I've made concerning my attitude towards my life are going to be stuck, so I'm figuring out where my head is and where I want it to be.
It's been three years of switching and changing, jumping into things I think I want and then realising no, I merely want to want them.
People have this image of me in their heads that's wrong, and I'm determined to change it- but before I do that I need to work out what I want to see myself as.
I'm sick of lying, and going back and forth from deliriously happy to incredibly depressed. I'm sick of seeing so much of my life as chores I have to do, not want to do, just because it's something I enjoy.
My parents have kept asking me, "What do you want to do for your birthday?" and up until last night I had no idea. But I'm now planning on heading off by myself for a few hours to see the final Harry Potter movie- thought it'd be a wonderfully fitting way to kind of farewell my childhood.
Change is coming, and I think I'm finally starting to figure myself out.
And to actually make this post actually dog related: Orange is still caught in shit winter weather mode. The pups turn seven weeks old on Monday, and I have no idea if one of them is mine or not yet.
/efbjvbklwemfnjkbc
It's not a big deal for me. I'm not fussed on being able to legally buy grog, or go out clubbing, or whatever else it is normal almost eighteen year olds yearn for.
But it has made me go "Oh shit- I'm going to be an adult next week... And what the fuck am I doing with my life?"
And while I still don't know the answer to that particular question, after an exhaustive and emotional morning, I've come to a couple of decisions that are going to lead to some changes in my life. They're not overly major when you think about it, but for me they're definitely going to be a turning point and that's why I really, really need to do this.
I've got this... idea... in my head, that next Thursday any real decisions I've made concerning my attitude towards my life are going to be stuck, so I'm figuring out where my head is and where I want it to be.
It's been three years of switching and changing, jumping into things I think I want and then realising no, I merely want to want them.
People have this image of me in their heads that's wrong, and I'm determined to change it- but before I do that I need to work out what I want to see myself as.
I'm sick of lying, and going back and forth from deliriously happy to incredibly depressed. I'm sick of seeing so much of my life as chores I have to do, not want to do, just because it's something I enjoy.
My parents have kept asking me, "What do you want to do for your birthday?" and up until last night I had no idea. But I'm now planning on heading off by myself for a few hours to see the final Harry Potter movie- thought it'd be a wonderfully fitting way to kind of farewell my childhood.
Change is coming, and I think I'm finally starting to figure myself out.
And to actually make this post actually dog related: Orange is still caught in shit winter weather mode. The pups turn seven weeks old on Monday, and I have no idea if one of them is mine or not yet.
/efbjvbklwemfnjkbc
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Bad Weather and Contacts
Very bad. Very, very bad.
I want some of our sunshine to head off to Orange for a few days so the pups can have their evaluations finished. That's not too much to ask, surely?
We went to training last night; had a tonne of fun and got too see Nugget again. My God, he's shot up in just two weeks! He's such a solid dog, with crazy long legs at the moment, and his eyes kind of seem sort of Chinese-y, but I don't know if that's a baby rottie thing or not. Regardless, gosh he's adorable.
Puppy fever. Hello.
Charlie's so funny with him. There's food involved so he's focused on that, and Nugget kind of attaches himself to Charlie's lead, or walks around licking his eyes, or with his nose on Charlie's bits, and the moose just doesn't even notice.
For a dog of his personality, and with his past issues, he is so good with puppies. He won't take too much crap from them either, and if they're too full on he'll put them in their place, but he doesn't mob or bully them like a certain staffy thing I know >.>
Anyway. Contacts. As the title suggests.
They're awesome, to put it in totally simple terms. He nails 2o2o on everything, drives into position, drives out of position, sticks it, there's not a lot left to do through retraining it at all.
I just can't gather the courage to put it to test in a trial situation, because a huge part of me knows it'll end up like our startline stays- inconsistent and with no real way for me to fix them.
I've still got tentative plans for our ADAA debut in November, but I don't know if I, personally, am going to be up to it.
So at this stage, it's like a forty per cent chance we'll roadtest the new contacts in November at WAAG, and a sixty per cent chance I'll chicken out and put it off until next year some stage.
I want some of our sunshine to head off to Orange for a few days so the pups can have their evaluations finished. That's not too much to ask, surely?
We went to training last night; had a tonne of fun and got too see Nugget again. My God, he's shot up in just two weeks! He's such a solid dog, with crazy long legs at the moment, and his eyes kind of seem sort of Chinese-y, but I don't know if that's a baby rottie thing or not. Regardless, gosh he's adorable.
