Weasel Puppy and The Spoiled One

This, That and the Other Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:41:00 +0000

Well, there has been a lot of upsets and changes:

Fluffy White Thing, also known as Mini-Zee, or Ruffy, has found a home. He is living with an older couple as the only dog and seems to be thriving.

Weasel's stitches have healed, after some messing with them, ointments and an e-collar. Now, she just has the funny looking shaved patch. As she is rather funny looking, it seems to work for her.

Spoiled One had an unfortunate episode of colitis that just seemed to get worse and worse. I ended up taking him to the vet. He gave me drugs and suggested a bland diet. Spoiled One recovered, which was a relief, as the weather was way too cold to leave him outside when I was at work, and one of the symptoms was diarrhea. (Too much info, I know) In the course of diagnosis, x-rays were taken which showed he had developed some arthritis (spurs and a lesion) in his spine. I am not surprised, he is getting older, and he used to do complete back flips on concrete for the Frisbee when I first got him. However, it's very hard to think of my puppy getting old. They recommended I keep doing the flyball and activities with him, unless he shows pain, as that is what's keeping him in such good condition.

And, my thoughts have turned to puppies. Weasel will be four, Spoiled One ten this year. I need a new training challenge. I'm sure I could find the perfect dog in rescue, but there is a breeder who has a line of dogs I've been admiring and wanting one of. She's a good breeder, with a rigorous owner screening process and a friend of a friend. So, I will get a puppy from her. It looks like Summer before the female I want a puppy out of will be in season.

All of this means no foster dogs, for a while.

Practice Sucked

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:46:00 +0000

Weasel says practice sucked this weekend. I was lining her up for boxwork when someone said "Wait! There's something on her side!" I looked. It was a great big hole! No one saw anything and we don't know for certain what happened, but the vet thought she got caught in a stray fence wire or something.

Anyway, it's all stitched up now. Hopefully, it will heal quickly.

Items I have Pried Out of Mini-Zee's Jaws

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:34:00 +0000

Can of Raid
Scissors
Television Remote
AA Battery
Ball Point Pen
Broken Glass
Black Shoe Polish Applicator
Black Dress Shoe
Slipper
Tennis Shoe
Clog
Numerous Plastic Grocery Bags
Fish Food Canister
Tester Bottle for Aquarium Water
Watering Can
Vacuum Cleaner Parts

This list is, of course, incomplete and many items should be listed multiple times.

The Fluffy White Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:02:00 +0000

Uh Oh, it's another one.

"Ruffy" is a lethal white mini aussie, deaf as grandpa. ("Lethal White" is a term for a homozygous merle, the product of a merle to merle breeding. They can be okay, but sometimes you get the almost all white dogs that may be deaf or blind. He is deaf.) He is very cuddly, very bright, and very trainable. He also has the attention span of a gnat.

We're working on the last part. Mostly, it's the aussie attitude of "ho hum, got it already!" He has actually learned quite a bit since he came to stay with me. He'll down, sit, and roll over from hand signals. His "watch me" is getting better. He doesn't recall worth anything, yet. Ruffy grasped the basics of a flyball box turn in two lessons, and fetches nicely. He's learned to tug. Fortunately, he came housetrained. There is an unrequited fascination with the cat, but it's not unmanageable. I am working on using a laser light in place of a clicker, and he seems to be picking up on it.

This dog is athletic, loves to run, loves to learn, loves to play and is very food motivated. I think he would be a lot of fun to train for agility, flyball, or Frisbee. He is absolutely deaf. I come home from work or find him in the morning still curled up like a fluffy white donut, oblivious to the car noises, the dogs barking and bounding around next to him, or even the vibrations of footsteps and the garage door. He loves other dogs, although he does push the limits of their tolerance with his constant jumping on them and nipping at them. Warning growls go unnoticed. He was injured by another dog in his previous foster home, and bitten by one of the dogs on the flyball team, so he should always be supervised with other dogs.

