Two Of These Feet Are Not Like The Other

Who likes the grass?

The one with GREEN feet!!

And a Tibby tongue pictures, 'cause they are cute :) 

One Year, What A Change

This day last year, I was meeting Dhali for the very first time at a puppy open house.  He was 4 weeks old and adorable :)

I can't believe he was that small!

Fast forward ONE year and Dhali attended his very first seminar.  It was at Loretta's and it was fun :)

We were auditors, so mostly Dhali just hung out in his crate.  But he did a really excellent job of just being.  That is a tough skill!

He didn't make a peep when I left him to walk a course.  He whined a little bit when there were other dogs barking.  He also whined a little bit and barked once (!) at the end of the day.  I know what his problem was though - he needed to go potty!  And he was refusing to go.  Still an issue with the strange location pottying.  

But other than the potty issues he was a rock star.  I don't think he could have handled working in that environment - YET, but I was really itching to try the exercises out :P  

He did a lot of this....

And some of this...

At the very end of the day I brought out his mat and let him play on that.  He did a good job, but his enormously full bladder was distracting him a little bit.  It's frustrating to know that if he just would pee he would feel so much better LOL!!

He was great at looking at and then ignoring the dogs working on course.  He was like "yeah, whatever I have mat, I have cheese and hot dogs - don't care about boring dogs."

I love this picture - wink?

My shoes drying off in front of the fan.  My feet were so wet the entire day.  It rained a lot last night, so we were in the barn for the seminar, but my feet got soaked hauling our stuff from the car to the barn.

I really liked having the seminar in the barn!  It was nice and cool - I was even cold!  The dogs didn't run off too much, because we were in the barn.  The sun didn't blind me and I didn't get a sunburn.  All around I enjoyed this year's seminar much better than last year.  It was so relaxing to have Dhali with me.  Last year was stressful with Tibby.

And I learned a lot too!  I took lots of notes.  I can't wait to play with one jump :)

P.S. I ate a hamburger for the first time in over 15 years.  AND it was grilled by a world agility champion :D LOL!!!!  It was a tasty hamburger.  I couldn't remember what they tasted like, but now I know!

Microchips! Register!

A little public service announcement:  If your pet has a micro chip remember to register it!  I just signed up Tibby and Dhali on the Microchip Registry - It's free and it's for all brands of micro chip.  It's just a non profit registry to help pets get home when they are lost.  

One of the things that I worry about with my pups microchip:  There are so many brands of micro chip.  Dhali and Tibby even have different brands, because Dhali was chipped before he came home with me - so how will a rescue/vet/ect. figure out which company to look at to find me?

I think this registry is a good idea.  Simplifies things!

Mr Chewy Orijen Treats Review

Mr. Chewy sent Dhali and Tibby a package of treats to review.  They sent them really, really fast!  They said they were sending them and the next day Fed Ex was dropping them off! I was very impressed with the quick delivery.

The treats were very fresh and as you can see Dhali thought they smelled AMAZING!  

"Open the bag!  Open the Bag!"

I like ordering from Mr. Chewy, because they send the treats quickly, the treats haven't been sitting on a shelf in a store for days and they haven't been handled by a bunch of customers in a store.  Plus, I don't have to drive 2 hours round trip to get them!

These Orijen treats are really nice.  I will probably get them again.  They are 100% freeze dried lamb. The treats are smooth and small enough for a big treat.  If they were for a training treat, I would want them to be 1/2 the size or a little bit easier to break in half.  They smell good - nice and fresh - I would put them in my pocket LOL!!

Dhai says, "More Orijen lamb treats please!"

Tibby's Recheck

As you can see - Tibby was AMAZING at her recheck!  She did really, really well.  I was so happy.  6 months ago she was hiding underneath my chair, shaking, refusing treats, panting, pacing and wanting to sit in my lap.  Now she is working her mat, taking treats from strangers, listening to 'invisible' dogs (outside the door) and invisible people, greeting new people that come into the room and generally acting like the dog she was always meant to be.  

It makes me cry a little, because I knew she was in there and, until I took her for help, I didn't know how to get her out.  I'm so happy to see Tibby being happy.  :)

She was really just perfect.  For the last 6 months I have rarely taken her out of the house, so I wasn't sure how our visit to the UofM vet clinic would go.  I took her for a walk before we went in for our visit.  There is a little quad/park area.  

