June 29, 2009
Home from camp
We're back home and I'm working on getting caught up on all the email and regular mail and "to-do" list items that have piled up during the week. I took very few photos and only a couple videos. Haven't edited them yet, but I will soon.
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I did find the YouTube video of our C-Wags Rally run on Sunday at the Canine Affair trial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT1TjIc67Do
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I also found the photos from Sunday of the trial, which were nice, but I don't plan to purchase them. I need to save money for trial entries! We're photos 16-23 here:
http://www.shutterfly.com/progal/album.jsp?aid=768a5498cf3e3815caf5
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Dazzle did get his Freestyle badge AND his first Freestyle trophy at camp! We took 1st place in the "staff" division during the camp talent contest. :-) It's a nice trophy, I'll get a photo of that posted too. I got the entry on video, so I'll post that as soon as I get it edited. The camp photo CD was not created at the end of camp this time, so I'll have to wait to post those till I get my photo CD (likely at the next camp in July.)
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Our trip home was long but uneventful. We didn't go on the river trip after camp because I still haven't had a chance to get Dazzle in a kayak and by the end of the week I was hurting pretty badly. I knew that a few hours in a kayak is not really what I needed before the long drive home. As it turned out, no one else wanted to go on the trip either, so we didn't miss it :-)
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During the camp, I did have a chance to work on getting Dazzle to take the A-frame more slowly. At first, he was leaping onto it above the contact zone, jumping over the apex and then jumping off from above the contact! Now he's doing it in a much more controlled manner :-) He also learned to do the chute and I spent some time freeshaping him on the teeter. I think he will really like that obstacle! I plan to do more shaping with it next camp. We should then be about ready for Agility classes during the Fall/Winter.
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June 23, 2009
New Titles!
I haven't had the computer access time that I did during the spring outing, so just a really quick update...
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Dazzle DID get his level 1 Obedience title and Starters Rally title at the C-wags event this past weekend! YEA!! He even managed to PLACE in the ribbons on 2 runs- (3rd in Obed and 2nd in Rally). They were not pretty runs, but the score isn't put on the title certificate :-) If you Google the "Canine Affair" training center near Cleveland Ohio to find their website, they did take video and photos of the runs. I haven't had a chance to even check my email so I haven't checked their site yet either.
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In the past two days of camp, he has also earned the Dock Diving badge (once he learned to go up the floating ladder today), the Obstacle 1 badge and the Water Retrieve badge! I also hope to get the freestyle badge with him. Gloria Voss, a WCFO judge is teaching freestyle at the camp this week! Great lady and a FUN class! She is also coming to the July camp, so if we don't get it this week, we have another shot :-)
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Dazzle is having loads of fun here, but has had more down time this visit because I have jobs and teaching to do that don't always involve him. But he's taking that well and staying in our room with just a baby gate that he could easily jump over. So I know he's not too stressed by it.
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Well, I need to get back out to the camp, just wanted to post a quick update for those following his saga. :-) I'll post again when I get a chance. I haven't taken ANY photos at camp yet- bad mommy- but I do plan to get a photo CD, so I'll post some of the photos from the camp photographers when I get home next week.
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June 17, 2009
Letterboxing Sig Stamp
Ice Cream Social
We just got back from a "dog's night out" at a local restaurant. They host a gathering once a month on their patio in the summer for people and their dogs, provide a free little scoop of ice cream with a dog bone in it for any dogs that want to indulge and various dog vendors set-up tables. Tonight, Dazzle and his beagle brother Bear put on their Dog Scout uniforms and were helping the attendees learn more about Dog Scouts of America.
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I didn't take any photos because I already have my cameras packed for the dog show this weekend that is on our way to Dog Scout camp. But both dogs loved their meet and greet time with both people and other dogs. Then Dazzle decided it was too hot and went to the van door that was parked nearby. I let him sit in the van with the door open and A/C on where he could be cool and still see all the comings and goings :-) Nah! He's not spoiled! LOL
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June 15, 2009
Dog Fest - day 2
Today was busy in the play yard! Dogs and people constantly coming and going (literally!) I did take a few minutes to get a few clips of Dazzle when I wasn't having to monitor the gate comings and goings. So you'll see video of lots of different kinds of dogs. All shapes, sizes, breeds and genders including other intact males. By the end of the clips, Dazzle was hot and tired because he had been playing from about 11am till around 1:30pm!