He is intelligent enough to need a job. Frisbee, agility, something. If not sufficiently stimulated, he will run back and forth in a pattern, barking at the same imaginary spot over and over. Also, he will find every loose thing in your house and chew it to bits.

I believe his ideal home would be with an older child interested in getting into dog sports.

Momentous Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 05:36:00 +0000

Well, it was a rather momentous weekend last weekend.

Flyball practice was cancelled (mud), so I took Benniedoodle to an adoption event in Rio Rancho. It was my first one, and I'm afraid I rather hate them. So many people, and I am not a people person, and so many dogs, huddled in a small tent. The dogs cower and shut down or their eyes get that glazed over look. So many people, as well, and they looked pretty glazed also.

It was hard for me to figure out the balance. I wanted to hover by Bennie's cage and pounce on any show of interest, but it seemed better to step back. People seemed more comfortable checking the dogs out if I gave them space, so I lurked in the corner and spied on them. There was a beautiful husky. Everyone's eyes would light up when they saw that dog. I saw so many children's eyes light up and they would zero in on that dog.

Bennie was a sweetie, and I saw several people, usually older people, stop, reach down and scratch his ears. Then, they moved on. Finally, a few hours into it, a couple stopped, and visited his cage. They started asking all sorts of questions and I told them they could take him out and walk around with him to get to know him. They did, and were gone a long time. I was a little concerned that they decided to just, well, leave. However, they came back and asked more questions. Then left on another walk about with him, then came back and asked about adoption forms.

They took him away for a two week trial, and last I heard, he was doing splendidly with him. My first foster doggie was adopted! It's was sort of a surprise.

That happened on Saturday, so Sunday I was a bit at loose ends - I had been spending so much time working with Bennie, that I wasn't sure what to do with myself. So I took Weasel dock diving. She did very well, considering she had never seen a swimming pool or dock before. Her main issue seemed to be that she couldn't figure out how to get back out and would swim little panicked circuits of the perimeter of the pool, while I crawled down the ramp and called her. After a couple of those episodes, she seemed reluctant to jump off the dock again, but I encouraged her and she did. It helped when I taught her where the ramp was by throwing the toy off of it and letting her run down it into the water. I think I'll try it again with Spoiled One, though I rather expect he'll refuse to jump.

Bad Puppy

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Design from http://www.cafepress.com/weaselpuppy, under "flyball designs"

Well, remember how I was posting about Bennie being such a good boy? Remember how I said he wasn't destructive? Ummm. . . I kind of lied.

I didn't mean too. It's just that I think Bennie's found his inner puppy. He isn't bad, mind you, he's just a typical puppy. But I had been suckered in by his earlier angelic behaviour. Today, every time I turn around, he's chewing on a shoe, counter surfing, or pulling yarn out of the carpet. I think it's just that he's beginning to settle in, and, also, I've been busy and distracted today. He got bored. Bored puppies are dangerous things.

He does it all with complete puppy innocence and greets you with a wagging tail. Such a good natured puppy.

He went to flyball practice with the other two yesterday. Of course, he is too young to do any intensive training. I just practiced recalls and let him play with different dogs and be petted by strange people. I've discovered he will howl in that circumstance. Ordinarily, he's so quiet. In his defense, everybody else was vocalizing to the best of their abilities at the time.

My two dogs, Weasel and Spoiled One, did well at practice. It looks like we are going to the Rio Rancho tournament, so Bennie won't get his out of state trip for a while. Weasel and Spoiled One did well on their box work. I seem to have broken my passing jinx. I didn't do well, but I was within a few feet and not running the other dog out of the lane. I did have to move Spoiled One back to 40 feet and wait until Molly had jumped the second jump, but I can deal with that.

I like long weekends. I finally got a new design up.

http://www.weaselpuppy.com

Biteyface

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 02:21:00 +0000

Biteyface, biteyface, let's play biteyface!

What? You're bored? Let's play MORE biteyface!

Benniedoodle has been enjoying himself of late, sporting with his foster siblings. There have been a lot of play bows, wagging tails, posturing, bouncing around and scampering too and fro. The current favorite seems to be wrestling with Weasel. He has also enticed Spoiled One in a few games, but Spoiled One has apparently developed a fear of the paparazzi (actually, he thinks camera flashes are lightening bolts) and it makes him more difficult to catch in the act.

