Busy

Ive just been so busy its hard to find time to post. These puppies are taking up so much of my time.  I wish they would get adopted. They are so cute right now and ready to learn. I havent really been teaching them anything except trying to get them to go the bathroom outside, come when called and sitting when I give out treats to all the dogs.  They just look at you with such adoration, it makes you melt. Until they act wild again. LOL. Then you are over it.

I try to work my dogs or walk at the park , in between puppy awake time. So no time is for blogging.
I started Java in a foundation class on Wednesday.  I just wanted to work her in a class and makes sure I didnt miss teaching some things.   I ran Java over the dogwalk at class, when class was over. The second time she missed the contact. Wow, I cant remember the last time she missed a straight off contact.  It may have been just a new place but also there was a tunnel at the end. I usually work with starting out of a tunnel and end with a jump.   So I figured I better work on tunnels after the dogwalk

I took the dogs the the field and set a tunnel at each end of the dogwalk. She didnt miss once. So maybe it was the new place.



I hope she will run  like she did in the  last one all the time.
I also worked on taking jumps with Java.  Sometimes she takes them but if i really run, then she just comes to me and doesnt take the jumps. More work to do there.



This practice was Thurday morning.  Java was licking her foot a couple of time Thursday night. I checked her foot and didnt find anything. Friday we went to the park, mostly just played in the water. It was a hot day, but when I went it was only about 86 degrees outside. We topped out at 109 yesterday. Whoo that was hot.  Anyway, I didnt notice anything yesterday morning. But early after noon I noticed Java licking her foot again.  I checked it and it looked like she had a splinter under the skin of her pad. So soaked it. A couple of hours later she was kinda grumpy to the other dogs and especially the  puppies.  Then I saw her  off loading weight off her right rear.  So I looked at it again and there was a small spot of blood on the side of her pad and in her fur. She hadnt been licking it. Then I saw her limp. Ugh. I called the vet. I could only get an appt at my old vet. I took it.  So we show up and Java is still off loading weight and slight limp. I told him the problem. He said, "you know dogs never have anything in their pads".  LOl, he was just kidding me because that what he said about  Miley  when she had the glass her her foot.  So we took Java back and he looked at her pad. Picked at it with tweezers for several minutes. It was tender to the dog. He said, "I really dont think there is anything in there".  I thought OMG, not again. There is something in my dogs foot. Ugh. So he looked some more and pulled back a little of the pad.  Two splinters!!!  He said, "well I guess Ive been under diagnosising  splinters in pads".   So Java is feeling much better today. No limp or off loading weight that Ive seen.

 I went to the field early this morning. I wanted to pull a bunch of weeds that were around the dogwalk. They were the sticker pricker weeds. I thought  thats where maybe she picked up the  splinter.

But the guy had come to mow the lawn and now I couldnt find them.  This one was under the dogwalk. But after looking at it, the stickers on this were to little.  Her splinters were bigger than these.  So I moved the dogwalk, since it hadnt been moved in a while.  I couldnt lift the center section of the dogwalk and was wondering what I would do. Then it came to me. Use the a-frame mover.

It worked great and moved easily.  So I moved the dogwalk to the shade in the morning spot in case I want  to go out early in the morning and work dogs. 

Hopefully we can get back to hiking in a couple of days when Java's pad is better.

Wordless Wednesday

AKC trail : other things

There is this great park near the trail site. I guess maybe 5 miles away. To bad it was so freaking hot that it made it tough on the dogs. There is a lake, waterfalls and lots of hiking trails.  Not to many people.

There were some ducks but Java was more interested in....

Sometimes the ducks would flap their wings and scare the crap out of the dogs.

 This was a falling down bridge along the path. It  was basically on the ground going over a  small creek. Yes we did cross it.

There was a small waterfall . There were several steps downs from the lake with small falls but this was the only one you could get to. The other ones were to dangerous and you werent allowed near them. The first day not to much water going over.

But the next day lots of water was going over. We had lots of rain on Friday night with thunderstorms all evening. So the poor dogs were in the hotel from about 3pm Friday until we left for the trial Saturday morning.

You could walk along the top there and it wasnt to deep. So the dogs were ok with it and it cooled you down.

This was taken with me standing on top of that waterfall area and looking down the creek. When I saw this and all the grass, it makes me think snakes. I saw a man and his little 2 or 3 year old kid walking through that area. Again, Im thinking thats crazy but then I thought I was just being overly freaked out about snakes.  So I look down at the water just below me in the water fall and what do I see?

