Sunday, November 22, 2009

And then they rested...

USDAA Nationals has come and gone and time for things to settle down a bit :)

Klink and Gator haven't done any agility at all since their last runs on Sunday and I am just going to give them time off, our next trial is not until January, so I am guessing they won't do much until mid-December...just hiking, playing, doing some stockwork, but no agility.

I think it is good to have time off, I needed it a bit after we got back, just time to detox and relax. The adrenaline rushes from Nationals do take their tole on a person and I am sure on the dogs as well :) Vacations are good for the body and soul!

I have been concentrating more on Even and Lynn lately...working handling stuff (bars still on the ground) and really trying to decide on what kind of contacts I want for them...still up in the air on that one :) Hard to believe they are 10 months old now! I have a lot of training with them to do, but with winter setting in and trying to get out to the cold barn all the time, I might just not worry about contacts until the spring...we will see. Their foundation work is coming along really well and I am happy with both girls :) Lynn is the big one of the two, she looks like a hoss currently (around 20" tall), HUGE stride and has a bit of a mouth on her (NOT LIKE KLINK THANK GOD!). Even is a petite little thing (around 18.5-19?"), but her ground speed is AMAZING...that dog can turn on a dime and puts 300% into every single stride...she so reminds me of her mother Zip.

I am really enjoying them both so much...can't believe I thought I might not like one of them...damn.

On stock they are still being exposed...but they are both nice, PUSHY...definetly pushy...unfortunately AGAIN with the crappy winter weather, I am sure 3 feet of snow and 20 below zero temps will halt any training I will do with them on stock...grrrrrrrr.

I am also concentrating on Andy and Crackers more, working harder and harder courses, they are easily running Masters courses, and trying to work on Snooker stuff (not sure Andy agrees that is useful..but once he plays Snooker he WILL see why---I am sure of that! LOL). Plus gamblers, that dog can do some awesome gambles! WOO HOO!! Crackers is a very talented little dog and I can't wait to see he and Andy running. And boy does that little dog make Andy RUN! Their first trial ever will be in January at the Agile Canines USDAA. So look for the little white dog jumping 12" :)

So I am taking advantage of the great weather we are having, WEIRD weather...but amazingly warm for November!

My lovely husband decided, during my time away to sunny Arizona, to paint the entire house...well he got the livingroom, diningroom, hallways and kitchen done! And then I (with help from a good friend) got the rest of the rooms done. It is nice not having a white house...yuck. Color can be so scarey, but with the help of that same awesome friend (I owe her big time!) we got some really nice colors picked out :)

So now we are hanging pictures...thousands of dollars (shh..don't tell Andy) on dog agility photos. Many of which were sitting in cardboard boxes waiting to be framed. Decided to finally get them all out, frame them and we got them all hung up. I have too many. It looks like some kind of weird shrine in the dogroom...but I guess worshipping my puppies isn't such a bad thing afterall! Amazing how much money I have spent on dog photos...wow...

But I love my dogs, I adore my dogs and I enjoy running them...so it is worth it...or that is how I justify it :) We also left a space for Crackers as I am sure Andy will go hog wild when he see's some pics from Amy at Great Dane Photos...I need to stop even looking when she takes pictures!! They are SOOOOO GOOD!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and it reminds me to be thankful for the things in my life. My family, my dogs, my friends, my blog readers :) There are so many things to be thankful for!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I joke with our local photographer when I go to pay that I'm making my camera payment. Zach, when he was younger(9-10yrs old), pleaded with me to buy a picture of him running beside the chute and all you can see of his JRT Rosie is a lump. I asked him why I needed to buy that and he said because he knew it was Rosie:) Gotta buy the pictures!

Loretta Mueller said...

I guess it IS all about the memories :)

A little lump! That is adorable!!!!!

Debra Kay said...

I covet Even, just so you know. My Moon is small smoothie and he can accelerate and turn on a dime.

Molly is fast too-but it takes her awhile to get momentum and to stop.

Taryn said...

You are not alone in having spent a fortune on agility photos. I can never resist a nice shot!