Puppy fever. Hello.
Charlie's so funny with him. There's food involved so he's focused on that, and Nugget kind of attaches himself to Charlie's lead, or walks around licking his eyes, or with his nose on Charlie's bits, and the moose just doesn't even notice.
For a dog of his personality, and with his past issues, he is so good with puppies. He won't take too much crap from them either, and if they're too full on he'll put them in their place, but he doesn't mob or bully them like a certain staffy thing I know >.>
Anyway. Contacts. As the title suggests.
They're awesome, to put it in totally simple terms. He nails 2o2o on everything, drives into position, drives out of position, sticks it, there's not a lot left to do through retraining it at all.
I just can't gather the courage to put it to test in a trial situation, because a huge part of me knows it'll end up like our startline stays- inconsistent and with no real way for me to fix them.
I've still got tentative plans for our ADAA debut in November, but I don't know if I, personally, am going to be up to it.
So at this stage, it's like a forty per cent chance we'll roadtest the new contacts in November at WAAG, and a sixty per cent chance I'll chicken out and put it off until next year some stage.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Puppy Update... Three?
Or whatever number I'm now up to.
I just got a call from Mary at Noonbarra and the reason why I haven't heard anything is because, whaddyaknow, stupid bloody weather.
It's been blowing a gale and absolutely freezing in Orange, ergo puppies aren't going outside which means the final bits of assessing hasn't been able to be done.
She said today's not looking so bad, so hopefully she'll be able to get them out in a warm spot and finish it up today. They're still looking at one puppy in there for me, which is awesomely exciting :D
Fingers and toes are now crossed for good weather in Orange- I'd gladly take some shit weather up here as compensation, if that works- and hopefully I might hear final decisions this evening or tomorrow. Hopefully.
Also, we've got agility training tonight! :D But bad news is this is the last day of the June school holidays, so back to work tomorrow. Damn. Got a few things I want to try and get done today (whether or not I actually do remains to be seen, though) and one of which includes another room clean thanks to the three incredibly messy sun conures occupying the corner of it.
I just got a call from Mary at Noonbarra and the reason why I haven't heard anything is because, whaddyaknow, stupid bloody weather.
It's been blowing a gale and absolutely freezing in Orange, ergo puppies aren't going outside which means the final bits of assessing hasn't been able to be done.
She said today's not looking so bad, so hopefully she'll be able to get them out in a warm spot and finish it up today. They're still looking at one puppy in there for me, which is awesomely exciting :D
Fingers and toes are now crossed for good weather in Orange- I'd gladly take some shit weather up here as compensation, if that works- and hopefully I might hear final decisions this evening or tomorrow. Hopefully.
Also, we've got agility training tonight! :D But bad news is this is the last day of the June school holidays, so back to work tomorrow. Damn. Got a few things I want to try and get done today (whether or not I actually do remains to be seen, though) and one of which includes another room clean thanks to the three incredibly messy sun conures occupying the corner of it.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
I'm Thinking...
That I need to handle my dog more when we're trialling.
Rewatching some trial videos before- particularly the one from yesterday- made me have a bit of a brainwave. When we're running long, moving stretches of course I kind of forget to handle and just focus on running and not falling over anything and remembering where we're going. And that's usually when Charlie loses the plot a bit.
When we do the more stagnant, tight bits of a course and I can more or less stand there and focus on where I'm meant to be pointing him to go, we actually look quite in sync.
And I've also noticed we sort of don't have it together at the very beginning of runs- which I'm certain has a lot to do with the fact that my bloody dog doesn't have a consistent way that he will start a run. For instance yesterday, I'd given up hope of a lead out but our third JDX run (and last run of the day, go figure) he had a rock solid wait. It surprised me and I didn't want to push it so released him earlier than I would have, and got nearly taken out because he zoomed for the tunnel for my trouble.
The thing is in training while we have a big space, it's small compared to most trial rings- ergo, we can't practice the big, sweeping sections I'm having issues remembering to handle- and comparitively he's so bloody easy to run...
I definitely need to keep videotaping my runs and looking back at them, because it's helping me to get a better picture of what I need to do to help us have a bit more success.
And Noonbarra note: still no reply re the puppy. I sent a quick email this afternoon and hopefully will hear back soon. Everyone keeps telling me, "Just ring, you won't be annoying, you're a customer" but I feel a bit awkward doing that and kind of pushy, so I'm hoping to get a call or email tomorrow at some stage.
