Tradition born, habit formed

Hiking has become a favorite around here lately.  The (pet) dogs love being able to run and sniff.  L'il M also loves to run free (without constant reminders to stay on the side of the road, etc).  L'il M runs after the dogs, but every now and then, she stops and does a recall with the dogs, rewarding them with kibble from her ever present bait bag that she carries.  It is quite funny.  I am not sure if she is resting her legs when she does it or if she just wants the dogs to pay attention to her.  It does seem to happen more frequently on the way up though.  Random recalls while hiking is something I did the first day we went hiking in a long time.  The dogs were so excited and I wanted to make sure they "remembered" and were motivated to come.  They were great, and then the next time I forgot to bring any kibble (which L'il M reminded me of).  Ever since then, L'il M has prioritized grabbing the bait bag before exiting the car at the trail head.  The irony of it is that this is exactly the method that I encouraged dog owners that I was working with to use in order to maintain some focus and responsiveness while their dogs were off-leash.  Many had such a hard time doing such a simple exercise.  So simple, in fact, that even a 2-yr-old can do it.  Habit formed.

Leia(our house guest), Dillon, L'il M, Esme, and Rudy posing in "the spot"

L'il M looks irritated that Leia is not posing for the camera

I hadn't planned on taking even more photos of our hike up to the same location.  But, toddlers are so routine oriented, and apparently I have formed a tradition of bringing a fruit leather (yes, the good old fashioned kind) for L'il M to have when we reach the top of our hike.  She begins asking about it when her legs start to tire.  There is a little bench at the top that allows enjoyment of the view while you rest your legs.  Now, pictures are also required before we begin the more downward continuation of the Outlook loop.  Tradition born.  This day, L'il M walked the whole way without needing to get a ride on my back.

Wordless Wednesday

Esme and Rudy

Agility Sunday trial update

Last Sunday, Rudy returned to the agility scene.  It went better than I had predicted!  No qualifying scores, but that was not expected. ;)   First class was Excellent Standard- our first time at that level.  It went surprisingly well, with the only fault being that Rudy missed a contact.  I'm not sure which one, but I have a feeling it was the A-frame.  I was sure that we did not make course time, but it turns out he was 7 seconds under SCT (standard course time).  In retrospect, I should have handled him better so that he did not miss that contact (it IS his job to hit them, but considering he hasn't even seen a contact obstacle in 11 months, I should have been a bit more cautious in my handling).  I am very excited that he made SCT, even with being ridiculously out of shape.  I know there is a lot more speed in Rudy when he is better conditioned!

Second class was Excellent Jumpers with Weaves, where once again, handler error proved fatal to our run.  After a series of strategically placed jumps, we encountered a curved tunnel with both entries facing Rudy.  I sent him to the correct entrance, but "left" him before he had committed to that entrance which caused him to follow me resulting in him entering the wrong end of the tunnel (and a NQ).  The rest of the run was beautiful!

I feel confident that Rudy can get his Excellent titles now.  He will get more speed as he gets in shape, and our handling will become less rusty as we focus on agility more in the next few months.  I am so thankful that my trainer has always given me combinations in the past that challenged us to the excellent level.  It does not feel intimidating to me at all!

Next trial, 3 weeks!  Maybe I'll remember to get some video.  :)

Pilgrim's First Phase Report!

Ok, it's not really a phase, but I am so thankful to see him on the report this week.  Phase 0 includes: Walks on campus and playtime in an enclosed grass paddock, doubling kennelmates that play well together, daily grooming, medication administration, as needed, human and dog interactive play or cuddle sessions, introduction to community run playtime, kennel enrichment activities.  Sounds rough, doesn't it?

It has been weird not having a guide dog pup right now.  It is insanely quiet; well, as quiet as life gets with 2 teenagers, a preteen boy and a toddler at Christmastime.  The pet dogs seem to enjoy the extra attention they are getting, and it has been nice to be able to use food rewards on our group walks to reward any good behavior I see fit, and not just recalls...  Rudy, in particular, likes to be back to being my buddy.  He has not climbed in my lap so frequently since we were actively doing agility.  Guess he really does like to be "my" dog, or maybe it's that I am more "his" person.  I can't wait to see what happens in the agility ring next month!

Pilgrim's Number is Up

I got the call yesterday that I did not want to come for another month.  "Pilgrim's number has been called for the next recall (to formal guide dog training)," she said.  It was the news that I knew was forthcoming, but very much hoped would not come to fruition until January.  I had imagined getting two Christmases with my sweet, golden boy.  I had hoped to not have to potty train a puppy in the two months most wet, and most frigid in Utah.

