Not the best place to wait Daisy….

I am sure you are just on the edge of your seat waiting to hear all about the dog show! Well, please be patient! I am organizing almost 300 pictures into albums. That way, if you love the Terriers and not the Sporting dogs, you can see exactly what you want to. Then I want to put everything down about the day, so I might as well put it in a post that will bore you to tears. Well, I hope not; I’ll try to keep it concise.

 

In the meantime, can someone please let Daisy know this isn’t the best place to wait on the story?

Life's a Beach

Daisy and I went to check out out “local” dog beach. I put that in quotes cause it is just over an hour to get there. We have so many beaches close to us but none will allow dogs.

It is actually a really nice beach.  Not actually on the beach, but on the inter-coastal waterway. Since it was so far, I wanted to make a day of it-which meant packing a lunch for Daisy and myself, a sun shade (I burn even with sunscreen), and some beach towels.  Well, it turns out you have to walk a ways from the parking lot, through the dunes, and over a boardwalk to get to the beach. Daisy and I just went walking when we first got there. Then I decided to go tot he closest beach access.  Well, someone wasn’t following the leash rule and about the time we go their the dog attacked a very young puppy (like 8 weeks). We high tailed it to a different section. I don’t want any trouble.

We were both really hot by the time we made it to the beach. I set up the sun shade and forced Daisy into the water to cool off. Daisy isn’t scared of water, but she prefers to not come in contact with it. You can see it in the video-wagging tail but definite refusal.

 

We laid around a few hours, watched the boats, and she took a nice nap or two.  We also ate lunch.   I set up half the sun shade (which is half of a two man tent) for her, but she mostly wanted to take her half in the middle.  And, she kept wanting to put her butt where I wanted to put my head! Silly girl.

I will be going back again. I want to take Bella. She loves the water and the beach is really quiet.  I might try for one evening so we can just go, walk around, then come home. I don’t think she would agree with the use of an umbrella or a sunshade. They make noise in the wind.

Yum! Frozen kongs on the beach.

 

 

Napping next to me

 

I want my half in the back!

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

So, if your dog eliminates in the ring, it is disqualified. What if the handler pukes? What then?

 

By the time many of you read this my entry form for Daisy’s first AKC Rally competition will be in the mail.  As I felt nauseated and nervous just sealing the envelope, this does not bode well for the nerves to come.

 

I really want to do dog sports with Daisy. Well, I wanted to and even took Bella to agility classes but I am sure you know exactly how that turned out with her anxiety.  I would love to try agility or nosework with Daisy but classes aren’t an option right now. So, something I thought I might be able to do on my own was Rally obedience. I bought a book, watched some youtube, and cut up some hot dogs.  The match is still 4 weeks away but I think we’ll be ready. At least ready enough we won’t completely embarrass ourselves. Actually, so I won’t embarrass myself. Daisy would go out and lay down and nap and be perfectly content.

 

We’ve had some real rough points. I’m no professional trainer. My dog experience is limited to very basic stuff. I’ve never really needed a dog to do more than sit, wait, leave it, you know-ultra basics. So now I need her doing right finishes and sitting next to me and weaving, and walking around me while I turn in the opposite direction. I also have to motivate her to focus on me for more than 13 seconds at a time. And just in case you haven’t noticed-she is a coonhound. “Biddable” is not exactly high up on her trait list.

 

Do you do rally or do some other dog sport?  Have you competed? What was it like? I think I might go ahead and start the list of things I want to take that day. Number one on my list is Grannie. She will be there for sure! Having fun and remembering to breathe is on the top of my to-do list. I will be trying to work out a couple things we still don’t have down and pray they don’t show up on the course during the competition.

 

I should let Daisy give me lessons on how to relax.