HI! How Y'ALL BEEN??

Hello blogger peeps! How has everyone been? I hope well! I has been very very busy!

Temporary failure of mental management on the previous post--CHECK!

Done. :) Sorry folks... :)

Onto bigger and better things.

My trip to Scottsdale, AZ has been officially booked. a week of vacation, and SUNSHINE and warmth here I come! End of February, perfect timing!! The pups are staying with a dear friend (she freakin' ROCKS!!) and I am going to pray for her, that many days, with our 7 dogs. Please lord, watch over her and keep her sanity. Amen.

Mother Nature has been very kind to us this year...it's freaky, but I love it! It's gonna be in the upper 30's all week! AMAZING!!!!!!

Gator, Crackers and Klink are all Q'd up for Nationals...good. Lynn needs some more Q's. Thought of entering the MAC USDAA trial mid February, but I decided not to. The husband is going down, so he and Crackers will rip it up. But I think I am going to pass on this one. I need another job! LOL

NO really...I do. Got one?? ;-) I am officially barn poor :)

I would love to go to the trial and try for Lynn's MAD, and get more Q's towards her ADCH...but with the horrible weather that normally comes with that trial, AND the insane cost of hotels...I've just decided financially it isn't logical. The husband can stay with Crackers breeder, so no costs for him. But ALL of us, not gonna put that on anyone except family ;-)

Reading a very interesting book on how each of us has a different language we speak in terms of what we want out of life...how we are all on different paths, and how to respect those paths. I think it's helping me become a better person. I know I need the work, I always need the work.

AND...with all the "see the positive in EVERYTHING" stuff going on, it's nice to read an author that believes that sometimes negativity CAN actually help things. Not saying a person should walk around all day pissed off, but that sometimes it's a natural part of processing life. Irritation IS motivation. And not every person you dislike is because they are like the things you don't like about yourself (I've read that a LOT...made me wonder if, because I didn't like Conan O'Brien I was secretly like him....shudder), it might be they are just annoying, or they smell funny, or they are the complete opposite of you and you just are not on the same wavelength. Nothing wrong with that. It's OK people...promise :) Or at least the book promises :)

Speaking of motivation, and irritation. I have gotten motivated to slack on the fitness and eating plans...I'm gonna call BULLSH*T on myself. Got myself back on the wagon, and it feels great, why can't I remember this? And why can't I remember I like fruit, and meat, and veggies...instead of SUGAR AND FRIED FOOD. Sigh. So, lets move forward. And hopefully part of my ass will melt away in the process. So I can run faster. And because spring is coming...

Plus...I like kickboxing...being that I can be negative without feeling guilty due to the book...I use that negativity to MOTIVATE myself...I picture something I want to kick and punch while I am doing my workout...that makes for a whole lotta awesome. YES!!!! :) Love me some kick boxing.

The husband decided he's fat (whatever..seriously??) and he ordered Zumba...yes...I laughed. I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants. I was to the "laughing so hard there is no noise coming out"...more like a seizure. It should come in the mail this week. My DH is so very white and has no rhythm...yes I am stereotyping here...if you are a white dude with rhythm--and NOT IN A BAND...you are rare and special :)

OF COURSE I WILL GET VIDEO!!!! LIKE DUH! I might even invite some friends over to see the hot mess that will be the husband dancing to latino music. Maybe I can get him some zumba wear...HA!!!!!

Then I'll try it and realize not only do I look twice as ridiculous, but I will suck at it as well. Bring it ON!

Ok...that was my attempt to be nice...in reality...I at least have rhythm...so I think it would be a BIT prettier...not pretty, but less ugly might be a better way to describe it..

But I am a supportive wife, and I will support this with hidden cameras. Look for a youtube link soon ;-)

On the dog training front...working...well...um....ok we are hiking a lot :) I need to work my dogs don't I? Actually...I wanted to talk a TEENY bit about drive.

I will say this....my dogs suck in regards to manners until they get older. They really really do. I let LOTS of things slide while I work on drive. And work on them dealing with corrections. YES...I do correct my dogs, won't hide it. They get corrections on stock, so they have to take corrections in life to be prepared for that. So while I do that, my dogs are basically hooligans :) I like it that way. But I'm guessing others don't. That's fine. I'd rather have a crazy, drivey dog to channel than one I have to get going. Bleck.

So if your dog is "too good" or "thinks too much"...just let them be buttheads for awhile, that usually fixes it :-) I always tell my students...if your dog is a doer, make them a thinker, if they are a thinker, make them a doer.

Now, I am not saying they don't have to LISTEN. When I give a command I want it followed. But I just don't have many commands or rules when they are younger :)

If the dog is already OVER THE TOP, I work impulse and less drive. It's always a balancing/changing/evolving thing, this dog training :)

I was thinking of possibly doing some handling seminars (one day) at my house this spring/summer...I had a few people that have said they would love a seminar...not sure how well that would go over, but I think I might really look into it. Love teaching, love seeing the changes in dogs, love engaging the people. Would be fun to teach in a class situation with people who are driven and focused :) Food for thought on my end I guess.

Question for all of you...is there anything that you would consider "different" that you would love to see a seminar on? No matter how insane/silly/crazy it seems, I'd love your feedback!!!