Bennie is also exhibiting periodic episodes of puppy zoomies. He is developing his fetch and tug skill repertoire, and practices sit, down, and wait (that's a hard one) on a daily basis.

If you are thinking a handsome, neutered, healthy, 10 month old smooth coat border collie mix who has medium to low drive, is playful with people and dogs, seems to be housebroken, doesn't irritate the cat unduly, loves everyone he meets and still has the puppy zoomies, Bennie might be exactly what you want.

More information can be obtained through Bro and Tracy:

http://www.broandtracy.org/broandtracy/index.shtml#ben

Adoption Application:

adopnquestionnare.doc

http://www.weaselpuppy.com

Bennie Update

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:33:00 +0000

Well, the foster puppy is still ridiculously cute. He's a very mellow boy in the house, content to lay at your feet. He gets quite playful when invited, though. Right now, he is bouncing around the back yard with Spoiled One, like a pair of oversize kittens.

Bennie does not have the high drive that my other two have, which makes him much easier to live with. He would probably do better at agility than flyball. I don't mean that he isn't playful - he definitely is. He's certainly an agile puppy, bouncing over things. He likes toys and interactive play.

He appears to be housebroken, but I haven't given him much opportunity to disprove that. He's respectful of stuff in the house. Only one shoe has been victimized, which, for a ten month old puppy is pretty good. He does fine out in the backyard by himself with no sign of anxiety or repetitive behaviours. He doesn't bark, except on rare occasions.

He likes games, but has selective hearing if you don't keep him engaged.

Still no mouthing.

Bennie

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:55:00 +0000

There is a cute puppy running around my house. His name is "Benny" and he is visiting until someone falls in love with him and whisks him off to an adoptive home.

I don't know much about Benny. I believe he came from a shelter West of here, an owner surrender. He appears to be at that gangly adolescent stage that Labradors tend to live their entire lives in. I don't know his parentage. The guess seems to be border collie/hound. Maybe he's border collie/Labrador. Anyway, he's a cute black and white medium size bundle of legs and tail and questing nose, probably seven to ten months old.

He's very gentle for a puppy that age. He doesn't mouth at all, so far. Benny is respectful of the cat and the other two dogs without being frightened or intimidated. He likes everyone he meets. When trying to get your attention, he is very tempted to jump up on you or at least paw at you, but he is working on that. He does well on a leash, for a puppy. Benny has little or no recall, but, again, he's working on it. He has mastered "sit" and "down" in a couple of very short lessons. He doesn't get fetch yet, but can see there are possibilities.

Inside, he hasn't had an accident or destroyed anything yet. He stayed in his crate nicely overnight. He doesn't understand that people food doesn't = puppy food, but he's working on it. When opening the car door or crate, Benny tends to rush off and so the concept of "wait" is being introduced. Benny has a wonderful "off switch." Each time I've come to my computer, he has curled up on his bed and dozed off. Puppies often are prone to car sickness, and Benny is no exception.

Anyway, that is my impression after 24 hours. If you are interested in Benny, check out http://www.broandtracy.org/broandtracy/index.shtml Benny is the smooth-coated dog at the bottom of the page.

Swimming!

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:46:00 +0000

The dogs love chasing sticks and getting muddy.

Weasel bounds off the edge of the bank and quickly gets the stick, then Z-dog stalks her and steals it from her. There is lots of barking involved, and mud. Then they come up to me to deliver the stick and shake all the mud off onto me and bound off back into the river.

Sometimes Weasel goes far afield to avoid her stalker.

And, sometimes, she prevails.

Some Days You're Hot and Some Days You're Not

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:55:00 +0000

Alas, I did not do well at flyball practice today. We were practicing a potential "B" team, with Dusty, Gizzy, Spoiled One and Spoiled One's Partner in Crime. Well, first we tried the line up with Dusty, Gizzy, Partner in Crime and Spoiled One. Gizzy is a cute little orange cattle dog sheltie mix. She probably runs about a 6 second run. Partner in Crime runs closer to 4 seconds. Partner's handler kept releasing too soon and having way early passes. So we switched Partner and Spoiled One.

