Teaching old dogs new tricks

Or how about just getting them to unlearn old habits?

Clairee is retired, but no one seemed to tell her. 5 weeks ago, the obedience bag came out, leashes, collars and bait bags packed. Clairee—at the door, waiting to go out to the truck. How in the world do you say no to this?

Week 2-get collars, wrangle Moose, Lace, Merlot and hum, there’s a rough collie sitting in the tahoe. How did that get there? Oh well, once again, can’t say no.

I teach about 40 kids obedience, agility, and showmanship on Tuesday nights for our county 4-H dog program. Many of the kids are one dog families and 2-3 siblings must share the dog. Not a problem, dog gets a lot of attention, lots of work, but sometimes it’s the youngest member of the family that gets a little left out, you know, the left overs kid. Quincy is the one this year. She’s adorable and has been coming to class with her siblings for a few years, but she’s now just old enough to participate herself.

So Quincy comes up to me and very coy and polite asks, do you have a dog I can borrow? My usual rule of thumb is that kids that can’t bring their dog-in heat, injury or sick, must attend to make the class count and I usually have one or two extra dogs with me each night. Of course I know she’s hinting at Clairee who is overjoyed to be able to come, even if it meant doing the worlds longest down stay in the middle of chaos. So each night for the last 5 weeks, Quincy comes over, asks politely and off she goes with Clairee for some quality time. Each night at the end of class, she comes over and hands me the “keys” and says thank you. Clairee is tired but a very happy dog. Again, how can you say no to a happy dog?

Last week was no different other then I needed to remember to grab the extra chute, more bait, water bottles and hurry out to the building to repair the old chute(new Velcro). Clairee was attached at my hip. She kept staring at the leash rack. Okay, here’s your collar-how does a 10 almost 11 yr old dog bounce like that? I go change and hear the most pitiful whine-an Ace sounding whine. Come out of the bedroom to trip over Clairee and Alec is laughing his head off. That whine-was an impatient collie who was ready to go to class… NOW!

Once again, we all pile in the truck. Get up there and the circus is in town-literally, holding a small rinky dink circus at the fair grounds. Wee haa. Chute repaired, dogs ready to rock. Quincy comes in, coy as ever and I just point in Clairee’s direction. It’s actually neat to see the old dog teach the young kid new tricks.

Later gators....
C

Interesting

Delta’s stand on raw-wow.
https://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=638&srctid=1&erid=187938

I'm not going to take a stand one way or another, but it is very interesting to say the least.


Later gators.....
C

I've created hairy beasts

Well Sunday mornning we bathed all the dogs, okay, not all the dogs, just the non-fuzzy ones. I wasn't in the mood for a 3 hour session with Clairee or Tango or heck, Eddie to that matter. But now, all the dogs are fuzzy. No blowouts, just bathes, which of course Phoebe went right over and rolled in the newly graded lawn area and Pete ran into the pool get her ode d' pond scum back. Moose, sat under the table and snapped at the water dripping off. He still wasn't dry by bedtime.

Vacuum is doing overtime. All the dogs are tufting, so nightly it's the battle of hair bunnies under the table.

And yes, Emmy is now molting :) I'll be packaging that and sending it westward ho for you to enjoy.

later gators....
C

When it rains.....

it pours. Supposed to go to Okiboji for the weekend to a friend's wedding.

Sump pump is having fits, time to replace.
Truck is having oil pump/running/ignition issues. David's working on that right now.
Tahoe has new tires as of this morning.
Alec had a migraine last night, now I have it.
Head cold.

So reservations are cancelled, nyquil is on hand. Scanning the ads for the best price on a sump. Parts arranged for truck.

I'm taking my vacation day and going back to bed.

later gators.....
C

whirlwind

I think my headache is from driving against the wind all day yesterday to Decorah. Wow, it was like living in a hurricane for the last few days. But today, ah, God smiled on us and I know it was just to make Mother's Day a good day.

Let's see....the score for the weekend is as such....
New tire
Planted new hedge
Relocated roses to new bed
Weeded exisiting beds
Watered floor in training building
Planted lillies
Planted herb beds
Moved sprinkler in building-doesn't cover it all
Went to Decorah for plants
Went to more garden centers for more plants
Helmuths-halters, cool new leather dog collars, lead ropes
Cool store-new dog fencing panels-hum, I see new kennel runs?
Move sprinkler, again.
Another garden center-native plants this time
More roses planted
Shut off sprinkler-forgot about it, now lakes in building.
Oneta Coop-umm, all I could do to keep from filling the cart
Mow yard
Plan garden and get ready to plant
Plot out fruit trees!-orchard here we come
Sit back, enjoy fresh asparegus, steak and taters on grill
Take a moment and go Ahhhhhh

Later gators...
C

Meet my new Peeps

Okay so not exactly peeps, but I am quazy about quackers!

Super cool! I didn't get my runners last year because they didn't have any potential show hatches turn out. So tried again this year. Look at them, already standing up and the heads are gorgeous. These are pencials btw. Hoping it's not like last year and all drakes-ugh. If they are, check with me after fair in late July, I'll have the ones that didn't sell there, available.

OH and another use for dog equipment. Feeding them out of a puppy pan and using the old whelping box, aka, pool for them. I have a new whelping box set aside for, well, more on that later.

Later gators....
C

Other uses for dog equipment.....

Dog crate? Or plant carrier, protector? Heck it was in the tahoe, so I might as well use it! Another great trip to Seed Savers in Decorah this weekend. Way too much good stuff and we are headed back in a couple of weeks for apple trees!!!!

Later gators...

C

Okay, what now?

It's been a weird couple of weeks around here. Weather, dogs, kids, and hubby. I'm not complaining but man, I'm so happy to be home and yes, ready to start a real work week.

