Thursday, September 30, 2010

Excited...

With winter fast approaching, it is seriously odd that I am excited about anything...winter means snow, no sheep to work, no more outside agility etc...

BUT...there are some things happening that I am very excited about!

#1 Lynn got into the running contact seminar with Silvia, which I am VERY excited about. And she is also in the Advanced handling seminar too! Fun fun fun! Lots to learn and try to pass onto my students!

#2 Even is healing, her limp is barely noticeable and only if you stare at her constantly like I do :) She is doing underwater treadmill work, swimming, walking 17 minutes, twice a day, plus ball work, plus other stuff, this keeps Loretta busy but I am happy to see things are progressing...not sure when she will be a "real dog" again, but I have hopes :) Her range of motion is now 100% so that is great news :)

#3 My building just might take shape. I am thinking of putting in artificial turf for the flooring, no dirt, no dust and all green and pretty for the dreaded winter! They can put it up in 5 days, and we can lay the turf ourselves. This might actually happen!

#4 Lynn's hitting her contacts,only one missed one in 4 trials...that is something to be VERY happy about. And I trust she will hit them, another huge thing. This weekend she gave me her best dogwalks ever...well at a trial anyway! And she can apparently now weave. Not one pop out of the weaves this past weekend. And she is getting faster...and I love her. Lots. Someone asked me if I thought she would ever be as fast as Klink and Gator...my response was "she'll be as fast as she wants" :) Gator was slower than Lynn to start out...and now he is a spaz...I don't worry about those things. I don't have aspirations of world team or anything...just not me. Every dog is not "my next best dog ever"...they are just dogs. I train the dog I have, not the dog I wish they were.

#5 USDAA Nationals, dogs have been running well (Klink seems to be over her naughty streak she had last weekend) and I feel we are ready. It is always fun watching all the amazing teams and meeting new people. I will miss Arizona this year however, all that sun and warmth :( And running outside, one of my favorite things about agility. Just keep working the basics and go there and run our best. And have fun, enjoy the time away, enjoy it all. My #1 goal is to just laugh and soak it all up!

#6 Excited about the Kathy Knox clinic in November...Andy is supposed to go to a USDAA trial that same weekend, and I am trying to decide if I want to see him get his ADCH (one more standard leg) or miss that chance...ugh! I really want to go to the clinic...maybe Even will actually be able to work sheep by then? Not sure...choices choices choices.

#7 Ready for a break in the trial season. I have some things I really want to work on with all the dogs and it will be nice to be back in just training mode. Klink and Gator will get some time off of agility just because I think it is good for them to have dog time...just keeping them in shape, but letting them chill in regards to all the rules and agility they have been working hard at these past few weeks.

I plan on trying to update my blog during Cynosport. That didn't go super well last year, but I am still going to attempt it again this year :)

2 comments:

livin life said...

Do you think that Even limps out of "habit" now?? With 100% ROM I was just thinking......I am off to see and work with Kathy next weekend...and I am SOOOO excited! Can't wait to have her take a lookie lou at Miss Gyp! Good luck....I'll be waiting for updates! Run clean! Run fast....but remember...have FUN!

Anonymous said...

Good luck at Cynosport! I'm getting excited about training Mo...we're doing mainly weave pole training right now...she's become a weave-pole-seaking-missile already. The poles are not completely closed, but I don't think it will be much longer before they are. I think you should come out here and give me some handling lessons :-) I'm sure we could throw in a bit of sheep work as well...