One Bite

I took Tibby to the vet today for her spring check-up.

She tested positive for Lyme's disease.

Shock, anger, disappointment, regret, sadness...

So the Dr. started her on 100mg of doxycycline for 21 days.

And said we could come back after that and get the vaccine....if we wanted to.

Have I said before how I would like to find another vet????

So like every other person in the world I turned to the wide and all knowing internet for answers.

And the internet couldn't agree.

Yes to doxycycline??  No?  21 days? 3 months? 6 months?

More blood tests?  No blood tests necessary?

Get vaccine?  Don't get vaccine?

Which vaccine?  Lower side affects?

Vaccine will cause more affects in positive dogs?

Treat asymptomatic dogs?  Don't treat asymptomatic dogs?

Urine test yes?  No urine test?

Test again in 6 months?  No need for asymptomatic dogs?

Yeah, no one can agree apparently.

So I gave Tibby the first dose of doxycycline.  It can't hurt her (unless it can) and it made me feel like I was at least doing something!

The pills are huge, but Tibby ate it without any problem.  Plus cheese. 

Stupid ticks.

Stupid Frontline.

Stupid hiking.

Stupid me.

Poor Tibby.

Manipulation

We had a really good lesson with Loretta today.  Usually I spend the 2 hour drive home thinking about all the different things I wish I had said or done differently.  But this time I didn't even think about it.  It was a good lesson and I wouldn't change anything.

Tibby worked hard for a long time.  She had a few moments when she needed a time out in the crate, but then she would come back ready to work.

There was one funny moment when she decided to try hiding out in the black (previously) 'scary' tunnel to avoid working in the newly 'scary' corner of the building.  Hence the title of this post.  She isn't actually scared of these things, but boy have I taught her well that acting 'scared' gets you lots of treats and you can avoid doing whatever I want.  You would have to be there and work with Tibby for a little while to understand this.  Even Loretta didn't believe me when I first told her that I felt like Tibby was 'playing me'.  I think she believes me now :P

She was SO tired by the end of the hour, but she kept trying for me and did what I asked her to do.

I've said it before, but my favorite part of lessons is having someone watch what we are doing and tell me/explain to me/translate what is going on.  It's also nice to have someone to talk through things and tell you what you're doing is OK! 

Loretta is a really great teacher!

I learned today that Tibby actually does understand the criteria of running contacts.  I've been thinking that she doesn't get it - it seems like I'm rewarding everything, so how could she figure it out.

Really neat to see her thinking and trying different things out.

When she missed leapt and didn't get rewarded, she would come back and run through the contact the next time. 

Good girl!

Agility Lesson April Spring

Tibby did very good at our lesson with Loretta today.  She was a really good girl.  I have a lot to work on though! 

I really like how Loretta can see what I'm doing and then explain it to me.  Now if I could just remember to do what she says!  I'm pretty sure she must get sick of telling me the same thing over and over again - and think that I don't get it!  I get it, but my body just doesn't want to connect with my brain! 

I really, really, really have to stop getting into Tibby's space.  It's so tempting though!  She hates it.  So I have to stop.  If I could stop doing that then maybe her speed would even out and that would help me quit decelerating and then Tibby wouldn't get de-motivated.

Tibby did a great job though!

 She likes extension and thinks collection is stupid.  I have to agree with her.  Less thinking with extension - which is good for me :)

"We go now?"

My right thumb is so beat up from Tibby biting it.  It hurt all afternoon, but it's fine now.  I give her tiny little bites and let her nibble on my thumb to get the pieces.  Good except I have 2 holes in my thumb now! 

At the end of our lesson Tibby played with a toy!  It was so much fun!  Back a couple months ago (maybe Dec. or Jan. ?)  I offered her the toy and she was not interested at all.  Today she was ALL OVER IT!!!  Running around chasing, tugging and then running off when she 'won' it.  She figured out really, really quickly - give toy back, get treat.  Although I still chased her a little when she had the toy, because that's her favorite part. 

I think she wasn't feeling well last week.  I don't like to make excuses for us, because there are always excuses for why something is wrong.  But last week, the day of our lesson, Tibby threw up twice in the early morning.  This is gross, but I think she ate a hair ball that Catty threw up outside.  There were pieces of grass and cat hair, ect.  Yuck.  She was also acting all scared of everything and now she is much, much better.  She has started sitting outside on the grass - by herself!  It's one of her favorite things to do, but she has been too scared for the last couple weeks to do it.  It's nice to see that she is feeling all relaxed again.

"I tired."

