Off leash + snow = FUN

Rip is now starting to get some off-leash time on walks.  This is great for all involved, as it means Rip gets more worn out (good for us), and gets to explore new places (good for him).  We're very careful about where & when he's off leash, as he's still working on his recalls.  

Here are some pics from a recent outing on the bike path:

You come at me, I show you my teeth!

Ha Ha!  Two can play at that game!

Wait. We can bite play at home.  

Let's RUN!

And so it begins

After my whinging post about conformation, I figured I better learn a bit more about it.  I love to read, so my first stop was Dogwise.com.  

I decided to start with these two.  Any other recommendations for the breed ring newbie?

Lesson Plans: Rip

Last week I took all 3 of the dogs for a private lesson with my obedience trainer.  I'm always keen to improve my handling, and want to make sure I'm working on the right things with each of them.  I worked with each dog, then we created "lesson plans" for each of them.

Don't listen to her - I don't need all this training.

Look how calm and well-mannered I am...

Here's the plan for Rip

Obedience:

• Work on making the "front" position and the "heel" (sitting next to me) positions lots of fun and high reward.  
• Make sure he's focusing in the right place while in these positions.  When in front, he should be looking just above my knees.  In heel at side, he should be focusing on the seam of my jeans about mid way up my thigh.  (I trained Maggie to look at my face in both of these positions, and she tends to forge in heel and sit a bit far back in front).
• Short (moving) heelwork with food lure, and frequent breaks for play.

Agility:

• Continue work on agility basics - tunnel, table, beginning teeter, jump bumps (Susan Salo method).
• Work on "here" (come to side, but don't heel or sit) cue.

Other:

• Lots of socialization - in the past week Rip's been to an obedience show-n-go (goal = ring is fun, judge and stewards are fun, hanging out in my crate is ok),  open training night (goal = meet new people, learn to be a bit less wild when greeting other dogs, have fun practicing in a new place), and to training class with The Husband (goal = CGC in 8 more weeks, attention & manners around other dogs).
• Conformation -- we're working on "wait" command.  I want him to stop in a standing position on this cue (rather than sitting).  We'll also start conformation class again in early Feb.  Right now it conflicts with agility training nights for Ziggy.
• Recall and name games.  Rip seems to be entering the "deaf teenager" phase...

Frequency:

• Rip gets training at least once a day (preferably 2).  It's a coping mechanism, as it wears him out a bit.  AND he gets to have fun, play with me, and get treats!

Party Cardi

Where's the party?!?

Rip found the left-over hats & horns from our New Year's Eve get together....  I always knew my pup was up for a party.  Any time; any place.

Denial with a side of Dread

I know, it’s great to learn new things and grow as person, but I’ve got to say that I dread trying to turn

This:

A wild, naughty adolescent blur

Into this:

A Champion show dog.

This is Rip's dad, Wally.

Rip inherited the handsome part, but not the "standing still" part...

Obedience, agility, rally = no problem. 

We’re already training for them, and my wild boy loves it.  I understand who's who, what's what, and where to show in these performance in events.

This conformation thing?  Scary. 

I've had a couple of people ask me when I'm going to take Rip to his first conformation show, and I've got to say I’m in denial that I’ve committed to showing Rip to his championship.  The shows begin here again at the end of January.  January!  That’s this month! We’re not ready for the end of January!  Maybe the end of March/early April shows?

Right now it all just seems like so much extra work, and way too many things to learn.  

• How to plan a show schedule, and know where to show?
• What class do I enter Rip in? 
• What do I do when I get to the show site? 
• What am I supposed to wear?
• And the grooming?  My biggest dread.  How can a “wash and go” dog like the Cardi take so long to groom for the breed ring?  I don’t know and, truthfully, I don’t have much desire to find out…
• And I'm sure there are dozens of other things I don't even yet know to ask.  Yikes.

Yes, I know I volunteered to this, and made a commitment when I got Rip to show him in the breed ring.  I just need to suck it up, get signed up for some shows, and fumble around like an idiot for a while.  Maybe I'll even enjoy it at some point?

A new AKC agility title! (one that Ziggy will never earn)

 Today the AKC announced a new agility titling class:  Time to Beat.

In this class, the "most accurate, quickest dog sets the pace."

Ziggy says, "Quick and accurate?  Who needs that?"

It's the quickest part that throws Ziggy and I out of contention.  Z and I are scheduled for a trial at the end of this month, and I'm quite worried about making the Novice Preferred course time...

The T2B class sounds like fun to run, though -- like a Jumpers With Weaves class with some contact obstacles thrown in.

Did any of you participate in the trial/exhibition runs for this event?  If so, was it as fun as it seems?

Maybe in a couple of years I'll have a T2B candidate...

Rip says, "That quick part sounds like lots of fun.

Maybe wild snow frapping will help me prepare!"

2010 Review

Aargh.  I’ve put it off for a few days, but I guess it’s time to reflect on the past year.

It’s a bit depressing thinking about all that I hoped to accomplish last year – compared with what I actually DID accomplish.

Dog Goals:

My dog goals took a real hit.  Lots of work travel, plus lack of motivation at times, meant that I didn’t achieve nearly what I’d intended to. 

Maggie enjoyed her mostly-retired lifestyle.

Ziggy smiled his way through some good Rally scores,

and continued to thwart my attempts to make him a keen performance dog.

Highlights from the year:

• Ziggy got his RA title, with respectable scores.
• Maggie & Ziggy won obedience brace class both days of the National Specialty
• Denzil found a good “retirement” home with my parents.
• I (crazily?) added Rip to the pack.

Denzil found a great new home, and LOVES

being the center of attention.

I went on vacation and came home with a puppy.

He was living only 60 miles from my parents...how could I resist?

Personal goals:

Again, didn’t quite accomplish what I would have liked – particularly in the area of weight loss (sigh).

At least I got to visit some lovely new places....

Highlights from the year:

• I logged more than 80,000 air miles!
• I read nearly 40 books – the most I’ve read in one year since becoming a parent -- (I like to read when I’m on a plane…)
• I visited 5 countries other than my own, and acquired a stamp from a “new” country in my passport (Spain)
• I met all of my dog training/education goals 

Yes, 2010 is over.  Now I'm mulling over what I’d like to accomplish in 2011.  More about that next week (perhaps).