Checking In/Updating

Life has been super crazy busy here. I finally finished the classroom portion of school just last week. Now I have a couple weeks off before I start my internship! My hope is to finish the many blog posts I've started, AND keep better track of Gabby's training (and Siri's too).

Buzz
Overall, he's doing well for an almost 16 year old dog with a progressive neurologic condition. Last night Lauren and I took the boy dogs out for ice cream! Buzz's outing was extra special because he even got to ride shotgun in my lap (which, for those who know me, is a huge deal).

shotgun dog is happy to have his head out the window

photo by Lauren

He comes to work with me regularly where he receives laser treatments, works out in the underewater treadmill, and has spinal adjustments.

laser

underwater treadmill, with jets

Bailey

She spent Januray-March in Florida with my mom. They're now home and Bailey is quite enjoying farm life again instead of residential life. I was able to spend her 14th birthday with her in Florida!

she cracks me up

She still loves to work. Her body may not always cooperate, but boy does she try, and have fun doing it!

Gabby

The most recent news for Gabby is that she was entered in her first trial. Knowing we weren't ready yet, she still qualified in 2/4 of her runs! She now has 2/3 of the required qualifying scores for her RLV! We train almost daily and she is so darn fun. 

photo by Laura Johnson

Gabby loves most things, but she especially loves snow.

Gabby had so much fun when our Golden Retriever friends visited! She was awfully tired when they left.

Gabby has been introduced to retrieves, jumping, basic handling, and we practice RUNNING quite a bit. I'm hoping that despite her poor vision, we'll still be able to safely enjoy competing in rally, obedience, tracking, and maybe even select agility runs. We also visited an agility trial recently and while she did really well, it was definitely overwhelming for her. I know I won't be able to crate her in the car forever due to weather, so I need to start working on having her be okay in trial environments for longer periods of time.

With Buzz and Bailey officially retired, my training goals all focus around Gabby (and Siri).

Our upcoming training and trialing goals are:

1) CGC test

2) Be prepared for the next WCRL rally trial!

3) Revisit tracking and hope that something from last year stuck, so we have something to build from

4) Start teaching a formal retrieve (first session was today)

5) Visit more trials to train and play in the environment

6) Practice crating in strange places

And goals for me:

1) Take more pictures with my real camera

2) Send in Gabby's PRA test and DNA databank

3) Sign up for a class (or private lessons)