Why Does Blogger Hate Me?!?

Argh!  Blogger reader will only show the past 6 hours of blog  posts on blogs I follow.  Sorry if I've missed some of your posts :(   It's like it can't update.  And it started on Friday.  Boo.

Maybe I'm following too many blogs?

Paris Must Die

If you were planning on spending time in Paris.....you might want to change your plans.

The Tibbymonster has eaten the Eiffel Tower!

Oh mon dieu!

Wave Trick

Tibby practicing her 'wave' trick. I think she's got it!

Sleeping Pup

 Reilly at Cowspotdog is having a contest on his blog.  The Dog Blog Giveaway! 

He wants to see pictures of everydog sleeping.

Warning:  Never ask me to show you pictures of Tibby sleeping!  I have a million of them!  These are about 10% of the sleeping pictures I have of Tibby.

I thought it would be fun to start with some pictures of Tibby as a baby to a teenager.

Funny thing - I couldn't find very many pictures of just Tibby sleeping.  It's always Tibby AND Catty sleeping together.

Do I only take pictures when they are sleeping together?  OR Do they sleep together a lot?

Not sure.

Just Give Me Those Treats!

This is what Tibby looks like when I'm being a idiot and she can't figure out what I want. I think I need better cues! She was also tired - we had been training for a while. She still is cute!

It's Official

It's official: I am not as exciting as a bully stick (we call them P(ee)-sticks in this house). If Tibby has to choose between a p-stick and me, she chooses the p-stick every time.

When my Mom found out what bully sticks were made out of she freaked out! LOL! It was hilarious.

Video Viernes

Yesterday's video was supposed to post today, but it didn't so here is a new video.
Catty and Tibby enjoying the sun together.

The Search

First:  A baby Tibby picture!

This is from the day I brought Tibby home.  She slept in the passenger seat.  Not much has changed!



Now on to boring matters.  This post is about my search for an agility class and/or private lessons. 

 Feel free to stop reading now!

  Mostly this post is just for my own documentation - so I can keep everything straight.

Below are the places I contacted about private lessons.  The best time for a class would be Thurs. afternoon or evening.  Depending on how far away it is I would rather have afternoon. 

Organized according to their distance from my house - Starts at 1 hour and 20 mins.

Shall Be Training
Private lessons Monday evenings and Sat. and Sun. $25 for 1/2 hour.

Paws Inn Resort and Training
Monday 7pm Beg. Agility class.  Thurs. Handler's Anonymous.  No private lesson openings at this time.

Water's Edge Retrievers
Friday 6:30pm Beg. Agility class.  No private lessons.

Leader of the Pack

Tues. 7:30pm Beg. Agility class.  Private lessons Tues. and Thurs. afternoon.  Not really sure about their training methods.  They do tell students to bring treats to class.

So, I'm not really 100% for any of them. 

We are on the waiting list for a Silvia Trkman long distance class.  Either the Puppy Tricks class or the Foundations class.  Hopefully we get into one!  The next classes are supposed to be in a month.  Of course, the first classes filled up fast.

We are signed up for Puppy Boot Camp next Sat. at On The Run Canine Center.  It's just a one hour fun class.  Really I just want to see what the place is like and ask about private lessons.  We would only be able to go once or twice a month. If the price of gas keeps going up probably once a month. :(

Also, I would like to try and get to the TDAA trial at Agile Canines.  It would be the same day as the Boot Camp, so I don't know if we will make it.

So now you know!

Winter Walk Video

Winter walk with Tibby. Our walk on Feb. 22nd. Lots of snow! We had to walk in the road, because our regular path was full of snow. The snow was as tall as me!

Wordless Wednesday

Snowy Weekend - Fun and Frustration

Starting out this post with a cute picture from Tibby's first overnight visit to Woof Dah.

Look at all that hair!

When I brought her in this last weekend (post haircut) they didn't recognize her!

