In Fields Corner, dog park plan has bark, and bite - The Boston Globe
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I'm impressed that they were able to raise almost $200,000 for this project. I hope they are able to get it off the ground.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Annual Physicals
I took Spot and Shelby to the vet on Friday for their annual exams and heartworm tests, and Shelby needed her rabies shot.
Spot hates the vet. He gets really agitated and barks a lot. Shelby of course is fine with everything. She whined a tiny bit when she got a shot but that was it. Both Spot and Shelby have lost a pound since last year, which is good. Shelby weighs 17.7 and Spot weighs 20.2. When I got Spot he was about 18 pounds and then went way up to 23. Shelby was up to about 20 as well I think. I feed them 1 cup of food per day, and I've cut back on treats, mainly because I can't afford to buy that many any more. So really all they get is the occasional bone and their treats at training, which is usually string cheese and ham cubes.
The kicker was the cost. $362!!!! The exam was $65 each, the heartworm tests $47 each, the lepto shot $24 each and then the rabies was another $45. Thank goodness they are generally healthy.
Spot hates the vet. He gets really agitated and barks a lot. Shelby of course is fine with everything. She whined a tiny bit when she got a shot but that was it. Both Spot and Shelby have lost a pound since last year, which is good. Shelby weighs 17.7 and Spot weighs 20.2. When I got Spot he was about 18 pounds and then went way up to 23. Shelby was up to about 20 as well I think. I feed them 1 cup of food per day, and I've cut back on treats, mainly because I can't afford to buy that many any more. So really all they get is the occasional bone and their treats at training, which is usually string cheese and ham cubes.
The kicker was the cost. $362!!!! The exam was $65 each, the heartworm tests $47 each, the lepto shot $24 each and then the rabies was another $45. Thank goodness they are generally healthy.
A wet vacation on the Cape
This week I took some vacation so that I wouldn't lose it.
I rented a cottage in Dennisport with Tanya and Jeremy and their baby Coraline and dog Halle. The cottage was great. It was 2 bedrooms, with an open living room and kitchen. The yard was totally fenced in, which was great. I would have been nice to spend time out there if the weather had been nicer. Thank god the cottage had cable and internet! We did a little shopping, went to Provincetown one day and that was about it. We walked the dogs, but they weren't allowed on the beach, or even in the beach parking lot! Ptown was very dog friendly. I wish we had brought them that day.
I rented a cottage in Dennisport with Tanya and Jeremy and their baby Coraline and dog Halle. The cottage was great. It was 2 bedrooms, with an open living room and kitchen. The yard was totally fenced in, which was great. I would have been nice to spend time out there if the weather had been nicer. Thank god the cottage had cable and internet! We did a little shopping, went to Provincetown one day and that was about it. We walked the dogs, but they weren't allowed on the beach, or even in the beach parking lot! Ptown was very dog friendly. I wish we had brought them that day.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Shelby gets excused and Spot gets his first Q
Yesterday we went to the Bo Gee CPE trial in Deerfield, NH. We were only signed up for Saturday. Shelby was entered in Jackpot level 2, Wildcard level 3, Colors level 3, and 2 rounds of Standard level 2. Spot was entered in 2 rounds of Standard level 1.
The day started off a little hectic because Jackpot 1, 2, 3 was in one ring, while Wildcard 3, 4, 5, C was in another ring. I ended up running Wildcard first, then Jackpot about 5 minutes later. Shelby did well in Wildcard. The course was a jump a choice between the dogwalk (b) and the tire and tunnel (a), then the weaves, then a choice of single jump (a) and double jump (b), then a choice of single jump (a) or weaves (b), then a single jump, 180 to a single jump, then the tunnel, 180 to a single jump, and finishing with a single jump. I chose the dogwalk and the double as my 2 required b elements and then the single jump for my a element. Shelby did have trouble with the weaves. She entered, but then started sniffing. I restarted her but she did it again, so I just tried to get her back in where she popped out and she was able to finish. I thought we Qd, but it turns out we were 6 seconds over time, giving us 6 faults, and the limit is 5 faults. So if we had gotten those weaves the first time we would have made it for sure.
Next up was Jackpot. The jackpot challenge was that the handler had to stand in a box and do a pin wheel of 3 jumps and a tunnel. I knew Shelby could do it no problem and I had a good plan. Of course Shelby messed it up. My plan was tunnel, then A frame, then tunnel again, then the jackpot and a few jumps. Shelby went into the tunnel, but didn't come out and wasted all our time. We did get a few points, but I was bummed.
Then it was time for Colors. The course I picked was pretty easy. It was tire, a few jumps into a tunnel, then a jump, the A frame, a tunnel, a jump, the weaves and a jump. Shelby did great until the weaves. I asked her to weave but she went around to the left. I called her but she didn't come. I saw her zero in on something outside the ring and she took off. Turns out there were some people with some Papillons and Shelby went after them growling and chasing. I had a hard time grabbing her. I was really shaken up. Fortunately no one was hurt, human or dog. But it was very scary. Later the judge and the trial organizer came up to me and said that they would have to excuse her from the rest of the trial and send a report to CPE, since it was an agressive incident. I totally understand. I wouldn't feel safe running Shelby anymore, and if it were someone else's dog, I wouldn't feel safe running knowing a dog like that was in the trial. I had been waiting for some sign as to whether or not to keep competing with Shelby, and I think this was it. I may try to find a behaviorist to see what we can do to curb this prey drive response.