Tibby: 25mg trazadone and thundershirt - ready for a walk.  The first thing we see is a big white and black spotted dog.  Oookay - her biggest trigger, another dog.  Tibby looks at the dog and keeps walking.  Strange men working on the road?  Doesn't care.  People walking around and sitting on benches?  Doesn't care.  The only thing that worried her a little bit was a woman jiggling a big bunch of keys.  Tibby was a little worried about that.  

Then I got Dhali from the car and took them for a walk together around the park.  My plan was to take them separately, but I ran out of time and Dhali didn't get to have a separate walk without Tibby.

We went inside and saw lots more people and dogs.  Tibby was a little overexcited, but so was Dhali.....  But she calmed right down and took treats nicely.  We went into the exam room and waited for a while.  Dhali threw up....

We practiced with the mat.

Then the Dr's assistant came in with 2 med students.  She went over some history and how things were going.  Dhali pooped on the floor..... 

Then we sat for a long time with the med students and waited for the Dr.  It probably wasn't that long, but I didn't know what to say to the students.  They couldn't believe that Tibby had been different before.  It is hard to imagine if you haven't seen it.  While we were waiting Dhali entertained us with his tugging and fetching skills.  He was not shy at all.  He kept trying to get a toy out of my bag, so I finally gave him one and he was so happy.  He ran around shaking it and laid down on the mat to play with it.  Then he wanted to play tug and fetch.  He was very cute.  Dhali is definitely a stress up kind of dog vs. Tibby's stress down.  

Then the Dr. came in and we went over some more things.  She said Tibby is doing so well that we can turn over care to our normal vet.  I'm not sure how that will work exactly, but I guess I will find that out.  

Then we tried to fit Tibby for a different muzzle, but she didn't really fit into any of them.  Tibby was such a good girl trying on all the muzzles.  She put her head right into each of them - she made me look like a good trainer!  LOL!  When I really haven't been doing that much work with her.  I have just been letting Tibby be Tibby.  She's pretty smart :)

She was even offering to do her sit up trick to Dr. Duxbury for treats!

Dhali thought Tibby was getting way too many treats and way too much attention :P 

It was a very long day and both dogs are very tired.  Both sleeping since we got home.

Except for Dhali pooping on the floor, it was a perfect day!

Love The Game

Dhali had some fun this last week - chewing up a hose!  That will teach me to put my things away.  Thank you for the lesson Dhali.

This post is all about Dhali, because tomorrow is all about Tibby.  It's her 6 month check up with the vet. behaviorist.  

Dhali has been doing great with his agility training.  He really loves playing with me.  He is just the dog I dreamed of.  Sure he has his own mind and does some silly things, but they are so cute!  

For example in this video he decides that he knows how to do the agility all by himself!  Very cute.  We are still working on the biting.  Right now my arms look like I get in regular fights with strangers.  When people ask about the cuts, scratches, bruises of all colors and teeth marks I just say it's from too much cage fighting.  LOL!  I'm like the last person in the world that would be cage fighting.  

The lesson with Loretta helped a lot - I have been trying to use the ideas she gave me.  Also adding a bed to our practice helps too.  Dhali LOVES driving and laying down on his bed.  The bed gives me a place to send him to and he always know what he's supposed to do there, so that eliminated a lot of his frustration.  One final thing:  working with food first and toys second.  Toys get him CrAzY and then he bites me.....so work for food and then as a reward we will play!  

So far this is working much better.  We are actually making some progress - Dhali isn't ignoring jumps and trying to mug me for the toy.  Also, I don't get injured as much.  It isn't diminishing his toy play - he still loves to play.  I'm still using toys in his agility training, but I'm also using food now too.  

Dhali is my little shadow outside.  He likes to make sure all the yard work is done with his helping paw.  He just has such an attitude about him!  Such a cute little guy :)

Whole Lotta Stuff

It rained for a long, long, long time....6 days.  I had to make Dhali put on the raincoat.  It actually fit him!  Which is crazy, because it doesn't fit Tibby anymore.  It just goes to show all his height is in his long legs.  Tibby has a longer back and is built differently.  Dhali's bone structure is more delicate.  I can tell this by feeling their heads - Tibby: square and heavy,  Dhali: thin and light (and tiny too).  He has a tiny head.