Rewatching some trial videos before- particularly the one from yesterday- made me have a bit of a brainwave. When we're running long, moving stretches of course I kind of forget to handle and just focus on running and not falling over anything and remembering where we're going. And that's usually when Charlie loses the plot a bit.
When we do the more stagnant, tight bits of a course and I can more or less stand there and focus on where I'm meant to be pointing him to go, we actually look quite in sync.
And I've also noticed we sort of don't have it together at the very beginning of runs- which I'm certain has a lot to do with the fact that my bloody dog doesn't have a consistent way that he will start a run. For instance yesterday, I'd given up hope of a lead out but our third JDX run (and last run of the day, go figure) he had a rock solid wait. It surprised me and I didn't want to push it so released him earlier than I would have, and got nearly taken out because he zoomed for the tunnel for my trouble.
The thing is in training while we have a big space, it's small compared to most trial rings- ergo, we can't practice the big, sweeping sections I'm having issues remembering to handle- and comparitively he's so bloody easy to run...
I definitely need to keep videotaping my runs and looking back at them, because it's helping me to get a better picture of what I need to do to help us have a bit more success.
And Noonbarra note: still no reply re the puppy. I sent a quick email this afternoon and hopefully will hear back soon. Everyone keeps telling me, "Just ring, you won't be annoying, you're a customer" but I feel a bit awkward doing that and kind of pushy, so I'm hoping to get a call or email tomorrow at some stage.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Gold Coast Triple Jumpers 9th July 2011
As an added note: no word from Noonbarra today :(
I may need to send a little "Hello? Remember me :)" email tomorrow afternoon if I still haven't heard back about the final decisions regarding that litter.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Quick Post
Before I print the catalogue, then go have a shower and head to bed; early night for early start tomorrow morning. So excited for triple jumpers :D :D :D
Camera's been charging all day and I'll leave the batteries in overnight and take them off just before we go tomorrow; hopefully that'll mean the stupid thing will actually work and not give up the ghost halfway through tomorrow morning.
The litter I might have a puppy from has been taken off the Noonbarra website, which means they've sorted out puppy availability and decided who's going where. I didn't get a call today, and given my luck they'll probably call with the final decisions tomorrow while I'm out. I'm going to leave strict instructions with mum to either get them to give me a call on dad's mobile if they do ring, or mum can ring me and let me know.
Hopefully my pup's in that litter. Fingers still crossed.
Camera's been charging all day and I'll leave the batteries in overnight and take them off just before we go tomorrow; hopefully that'll mean the stupid thing will actually work and not give up the ghost halfway through tomorrow morning.
The litter I might have a puppy from has been taken off the Noonbarra website, which means they've sorted out puppy availability and decided who's going where. I didn't get a call today, and given my luck they'll probably call with the final decisions tomorrow while I'm out. I'm going to leave strict instructions with mum to either get them to give me a call on dad's mobile if they do ring, or mum can ring me and let me know.
Hopefully my pup's in that litter. Fingers still crossed.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Aaaaaaaah
This whole patience thing is killing me.
It was hard to wait before when I didn't have the potential puppy lined up, but this is just torture. I want the end of the week to be here- but the end of the week also means the end of the June school holidays and only a few days off before going back to school, so that's annoying me as well.
Mixed in with the excitement is some anxiety, I will admit: once bitten, twice shy. But that's pretty irrational, so I'm squashing it down as much as I can and focusing on being everything but pessimistic and cynical for once.
And I know all of that anxiety is going to disappear once I have a healthy, happy puppy at home so it's just something I need to bear with for a bit longer.
We went to Composite class tonight- did a lot of tunnels, which made Charlie's week. It's times like tonight when I just can't help but look at him and think "What a bloody awesome dog"- but then he goes and does something balmy and I end up rolling my eyes and wondering what the hell I'm going to do with him. He's just oranges and apples all at the same time.
I'm hoping to get to the reserve tomorrow afternoon with the camera and mum to act as videographer, and do a bit of jump work and film an example of something I was explaining to a friend today (not very well, might I add). So fingers crossed for that.
I ordered- finally- a copy of The Focused Puppy and Control Unleashed, so I'm hoping they'll arrive at some stage either towards the end of this week or next week. I've got such an extensive list of things I want to add to my little library, and not the funds to make it a reality, but I'm really glad I've got these two books coming along.
It was hard to wait before when I didn't have the potential puppy lined up, but this is just torture. I want the end of the week to be here- but the end of the week also means the end of the June school holidays and only a few days off before going back to school, so that's annoying me as well.
