The BIG Teeter and Weaves!!!

I'm soooooo happy with Tibby! She is just amazing! My new relaxed training philosophy seems to be working. I know it's not for everyone, but I think it makes Tibby happy. And that makes me happy! WE ARE HAVING SO MUCH FUN!!!!

The Fan Method of Chute Training

I have been trying to teach Tibby to go through the chute for a week now, ever since the UPS man delivered it!  At first she earned her dinner kibble by standing on the chute, then getting into the barrel, then going farther into the barrel and touching the chute, but I couldn't get her to go THROUGH the chute.  Today I tried the "fan method" of chute training.  It works GREAT!!!  Tibby had the chute figured out after only a couple of times through.  Yay!  Smart dog.



All I did was point a fan, so it blew the chute open slightly.

Goals For 2012

These are my goals for 2012. 

They are in no particular order - I had to start and stop somewhere!

And these are just goals - something to work towards!

• Grow out and maintain Tibby's full coat
• Finish Recallers course
• Work with desensitization CDs
• Get Tibby comfortable in a crate around other dogs - possibly use Lucy for this
• Stay with Tibby overnight in a hotel
• Volunteer at a trial
• Progress to tugging around other dogs
• Attend a seminar (signed up for Impossible Dogs seminar in Feb.)
• Attend the Tibetan Terrier Nationals in St. Louis and enter a fun run
• Take more online courses
• Pass the CGC test
• Work more on obedience
• More clicker training tricks
• Hike in 2 new state parks
• Take Tibby swimming

Ok I think that's it.  Have any suggestions?  What are you planning on doing with your dog next year?

The Epic Basement Project

It all began November 11th 2011 - 11-11-11....A red letter day. 

My Dad left to deer hunt.  My Mom and I looked around for a project.  Hmmmm.  How about the basement?  YES!!  Let's take a wall (or two) down.  Girl Power!

Before we started - the basement looked like this:

I've lived here for almost 7 years and I always wanted to do 'something' with the basement.  But after remodeling the whole upstairs, I ran out of steam.  Finally, it was time to tackle the basement!

During the demo stage I realized that I can take on a wall of 2x4 studs with only a hammer and destroy it.  It was.....fun.  hee, hee, hee. 

~

12-11-11  ONE MONTH LATER.  Yeah, it wasn't a fast project, but there was a lot of work to do.

At this point in the project I realize that I can do electrical work.  It's not as complicated or difficult as people make it look.  My Dad showed me how to install one ceiling light and then I did all the rest.  We also did a whole bunch of other electrical stuff - it was really messed up from the previous people that lived here.  But it's all straighten out now!  So all these things took time, but didn't change the look of the room very much.

My Mom came over one night and helped paint the ceiling.  Hmm?  Pink ceiling?  I had a minor freak out and my Mom kept stringing me along, "Didn't you say you wanted a pink ceiling?  But it will look so nice!"

It dried white.  Thank goodness.

My Dad worked one day by himself (without my help) and one of his friends helped him.  They managed to install the pocket door into the bathroom upside down.  LOL!!!  I came down to work the next day and I was like, "Um Dad?  This door is upside down."  He was like, "What?!? No it's not!"  Um, yeah it was.  Seeeeee women READ directions.  Very important.

~

12-29-11  IT'S DONE!!!!!  FINALLY!!!  SO WORTH IT!!!  Ok well it's not all finished.  The poles still need to be wrapped with carpet and a few more little touches. 

I learned a lot about construction:  I used a hammer drill and put all the tack strip down.  I also glued all the pad.  I painted all the walls and trim.  I cut pieces of wood.  I drilled.  

  It wasn't fun, but it was worth it!!

Now to add agility equipment!

Grooms of the Year

A picture story of Tibby's grooms this year. 

 I think there were a couple more, but I didn't mark them when I uploaded them and now they are lost in the 50 million Tibby pictures on my computer! :P

I actually had to pull out my last check register and I was able to figure out a couple of the last ones, going by the date on the checks.  Next year I vow to do a better job of documentation!!!

These pictures are all post groom.

2010

2011

   

Thoughts

Ok, so if you aren't into dog sports - don't read this.

Actually, if you are into dog sports - don't read this.

These are just some thoughts I have had the last couple weeks.

So, I have been thinking about speed and enthusiasm.  Well, I recently got a new job at work.  They are letting me use a new piece of equipment that is made of glass (!!) and it costs $100,000.00 (!!).  If you drop it, it's done for.  Oh, yeah and this equipment is something you carry around.  It also replaces a system that I have used for the last 10 years.  TEN YEARS.  That's a lot of muscle memory.  Before, I could do my job with my eyes closed (shhh, I only did it a couple of times!).  Now I have to THINK all the time about what I'm doing.  What I will do next.  Am I doing it right?  And I am SLOW.  So, so terribly slow.  However, if someone tries to rush me?  I get even slower!  Because?  I want to think.  I have to think.  I don't want to mess up and there is someone (for example, a patient in pain or a coworker with another patient) pushing me to go faster, but it only makes me 1-go slower and 2- get upset.

But every day that I work with the equipment - I am getting faster.  My attitude is improving.  The more comfortable I get the happier and faster I go. 

Can you see where I'm going with this story?

After having to learn something new, I have a enormous, huge, great sympathy for Tibby.  I can not expect her to be fast when she is just starting to learn agility.  The more I push her, the slower she will go.  AND THAT IS REASONABLE.  It is a normal response to something new and difficult. 

So if you want to understand what it's like to be a dog (sort of LOL!) try to learn something new.  And not something low stress, like painting in your own house.  Something where someone is watching you and pushing you to go faster, like an exercise class or bagging groceries (that looks pretty stressful to me!).  It's amazing to see how the other side of your team feels.

What Tibby Did In 2011

Stayed overnight at Woof Dah 5 times.

Made new friends.

Went shopping.

Got a haircut!

Went to the park.

Took lessons in new places.

Rode a bus and won a contest.

Took lots of naps.

Went to watch 3 agility trials.

Took and graduated from a class!

Took another class and found out that agility is fun!

Got a new car.

Had an echo, xray and exam.  Found out her heart is not all it should be.

Opened many packages.

Played with Mom and went on many hikes.

Learned that the crate is safe, not scary.

Discovered that sometimes the friends you have and your home can be the best place to be.