Seven of them walked past my office window this morning so I snuck out quietly and stood behind the redwood tree to snap a few photos. They blend into the surroundings so well, they are perfectly camouflaged. The dogs fuss at them from behind the fence sometimes but they don’t seem to care. Occasionally when the dogs are all put up for a meal or hanging in the house, the turkeys fly into the dog yard to investigate the dogs’ refuge. Our local wildlife are very used to the dogs and cats being safely tucked behind the fences and they meander within a few feet of the dogs totally confident that the wire will keep them separated. We don’t see the turkeys everyday, and it is such a coincidence that they came for a visit today as last night I watched a great Nature show on TV called My Life as a Turkey. If you see it on the tube,
don’t miss this really interesting program about imprinting and living with a flock of wild turkeys.

I got home last night from the 3 day AKC Show at Rancho Murietta.  Ace and I had a good time hanging with friends and running in the trial. Ace got three doubles and a triple, AKC lingo for qualifying in agility, jumping and FAST all on the same day. Our only error all weekend was not qualifying in one of the FAST classes offered. I put too much power and speed on the send and overshot a tunnel. Totally fine, I really only do FAST classes to get on the contacts if they have them as I show so seldom I like to take advantage of the opportunity to train them in a ring setting. “The dark arts”  as I call the skill required to be competitive in gamblers and FAST classes is not really my forte, that is my husbands specialty! Jim and I like to joke that he teaches them to send, then I teach them all to get reeled back in.

Hmmm… that sounds like job security!

I found a cute pic of Scoop from exactly one year ago, happily holding of one his favorite toys.

Scoop stayed home with Jim, I didn’t want to be tempted to take him for a hike or get him revved up watching agility and not be able to do anything with that pent up energy. We are headed back to the neurologist and orthopedist offices this week on the continuing search for a specific diagnosis for his discomfort. In the meantime he is just hanging out in the house bored unless we play calm clicker training games.

I was helping a friend this week to clicker train a retrieve on her sheltie. Have I mentioned that I think all dogs should have a manufactured retrieve? There are some skills that are so important to making agility training easier, and a good retrieve is one of them. If you can train a dog, you can train a retrieve, I see absolutely no reason for anyone to have the excuse that their dog won’t play with toys so they obviously can’t retrieve. And I would ask, what does toy play or tugging have to do with the perfect retrieve of any item you designate?

Well???

I hope you have as great retrieve on your youngster as I do on mine, and if you don’t, well get on it!

Nancy

The past couple weeks have been all about searching. I have been prowling the internet searching for a design for a new website that will integrate this blog and do lots of other stuff my site can’t do right now. Hopefully this is the last post I will write on this WP format, and that seamlessly these posts will show up on my website.

I have been searching for the answer to Scoop’s continued discomfort in his rear, especially in his left hip area. More x-rays and even an MRI only told us that he really DOES have great hips, and his pelvis isn’t malformed or some such thing. So back to the nebulous soft tissue treatments. For now he does not even get to go for runs in the field, he is on leash walking which is driving him nuts and he is telling me vocally daily that he wants to DO something. I could be playing lots of little tricks and games, but sort of find a lack of inspiration other than keeping his brain engaged a bit. We are just treading water for now.

The search also continues to find the right level of anti-seizure medication for Panic. He was 11 two days ago, happy birthday P. He is also “Silvertips’ High Anxiety”. wonder what in the world I was thinking with those names?? The boy has naughty spots galore and I think I have a grey hair for each one of them.

I am off to teach a seminar here at the house today. LONG commute to work, hmmm, about a hundred feet I think:)

I hope you also have wonderful plans for your weekend which include playing with your agility dogs!

Nancy