Well after all that, I at least had Spot's runs to look forward to. The course looked pretty easy-it was a big circle mostly. Spot was excited to be out there. He wasn't that interesting in setting up. I had to physically position him. He ran well, but was so excited he ran past a bunch of jumps and I had to call him back, but he came back each time. He did have an issue where he went into the tunnel instead of the A frame, and I called him back and he did it again! So we had some off course faults and were over time.
His next run was the complete opposite of the first. He was excited again, but this time he did the course in 37 seconds with 0 faults! He was out ahead of me for most of it, but I kept giving him cues and he took the obstacles in front of him. The opening was 3 jumps to the tunnel, the dog walk, a jump, then a 180 to 4 jumps, then another 180 to the tunnel under the A frame, to a jump, then another 180 back over the A frame then 3 jumps to finish. In the opening, he was ahead of me by the second jump, but he kept going into the tunnel. I caught up at the dogwalk and then he got ahead during the next series of jumps, but that let me get my rear cross in nicely. He took the tunnel no problem, but I didn't quite meet him in time at the other end because I had to run around the A frame, so he did stop and look for me. I directed him to the next jump, then did a front cross. I wasn't sure he would take the A frame, but he did and then we did the end no problem. I was such a great run-I wish I had it on tape. None of my friends saw it either! Turns out he took 1st place which was great. Second place was about 5 seconds slower, then third and fourth were about 30 seconds behind.
The day started off a little hectic because Jackpot 1, 2, 3 was in one ring, while Wildcard 3, 4, 5, C was in another ring. I ended up running Wildcard first, then Jackpot about 5 minutes later. Shelby did well in Wildcard. The course was a jump a choice between the dogwalk (b) and the tire and tunnel (a), then the weaves, then a choice of single jump (a) and double jump (b), then a choice of single jump (a) or weaves (b), then a single jump, 180 to a single jump, then the tunnel, 180 to a single jump, and finishing with a single jump. I chose the dogwalk and the double as my 2 required b elements and then the single jump for my a element. Shelby did have trouble with the weaves. She entered, but then started sniffing. I restarted her but she did it again, so I just tried to get her back in where she popped out and she was able to finish. I thought we Qd, but it turns out we were 6 seconds over time, giving us 6 faults, and the limit is 5 faults. So if we had gotten those weaves the first time we would have made it for sure.
Next up was Jackpot. The jackpot challenge was that the handler had to stand in a box and do a pin wheel of 3 jumps and a tunnel. I knew Shelby could do it no problem and I had a good plan. Of course Shelby messed it up. My plan was tunnel, then A frame, then tunnel again, then the jackpot and a few jumps. Shelby went into the tunnel, but didn't come out and wasted all our time. We did get a few points, but I was bummed.
Then it was time for Colors. The course I picked was pretty easy. It was tire, a few jumps into a tunnel, then a jump, the A frame, a tunnel, a jump, the weaves and a jump. Shelby did great until the weaves. I asked her to weave but she went around to the left. I called her but she didn't come. I saw her zero in on something outside the ring and she took off. Turns out there were some people with some Papillons and Shelby went after them growling and chasing. I had a hard time grabbing her. I was really shaken up. Fortunately no one was hurt, human or dog. But it was very scary. Later the judge and the trial organizer came up to me and said that they would have to excuse her from the rest of the trial and send a report to CPE, since it was an agressive incident. I totally understand. I wouldn't feel safe running Shelby anymore, and if it were someone else's dog, I wouldn't feel safe running knowing a dog like that was in the trial. I had been waiting for some sign as to whether or not to keep competing with Shelby, and I think this was it. I may try to find a behaviorist to see what we can do to curb this prey drive response.
Well after all that, I at least had Spot's runs to look forward to. The course looked pretty easy-it was a big circle mostly. Spot was excited to be out there. He wasn't that interesting in setting up. I had to physically position him. He ran well, but was so excited he ran past a bunch of jumps and I had to call him back, but he came back each time. He did have an issue where he went into the tunnel instead of the A frame, and I called him back and he did it again! So we had some off course faults and were over time.