I used to be good at passing with Spoiled One. Really. Not today. Spoiled One was passing Gizzy way early, when she was still on the jumps. Gizzy would end up veering completely out of the lane to avoid a potential collision, and it wasn't her fault - I kept passing way to early. And I knew it. And I tried to fix it, but I kept doing it, over and over. It was so frustrating, because Gizzy needs to keep her confidence up and being railroaded by the two biggest, most rambunctious dogs on the team isn't the way to do it.

I'm so frustrated with myself. I think I've gotten used to Spoiled One automatically slowing and adjusting for the oncoming dog. Gizzy is just so much smaller, he wasn't bothering to adjust for her. And, I just couldn't get out of the rut of making the same mistake, over and over. Hopefully, I can get back in the right zone again. Maybe, if I change my release point to the 3rd jump, instead of the first.

On the positive side, another dog, a little cattle dog/border collie (I think) was really showing some speed on recalls! She even beat Weasel a couple of times. Now, if we can get her to have the same drive to the box, she ought to be a little speed demon.

We may be going to Hurricane! I really hope so. At a U-FLI tournament, we can run the green dogs in singles and pairs and reduce the stress levels on their handlers. In a NAFA tournament, it's all or nothing, and we may not be able to field two solid teams with alternates, yet.

What Rescue is and What Rescue Isn't

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 03:07:00 +0000

I had one of those annoying email conversations with someone. They want to find a good breeder to get a border collie puppy from. They're doing their research. They know what they want. Wonderful! I suggest to them that they go to a few herding trials and network with the people there to find out where their dogs came from and what they had to say about the breeders. I also said I couldn't recommend any local breeders because I didn't know much about them - both my dogs are rescues.

Then, I got the email back about how the person is sick of people looking down on them because they want to get a puppy, not a rescue. And then he gives me the big ole' rationalization speech. You've heard it: All the dogs in rescue are border/pit mutts, there aren't any puppies, they all kill cats, they won't be good pets because all rescued border collies are chicken-killing, kid biting, vicious cat eating monsters that would be absolutely unacceptable for a pet home. They need a puppy so that they can train it up right, blah blah blah.

It's so frustrating. If you want to buy a puppy, buy a puppy - but don't feel obligated to rationalize that choice by spreading lies, ignorance and misinformation about rescues!

a.) There are purebred, registered dogs in rescue. I know several people who have acquired them.
b.) There are puppies in rescue. That's where mine came from.
c.) Most rescues have a perfect temperament for a pet home. Both of mine came from the pound. They live with cats, compete in events, and are around children. You have to train them, of course, but you have TRAIN any dog.

I don't know why people want so hard to believe that any dog in rescue must be defective, or undesirable, or have something wrong with it. Most rescue organizations don't have time or funds to scrape up the unadoptables - they're skimming off the cream of the cream of the adoptable dogs. I'm not sure where people think the dogs in rescue came from, why they would be so profoundly different than the dogs that come directly from breeders. Do they think rescue dogs materialize with the morning dew? Rescue dogs come from breeders, just like all dogs do.

Rescuers aren't trying to scam or guilt you into taking an inferior dog. They have no monetary interest in unloading a dog on you. They can't afford the liability of adopting out an unstable dog. Most rescue organizations do charge a fee, but that money goes back into the fund for redeeming dogs from the pound, paying vet costs, and such. Foster homes don't get a penny. Any legitimate rescue organization insists that you return the dog to them if it doesn't work out, and offers support and counseling on adjusting to life with your new dog. In fact, it is more difficult to get a dog from rescue organizations as they will do a much more thorough screening process than most breeders.