Up next is Tibby's report card from 2 weekends ago.

I love that they send a report card home.

There are a few differences from her first report card and her 2nd one.

I think Tibby was more relaxed this last weekend at Woof Dah.

Whenever I checked in on her with the web cams she was either sleeping, walking around or being petted and carried by the staff.  I saw her playing once, but it wasn't like her first weekend when she played constantly.  Maybe it had something to do with the other dogs too.  Her special friends weren't there?  Or maybe it was her lack of hair?  Like Samson she lost her super strength after her hair was cut off?  Just kidding!

I did see her jumping and running on the bridge they have for the dogs to play on.  It seems like if Tibby sees another dog doing something, she has to try it too.  She also lost 5 lbs over the weekend.  Yikes!  I packed lots of yummy food (canned lamb and rice/salmon/pumpkin/yogurt/her reg. food), but I guess she doesn't eat very much.  OR she burns off a lot of calories. 

She was tired though.

She slept all the way home and then for the next 12 hours.  She didn't even want to get up this morning to pee!  I had to push her out the door.

My vacation was fun too.

I ran in a snowshoe/ski race across a bay in Wisconsin.  It was a 10k race in the dark across ice!

There were 3,889 people in the race and we were 127th and 128th (women snowshoers) across the finish line.  It was AMAZING!  There were bonfires on the ice at every kilometer and then small candles along the route.  It was an adventure.

Getting home was an adventure too.

We left Sun. morning and hit 15 inches of snow in the Twin Cities.  We ended up getting stuck at a very nice hotel only a few miles away from Tibby.  Poor Tibby, she had to stay an extra day and night at Woof Dah.  I missed her so much!  But she didn't know the difference.  Monday we picked Tibby up and started to drive home.  The roads were horrible!  We saw tons of accidents.  One with a car upside down in the ditch.  Scary.  But we made it home.

Tibby isn't impressed with the snow.

She wants SPRING!

She even made me dig her a potty spot.

What happened to my snow loving dog?

Tibby's Taking A Vacation

Tibby's taking a vacation.

Catty gets all the sunshine to herself.

Catty is happy.

If you want to see Tibby playing with a big group of dogs click HERE for the web cams.

Webcam hours: 7:15am - 8:00pm central time

The most active times are -

Swim time: 10:30 on Sat.

Lunch: 11am

Dinner: 4pm

Bedtime Movie: 7pm

Of course Tibby is always active.  Look for the naked skinny brown and white dog with a lime green and hot pink collar.  She will be the one running, wrestling and following the staff around.

Picture Day

I just got back from the studio where Tibby had pictures taken today.  Tibby was AWESOME!  I was amazed!  We have been practicing at home, but she did better than I thought she ever could.  She sat on a wooden folding chair and wore a skirt, bead necklace and a pink feather boa.  And she sat still and posed for pictures!!!  She did her wave trick, take a bow, wore a flower headband and a raincoat.  She also posed for profile pictures.  Sure she ran around the studio, but she also sat very still and looked at the camera for long periods of time - like 5 mins at a time - which is eternity for a 9 mo puppy in a new exciting place. 
I can't wait to see how the pictures turn out!  I have a feeling I will be spending a lot of money for many pictures - drat my cute doggie!  LOL!

Video Viernes - Baby Tibby and The Bunnies

An old baby Tibby video.
Tibby watching the Bunnies.
She was so little! And cute!

It's Melting, It's Melting

We went snowshoeing again on Monday.  Just Tibby and me.

It was warm!   40F!

I only needed to wear a sweatshirt instead of my heavy winter jacket.

All the snow is melting.

We found this weird eaten foot on the path.

Squirrel?

The ski trails are mostly melted, so we walked on a new path.  It wasn't groomed for skiing anyway, so I don't think we ruined it.  We walked for over an hour and half.

I thought the path would never end!

Tibby was tired.

She slept on the way home in the sunshine.