His next run was the complete opposite of the first. He was excited again, but this time he did the course in 37 seconds with 0 faults! He was out ahead of me for most of it, but I kept giving him cues and he took the obstacles in front of him. The opening was 3 jumps to the tunnel, the dog walk, a jump, then a 180 to 4 jumps, then another 180 to the tunnel under the A frame, to a jump, then another 180 back over the A frame then 3 jumps to finish. In the opening, he was ahead of me by the second jump, but he kept going into the tunnel. I caught up at the dogwalk and then he got ahead during the next series of jumps, but that let me get my rear cross in nicely. He took the tunnel no problem, but I didn't quite meet him in time at the other end because I had to run around the A frame, so he did stop and look for me. I directed him to the next jump, then did a front cross. I wasn't sure he would take the A frame, but he did and then we did the end no problem. I was such a great run-I wish I had it on tape. None of my friends saw it either! Turns out he took 1st place which was great. Second place was about 5 seconds slower, then third and fourth were about 30 seconds behind.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Shelby strikes again
This time I saw the whole thing. I let Spot and Shelby out the front door and there was a robin hopping in the grass. The dogs saw it and started chasing it. Normally it would fly away, but I think something may have been wrong, because it didn't.
Shelby grabbed it in her mouth and ran away and I could still hear it chirping. So I ran after her and tried to get her to drop it, which she did, but I wasn't able to grab the bird before Shelby picked it up again.
After a minute the bird died, and at that point I let Shelby carry it around the yard. She would drag it in the grass and then roll in the grass, but not on the bird. She was very interested in the wings and would move them around a lot.
Eventually I called them in for treats and Shelby left the bird, so I was able to get it and dispose of it.
Shelby grabbed it in her mouth and ran away and I could still hear it chirping. So I ran after her and tried to get her to drop it, which she did, but I wasn't able to grab the bird before Shelby picked it up again.
After a minute the bird died, and at that point I let Shelby carry it around the yard. She would drag it in the grass and then roll in the grass, but not on the bird. She was very interested in the wings and would move them around a lot.
Eventually I called them in for treats and Shelby left the bird, so I was able to get it and dispose of it.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
A sunny Saturday at Willards Woods
On Saturday the weather was super, so I decided to take the dogs to Willards Woods. We hadn't been in months. Spot and Shelby were super excited to be there.
When we pulled in there was only one other car there, which surprised me. The weather was so nice I thought it would be packed. While we were there we only came across a couple other dogs. We saw one puppy, and thankfully it was on leash and I saw it way ahead so I was able to call Shelby and put her on leash. Of course the people asked why Spot was off leash and Shelby was on, and I explained she doesn't like puppies, and she growled on cue!
Overall, Shelby was very good. She didn't run off, she was always with Spot, and checked in with me a lot and came when I called her. Spot had a great time sniffing and marking everything. Shelby got to swim in the creek. It was a nice time spent with the dogs. I really need to get out there more often when the weather is nice.
When we pulled in there was only one other car there, which surprised me. The weather was so nice I thought it would be packed. While we were there we only came across a couple other dogs. We saw one puppy, and thankfully it was on leash and I saw it way ahead so I was able to call Shelby and put her on leash. Of course the people asked why Spot was off leash and Shelby was on, and I explained she doesn't like puppies, and she growled on cue!
Overall, Shelby was very good. She didn't run off, she was always with Spot, and checked in with me a lot and came when I called her. Spot had a great time sniffing and marking everything. Shelby got to swim in the creek. It was a nice time spent with the dogs. I really need to get out there more often when the weather is nice.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Back to class
Last night Spot and Shelby got back to agility class.
Spot worked on weave poles and rear crosses. He did pretty ok on the weave poles. Definitely better on the left than the right.
For the rear cross work, it was a series of 3 jumps, all at an angle. The second jump was a winged jump. I was the one who kept messing up. We got the first 2 jumps, but getting Spot to move ahead so I could cross behind was tough. I kept slowing down to let him get ahead, but he took that as a turn cue and came in. So I started throwing the toy ahead. We'll get it in time.
Shelby was super excited to be back in class. We worked on weave poles. We went back to the two by two method, using 2 sets of 2 poles, set apart. This was to work on collection for the entry. By spacing the poles apart, the dog needs to collect twice. I have to say Shelby did super. She hit the entry from 90 degrees on both sides and was fast! It will be interesting to see how this plays out in full sets of poles in the future. However the bad thing last night was the mosquitos. They were viscious. I had at least 10 bites, and that's with repellent. I need to get the deep woods stuff I think.
Spot worked on weave poles and rear crosses. He did pretty ok on the weave poles. Definitely better on the left than the right.
For the rear cross work, it was a series of 3 jumps, all at an angle. The second jump was a winged jump. I was the one who kept messing up. We got the first 2 jumps, but getting Spot to move ahead so I could cross behind was tough. I kept slowing down to let him get ahead, but he took that as a turn cue and came in. So I started throwing the toy ahead. We'll get it in time.
Shelby was super excited to be back in class. We worked on weave poles. We went back to the two by two method, using 2 sets of 2 poles, set apart. This was to work on collection for the entry. By spacing the poles apart, the dog needs to collect twice. I have to say Shelby did super. She hit the entry from 90 degrees on both sides and was fast! It will be interesting to see how this plays out in full sets of poles in the future. However the bad thing last night was the mosquitos. They were viscious. I had at least 10 bites, and that's with repellent. I need to get the deep woods stuff I think.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
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