Just a month ago, I was dead-set against getting a baby puppy should Pilgrim have gone back during November.  L'il M was just too clingy, and it was impossible to step outside without her.  But now, she seems so much older, and has become very adventurous (thus requiring constant supervision).  My family has pleaded for a puppy rather than a transfer.  My brief consideration for a break in my guide dog raising was shelved after finding out that there are 300 fewer puppy raisers currently, than there were just a few years ago.  I find it saddening to tell someone that I cannot put out just a little extra time to help them become freer in life.  Guide dog puppy raising is a gift to those who have a harder time in life.  It is truly not a big enough imposition or trouble to forsake those who can greatly benefit from the companionship and service that guide dogs provide.  So, it looks like a black labby puppy is in our future.

Today, we celebrated the big boy with some Senior Pictures <smile>.  I have stolen that term from Mickelle, who is raising Placer, Pilgrim's brother.  Placer's senior pictures can be seen here- Placer.  He looks much like Pilgrim, only darker and a bit less "fluffy".  My tradition for the past 4-5 puppies that I have raised has been to go on a hike that overlooks the mountain valley that I live in and take photos.

 

 

I wish I had better planned for the lighting.  The gorgeous snow-capped mountains were shadowed by the afternoon, and my attempts to capture them left Pilgrim with these funny sun-spots.  I got a few of the whole hiking crew for today, too.



Dillon, Rudy, Levi, and Pilgrim

 

My hiking group- love them all!





 

It is always the most bittersweet moment in a puppy-raisers life.  Celebrating the wonderful young adult dog that so much time and energy has shaped (in Pilgrim's case, a ridiculous amount of paper towels and cleaning supplies in that first 6 months, as well).  I look forward to Pilgrim's future with hopefulness for him to make it as a guide dog, but certainty that he will make someone's life better with his charm, loyalty, and sweetness.  Our entire family will miss Pilgrim.  I think L'il M may be a bit lost without him.  He has been like a young sibling to her.  They adore each other and are always hanging out playing (occasionally getting into trouble) together.  A whole 'nother post on that.



Back to Agility

I fell short of my 4-5 days of running this week.  While I had the logistics figured out, the reality became that I was too tired to drag myself out a couple of times, especially these last two days when the weather became dreary.  The return to standard time has L'il M's sleep schedule all messed up.  She is up at 5AM!  If I could get to bed at 9, that might be OK.  Having teenagers with a baby is way more fatiguing than having several little ones.  I so wish I was someone who could function on 6 hours of sleep instead of 9 being the optimal amount.

As I have continued my doggie goal setting, I am excited to let Rudy finish his agility career, and then perhaps we will do some Rally obedience- clicker style. :)  There are 2-3 local AKC agility trials in January and February.  My plan is to enter as much as I can those weekends, and see what the Ruditude can do.  Winter is his best time for trialing as he LOVES the cold!  I have to focus on his conditioning these next few months, which should nicely coincide with my need to get in shape.  Of course, we need to get to somewhere to practice on a course, as well.  There are a couple options for that, so I will have to see what I can work out.  The challenges for Rudy in Excellent will be that his dog walk is not as fast as it could be (he trots), and he will not get to redo his weave entrance over and again 'til he "gets it".   7 1/2 is getting to be an older competitive agility dog, especially for a German Shepherd. 

Once Rudy completes his agility career, I look forward to doing Rally with Rudy using only clicker methods for training.  I expect that there will be so much more precision in performance than I would get from "traditional" methods.

Getting real...

I have yet to make this writing thing a regular therapy for myself, although what I do write leads to me thinking about the answers to some of the things I am going through.  I am not sure why I am lead to share publicly that which probably belongs in a journal, but maybe someone has a kindred story...  I guess i just feel led to do it this way.  Life has seasons, some that are incredible, some that just kind of stink.  With faith and perspective, one can always count on things to return to that happy median.

I have set some short-term goals to jump-start the care and keeping of myself.  These include:

• Running 4-5 days a week, with a goal of a half-marathon by June 2013.  The more I thought about what my personal goals should be, the more I realized how necessary this one was.  It makes a HUGE difference in my life.  I feel better, look better ;), drink more water, less coffee, have more patience, and sleep better.  I have figured out how to fit it into my day between the toddler and homeschooling the 5th grader.  Yahooo!!
• Get back to regular church attendance (need I really explain this one?)
• Read more books (currently have Highly Sensitive Child, Unglued, Not Just a Fan on my list, but I need a good dog read.  Let me know if you have a suggested doggie read!
• Blog! Maybe even let someone know I am doing it.. :)
• Finish Rudy's agility career.  As a GSD, age 7, his time for running and jumping are becoming short.  Speed has always been our weak point, but we'll never know if he can become an Excellent agility titled dog until we give it a try.