June 13, 2009
Dog Fest!
Hot and tired Dazzle:
It's been awhile since I have posted! Dazzle has been on a bit of a break because I have been so busy. Last Saturday we had a troop river trip which was really nice and relaxing, but Dazzle didn't get to go. I wasn't able to get him in a kayak at camp and didn't want to HAVE to get him into one for the trip. So Buster got to go with me and LOVED his "alone" time with mom. Since he's 12 now and really slowing down, it was nice to be able to spend some quality time with him. If you want to see some video I took of the trip, just click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzgTyaSG1DU
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Yesterday Dazzle went with me to set-up for Dog Fest. He had a GREAT time trying to chase the Kytes (I think it's how it's spelled), the low flying and fast birds that seem to like the wide open fields. He also tried to get everyone he met there to tug with him :-) The birds seemed to be teasing him on purpose! He started with just one bird and by the time he was ready to call it quits, there were 5 or 6 birds trying to get him to chase them. :-)
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Today he accompanied me to the event. It's the largest outdoor event that is not a dog show this side of the Mississippi! About 10,000-15,000 people attend the two day event each year. He did REALLY well playing for the whole morning in the off-leash play yard with dogs of every shape, size, color and gender. There was one dog (northern breed of some sort) that probably shouldn't have been in the play yard who attacked Dazzle for no apparent reason. Dazzle was being very appropriate and submissive to him and he just went off. Then he growled at his human who was trying to control him. Thankfully Dazzle wasn't injured and seemed not to have any issues with the other dogs after that. He was a tad bit more cautious about initial greetings for a few dogs, but then relaxed.
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I didn't take many photos, but I did shoot some video of the event. Only brief glimpses of Dazzle (who was busy playing with a dog behind me while I was filming the first part), but a nice "video tour" of the event.
Tour of the event
VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9-FmrIKHC8
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The event continues 11a-5p tomorrow and I'll take Dazzle back with me. He seemed to enjoy it and after a nap in the Dog Scout booth was ready to go back in the play yard. But I kept him with me in the afternoon so he didn't get tired and grumpy.
June 04, 2009
Funny dog!
- The way he enters a room like Kramer on Seinfeld or like he’s a 3 year old kid that just heard something exciting and he’s missing it.
- Shoving one toy into another as if he tries it enough times, he can meld the two
- Trying to stand over Bear during wrestling and seeing Bear just calmly walk out from under him.
- How he greets every day with such energy and enthusiasm, as though it’s the start of the best day of his life.
- Watching him drop the ball into the tub, watch it intently till it stops rolling around and then jump in after it, only to jump out with it and repeat the process. NOT as funny when he drops the ball in the toilet!
- The way he watches Mike so closely and with such rapt interest when Mike makes odd noises or does something goofy just to entertain him and see him tilt his head.
- Watching him invent and play the little games he makes up on his own and how he uses them to keep himself amused.
- The way he throws himself on the floor, flat on his side, with a thud when he’s tired
- How he gets up in my lap, with a full body wiggle, leans into me and gives a head wrap around my shoulder like he’s giving me a hug- then I notice it’s near dinner time and realize he’s just begging!
- Watching him sleep makes me smile- he looks so sweet, calm and innocent, no longer the hyperactive, mischievous, “you WILL play with me” pup that he is when he’s awake.
- When he aggravates his brothers till they give in and play with him.
- When it is clearly obvious he is trying SO hard to control himself when he knows that self-control like a “stay” will get him what he wants.
- The way he watches with Border Collie like intensity any toy I’m holding and raising slowly as if I’m about to throw it. Often it is accompanied by an odd and stiff body position or slow motion responses to cues, like his brain has trouble processing info in the presence of a toy that MIGHT get thrown.
I am so thankful for him and how he brightens my days and keeps me happy! I'm sure there will be many more moments and behaviors he will invent that will keep me smiling and laughing!