Mixed in with the excitement is some anxiety, I will admit: once bitten, twice shy. But that's pretty irrational, so I'm squashing it down as much as I can and focusing on being everything but pessimistic and cynical for once.
And I know all of that anxiety is going to disappear once I have a healthy, happy puppy at home so it's just something I need to bear with for a bit longer.
We went to Composite class tonight- did a lot of tunnels, which made Charlie's week. It's times like tonight when I just can't help but look at him and think "What a bloody awesome dog"- but then he goes and does something balmy and I end up rolling my eyes and wondering what the hell I'm going to do with him. He's just oranges and apples all at the same time.
I'm hoping to get to the reserve tomorrow afternoon with the camera and mum to act as videographer, and do a bit of jump work and film an example of something I was explaining to a friend today (not very well, might I add). So fingers crossed for that.
I ordered- finally- a copy of The Focused Puppy and Control Unleashed, so I'm hoping they'll arrive at some stage either towards the end of this week or next week. I've got such an extensive list of things I want to add to my little library, and not the funds to make it a reality, but I'm really glad I've got these two books coming along.
Monday, July 4, 2011
I've Figured Something Out
I need to run.
I think I have a tendency to focus too much on where I'm going and what I'm doing next when running Charlie, especially at trials, and because I'm worrying about that I don't keep up- which is where things go pear shaped.
Goal for triple jumpers, then, is to run run run. I need to be absolutely dead after the five runs and just want to call into a ball and sleep, that's the sort of running I need to be doing. To be honest I don't even care about staying on course- if we DQ from a wrong course because I forget where we're going, then so be it. So long as we're running, it'll be brilliant.
I've been absolutely lucky to get a naturally manically fast dog, so I owe it to him to actually be capable of running him properly.
Something's definitely been missing from my partnership with Charlie the past few months, but I'm getting the feeling it's coming back. Slowly, but it's definitely coming together.
When we finally do get that real click, nothing's going to stop us :) It's just a matter of patiently waiting and working for the final pieces to fit together.
I've got a good feeling about Saturday. We'll be back to being the United Nations with a big group of us and our assortment of dogs; there are a few debuts (two dogs and a handler- who's also running one of the dogs) and I can't wait. Should be a really awesome day.
I think I have a tendency to focus too much on where I'm going and what I'm doing next when running Charlie, especially at trials, and because I'm worrying about that I don't keep up- which is where things go pear shaped.
Goal for triple jumpers, then, is to run run run. I need to be absolutely dead after the five runs and just want to call into a ball and sleep, that's the sort of running I need to be doing. To be honest I don't even care about staying on course- if we DQ from a wrong course because I forget where we're going, then so be it. So long as we're running, it'll be brilliant.
I've been absolutely lucky to get a naturally manically fast dog, so I owe it to him to actually be capable of running him properly.
Something's definitely been missing from my partnership with Charlie the past few months, but I'm getting the feeling it's coming back. Slowly, but it's definitely coming together.
When we finally do get that real click, nothing's going to stop us :) It's just a matter of patiently waiting and working for the final pieces to fit together.
I've got a good feeling about Saturday. We'll be back to being the United Nations with a big group of us and our assortment of dogs; there are a few debuts (two dogs and a handler- who's also running one of the dogs) and I can't wait. Should be a really awesome day.
So Far, Today's Been Bloody Brilliant
I woke up in a good mood, the birds have been behaving themselves- relatively, anyway, compared to usual.
Tequila and Helios are on two eggs, which is good news in a roundabout sort of way. More babies to handraise in a month and a half or so, probably, which is a positive and a negative at the same time.
I was in a baking mood, so put together a chocolate cake which didn't turn out that bad at all.
I've got training tonight, and get to see Nugget again, and be amazed at how much he's grown in just a week.
I've got a lady coming around in a half hour or so to have a look at the boy sun conure I've got left to sell, so he might be going to a new home- finally.
Aaaaand, the most wonderful thing that's happened today, is I probably have a puppy! Mary from Noonbarra rang this morning to tell me she should know by the end of the week whether or not there's a suitable puppy in the Noonbarra Kellie x Ameroo Ned litter for me. She's pretty confident there will be, but it's just a matter of hoping for good weather so they can get them out to do some more evaluating and whatnot.
If I do get a pup from this litter, it'll definitely be a boy (which is good because I still haven't come up with a girl name), most likely black and tan, and will be ready to come home on the 24th/25th of July- so just three weeks away :D
I'm trying not to let myself get too excited, in case this flops, but it's a bit hard; I'm just keeping my fingers and toes crossed as tightly as I can, and wishing that the end of the week would hurry up and get here.