The emailer expressed concern that they knew what they wanted, but you wouldn't know what you were getting with a rescue dog, like you would with a puppy. That is absolutely backwards. Look at the rescue sites, like Arizona Border Collie Rescue. There is a great deal of information about each specific dog, its energy level, sociability, personality, age, health, habits, training, etc. With a breeder, you will at best get speculation that since the parents didn't exhibit any health problems, it will probably be healthy and a nice dog. They can't give you much hard information about the specific puppy, they can only speculate and hypothesize.

Rescue isn't going to the pound, picking out a dog and hoping for the best. It is way beyond that.

Eagles SUCK!

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:58:00 +0000

The Philadelphia Eagles have signed the criminally psychopathic animal abuser Michael Vick. Any money you spend on their merchandise, any tickets you buy, any time you tune your television to a game they are participating in, even if he isn't on the field, you are giving money to this sick, depraved individual.

Of all of the potential players they could have signed, they chose to rain money, power and privilege on the guy who electrocutes his pets for fun. Why? Because he runs a little bit faster?

Eagles suck. I have no respect for anyone who would sign him, anyone who would train him, anyone who would set foot on the same field with him, or anyone who would broadcast or watch a game he receives some of the revenue from.

If we want standards, we have to set them. If you can do what he did, and come back to be lauded and praised, what exactly would you have to do to cross the line?

Bad Doggie

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:24:00 +0000

The Crime:
The perpetrator:

Practice, Practice

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:43:00 +0000

Another day of flyball practice in the beautiful back yard of one of my teamates. The dogs did reasonably well, but there weren't many people there, it was hot, and, well, we kinda screwed around a lot.

The dog's didn't mind. There was a chuck-it involved.

What I like about that picture is that all of the other dogs are just blurry swirls, but Spoiled One is clearly riveted by the tennis ball with a demon glint in his eye. It kind of sums up my monster perfectly - well if you could add sound. Got to have the barking. Anyway, that is all for this post. I will try to take better pictures, but, like, my camera has been a doggie chew toy, been dropped on the tile floor several times, and other adventures, so no guarantees.

Http://www.weaselpuppy.com

Alas, Poor Bally (Ode to a Basketball)

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:50:00 +0000

Oh, cruel and unkind fate that casts aside hours of joyous barking and pouncing with one small pop and hiss!

Bally came into our household from Walgreens several years ago. Initially, it appeared like any other basketball, except for it's glow in the dark quality. Many, many objects from Walgreens and Walmart and PetSmart have made a brief appearance in our lives. Fuzzy or squeaky, bouncy or tuggy, they are loved, not wisely but too well, and soon the bits and pieces scattered in the living room are a grisly testimony to their fate, seldom even lasting long enough to be completely unwrapped or earn a name.

I have tried things labeled "tuff" or "indestructible" The labels lied. I have frantically assembled the bits of many a "for powerful chewers" to make certain no big parts made it into the dog.

But, Bally was different. I don't know why. Despite it's seemingly venerable inflatableness, Bally persevered, nay, thrived. Joyously, Bally would bounce around the living room on rainy or too hot days, rappelling off walls and furniture with Spoiled One and Weasel in hot pursuit. I had seen Bally cornered so many times, but, always, somehow, it slipped past the teeth and claws and went once more into the breach.

Until today.

http://weaselpuppy.com

Cutie Holly

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 04:01:00 +0000

No, I didn't get a new dog. Miss Holly is a dog in rescue that I am fostering. Actually, I just have her on weekends, for now. She is a little chubby black tri aussie, incredibly cute little dog. Holly arrived at my house earlier today and within a few hours seems to have settled in as one of the pack. She has exhibited no tendency to eat the cat or assault her doggy siblings, and is very sweet. Both Spoiled One and Weasel have messed with her in the expected fashion, play solicitation and/or posturing. She hasn't accepted any play invites, yet.

She's a very quietly interactive dog. Holly hangs out in the same room, laying behind the chair or underfoot, occassionally checking in for an ear skritch. She's already responding and doing behaviours for treats, though she has that initial reserve some aussies have. Holly walks nicely on a leash, shows no cat aggression, and appears to be retaining her housebreaking. So far, she seems to have a good off-switch, settling nicely when I am on the computer or reading. She's also a bundle of fuzzy wuzzy cuteness.

