Max and Rylie's new wheels

This is the bike trailer that allows us to have some flexibility when we are camping.  If we are going too far for the dogs to walk they can just pop in the bike trailer.  Here they are after our hike last weekend.  Funny though - even though "I" was the one who biked 14k hauling 35 pounds of dog THEY were flaked out when we got back to the campsite.  I bought it second hand but it had barely been used.  I had originally been looking for a child trailer but this is a pet trailer.  The dogs enter from the back.  Did I mention it's awesome?  The dogs seem okay with it so far.  They are used to travelling in a crate so it's not that much different for them -except Max tends to let me know (by scratching) when the ride isn't smooth enough for his liking.

I love weekends

Last weekend we went camping in our new (to us) motorhome.  It was the first time we've camped in ages and we had a good time.  The dogs enjoyed it too.  I used my brand new (to me) bike trailer and we went on a 14k bike ride with a stop partway through for a hike.

This weekend we have an agility trial.  We've been working hard on training and it will give us a chance to evaluate where we are.  I was so happy with both of their performances in the last trial we were in last month.  It should be a lot of fun.  I was hoping Rylie would be ready for a standard course but his contacts are not quite there yet so he will just do jumpers and gamblers.  Along with standard, jumpers, and gamblers, Max and I will be trying to figure out snooker.

Next Wednesday I am going to a seminar on ways to manage a dog's fear of thunderstorms.  I'm pretty excited about it and hoping to come away with some new techniques for helping Max cope with the stress.

Thunderstorms and Birthday Boy

Thanks for the advice.  I'm going to try the thundershirt tighter and get some rescue remedy.  Meanwhile I'll continue with the classical conditioning.

I did call the vet's office the other day to inquire and felt better (in a misery loves company kind of way) to learn that all the vet tech's dogs were up all night barking too and they were as exhausted as I was.  One of my trainer's dogs broke out of her (wire) crate and she doesn't usually get that worked up.  The thunder wasn't THAT loud so it must have had something to do with the pressure change.  Anyway - the vet would prescribe a sedative but I'd have to give it before the storm (which doesn't work with the middle of the night ones) and it doesn't last long.  So scratch that idea.  It did give me another idea though - I might let Max bark and take a sedative myself!

Just over two years ago this sweet little boy (the dog not the kid in case you were wondering) was born and came to live with us 8 weeks later.  We wanted a spunky pup because Max was only 10 months old himself and I knew I planned to do agility with him.  Rylie is SPUNKY (caps intended).  He makes me laugh every day AND he's challenged me to improve my dog training skills.

Rylie has all big dogs in his agility class.  They are nice dogs and they all get along fine but Rylie MUST have his own chair to sit in or be in my arms.  It finally dawned on me that he needs to feel as big as his classmates so I haul a chair for Rylie to each class we go to.

Thunderstorms

We had a REALLY long thunderstorm last night.  For the last year or so Max barks at thunder.  It has definitely been getting worse lately.  He doesn't show any other signs of stress (drooling, panting etc.) and he will stop his barking long enough to work for treats however that really isn't practical at 3:00 a.m.

I have tried a thundershirt, classical music - and a combination.  I have tried a (little) bit of classical conditioning by playing storm sounds at low volume but he seems to be able to tell the difference.  Last night he woke us up barking before we could even here the thunder.

Anybody have any good ideas?  I was hoping not to have to go the drug route but I'm fresh out of ideas.

Sunshine

Woke up to a beautiful (but unforecasted) sunny day.  My original plan was to take my bike and ride a 20k trail at our local conservation area.  Common sense prevailed however - since I haven't been on my bike for a couple of years and engineering guy just put a new tube in the tire for me it seemed wiser to take a shorter trip, closer to home.  I biked to the bank to get money to go to the first farmer's market of the season.  I actually biked right by the market but the dogs and I walk down every Saturday morning so I didn't stop.

My farmer's market scores today were asparagus (yummy), homemade bread, organic spinach, and homemade soap.  I just missed out on the lettuce.