And she slept on the way to class.

When we got home from class it was about 9:30pm.  I was tidying up some things and then I realized that Tibby wasn't right next to me (like she usually is).  I looked and looked for her.  Finally, I found her curled up underneath the covers on my bed.  She was so tired she put herself to bed!  That was a first.

Back To Square One

Ok so the place, in St. Cloud, that I thought offered private lessons, only offers private obedience lessons and they only do classes for agility.  Because?  One person can't move all the equipment.  Ok....whatever Tibby will be doing things on the flat for a long time, but no.  So I guess I can't for love or money get private agility classes for my dog?!? 
I'm starting to lose hope a little. 
And the Beg. I class at CACM is at 5:30pm on Mondays.  There isn't any way that I can get to that class.  I get off of work at 5pm or even at 4pm I couldn't get there in time.  It's 75+ miles.
So......are there any trainers with in a 80 mile radius of Here (my town - I don't want it to show up on Facebook) that would give us private lessons? 
I found this place Leader of the Pack.  Good?  Bad?  After our really bad obedience experience I'm hesitant/afraid of getting into another situation like that one.
If we can't find anyone I will just have to get some DVDs and try to train Tibby by myself.  I have jumps, weaves and a teeter.  With the money I have budgeted for lessons I could get a very nice dogwalk and a-frame.  We won't need those for a long time, but it would be possible.  I guess.
But I would rather take lessons!  I learn better hands on with someone to explain stuff.
  
In conclusion:  Any trainers with in 80 miles of my town (see above) that would give us private lessons?

Wordless Wednesday

Miracle Alert

I just took a relaxing stroll with Tibby and she had a loose leash the whole time.  Awe.  Yesterday at Petsmart I bought her an Easy Walk harness.  Today I put it on her and Poof! she could walk nicely.  Wow.  I held on to the leash with 2 fingers.  2 fingers!!  Not holding on with all my strength while she pulled me through snow banks.  We saw people, we saw cars, we passed dogs  - she was interested, but did not pull.  I kept waiting for the newness to wear off and for Tibby to start pulling again.  And hour later.....she was still perfect!
If she keeps walking like this I can take her anywhere with me.  Wonderful!  My Mom can walk her and I won't have to worry about Tibby pulling her over.  Brilliant! 

2nd Trip To Petsmart Yesterday

Tibby was SO GOOD.  She walked around with a loose leash (!!!!!) about 90% of the time.  She sat down (on her own - I didn't ask her to sit) to greet a small boy and let him pet her.  She also sat and greeted a woman and 2 other children.  I was really amazed and proud of her.  After our last visit with all the pulling and whining - this was a great visit!  When we left a worker gave Tibby half of a Milkbone.  Tibby has never had that kind of treat before and this Milkbone was huge.  It filled her whole mouth like a chew toy!  She politely took it, dropped it behind a check out desk and then trotted out the door with me.  Funny girl!

And Today Is?

If yesterday was LOVE then today is......?

Catty says, "That's right.  Go hide in your corner."

"I am large (small) and in charge (not really)."

4th Foundation Agility Class

Here is a video from tonight's class.
A few notes: I really like Tibby's haircut now and I might keep it short forever. We went snowshoeing for an 1 1/2 today and she didn't get any snowballs stuck in her hair. I also didn't have to worry about matts from the snow. She walked in mud and her feet were clean after a quick wipe.
I think I would like to take private agility lessons with Tibby. I feel like we spend most of the class time waiting for all the other dogs. I'm driving an hour (one way) for the class and I would like to get more out of it. Private vs. Group - Any opinions?

L-O-V-E

Is this Love?

We Don't Wanna Get Up

"zzzzzzzzzz"

"zzzzzzzzzzz"

Catty, "Hey, I think the hooman is leaving."

Tibby "Oh, are you leaving?"

"Ok then, well....."

"have a nice time.  I'll be right here keeping the bed warm."