Fin Training

I realized that I haven't given an agility training update in a while. Sure I've talked about the perfect wife I am, I took some fab pictures of flowers, and did a little soul searching. But that's all procrastination for what this blog is really about.

AGILITY!

So today we talk about the teeter. Teaching the teeter must be broken up into basic steps. For Fin, she has trouble with the sound the teeter makes when it hits the ground AND she wants to do everything fast. If she is on a wobble board, she makes it bang but jumps off of it fast. She is a little fearful of what might happen when she stays on. So for Fin, I'm starting the teeter with a game I like to call "The Bang Game.'

Stuff you need:

Cheese: This is an important element. It really doesn't need to be cheese, but if you use cheese it must be "Precious" cheese. I've also used chicken, hotdogs, kibble...whatever rocks your dogs boat (or yours if you get hungry during the training session).

Teeter: I like to start with the teeter at the lowest setting, AND I prop up the end of the teeter so that it is only about 6-8" off the ground (this can be adjusted for the size of dog you have).

A dog: hopefully a dog that has already been clicker trained so they catch on with what you want quickly.
Optional Style points for creative clothing:

In setting up for this game, it is important to know where to place your reinforcement. Food placement is critical to proper training. Puppy should get fed with head down on the teeter so I actually place the food on the teeter and don't feed from my hand. The first couple of times you can actually "bait" the teeter with the food but then wait for the behavior before placing the reward on the teeter (otherwise you get into lure). I also will often ask for a friend to help. They can place the food faster than I. Placement of the reward both for the behavior AND the release is critical. Once you are getting the jumping up on the teeter behavior, you will only feed for "four feet on looking down and forward." Anything else gets a good dog and try again.

I start with a clicker and I click for close approximation to what my end goal is (dog with four feet on the teeter facing the end getting cookie from tip) - I'm not training a 2o2off teeter, I eventually will teach a run to the end as fast as you can, wait for me to say K, then run faster.

Once Fin had the general idea, I placed a bit of cheese at the end, held her by the collar, said my "ready steady" and wolaaaa! she jumped into position and got her cheese. The first time, I actually held the teeter so it was only 2 inches off the ground. I gradually raised to to 8" once she figured out what to do. The teeter went from 2" to 8"in a 60 second training session.


notice all four feet, she is looking down not at me.

I end with my release word and if she moves toss a cookie (or her toy) out in front. Look how she is focused down and ahead. It is the curse of death if your dog stares at you. You want for a focused forward looking dog, a dog looking to see what is next on the course, not a dog that is looking at you to see what you have.

Finny is gonna do the bang game every other day (or 3-4 times a week for one or two sessions each - not alot), During this time I'll gradually increase the height of the teeter so she has to leap up in the air to get on. When I finish, I hope she isn't afraid of the bang anymore.

Then I'll stop the bang game and start her running as fast as she can to the end and stopping (on a teeter that doesn't move. Then gradually increase movement until she is running as fast as she can, stopping till I say "K", then running fast again.

Dog Speak

I be Tazz. I am moms favorite (edited by vici "in his own mind"). This is my bed, this is my lawn, this is my deck. It is all mine. Mommy is mine. Mommy is "she who provides all things." Mommy is mine. Stay away from Mommy! I will do agility only if I get cheese. Cheese is wonderful, give it to me. Nobody gets cheese but me.

I like water! It is MY water. I will not let anyone get the water.

I HATE the car. You can have the car.

I be Rocky. I am a lover. You can call me Rocks, Rocky, Rockos, Rocky Roo. I have alot to put up with. I like my chest scratched please. I LOVE frisbeeeeee! I LOVE chuck it!!! When mommy is scratching me I want Tazz to go away, he is always there trying to get Mommy to pet him when I'm getting loving. Tazz is a baaaad dog. He doesn't listen. He doesn't share. He always wants my frisbee, I'm faster and bigger (even with my crooked leg).

I am patient. I am happy to do anything for Mommy except grooming. I HATE when she touches my feet. I run and hide.

I bark at the other dogs in the neighborhood. They can't come live here. Tooo many dogs already.

Wanna play? I Fin. Chuck-it!!!!! yeah. want me here? I'll go there! How about this? I like EVERYONE! I love you! Wait whats that? I'll be back. You want to play? Heres a toy. Tug!!!!!

Tunnel YEAH!!!! I like to bite feet!

I am Maddie. Mommy says I'm her sweety. I chase squirrels. They are bad. I chase trucks, very nasty trucks. I love hugs. Groom me! I get cookies yippeee! I love cookies. More cookies please. Finny is fun, I like to chase her. Tazz I can wrestle, he is silly. Rocky lets me tackle him, he is a good dog. I need a nap.

And Will the Real Wife Please Stand Up

Many times in my life, I wonder how a wife is supposed to act. Being a wife, I'm often confused as to what I'm supposed to be doing. Coming on 20 years you'd think I'd be an expert. Unfortunately, this whole wife thing seems to be an on-going learning experience (sorta like a doctorate program - seemed like a good idea, but you never are able to get past the data collection).