Creepy!!!  So then the man and his son walked back up to start down the creek again. I told them to be careful and showed them the snake in the water. They were done, no more walking in the creek.

They had birds in large cages. I assume they were injured birds.


It was hard to find a place to let the dogs just run.  Especially Java who was crated or in the hotel. So I went here. I didnt let them run on the field, just the ends and sides.  I kept hoping I wouldnt get in trouble.

Here is the one bad thing that happened at the trial. It was Sunday I was was getting ready to run my Open Standard run. I had looked at the running order , there were 2 - 8inch dogs in front of me that checked in.   5 minutes to first dog, I looked at my watch. I got Miley. I went to the back door and put up my treat bag, I hung it on the fence. The first dog came out of the door. So I walked around to the entrance door and did the practice jump a couple of times. When I opened the door, everyone seemed mad at me. I had missed my run. I cant remember what they said to me but it felt like they were attacking me. ( you know what I mean). Then I just felt angry and said, "Why didnt you just open the door and call my name?" and I said it in a not so nice tone.  Well three people turned around  and yelled at me, "we did".   I just couldnt figure out how I missed my run. So they let me run after the next 12 inch dog. I was ok with them saying I missed my run and thats is that. I know the rules.  But they let me run. Which was very nice.  So I ran and we Qed.  But it didnt feel that great because all I could think about was how I had spoken to the gate steward. ugh!!  So right after I gave Miley her treats, I handed her off the a friend. I went back in and told the guy I was very sorry for how I spoke to him. I didnt mean to sound so harsh.  He said it was ok but you know how when someone says that but you can tell they dont mean it. And really saying sorry doesnt make up for things.   I felt terrible. Im sure they think Im a jerk. My name will be mud for a while. Ugh!! I thought about it all the way home, 3 1/2 hours.   I later found out , someone went thur the running order and just checked peoples names  off that they knew were there. So yes the other 8 inch dog was there but she didnt run.  So  I thought there were 2 -8inch dogs when really there was only one dog was in front of me. Ugh!!

AKC Trial

I went to a 3 day AKC trial.   The trial was well run and ran fast and smooth. We were done in the early afternoon all 3 days. The judge was great. I liked his courses. They didnt look that challenging but lots off dogs were not successful especially in excellent standard. Usually there was only a one jump difference between Open and excellent standard.  Its small one ring trial but inside. Which is good because its way to hot to be outside right now.  The building with the ring is mostly ring. There is a small isle where you can put some chairs, maybe 25 but thats it. So its hard to watch what it going on. There is only room for about 3 dogs to wait at the starting gate. You come in one door from the outside, enter the ring and you leave through the other door , to go back outside again. Crating is in another room and very tight. There are only 2 toilets and by the end of the 3rd day, there was no water pressure. So while you went to the bathroom, you ran the sink to fill up the dog water bowl so you could pour the water into the tank when you were done.  Ugh, kinda time consuming when you trying to make you walk thru ect.  The other bad thing is there is a musty smell in the building. I guess it doesnt bother most people but it really bothers me. In that, your clothes and everything you have smells like that. So I went through a bunch of clothes everyday between the musty smell and sweating when walking with the dogs at the park. Lucky the hotel had a washer and dryer to use. The hotel was awesome!! It was a Hampton Inn and I shared a room with a friend. . It worked out great. My friend may not think so, since my dogs would sometimes bark in the middle of the night when doors closed.
Friday I ran both Ex. Jww and Open Standard.  She blew all her contacts  and I didnt even go for the table. I just wanted to keep her running and not stress.  Then I ran excellent JWW.

She missed jump number two. Im not sure why.  Someone said I pushed her off but when I watched the video I dont see that. So Im not sure why she did that. And then I made the bad mistake of trying to fix it. She stressed and ran around the ring. Bad handler.  I got her back by sending her to the weaves.

I really didnt know what to do about these contacts. I have the travel plank in my car and everywhere I go, I have Miley practice.  I was so frustrated by this problem.

Saturday was a new day. Yea!!  JWW was first.

It was going great until I sent her to the tunnel and ran to make a front cross after #8 and pulled her off the correct tunnel entrance.  So she went into the wrong tunnel entrance and then had an ugly approach to #8. So she took it the wrong direction and then we were back on course. The rest was great.

