The dog musing/vent thread

Barn hunt clinic tomorrow! I am excited, but really nervous how so many dogs can be worked in a way that Zoe is comfortable with. I was told it would be fine, but I don't think people appreciate how DR she is. If I'm not okay with the set-up, I'll simply audit after having paid for a working spot, because I won't ruin it for my dog.

Tried out my new Canicross equipment today. I had concerns that Rigby wouldn't run - because usually when she's attached to a leash she insists on walking in heel position or a little behind.

I noticed before that when we run trails off leash she will usually run ahead, turn around and check back, then run ahead again. So I used this and took them to a place where they typically get to free run with me. And holy crap she figured it out!

She still insisted on checking in periodically, I guess to make sure that I was still the one attached to the other end?
But other than that, pulled when she needed to, slowed down when I needed her to.

Cobain on the other hand started off strong remembering the pull training I've done in previous years, then realized he could run next to Rigby without actually pulling his share. World's laziest Border Collie lol.

4 hours later and they're still passed out.


And Woofjocks is tomorrow


Life is actually kind of great in terms of dog stuff right now.

Last night after our disc date Dex planted the idea of a small, female working lab as a disc dog (since I don't want a herder), so naturally I've spent the morning looking at working labs.

Eromit has adorable labs and I've heard nothing but good. They have a female (Shelby? Something like that) that is identical to Em, but smaller.

Yay the Q drought is lifted!

Retriever = Yes

Also I petted the sweetest most wonderful aussie ever today. Haven't seen him in a while.

He is ridiculously soft! Such a good boy. I have a crush on him. <3

YES! You obviously need Crow. The end.

Oh, I really like Shelby's build!

Small retriever. Small being the operative word here. If something is going to be hitting me on rebounds and vaults, I need to still be standing afterward.

No, YOU need a Crow. How big are his dogs, out of curiosity. I remember them being small?

It appears Lucy has a grade 4 luxating patella. Ouch. The other one is still just a grade 1-2. I really don't want to have to consider surgery.

on the upside it also appears that she does not have legg perthes disease like she was diagnosed with 7 years ago. So we've got that going at least.

All of his girls have been pretty small. Crow being the smallest. Although, none of them are related (well, except for Knight being Berry's offspring). I want to say Crow's around 50, Berry around 55?

And yes, I need/want Crow. For the record, the British labs (lab people can shoot me, it's okay) are going to be smaller, but if they're anything like Crow they are NOT slower or any less agile. Jelly had a little less oomph than Crow did, but they're from different lines.

Okay well, you go find me a breeder then. kthx.

Had a great, challenging hike today. But I think I broke my dog... She's sooo pooped out, lol.

The Barn Hunt clinic was awesome! I love people willing to work around the needs of reactive dogs so very, very much. Zoe didn't bark at another dog once, and she turned on nicely to the rats. She refused to tunnel at all, but she got into it other than that.

She has been having recurring soreness in her left wrist, though. Hopefully this is a strain that gets better and isn't the new norm for her arthritis. I hate giving her more rest, because she really needs her walks for her elbows and knees, but maybe it will help the wrist issues.

I think I'll take her in to the vet to see what exactly is going on with it, and because I always worry about things like osteosarcoma (even though she has a lifelong history of flare-ups in this wrist since she injured it before maturity.)

Woke up this morning by being muzzle punched in the face by a Mal. Today should be a good day.

Those morning face punches can be dangerous. Renegade punched me in the face earlier this week, leaving my eye and lip bruised. Fine and dandy except we have been having someone take pictures and videos of the team for media stuff all week. Hopefully they are good at air brushing!

Oh no! Lots of makeup and airbrushing.

I'm kind of sick and really congested, so hitting me in the nose not only hurt, but made my nose start running really bad and my face get all itchy and hot.

Recon turned the day around with a first place Q his first run of the day in Fullhouse with 38 points! So proud of him.

I looked at the website and went "oh, hey, that dog looks like Berry."

Ahaha, it's because Lean Mac stamps his girls well.

A lady in my agility club just got a puppy from them not too long ago

Zoe got her RATI!

She was one of 13 dogs to do so in the first ever Barn Hunt Instinct Test in Alaska. I am so proud of her for working, even though she was really stressy. A dog barked on the other side of the blind, and she still went back to the tubes, but she was barely working. I'm sure there are people that watched who figure I just made a lucky guess, but I know her subtleties from Nose Work.

I don't think we'll get any qualifying legs in Novice, because she is so not into those tunnels, but right now I am just happy to see her working at something new and want her to have fun despite the fact that other dogs exist.

Sports that accommodate reactive dogs = win. Our first ribbon and first title.