Take house cleaning for example. When I think of the ideal of a wife I'm sorta stuck in the 50's. I think of someone taking care of her husband, just finishing up dusting with a smile on her face and dinner on the table; this simply is not me. I am the worlds worst housekeeper. Let's face it, I'm a slob.

Don't get me wrong, I like clean just like anyone else; that's why I stay in hotels so much. However, I have trouble with the whole pick up after myself process. My husband is less of a slob than me. I can out slob him any day of the week. Part of my problem is a complicated emotional issue that I don't want to be my husbands keeper...OK that's a lie, I'm just plain lazy.

My husband is coming home tomorrow after a 2 week business trip in China. For the last 2 weeks, he has had someone picking up after him, cooking his meals, doing his laundry, and has been living in a clean space. I on the other hand, have been living with...well, me. I sure hope he isn't expecting to come home to a space like his hotel room. Sure I'm planning to do the dishes, vacuum the dog hair, heck, I may go so far as to pick up my bra and socks that are lying on the coffee table. Part of me feels that I should just leave the house the way it is so that he feels at home when he gets here, but the other part feels a little guilty for letting the mess build up over the last two weeks. So, clean I will.

Perhaps a real wife keeps her husband guessing. If that's the case, I should really clean this house. He will wonder what the heck is up with me if he walks in and the place is immaculate. When he asks me, I'll just tell him that a real wife is full of surprises and is spontaneous....and oh, by the way I have a dog show the day after he arrives home, do you think he'll be surprised about that?

How many shoes are needed to change a light bulb

I have to take a moment to discuss shoes. I sorta have an addiction. There is this place I go to look at shoes. There is no nosy sales person, just shoes. I can take my time looking and deciding. This place is Zappos.com.
For FREE! shipping, I can have a new pair of shoes TOMORROW! without ever leaving my office. I find this intoxicating. Who needs cocaine? I have Zappos.

Who cares that my feet don't fit into most shoes on the site, I can dream can't I?

Let's take these two for example. How could I just get the purple one? This blue pair has the pretty blue pattern! I could wear one to the movies and the other to home depot! How can I choose between these two?

Then of course there are the "sport" shoes. How many of these shoes does one need, but I have trouble selecting just one. The cute brown and blue with the "kanga" are too cute for words, then there are the grey and the grey with poka...both have their place. THe green ones just say"FAST" all over (lord knows I need all the fast I can get!)

I guess as addictions go, shoes is not necessarily a bad one to have, but the truth is that no matter how many pairs I get, I often wear the same ones day in and day out. My old slippers, my teva sandals, my brooks work out, and one muddy pair I save for agility. The rest I adore, but don't wear much.

Gotta stop. Can't. It's that simple.

How NOT to Install a Keyboard Tray

1. One woman with tennis elbow
2. An out of town husband
3. Four helpful shelties
4. 2 pound Ridgid drill (feels like 10)
5. 1 pound Ridgid screwdriver (feels like 4)
6. 10 pound under mount (feels like 50)
7. a desk not intended to have an under mount keyboard tray attached
8. about 37 separate parts
9. One irritable woman
10. A bottle of Aleve (or something stronger if you happen to have it)

You can imagine the rest. I did, however, successfully install the keyboard tray as evidenced by the photo. I also got a lot of frustration out with verbal communication of the "bleeped" variety.

Although my arm hurt worse after my excursion into home handicraft, I must say that now a few days later, I am better. Not a scientific study perhaps, but definitely anecdotal data that working in an inappropriate sitting position will create discomfort.

a spring day

After an emotional day today, I wanted to share some of our spring garden. This has brightened my day, I hope it brightens yours.

Double Wammy

I find myself mystified at the news that I have received. A kind gentle soul has left the earth and I can't believe that he is gone.

I have a number of people in my life that I consider friends. Not every one of them do I speak to everyday or even every month. I still consider them friends. These are the people I don't see often, but when I do see them or speak with them, fall into a familiar comfort. We have history together, common interests, and enjoy each others company.

One of the group of people that I spend time with I consider my "dog show" friends. I only see these folks at dog shows and the only thing we have in common is our love of the sport. Kevin was one of those people. We met at a dog show in 2003. We were standing in line to get our dogs measured. I couldn't help notice the dog behind me. Kevins dog looked just like my dog. He and I started talking, and what we found out was that our dogs were brothers. Sam and Rocky were the basis of our friendship.

Kevin was a private person, he didn’t talk much about home, but what he did talk about was his dogs. Whenever I saw him he always had something nice to say. He was a joyous person, enthusiastic about the sport, and LOVED his dogs. Katie was his oldest and she left him just 2 weeks ago at 15 years old. Sam was next, he is 10 and Cooper is the youngest at 6 months. Kevin could be counted on to brighten the day with his latest stories about the dogs. Whether it was Sam’s latest agility accomplishments, Coopers funny antics, or Katie’s grace, he spoke with a full heart when he talked about his pups.

Kevin will be missed by me. Maybe I didn’t know him well. I certainly wouldn’t consider him a close friend. However, I am saddened by this loss.

I can’t help but think about my life and what I might do differently getting this news on top of the news of my friend yesterday. I think the bottom line is enjoy life, exercise, and eat the foods that you enjoy in moderation. One doesn’t know what the day, week, month, or year may bring. But bring it those days will.