Improvement!

Yesterday we were in trials in Ancaster. I love going to dog shows. There are so many lovely dogs to watch, in the ring and outside of it. Also the people who go to the shows are at least as hopelessly addicted to dogs and obedience as I am. That means people to talk to who understand when you spend 20 minutes explaining the various ways you are trying to fix sit-stay. In the real world when you try that, regular people are usually rendered unconscious within a few moments of you saying, "....so then I put food behind the armband..."

Here are a couple of nice pups, just hanging out helping their person to work the registration desk. Their heads pop out of their crates for cookies!

This is River. In between trials, he likes to carry his toy around.

And then there is this handsome fellow, who started the day off badly by not doing the "drop" portion of the drop on recall and also laying down in the sit stay AGAIN!!!!!! in the first trial but who redeemed himself by dropping nicely and proudly holding a very nice solid sit in the second trial, ending up with a very respectable 194.5. Hopefully the start of a turnaround.

Time for some Lubbin

Valentine's Day - the international day of lub, is coming up very soon. In this fast-paced world, everything is available express. Here's a business that is obviously looking to capitalize on both
things. Get your lub - express. Get three lubs if you want.

SIGH.....

Great scores we have blown. Most recently, yesterday, Mr. Boo was entered in the Open class at the Golden Retriever Club of Greater Toronto obedience trials. He worked beautifully in both trials. Heeling was gorgeous, we got 38.5 out of 40 in both trials. He worked beautifully until we got to our sit-stay exercise. Then he decided to lay down. In each trial we *could* have come away with a lovely score of 196.5. Sigh. If there are any obedience gurus reading this who have ideas for more proofing of the stays, I would love to hear from you. Otherwise I work stays until I'm blue in the face. One tip I got yesterday was to work a 4 minute stay just before meals. I am also working stays and rewarding back to the armband so that his focus is not out in front. I worked with another handler yesterday to set him up so I could get in a correction and then jackpotted when he held. THIS IS DRIVING ME CRAZY. Ok, I feel a bit better now.

I am Furniture

It's nice to be useful.

Life on the Inside

Tonight on our investigative report - a chilling expose on real life
behind the crate bars for a cat. How is it possible to run with the
big dogs when at heart you're just a cool cat? Where can you hide
catnip when the screws are shaking down your crib? How can you remain
true to your nocturnal instincts when lights out is at 10 pm? This
and more as our investigation looks at "Life on the Inside".