It really helped to tie Tibby to the door when we weren't running.  We would do an exercise, run back to her leash and then Loretta and I would talk about what we had done.  I think that made a big difference in her motivation.  At first she didn't get it, but by the end of the hour - when I let her off she was running with me.  It really helps to have Loretta talking me through everything.  It's hard to see, objectively, what is going on.  I like lessons!

I also liked running Tibby to her leash at the end, because I have been teaching Tibby to target her leash.  I figure there is a pretty good chance that, if we ever trial, and I don't teach her to target her leash, she will run out of the ring when we finish running.  So this will be a good training step.  I'm going to do it at home too, when we are training.  I just have to make sure that I remember to reward her when we get to the leash, so she doesn't think she is being punished or that she did something wrong.

She is such a good dog.

Red Beard Run

My Mom ran in another race this morning.  Tibby and I tagged along to cheer for her.  There were some funny looking outfits!

I told my Mom to wear something that would be easy for me to see - she is in the red shirt, with the white head wrap/ear thing.

There was fog rising from the lake.  It's still partially frozen, but the air temp. is very warm.  HUMID!! 

Tibby got to practice being relaxed in the crate.  I took her for a couple walks, but we also just waited.  Even though there were SO many INTERESTING people and sounds to get EXCITED about.  She's so funny.  We did some practicing of attention and heeling near the finish line - waving banners, police cars with flashing lights, police men in uniform, little kids and guys hitting golf balls - it was on a golf course.  She did a pretty good job.  We could heel 2-3 steps and she gave me some good attention.  Little steps.

After my Mom got her award - she got first in her age group again!!!  We went for a nice long walk.  It was HOT.  And HUMID.  It feels like July not March.  Really weird weather. 

Tibby modeling my Mom's medal.  It was the first year for this run, so they had really nice medals

I gave Tibby a mohawk!  There are 3 ponys, but it's hard to see the last one. 

Tibby did really well with all the people and crowds.  When everyone started coming across the finish line I took her out to watch for my Mom.  I always carry her through crowds.  She's more relaxed and she doesn't trip anyone.  She really relaxes and just looks around at everyone.  If she were on the ground in a huge crowd like that she would be boinging around on the end of her leash trying to see everyone.  I'm always surprised at these races that no one wants to pet Tibby.  It's a great place to go - no one gets in her space, but she gets to see lots of new things.  And then everyone smelled like beer....they gave free green beer to everyone after the race.  I'm on call this week-end, so no beer for me! 

The Best Part of Waking Up...

...Sunshine with a friend.

I took these last week, but this is Tibby and Catty's routine now.  Every morning they sun bathe on the deck.

Freeze and Thaw By the River

I love this picture.  Tibby looks so prim.  I think it's cute.

This was a BIG log. 

Where did Tibby go?!?

Oh, there she is!

"What's that?"

The ice on the river is cracking.  You can't really tell, but the ice was really thick.

Tibby by the river at sunset :)

Playdate Fun

"Ah, fresh Spring air."

I like this picture, because all of the dogs are doing their own thing.  Tibby is zooming, Benji is just standing around and Zoe is focused on her ball.

Peek a boo

Sneaking or stalking?

"Yeah, I totally agree."

Tibby sat on the swing with me.  She was trying to get away from Benji.  He is such a dog.

"That was fun.  Let's go home."

6 Mile Walk

Tibby and I went for a walk today.  It ended up being a 6 mile walk.  3 miles out and 3 miles back.  I always forget that we have to walk back as far as we walk out.  Tired.

I blame the road.  It stretches out so nice and flat.  I keep thinking just a little farther and just a little farther turns into a mile.

This is a state trail.  It goes for miles and miles - like 120 miles and connects a bunch of towns.  The whole thing isn't paved, but a lot of it is.  This part goes through farmland.

I like the tree tunnels.

What do you see Tibby?

Ah ha!  A pair of ducks.  It's hard to see with my p/s camera, but they are right in the middle of the pic.

Now the male is walking into the field and his mate is right behind.

"Let's get going!"

"Onward!"

Mile one.

  Tibby wasn't happy about posing for this picture.  She wanted to sniff and not be interrupted.

I like this pic.  Tibby is smiling!  And I like the windmill in the background.

"Sniff.  Sniff!"

Is that green I spy?

There was something very smelly here, because Tibby really wanted to smell every blade of grass.....very carefully.

Pond.

Time for a swim?

Nah it's too cold.

"Yes, I will sit on the bench, but I will not look at you.  So.  There."

What do you see?

A goose.

I thought this goose was a decoy, because it didn't move at all, but when we walked past, on the way home, it was gone.