Yet another possible puppy thread

Eh, it's supportive and wise to say but sometimes it's a heartbreaking realization when you know you'll likely be training for another _ years or more before you will ever run a full course. It doesn't mean you give up but some days you just want a dog that is manageable.I want to harness Backups insanity, I do and we're actively working towards this goal, but I also know that training him is stressful, like today I just wanted to cry because he cannot seem to grasp a certain something and repeating without reward ends up with spit flying all over while he breaks down into a screaming mess, frantically scrambling for a reward thinking less and less with each effort while I wait him out in some futile attempt at shaping.

Meanwhile, I know how much fun and blissful training and running Sloan is. I want another Sloan, I want my own Sloan. I want to feel that feeling I get when I run with her.

We, B and I, have our moments of brilliance and the accomplishments are blissful to say the least but somedays instead of overcoming the most basic of challenges you just want to be able to run your dog. It's not always about being more competitive, sometimes it's something far more simple.

And that... is the dirty little response which isn't ever supposed to be shared. lol

I understand exactly where you are. I've had.3 wonderful amazing puppies and a green dog offered to me in recent months. But the timing isn't right. It sucks.

I want a fresh start in the sports, a new dog. Lola was supposed to be that but she is not sound enough for serious competitions. She loves agility.

Judge routinely makes me cry. He is almost 6 and I let too many things and people affect mine and his relationship. He is a **** good dog but to.be 110% honest, he never should have came to me. He is a dog that needs a real job, playing sports truly isn't enough for him. He is an amazing dog and wonderfully trained but I lose it when trialing and it affects him a ton so, it is a never ending circle. Sometimes I just want to have fun training and trialing. With Judge, I just don't know if that is possible. We persevere because of my stubbornness and he does because he enjoy the interaction with me.

Waiting on a puppy sucks, but sometimes by passing on one, you get a better one in the end.

I sometimes wish I could rewind the clock and have Summer at 4 years old again. She has tons of talent and is truly the best beginner sports dog ever. It sucks we didn't make it to a place in my life where I could really train her until she was 8. Now she is getting better and better and I feel like I am fighting the clock.


Ah well... it's all about the journey. And the dogs. Something for me to remember.

Can I join the puppy pity party too? A few weeks ago, I got in contact with my breeder to scratch my name off the waiting list for next year's litter. If I want to go back to school (possibly moving out of the state without Josh to do) AND keep working close to full time, I will not have the time or the extra money for puppy. Also, I'm getting this dog to work cattle proficiently... and I have no cows. So, there is no point.

No less, it broke my heart.

Oh, I don't disagree. I love my boy, truly. He's hilarious and so epically unique even when he is a mess of weirdness it's kind of entertaining to own him. Our journey will never stop, not unless he wants it to. I just want a dog that can cohesively run agility and he honestly may never be that dog. Don't get me wrong, he has plenty of shining points, his bitework is stellar, he has a great nose for such a high energy dog, and his toy drive and speed seem, at times, practically unchallengeable. However, his ability to learn and hold on to that learning with consistency is a constant battle and sometimes that just plain isn't that much fun. It would be nice to have two dogs, of my own, a trial dog for the fun of fine tuning while challenging placements and Backup - my forever "if we ever get there I'm throwing a Gatsby level party".

However, there is no question that we'll keep trucking along... and he'll keep driving people up walls. LOL

I would like to attend Backup's Gatsby party.

Dude, it will be so amazingly weird that even those who attended won't be able to make heads nor tails of it.

He'll see to it, someday...

Oh I was totally agreeing. I have my perfect dog but getting older and then my favorite dog with bad knees. I often am very envious if those that have you get dogs that are totally sound to train. I wouldn't trade my girls for the world and will keep playing as long as they have fun but I would be lying if i didn't say that I wish I had a third, more worry-free dog. Mostly for my sanity's sake!

On the other hand so many people in agility I know run into unexpected issues be that their sound sporter collie repeatedly injuring themselves or weird issues at trials or whatever. I keep reminding myself there are no guarantees. Especially any time you're dealing with animals.

Agility really isn't for the faint of heart sometimes though. I've seen much blood, sweat, and tears over it. But the end result and the bond it forms is worth it.

There are no guarantees either good or bad. Case in point on the surprisingly good end of things: Webster. Who has certainly surprised the heck out of me. I'm routinely given grief now when he nails another course... "You RETIRED this dog? Why? And don't give me that crap about how he hates agility!" by people who never saw him panic on course, never saw him try to leave the ring and run back to his crate...

His structure is not suited for agility, he is not particularly emotionally stable...it taking over a year off and me completely redefining success for him before we came together. He will never be a world team level dog (hahaha) or a NAC dog. But he's Webby and he's mine and we are a team and he's a helluva dog in his own way.

But I do get it and freely admit that it does help that I also get to run Mira and go for blue. And running a friend's dog who has world class athleticsm. On days I crash and burn with the fast dogs, it's especially nice to go home with points and ribbons from Mr. Consistency. And it's wonderful to be fighting for the top spot with Mira when Webby is consistently juuuust out of the rosettes except for particularly difficult courses where his efficiency saves him distance over the faster big-striding BCs and Shelties.

Learn everything you can from the dogs you have and love every minute. It's easy to spend a dog's whole career wishing for someone different. But it's okay to wish and hope and plan too

I've been mired in puppy indecision for a couple months now and I think the couple people I've talked to about it are going to lose it soon. It's hard...the who/when...and anyone trying to figure it out has my sympathy.

/end ramble

There's a bitch I've adored since I met her as a six month old puppy. I've watched two litters of hers grow up. This is her third and final litter, the time still isn't right for me.

I know that, and yet I still wish I could have one. Even if it would be a silly brown dog! (Liver tri to liver breeding... only livers and liver tris possible.)

Agony, I understand.

That's where most of my family is! Actually I spent a great deal of time there growing up, my sister still lives there and my oldest niece is in collage there lol.

Check out Clairmont and sexsmith! If I had to move back over there I would live in Sexsmith it's a great small town and very quiet! It's only a 10-15 min drive to GP. Clairmont is almost part of GP now! Might be more likely to find pet friendly in one of them. If you are ok with a bit farther out (45min I think) there's Rycroft as well very small and quiet.

Don't do it, puppies are evil. You can borrow mine as proof!

I am the advice master