Earlier in the week I sent some photos to Dawn. Said I need a fresh eye. You know how it is, you're around the dogs day in and day out. Sometimes you need someone else to tell you what you are missing. Dawn now has the right to kick me in the butt when I doubt-more on that later.

Marshalltown show-love it, hate it, but we seem to be there every year. This year some little old lady, let us hang out with her and her ugly little push face dogs. Yes she openly admits to be little, old and well, says she's usually a mean lady but there are times that she's nice--but don't push it. Meredith showed her first french bulldog, a puppy named Missy. What a pair they make. The old lady-Sheryl, had the male puppy and he made a sight of himself on the table when the judge gave him a good ear scratching-too cute for words. Alec had the cutest little palamino pie frenchie and well, the judging gods were smiling--took BOB both days out of the classes with her. The little old lady was happy.

The joke on the "little old lady" term is that yes, Sheryl is short. Alec is a giant next to her and she is always having him get stuff in the RV that she can't reach. The old-she's talking about being too old for dog showing. Never too old as long as you enjoy it, is what I told her. Lady--heehee, she prides herself on a no nonsense attitude-what you see is what you get and if you don't like it, so what. Last show she was "nice" and hung out to watch Meredith to juniors. That's okay, she made up for it later by being a mean lady and, well, we won't get into that, but she was back to her old self by the time she left.

So it's raining on the first day of the show this weekend. Cold. Windy. UCK. I have a love hate relationship with this show. I always do well, but hate going because of the weather. It's never what you want it to be. Pete takes WB/BOS! Woohoo. That's one point=1 more month she can hang out here(she's good till August now). Kristy and her mal take a group 2, nothing for our poor frenchie though. Head home and in time to watch the Derby.

Did you know--sidenote pardon---that I could be filthy rich right now? If only I could get my husband to actually bet on the Derby??Every year he gives me his picks the day of the race. Every year he either hits a trifecta, or gets 2 out of 3. Once again, he hit 1st and 3rd. His 2nd place horse faded to 5th. Go figure, next year, he's going to an OTB!

So after a good nights sleep, it's up at the butt crack of dawn to go show frenchies-right up 8:30. And guess what, cardigans, not till 2:20. Eghads, time to waste and the nap I was looking forward too. That was until Taffy took breed, again. Rough collies needed extra hands and then I realized, I had better get the dogs groomed, packed up and ready as--yeap, the weather was getting touchy, again.

And we wait.... and wait....and, oh, judge. Halt. Stop. Leave ring. She got a bloody nose and was dripping on the dogs-or almost when she bent over to examine then. 10 mins later, resume but no bending over to examine, it was deep knee bends. I still don't understand the scheduling today but oh well, by the time we were ready to go in, after the handful of other dogs, the skies were a little iffy. But I can say the wait is worth it today.

I am happy to report that Dawn was right, I was wrong. Why am I happy? Pete is now not only a Best of Breed winner over specials BUT............she also is now a group placer. That's right folks! Pete went into the ring a questionable keeper and now has a little more credit to her name. rePete, Peterman, Petey Puppy took a group 4 today, in the dark. Sort of. Alec said she's reserved her space for at least the next 6 mos or more.

See when we got done with breed and my mouth was still on the ground, we sat to wait as the judge had to do a huge sheltie entry, the terrier group and then herding, dead last. And the storm hit. And the doors got shut and windows turned in. And the lights went out. Yes you read that right, the lights went OUT. She was on her last open bitch class and finished WB and BOB in shelties in the dark. But what about the group rings? The club gets inovative.

They brought 5 cars with their head lights on into the building and it was terrier group by headlight. Then the herding came in. Couple more trucks brought in and more headlights. So we all take our turns, Pete could have cared less, though looked at me like-huh-seriously, what in the heck are we doing out here? Aren't we supposed to be in our crates, going home? Okay, if I must. The moment the pemmie did it's down and back-LIGHTS!!!! Wee haa, we had real lights and the OMG moment as she goes down the line for one last look, points, point, points and POINTS at US!!!

And this is what it looked like on the way home...........

Later gators....
C

Judge the judge

We all have those lists, you know, THOSE lists. Juges we love to hate, hate to miss and the ones we never ever will show to again.

So in my best Andy Rooney voice, so what do ya think it means.....

Actually my question of the weekend is why people choose the judges they do? Okay, how about this, showing dogs is a game. If well played, it results in a stress free, easy going, fun day out with the dog. If not played well, its a nail biter, why in the hell am I doing this and look at all the money I just wasted.

If we've done it long enough, we all have judges we hate. They never like our dogs, or even think it's a personal matter when we don't place. We also have judges we love. We can't walk out of the ring with out some sort of victory and they always like what ever we take in the ring.

That is a bunch of bologna. If you have those opinions on the judging hand played to you, then you are kennel blind. Seriously, take a step back and analyze what went on during your breed's or even the whole ring for the day. Judges are predictable, well all but one and that's for another post. Judges have likes and dislikes, love'em or hate'em. One person explained it well that environment plays a roll too-where they grew up and what types of dogs they were around that influenced them.

So you play the game, you are reasonable about why your dog lost or won. But the kicker is this, why would you then not go back to a judge or continue to go back to them? I figure most people are smart. Especially when you have a big win. Why wouldn't you later on down the road enter under that same judge with the same dog? I mean you either win or loose, but you get a better opinion about why it happened the first time, wouldn't you. Same with the losers. Analyze why you didn't win, the dogs in with you and figure out the why--and please don't come back if you know you don't have the golden ticket for that judge.

But that's okay, I can live with people and their judging decisions. Hey, you didn't show up, more points for me :)

Later gators....
C