Groovy and Jam in June 2009 (Groovy 8.5 weeks old)
Groovy and Jam in Sept 2009 (Groovy 24 weeks old)
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Washed out weekend and the trick worked!
Well so much for our first Canis Major competition - it was cancelled due to rain. Funny thing was it hardly rained up here. Oh well - it's been re-scheduled for this Sunday I think. As a result of it being cancelled Groovy, Tali and I took a trip up to Groveland to watch a little of the CPE trial. Groovy had never been there before and she did very well. She was happily greeting everyone - men and women alike. Even men with hats and glasses - large men too. She was the welcome wagon lady. She did not care for the dogs barking in the kennel (there is a boarding place on this property) but it didn't keep her from functioning normally - just made her a tiny bit jumpy with other noises but not enough that she couldn't hold her sit stays and down stays we were practicing. Towards the end of our visit I went over to an open area away from the rings and threw a few short tosses for Tali then a few rollers for Groovy. Groovy did great (Tali too of course)!
Sunday it did actually rain up here so we didn't do much. Late afternoon we did get to go outside and play some frisbee with the dogs. They all did great - especially Groovy who did a few real catches (5 feet or so) and Jam who caught her first real back vault!
As for our mat trick - it actually turned out quite well. Last night was class and it was time to show what we had taught them. I did my little spiel about teaching her to read, set the mat down and after looking at me for about 5 seconds she "wiped her paws"! Hooray! The instructor thought it was quite cute. Hooray Groovy for cooperating! LOL Maybe I'll attempt to get it on video sometime...
One of Groovy's catches!
Mickie's Border Collie impersonation
Jam's first back vault with a catch! (I swear there is a disc there and
that she caught it! I did not however "catch it" on film!)
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Been a while...
What have we been doing... um... let's see.
Labor Day weekend was pretty busy. Saturday we went to a disc dog practice at a local park. We took Tali, Jam and Groovy. Had a good time - the girls had fun too! Groovy was letting all of her admirers adore her and loving every bit of it - even with Chris who she hadn't seen since Florida States and who she wouldn't let near her at that time. Oh how times have changed... Jam was officially off of restriction from her spay the day before practice so Jack threw a few short tosses for her and she did quite well.
Sunday we took 4 of the 5 dogs dock diving. What fun that was! Jam stayed home because she doesn't like water at all - only swims at the beach if we make her so we figured jumping into a pool was not going to be up her alley either.
Dog by dog run down...
Mickie... thought that the sign sort of floating at the pool edge was solid ground, went to step on it and was the first one in. She didn't voluntarily get in again after that which surprised me because she likes water a lot.
Ruckus... the star of the day to some degree. He would go in for the ball. Now I didn't say jump in... just go in. Like slide off the edge into the pool. Not bad though for a dog that hasn't gone swimming in several years. He'll be returning.
Tali... she's so biddable. She'd go in because we asked her to. Not for a toy... just because we called her enough. It's like you could see her say... "Well OK - if I have to... but only because you are asking me to". She'll be returning too.
Groovy... this was Groovy's 2nd time at the pool. The first time she was scared even though she swims like a fish. She wanted no part of jumping into a pool that is 2 feet below where she was standing. This time she still wasn't going in for a toy but by golly have Tali go in and 2 seconds later Groovy jumps in. And yes - I meant to say jump... probably a good 2 foot jump too! She'll be returning as well.
On Sunday evening Sarah came over for agility foundation practice... then on Monday we didn't do anything but hang out around the house. No agility class due to the holiday but we sure did have a ton of homework. Hopefully we've practiced enough this week but somehow I doubt it!
One thing we are supposed to have done was to shape a trick using a prop. I'm attempting to teach Groovy to wipe her feet off on a doormat that says "Wipe Your Paws" however it's not going all that well. I'm thinking maybe I should have gone for a trick that is about carrying things instead... that seems to be more her thing. We'll see though... I thought it'd be amusing to say I taught her to read... hold up the mat to have her read it and then put it down to have her wipe her paws! :) It'll more likely be she'll just go stand on it and move her feet a little. Oh well! We are doing well with some of our other exercises at least!