Then Open standard.

 

So I wanted to front cross after #6.  I ran really wide of the dogwalk to make that FC and she stopped on the contact.  But then blew the a-frame contact. Converging on her I pushed her off the chute and didnt even go for the table. I just wanted to keep her moving and not stress her. I had planned to Front cross and then rear at the weaves to pull her in tight. I got stuck in my cross and she was weaving nicely. I should have to ran the opposite side of the weaves but no I had to stick with my plan. And since I had decelerated so much Miley pulled out of the weaves. I just started laughing and we kept going.

All these blown contacts and me pushing her off of jumps and chutes got me thinking. The last trial, in May, where she had beautiful contacts I was really wide trying to get to different areas of the course. Now this run, I was wide on the dogwalk and she stopped. I thought maybe Im crowding her on the contacts. She has a very wide personal space bubble.
Sunday I decided that I was going to be really wide on the contacts to see what would happen.  Lucky the course allowed that.

It worked, she stopped on all her contacts. Whoohoo, I was so excited.  She didnt get on the table but my friend said maybe the same theory applies to the table. Because I really put pressure on her.  She missed the weave entry, she didnt even try to get in, Im not sure why.



I know there was several mistakes but it was a Q. LOL  So we finally get to move up to excellent Standard. It only took us 3 years. That maybe a record. I still need to fix the table problem. And just because the being wide stuff worked here doesnt mean that is really the issue. Will see.

Last up was Ex. JWW.

She dropped a bar and ran pass # 17.  But it still felt like a really good run. I kept debating if I should Front cross after 15 or rear cross. I guess I should have fronted.


I have lots more pictures from the parks and stuff. I put them up tomorrow.

Sheltie Rescue puppies

The puppies can go to their new homes now.  Do you know someone who may want a cute little puppy??

The boy has more white on on him. He has lots of attitude and energy. The girl is the darker one and is more laid back.  She has run through the tunnel a few times but my pictures were blurry.  Here is the link to South Carolina Sheltie Rescue  http://www.scsheltierescue.com/

Wordless Wednesday

The park and stuff

Today we hiked at the state park. We havent been there in a long time. I just wanted to see what Miley would do on the hills.  That one time she was injured and she didnt really want to climb any hills. She had no problems today. I was wondering if her not stopping on contacts had to do with being injured. She isnt really dropping any bars. Which she usually does when she is injured.  At the USDAA trial, she didnt drop any bars. Thats unusual for her. She usually drops some bars. Then at the seminar, she didnt drop any bars the first day and I think only one bar the second day. 
Her contacts are getting worse. I have no idea what is going on. I took her to the field last night, where ever there was a tunnel after the contact, she jumped and ran on. If there was a jump after the contact, she stopped. Weird. Maybe Im stressing her will all the contact work Ive been doing.

Here is the jump sequence Ann Braue had me set up. Its so you can practice stopped contacts without having to run the whole a-frame. You add in the tunnel ( to add speed) and you can front cross and send them over different jumps next to the a-frame. You start out by bringing them over the jump, toward the a-frame, give them a treat. You may have to lure it at first to get them to understand what you want. The you lure them on to the aframe. After a couple of times, they get it ( to do jump, aframe). Then you start a couple of feet back from the jump and do jump, a-frame. Then add more distance to the jumps. If they keep getting it add in the tunnel. Make sure you do both side. ( use wing jumps next to the a-frame)



Last night I took the dogs to the field. I worked Java's running DW contact. Ive been angling the jumps after the DW.  Many times she goes around the jump to get the Ready treat.  Last night she didnt do that once. I think she if finally getting it.  Then I just did a short sequence with jumps and tunnels. I wanted to see how fast Java was going. So I first timed Java. She was 8.6 seconds. Then I timed Miley, she got the exact same time. LOL   I know Java should be faster because she is 2 inches taller. But Im having to manage the jumps more for Java. Also Java is  jumping higher than she needs to, so I think her speed will get faster.

 Java's recalls at the park were horrible so she had to be put back on leash.

Its becoming very hot now, so we stopped at the river. Everyone was dunked in a deeper part of the river.

I really tried to get Java's picture on these logs but everytime she turned toward me, she jumped off and came to me. Ugh. Still working on that wait command.

Mish Mash Monday