That's where it's at for now.  It may change with the New Year, to a degree.  Have you begun to think of your goals for 2013?

Been a while...

Ok, I admit it.  I kinda stink at the blogging thing.  I feel drawn back into it, although I think the posts will begin to take a different focus.  Much has happened, so I will update on the previous posts first.

• Janetta graduated from Guide Dogs for the Blind in January 2012.  She was the last puppy from retired breeder, Elsa, to graduate.  Janetta was placed with the most amazing woman who's lifestyle so closely mimics mine, it is kind of freaky.  Guide Dogs placement staff is truly amazing!  We are so happy with the life our special girl has!  There was a special article in the Gresham, Ore paper about the pair.  You can read it here www.theoutlookonline.com/news/story.php?story_id=132806364140184500.
• Keiko also graduated from Guide Dogs for the Blind in March 2012. 
• Rudy completed his Open agility titles in February 2012.  I am so nervous about competing at the "excellent" level.  That's where all the "big dogs" hang out!
• Baby M is now Toddler M, as the posts to come will show.

Agility Trial-SUCCESS!

Friday's runs were fanatastic!  I was a bit worried about Open, but we had clean runs that were 10-20 seconds below SCT, thus earning a JWW leg and Std leg, as well.  Saturday was equally as good with a minor hiccup that was so sweet, who could really be disappointed.  During our JWW class, we were off to a fantastic start, on a course that had caught many dogs (or maybe it was the handlers) off-guard due to the skew of the jumps (leading to many dogs going around).  Rudy had stayed on course with great speed when we went over a jump into the corner pocket and who should be just outside the ring and coincidentally cry?  Little Miss M!!!!  Big brother was holding her and she fussed at that moment leading Rudy to stop dead in his tracks and find her among the people.  I was able to call him back (but that was considered a refusal), and then after we had finished the weaves, baby M protested again, causing Rudy to distract, and me to re-cue him (therefore another refusal and NQ).  But, we finished with great speed and no other faults.  Gotta love the GSD who loves his family so much that no other activity would have stopped him like that.  Many spectators commented later that they knew exactly who the baby belonged to after seeing his reaction.  Rudy seems to have a mini fan club!  Lesson learned- baby M must stay away from ring when we run unless she's asleep! 


Sunday, we went to the International Invitational Sheepdog trial at Soldier Hollow and did a small GDB Presentation.  Pretty uneventful, but I think there may be at least one more Puppy Raiser (not my county), as a result!  Woo Hoo!


Labor Day, back to agility, where I think we all suffered fatigue from so many days of being on the go, and I could not wake Rudy for his Std run.  We got a refusal going into the weaves, and then he missed the last jump and another refusal- NQ.  All throughout, we felt like we were struggling, and Rudy was s-l-o-w.  Turns out, had he not missed the last jump, we would have Q'd.  I thought it was over long before so I wonder if I quit "handling" and therefore he didn't take the jump.  Later, had a clean run in JWW and another leg.  So, we ended up with 2 JWW and 2 Std legs from the weekend.  Excellent, we are almost there!


Fun weekend, albeit very exhausting when you have an infant along, and "babysitter" children that require frequent deposits into their bottomless bellies, in return for their childcare services. ;)


Next trial- Oct 7-9!

Agility Trial Jitters

Now that Rudy has moved on to Open Jumpers and Standard, I am already feeling the jitters of 3 days of trialing, starting in only 2 days!  The sweltering 90 degree temps don't help a hairy dog who whithers in heat to the speed of a Basset Hound on a mission (no offense to any Bassets doing agility!).  Added to my worries is bringing my baby (without a sibling helper the first day), who is not known by her loved ones for being "easy".  Fortunately, the trial is in a beautiful outdoor location which baby M will love.  So, as long as she can get her naps, I hope this will be a fun getaway from our daily routine!

I have begun to work through Linda Mecklenburg's Handling Skills book.  So far, Rudy is reading my handling well.  The one exception would be rear crosses (which we've NEVER done).  It is fun to have a training "plan" when I head out to work with him.  I look forward to the more complex handling issues that will pop up in the next few lessons.  Unfortunately, I must take the next few days off of practice in order to increase Rudy's drive/desire to play agility.  He loves it, but absence definately makes his heart grow fonder!