Tomorrow is Canis Major #1 which means frisbee season has officially started - hooray!!!
Labor Day weekend was pretty busy. Saturday we went to a disc dog practice at a local park. We took Tali, Jam and Groovy. Had a good time - the girls had fun too! Groovy was letting all of her admirers adore her and loving every bit of it - even with Chris who she hadn't seen since Florida States and who she wouldn't let near her at that time. Oh how times have changed... Jam was officially off of restriction from her spay the day before practice so Jack threw a few short tosses for her and she did quite well.
Sunday we took 4 of the 5 dogs dock diving. What fun that was! Jam stayed home because she doesn't like water at all - only swims at the beach if we make her so we figured jumping into a pool was not going to be up her alley either.
Dog by dog run down...
Mickie... thought that the sign sort of floating at the pool edge was solid ground, went to step on it and was the first one in. She didn't voluntarily get in again after that which surprised me because she likes water a lot.
Ruckus... the star of the day to some degree. He would go in for the ball. Now I didn't say jump in... just go in. Like slide off the edge into the pool. Not bad though for a dog that hasn't gone swimming in several years. He'll be returning.
Tali... she's so biddable. She'd go in because we asked her to. Not for a toy... just because we called her enough. It's like you could see her say... "Well OK - if I have to... but only because you are asking me to". She'll be returning too.
Groovy... this was Groovy's 2nd time at the pool. The first time she was scared even though she swims like a fish. She wanted no part of jumping into a pool that is 2 feet below where she was standing. This time she still wasn't going in for a toy but by golly have Tali go in and 2 seconds later Groovy jumps in. And yes - I meant to say jump... probably a good 2 foot jump too! She'll be returning as well.
On Sunday evening Sarah came over for agility foundation practice... then on Monday we didn't do anything but hang out around the house. No agility class due to the holiday but we sure did have a ton of homework. Hopefully we've practiced enough this week but somehow I doubt it!
One thing we are supposed to have done was to shape a trick using a prop. I'm attempting to teach Groovy to wipe her feet off on a doormat that says "Wipe Your Paws" however it's not going all that well. I'm thinking maybe I should have gone for a trick that is about carrying things instead... that seems to be more her thing. We'll see though... I thought it'd be amusing to say I taught her to read... hold up the mat to have her read it and then put it down to have her wipe her paws! :) It'll more likely be she'll just go stand on it and move her feet a little. Oh well! We are doing well with some of our other exercises at least!
Tomorrow is Canis Major #1 which means frisbee season has officially started - hooray!!!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Another full circle moment...
Groovy is growing up for sure and not quite a puppy anymore. We had another "full circle" moment this week. The first was at the trial last weekend. This one was last night when my sister and brother in law came over to the house. It's the first time they've been over since I had them over for dinner about 2 months back. At dinner Groovy would not go too close to Randy and was scared any time he talked. She was only moderately friendly with Laurel but still very reserved and fearful overall. This time however she greeted Laurel like a long lost friend and was quite friendly with Randy. Somewhat cautious or maybe submissive is a better word but still very eager to see him and get to know him. I asked them "So how do you like my new dog?". They both agreed she was a totally different dog. Needless to say I was beaming ear to ear. The other night at agility class this gal that took puppy class with Groovy commented on how different she is now as well (this is as Groovy is pulling me to get to her to say hi). I've got my fingers crossed that at least some of this outgoing'ness (is that a word?) sticks. At minimum that the new level of confidence sticks! She doesn't have to love everyone (though she's so cute when she wiggles at people it'd be nice) but indifference with confidence is OK too. We'll see... she's still so very young but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Here she is on a day when both ears were cooperating - the rest of this week it's be one "normal" and one rose ear!
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