Anyway.....these pictures were taken on the day he turned ONE!  Then we went shopping.  I forgot to make him wear the raincoat into the store.

Dhali shopping!  Isn't he cute?!?  He loves to go shopping.  I didn't get a very good video of it, but he is rubbing himself on the racks of bones - just like a cat.  He LOVES to rub up on stinky stuff. 

 I took him to a race on Sat.  We watch (and cheered) for my Mom.  After the race we had to stand around FOREVER waiting for the awards.  Dhali did AMAZING.  He sat and stared at me or laid down on the ground and rested.  He was totally relaxed - even though we were surround by tons of people.  My biggest fear was the someone would step on him, because he was being so good and invisible.

Anyway....a man was squatting down in front of us and I wasn't paying attention.  Dhali apparently thought the guy smelled AMAZING and tried to rub the glorious stink on himself.  LOL!  That was his one silly moment.  I don't think the guy realized that he was basically sitting on a dog until Dhali stuck his cold nose into he man's leg LOL!!  I had to laugh at that :)

Oh and P.S.  I didn't have a treat on me and Dhali was still amazing.  

I'm working up to our SUPER AWESOME lesson with Loretta Mueller....so hang in there! 

On Thursday we had a lesson with Loretta at her place.  It was so long ago since our last time up there - 9 months!   A lot happens in 9 months    This was Dhali's First Lesson.

I had forgotten how looooong the trip is.  It takes forever.  The trip wasn't so bad until about 40 mins from Loretta's place I got behind 4 cars that were stuck behind a truck going (at the fastest) 40 mph!!!!  If you can't drive the speed limit - pull over!  I was trying to stay relaxed and calm, so I wouldn't arrive at the lesson all stressed out, but I think I failed :P  

Dhali really liked Loretta's sheep.  I was trying to get him to potty (ha,ha,ha) and Dhali was more interested in the sheep.  "They run away!  Yay!  Let's chase them!"  Um, no.

Dhali was a little nervous for the first 10 mins. inside the barn.  I think that was pretty normal - totally new place with a new person (Loretta) and he did a little sniffing around.  Once he figured out we were there to play - he was great :)  He likes to play!

My favorite parts were when Loretta was handling him - he did so good with her.  He gets it - I'm the one who needs the work!  It was really beautiful to see him running.  Wish I had a video!  

I got a lot of good information to work on and Loretta said I've done a good job with him (Yay!).  After his little nervous bit at the beginning he worked for the entire hour - really hard too.  We were both out of breath most of the time :P  

It was so worth the long drive!

P.S.  Dhali ate like a pound of meat treats at the lesson and then came home and ate his dinner - he also wasn't tired.  I was though!

Working on some of the sends Loretta taught us.  I need to look at the jump and not cute little Dhali!

And this is Dhali's channel work.  This is his 3rd time on the channel and his first time outside with it.  I think he is doing really well.  He's fast.

More Agility

This is a video for our foundation class with Silvia Trkman.  I think Dhali is doing pretty good - little steps and time.  He's fast that's for sure!

Dhali Is ONE!

Dhali was born today one year ago!  Where did the time go?!?!  That year went by WAY too fast.  

From this to....

This! 

Mr. Personality

I love this picture of Double D.  It's shows his personality.  What does Double D stands for?  Sometimes Darling Dhali, but MOST of the time it stands for Demon Dog!  LOL!  Or" he's so much dog - he's a double D".  *wink* 

I made a video of taking him shopping today (I'll post it later).  He got to pick out some new toys and then we played outside in the rain.  He's a happy boy!

Dhali Driving

LOL!  Dhali 'driving' - driving to and away  from the jumps :)



Silvia thought he was doing much better having better obstacle focus and sending away from me.

I think he has gotten even better this last week.  Tomorrow if it isn't raining again we will video .




Dhali running on the carpet.  He is very good at this, but not so great at running on a flat board.  I'm not sure (still) what I want to do with his contacts.  I want running, but it will take a lot of work, because he is fast and I am slow :)

We have been playing around with 2 jumps and tunnel in between them.  I think it made the lightbulb go on in Dhali's brain - he was sending beautifully to the jump the last time we played.

