The dog musing/vent thread
- Thread starter Laurelin
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House searching, and what is the first thing I look for when I'm looking at a place... ease of exercising dogs/proximity to parks. A lot of nice places are getting crossed off the list due to complicating dog ownership.
This takes priority over proximity to work (which says a lot because I hate commuting).
So, the dogs are running my life, as if that wasn't apparent already.
This takes priority over proximity to work (which says a lot because I hate commuting).
So, the dogs are running my life, as if that wasn't apparent already.
In all my panic over Gusto's Lyme diagnosis at the vet the other day, I didn't adequately celebrate Meg's good news. After her visit last year, she needed one tooth extraction, which turned into five, with another two teeth that they said would probably have to come out soon. I have been so diligent about brushing her teeth Every Single Night. And this year the vet raved about how good her teeth looked for a 10 year old dog, and didn't even suggest a cleaning! I am so relieved. Her senior bloodwork all came back fabulous as well. I know 10 isn't really that old, but I worry about her anyway. It will be nice to have a brief respite from stressing!
About her. Plenty to stress about with Gusto of course.
About her. Plenty to stress about with Gusto of course.
Glad it's not just me lol, I'm having a hard time with the process and everyone tells me "you need to make a list of things you NEED" and I'm just like.... uhhhh somewhere for dogs to go potty and play? LOL. I have a place I'm looking at tomorrow and first when I flipped through the pictures I was kind of going "meeehhhh" through all of them, until the very last picture.... which is of the large open green space in back. All of a sudden this place became 1000x more interesting to me (i've been mostly only looking at townhomes so any sort of grass is HUGE!).
Juno is the only one I'm taking with me, so from that perspective it becomes less important because she's pretty easy and doesn't need much space. But if there's going to be a nextDog, who knows, that one might need more room to roam lol.
Juno is the only one I'm taking with me, so from that perspective it becomes less important because she's pretty easy and doesn't need much space. But if there's going to be a nextDog, who knows, that one might need more room to roam lol.
Signed Addie up for some puppy classes yesterday. The trainer who does agility in my town wasn't doing any puppy classes until it stays brighter longer and she referred me to someone else, who, after I took a poll was a little too expensive and far from where I am. With the mandatory OT, I just didn't know if I could make it there on time. And, my anxiety got the best of me and I just couldn't.
So, we signed up at a big box store after a couple of weeks going in and watching how the trainer trains, and asked a couple questions. I am just happy that she is going to get some training. Thats 12 weeks of training for I think a $75 savings in class price + gas that I am saving. I am comfortable going in there, and it's an AKC class for Puppy Star so, I felt OK doing it there.
Once I get that done, I will email the original trainer back to start on the basics for agility because those classes were at times I could definitely do. I tell my Mom all my plans and she says "I wouldn't do all that. Don't spend all that money. She just needs you to love her. Just love her and spend time with her." Well, she is a working dog. She needs an outlet, I need exercise, not to mention it will help my anxiety even more than she has already done.
Can't you just be supportive? Hubby is. He is making us some stuff to practice on. Now, I am second guessing everything I am doing and thinking that I shouldn't bother And waste money.
So, we signed up at a big box store after a couple of weeks going in and watching how the trainer trains, and asked a couple questions. I am just happy that she is going to get some training. Thats 12 weeks of training for I think a $75 savings in class price + gas that I am saving. I am comfortable going in there, and it's an AKC class for Puppy Star so, I felt OK doing it there.
Once I get that done, I will email the original trainer back to start on the basics for agility because those classes were at times I could definitely do. I tell my Mom all my plans and she says "I wouldn't do all that. Don't spend all that money. She just needs you to love her. Just love her and spend time with her." Well, she is a working dog. She needs an outlet, I need exercise, not to mention it will help my anxiety even more than she has already done.
Can't you just be supportive? Hubby is. He is making us some stuff to practice on. Now, I am second guessing everything I am doing and thinking that I shouldn't bother And waste money.
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Ignore all of that. The point of having your very own dog (for me) is to get to choose what YOU want to do with said dog. If YOU want to spend the money and take classes, then do it. Do the dogs NEED it? No. Do any dogs anywhere in the world NEED agility? No LOL but that doesn't make it less enjoyable 
My parents were NEVER supportive of my dog addiction (you spent how much on the dog??! Why not a shelter dog?! Why are you paying for x-rays if they're not hurt? Why are you paying for all of these classes?) until the last couple of years when my dog sport addiction actually funded a pretty bada** job with better pay than my career field. And netted me a pretty bada** husband as well It's your life, you have fun with it how you want.
My parents were NEVER supportive of my dog addiction (you spent how much on the dog??! Why not a shelter dog?! Why are you paying for x-rays if they're not hurt? Why are you paying for all of these classes?) until the last couple of years when my dog sport addiction actually funded a pretty bada** job with better pay than my career field. And netted me a pretty bada** husband as well It's your life, you have fun with it how you want.
Yep, even OH has accused me of "loving the dog more than him" (we each have our own dogs). Well, he has no control over the life I make for him, like a child, so I owe it to him to make it the best situation for not only him, but his "sister" too.
On a positive note we took Lincoln herding for the first time on some cattle they use for roping practice here (we had permission) and he was on like a BOSS. Even after getting kicked (he wasnt hurt) it made him MORE determined and he even figured out how to turn them, and even "put" them into their cover by himself!
On a positive note we took Lincoln herding for the first time on some cattle they use for roping practice here (we had permission) and he was on like a BOSS. Even after getting kicked (he wasnt hurt) it made him MORE determined and he even figured out how to turn them, and even "put" them into their cover by himself!
Leo is the same!
I can take him to crowded areas with lots of dogs, and he just quietly walks around. But if we are on a walk and encounter one other dog, he gets insanely excited and pulls,growls and barks (if I don't have treats to distract him). Definitely weird.
My guess is that in crowded places he is a bit overwhelmed with all the smells and sounds and everything that he can't zone in and get frustrated by one stimulus in the same ways.
Just found out that mixed breed dogs aren't allowed to participate in AKC herding. No idea why other than the usual "purebred dogs only" rules. I highly doubt I can ILP Briz either, he just doesn't look enough like anything.
*sigh* The AKC has actually come a long way since we were trialing in obedience years ago. Mixed breed dogs can now participate in some performance events, and there is all-breed lure coursing. Apparently it hasn't come far enough though, and I don't know if Brisbane will still be around if/when they decide to update herding.
*sigh* The AKC has actually come a long way since we were trialing in obedience years ago. Mixed breed dogs can now participate in some performance events, and there is all-breed lure coursing. Apparently it hasn't come far enough though, and I don't know if Brisbane will still be around if/when they decide to update herding.
My understanding from when I looked into it (before I took Gusto to visit my friend's sheep and discovered that both he and I did not enjoy the experience) is that there was a very real concern that people would try to do the sport with completely inappropriate breeds and put the animals at risk. Which sort of made sense to me, but is also a real bummer that an obvious herding mix can't participate. Do any other venues do all-breed herding?