Tequila and Helios are on two eggs, which is good news in a roundabout sort of way. More babies to handraise in a month and a half or so, probably, which is a positive and a negative at the same time.
I was in a baking mood, so put together a chocolate cake which didn't turn out that bad at all.
I've got training tonight, and get to see Nugget again, and be amazed at how much he's grown in just a week.
I've got a lady coming around in a half hour or so to have a look at the boy sun conure I've got left to sell, so he might be going to a new home- finally.
Aaaaand, the most wonderful thing that's happened today, is I probably have a puppy! Mary from Noonbarra rang this morning to tell me she should know by the end of the week whether or not there's a suitable puppy in the Noonbarra Kellie x Ameroo Ned litter for me. She's pretty confident there will be, but it's just a matter of hoping for good weather so they can get them out to do some more evaluating and whatnot.
If I do get a pup from this litter, it'll definitely be a boy (which is good because I still haven't come up with a girl name), most likely black and tan, and will be ready to come home on the 24th/25th of July- so just three weeks away :D
I'm trying not to let myself get too excited, in case this flops, but it's a bit hard; I'm just keeping my fingers and toes crossed as tightly as I can, and wishing that the end of the week would hurry up and get here.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Few Updates
So a little while since my last blog post, and a couple of things have happened.
Firstly, I got around to filling out some entry forms and cheques and envelopes, and have done entries for five upcoming trials (July, August, September). Sixty eight bucks just for two runs at each, so it's probably a good thing I'm skipping out on agility for the time being.
We've got triple jumpers at the Gold Coast this Saturday, which I'm so excited about. Last trial as a junior handler, and it'll be the same comp we first ran at two years ago, as well as the same comp we got our first title (JD) at last year.
I've been working on Charlie's "around" and he's snazzy at right to left, and we just started working on left to right yesterday and after a rather rocky start- he had a tendency to swing into close position, or start to shoot round and then dart back up my left side; naughty moose- we've made some progress and have it down pretty consistently now. It's nowhere near as fast or confident as right to left, because that's "his" side, but it'll get better as we work on it more.
I feel like a bit of an idiot, with the huge hand signal I use for it, but if I'm any more subtle I've found Charlie gets confused and offers another behaviour. I've got too many cues for too many different behaviours too close to my body, hehe. And because he still doesn't one hundred per cent get left to right around, he'll look like he's about to commit and then change: "Reverse? Close? Circle? Between? Whatcha want, lady?!" I even got tripped up yesterday morning because he went out of his way to shove his head between my legs as he passed behind, and started offering a leg weave.
Two modes, that dog: he either doesn't think at all, or he over thinks.
I need to get Charlie back up to the chiropractor again because I think he's out in his shoulders- again, gah that dog- but I need to time it around upcoming comps because it's usually a few weeks to an available appointment and I need to rest him for a few days after he gets adjusted. He really does need to go up every few months because he bashes his shoulders around so much.
Noonbarra updated their website and have four litters listed: one's about five weeks old, another around one week old, one due towards the end of July, and one due towards the end of August. Maybe my puppy's somewhere in amongst that lot? Would be bloody brilliant if it was, but all I can do is sit back and wait and see.
I went into work with dad yesterday to pick up the final fish additions to the tank- three phantom glass catfish to add to the other two, as well as two Pakistani loaches to address the snail population- and of course took Charlie along because he loves the car and going out and about. He gets lots of love at work :) We've got two guinea pigs as store pets, and he knows exactly where they are. We were waiting to go and get the fish scanned through at the "Chook Out", and he was crying because he knew the piggies were just around the corner, but he couldn't quite see them. So before we headed out, he got to have an intense-kelpie-stare at them, and then I had to drag him out of the store so we could head home.
We've got training on tomorow, and I have to say I'm especially enjoying the past few times we've gone- not only because I get to do agility with Charlie, but I get to help socialise (read: cuddle and play with) my instructor's new rottie pup, who's adorable and making me get puppy fever even worse than I have now. Charlie's kind of intrigued by him, but Nugget's surprisingly non-dog focused for such a young pup, and I think that puts him off a whole lot of real interaction and play, because he isn't getting much attention back. Last Monday, Charlie caught sight of the cat inside, parading up and down on the dining room table, and that was it: lost all puppy focus and it was just catcatcatcatcatwannaseethecat, so he wasn't much help at all.
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