It occurred to me while walking down with the dogs how grateful I am that I can walk with them.  It's something I take for granted nearly every day.

Now I have to choose between indoor work and yard work.  I know I'd rather be outside but the dust bunnies are starting to have babies!

My favourite things

On Saturday night I was telling someone that my favourite "thing" is my iphone.  On Saturday night that was true.  On Sunday Max and I went to an agility trial in the rain.  My favourite thing is now my shiny new black rubber shoes that kept my feet toasty warm and dry.

  Sadly my feet were the only part of my body that stayed warm and dry.  I didn't have rain pants (I do now!),  I don't own a hat and I didn't put my waterproof jacket on until I was already wet (yeah I know it doesn't do much good then).

Poor Max was pretty cold and wet too despite the raincoat I brought for him.  I ended up wrapping him in a blanket and sitting with him in the car between runs.  We were supposed to be in three runs but pulled out of the last one.  Despite the weather we both had fun.  Max ran a really good standard run - he   did a couple of off course obstacles but all in all I was happy.  I wasn't sure what to expect for his advanced gamblers run.  It was our first advanced gamblers and our fourth gamblers ever.  He was amazing!  It was a really lovely course and we racked up a lot of points.   I didn't really have any expectation that Max would do the gamble as it was 6 weave poles, teeter, jump.  I  was really hoping we'd be able to manage the weaves.  Well not only did he get the weaves but the same  dog who absolutely refused to do a teeter in January did the teeter fourteen feet away from me and carried on to the jump.  I was so proud of him!

I took Rylie on Saturday.  The weather was much nicer.  He had two good runs and Q'd in both his jumpers and his gamblers run.  We are still getting used to doing full courses so we weren't without our bobbles but he's a really good boy and pays attention.

We've been doing a lot of agility lately and getting some much needed practice on courses.  I'm so pleased with how both dogs are doing.  We're having a lot of fun.

MIA

I've been MIA for awhile.  I've been here and reading blogs but life has gotten incredibly hectic.

My nest is no longer quite as empty.  Engineering Guy finished his third year (where does the time go) and is home for what will probably be his last summer.

The dogs and I have been participating in Susan Garrett's recallers course which is just winding up.  I have been lucky enough to attend a few seminars with Susan in person but I almost think that I get more out of the online courses as there is not quite as much material to digest at once.

One of my deepest wishes is that I had been more aware of positive training methods when my Golden was alive but I am a firm believer that every dog comes to us for a reason and I know that Zeus' legacy to me was to make me determined to have a well trained dog without using force or punishment.  I've been so blessed to find my own trainer who is also one of Susan's instructors and who introduced me to Susan's methods.

Did my dog's get better recall through this course - honestly I'm not sure as I think their recalls were already pretty good.  I know I have learned a tremendous amount about dog training and how to work through problems.  The other thing that happened is that my relationship with Rylie has improved dramatically.  Rylie is an awesome dog  - he has always been a Daddy's boy.  He loves his momma but he follows Daddy around and it's sometimes hard to keep his attention if Daddy is in sight. That has  been great for working distractions.  This course has changed that dramatically without even trying though.  What momma wants - momma gets cause momma is da bomb!  Max has always been a momma's boy and I don't notice as much change in him but I have to say I'm super excited in the changes in Rylie.

This week I switched up their classes.  I took Max to class with the baby dogs because I wanted to work on his teeter (which he did without a second thought -so go figure).  We had a starters jumpers run set up  because a couple of the dogs in the prior class were going to be competing in their first trial.  My trainer challenged me to get a front cross in at a certain obstacle.  I figured not a problem since Max isn't exactly a speed demon - well he fooled me.  He rocked the easy course.  The second time around I got the front cross in but only because I sent him and let him find three obstacles on his own.   He beat me to the finish.  My trainer said any time Max beats you consider it an awesome run - and I did!

Rylie went with the older dogs and the sequence was a bit trickier.   I found I couldn't send him to the same extent and I couldn't keep up with him either!  We do have some work to do but it was great fun.

Both dogs did realy well in class with strange dogs.  I love Cavaliers - they are so adaptable.