Tibby is doing very good.  She is very relaxed and loves the warmer weather, but not when it's too hot ;)  Sometimes after I have played with Dhali, I bring her out to see what she wants to do.  She likes heeling for hotdogs outside - which is a major improvement for her.  Before she was too afraid/distracted by everything to do anything and would just run back inside.  I have to be careful not to get too close to the agility equipment when we are heeling or she will offer going through the tunnel or wrapping the jumps - she has a strong foundation!  :)

Summer Is Here!

Who needs Spring?  We've got Summer!

The Last Snow Pictures!

I forgot I had these pictures from last week.

It was 70F today!  So no more snow - yay!

Look at Dhali's rabbit run LOL!!

I gave Dhali a bath tonight and now he is in his crate telling the world how unfair life is.  And I say.....someone needs to remember how to be quiet in his crate!

Tibby didn't get a bath, because she doesn't roll in the grass, dig holes, explore underneath the deck and crawl into every nook and dusty cranny! 

Tibby is laying in my lap, dead asleep and making my legs fall asleep.  She likes to have special snuggle time while Dhali is drying off.  

Here is some soap I made this week:

Just wanted to show it off!  I made it for my Dad.  It's the only soap he has ever requested me to make.  It has 20% pine tar in it.  It's supposed to be good for dry skin/psoriasis.  He tried a bar that his brother sent him and he thought it helped his psoriasis, so he asked me to make some for him.  I hope he likes it! 

Taller Every Day!

These are pictures from last week - now we have grass!  Yay!

Dhali is now over 18 inches tall at the withers.  Eh oh!  Hope he is ok jumping 22"....

Also, check out the muscles on that boy!  He is one giant muscle!  He is a strong little bouncing spring!

Baby Boy

So this is our 2nd or maybe 3rd week of Silvia's online foundation class.  This is the part that I love/hate (mostly hate) about these classes.  I think my boy is amazing and I hate to find out that he isn't perfect.  :(

Silvia says that he doesn't have any obstacle focus.  Sad, because it's true.  But I have been working on it and again that is what I hate about these classes.  Instead of us just having fun, it becomes work.

 


Silvia said he was just running as fast as my hand was going and wasn't seeking out the jumps himself. 



Cik/Cap or wrap




Just playing around with the tunnels.  We were sick of all the snow and bored.




"Weaving"  I don't know if he understands the weaves yet...

So Silvia said I should play the 2 ball game with Dhali.  Now I don't know what the 2 ball game exactly looks like, because I don't have her video (even though I have taken the foundation class 5 times...4 times $120 plus $220 for the first one...yeah I think I should get the video), but I watched a bunch of my classmates videos and I think I kind of figured it out.  2 balls and a tunnel and you get the dog to run chasing the ball and then recall through the tunnel to chase another ball.  This is supposed to teach obstacle focus.  Dhali thinks this game is ok, but "hey wouldn't it be more fun if you ran WITH me?!? Huh?  Wouldn't it?!?"

I'm not playing this game with him any more.  We both are not having any fun with it.  Dhali wants to tug and play with me and this game is just not for him.  I made a promise with Dhali that I wouldn't do things training-wise that I felt were 'wrong' for him.  I made that mistake with Tibby.  Someone can be an expert, but I know my own dog and I need to trust that.

I think time and experience and training and playing more agility.  PLAYING  more WITH me will give him obstacle focus.

He just needs experience.  I can see already this week that he is getting better about seeking out obstacles.  Even on that first video he was trying to find the jump to wrap - even if it was the far jump upright.  He doesn't know the rules! 

I've started him on the LM jump program thing too this week.  He will be a year old at the end of next month, so I think a little controlled jumping at a low height won't hurt him.

He is still a good, naughty boy.

Tibby Is 3!

Tibby turned 3 yesterday!  

She got uninterrupted time with the big chewy bone for 3 minutes.  Just kidding!  She chewed on it for as long as she wanted to and for as long as I could keep Dhali from bugging her.  

And it didn't snow on her big day!  

But it DID snow again today.  A lot.  

She is such a big girl now!