Training

Last weekend was the herding group clubs obedience trial. As co-chair I was there all weekend. I hadn't entered, and I kicked myself over and over. I miss showing and I have renewed my commitment to get to work training these dogs.
So, tonight, less blog reading, less knitting, more dog work. Wish me luck!

Tracking again

Since the weather was so nice again today and is going below zero again tonight, or tomorrow, I decided to try to squeeze in another tracking opportunity. I dont have much time between work and sundown, but I grabbed Magic and we went to Lake Nokomis. I laid a 150-175 yard track, with 2 turns and several serpentine type arcs with 2 objects. Our tracks crossed a very heavily traveled animal path, ski tracks and a couple of older people cross paths. Remember, this is a park in the city, so there is very little pristine area. The animal track did take his mind off his track, but I just asked him to go find it and he continued to motor along. We ran the track in just under 4 minutes, and Magic was way more focused, and pulling harder than he had been when we were actively training a year and a half ago. When we were training before, he would hesitate and come back to me for verification frequently, rarely ever going out to the end of the lead, much less pulling with me 20 feet behind him. Now, I just need to keep at it. And set up a test to see if he was actually tracking, or just running in the snow prints cuz it was easier!! what a good boy.

Snow Tracking

Well, I am really not a winter person, but it seemed so nice tonight, I took the 1/2 hour between the time I get home and nightfall to lay a short track in an empty lot on my block. Magic and I haven't tracked for over a year, and we havent done any snow tracking. So I gave him 3 short legs with 2 turns and 2 articles. I also dropped one treat shortly after the start.

Well, Magic had no problem remembering this game. He found the firt treat and took off after the first article, made the first turn and stopped for the glove. Went on made the second turn and pulled hard to the last article a metal canning ring. Whew! Quick but very clean. He didnt drop at his articles, but he is shorter than the snow so maybe he didnt want to. Or maybe he forgot, but he stopped and indicated. Granted it was short, but darn that felt really good.

Cold, Lazy Minnesota weather

Well it finally warmed up enough for the stir crazy dogs to spend some outside time. Thank goodness. During the cold snap, out of boredom I think , Grace developed a new game- she was chasing her tail. Not just spinning in circles, her version involves leaping in the air while spinning wildy. Actually quite funny to watch, the other dogs even would stop and watch this one.Or maybe it was a safety issue, While spinning she randommly crashed into anything.

The nice part about the cold snap was I really didn't feel too guilty about spending time inside, lazily reading or knitting or even napping. Now though, no more excuses I hhave to get back to some training these child children. Last night I worked with Peace and Siren on touching the dumbell. I have a nice pick up and drop on Siren, so now we will start working on holding it. She is such a smart girl, seems to understand what I want so much easier than her sister.

My plan for the week is to start training stays with both pups, more heeling with Rinnie and I want to work with Peace on slowing her gait. She tends to want to race.

Next weekend I am the co-chair and chief steward for the herding clubs obedience and rally trial. I am not showing at all, so I can focus on the days events. I am still short volunteers to work it though-and am getting nervous. It will all work out though.

Now, I just need to put down the knitting and get busy! (I finished another hat this week, and started a new neck warmer)

Knitting

Well, I had decided a while back that I was going to learn to knit. So I have been practicing. I have now finished my first piece. A super easy hat. My son picked the yarn, and I picked the easiest hat pattern I could find. He is not so thrilled with the rolled edge, so I am going to try making him a different one. But for now he is wearing his new hat in the snowy windy Minnesota weather.

Griffin

Griffin's mom was kind enough to send me some new pictures of the boy, since he couldn't be still when he was visiting and playing with his sisters. Isnt he a cutie-pie!

Peace at her best

Go to this site to see a shot of Peace at her best at the dog show. Yup, that's my lazy girl.

http://www.hagerstudios.smugmug.com/gallery/6993551_e36aM#447623318_NEJYs

Griffin Visit

Yesterday Griffin came for a visit. He and the girls had a great time playing. Such a great time I couldnt get one good picture. Mostly because my old digital camera just is not fast enough for a moving target. But moving targets they were. It sure is nice to see how happy and healthy the pups are and how grown up. Grif is much bigger than Peace and Siren, with huge bone. Wish you could see him too!!

Land O Lakes show

What a fun weekend. Peace earned a first, a second and a third in the bred by classes, along with her puppy win in sweeps. Both yesterday and today the judges put class dogs up over the specials. Peace did really well in the very busy environment of that show. I was very happy with her this weekend. Points would have been nice, but that is the judges choice not mine.

North Star Herding Group Club Specialty Show

It was a good showing for the Cardis today in Minnesota. Our club held its specialty show today, and there was a beautiful bunch of cardis entered. Lots of darling youngsters. Cindy's red boy Frank took the boy points and looked very nice doing it-(You all know how much I adore red!) Jeans Jaycee took the girl points, a big major for her first show. Cindy and Kims boy Russ took the older puppy sweeps win, and Peace took the younger puppy sweeps. Then Mackenzie's Handsome took a group 3 in the veterans herding group and Emily's Picasso took the herding group 1. Lets hope Cardis continue to do wonderfully the rest of the weekend.