My evil plan is to drag her out and about to meet more people and dog sports people so that someone will fall in love with her and give her a permanent home, but this weekend is just for getting to know her and chilling out.

I'll give another update on her when I get to know her a bit. If anyone is interested, the application for her can be made through Bro & Tracy. http://www.broandtracy.org/animalwelfare.shtml (Holly can be found a little ways down on the page.)

Puppy cams and the Phillipines

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 21:00:00 +0000

So, I've been watching a puppy cam. Cute little puppies squiggling about. They are adorable.

Yes, it is a breeder. Yes, I am more a proponet of rescue. All of my pets have been rescues, except the fish. It is hard to see new puppies and not think of all the dogs being euthanized at the shelters. But, you see, I don't want to wipe out dogs from the face of the earth, I want them bred well, responsibly, and healthily, so that our pets and canine partners have well adjusted, happy, healthy, treasured lives - not misery. Every dog has to have come from someone breeding their dog, so I still want dog breeders out there - just good ones.

This breeder knows where every puppy she has ever bred is. She breeds thoughtfully and responsibly. She raises the puppies with love and compassion. She selects homes carefully. She rejects homes she believes unsuitable, and she takes back and rehomes dogs that don't work out. She's a good one. But, people who's only information is googling a puppycam on the web keep throwing puppymill innuendos and accusations.

Look before you leap! If you keep crying "puppymill" on the good breeders, whose going to listen to you when you trip over a really bad one? You just loose crediblity with all the dog lovers who are watching, and turn your cause into a fringe weirdo thing. Don't do it! Don't throw accusations out to see if anything will stick; look, inquire, investigate and then speak up. Those people oooing and awwing and i-want-one-ing about the puppies are the ones you need to win to our cause, but you won't do it with bad facts and obvious misinformation. The cause is much too important to derail with that kind of stupidity.

Then there are the ones who keep trying to slip in videos and whatnot of the horrible dog miseries in other countries - the more shocking the better.

Again, stupid, stupid, stupid!

As has been proven over and and over and as your own websites will mention, seeing the horror of these situations doesn't raise people's compassion to it - it just hardens them against it and makes it easier to accept. You are being backwards. Instead of lowering the compassion level of those who have compassion and concern for dogs by repeatedly shocking them until they become blase to the abuse, raise the compassion level of the people who are lacking it by showing the videos of dogs as treasured, beloved, wonderful creatures to those who lack empathy. You need to build compassion, not destroy it.

By trying to horrify the puppycam viewers, you are working the wrong crowd. Showing shocking videos to people isn't "raising awareness," it's a self-indulgent ego trip to gloat over how much you can shock them. Get over it. You aren't a little brother chasing your sister with a worm or a fresh buger, and you are contributing to the continuation of the misery of those animals by raising the level of disempathy and apathy every single time you show one of those videos. Find ways to spread the love and appreciation for dogs instead. If you are going to go to the dog markets in the Phillipines, get the dog vendors and consumers into watching puppycams and such and you will have a much more profound effect! We don't need to know how bad what they are doing is, THEY DO! We have our own faults to work on.

Just my opinion.

Practice, Toenails, and Cockroaches

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:28:00 +0000

So, we had practice today. Many people weren't there, but some were. Enough to run a couple of teams, anyway. The dogs did reasonably well. Spoiled One was going for the tug, and tugging very enthusiastically. I used a tennis ball as a crutch, but he's definately improved on that. Also, he did not create any passing issues. In fact, the littlest dog on the team, who is still refining her passes, whipped right by him, even when I released him way too early and they passed on the jump. His box turn wasn't, but I hadn't been working that like I should. I may have to just keep working that in homework.

Weasel was running fast, because she was running first and right before her Idol Dog, so she was in flying ferret heaven. With her running first and the Idol dog running second, they timed at 8.1 seconds, which I thought was cool. Of course you have to factor in things like the timer starts when the first dog breaks the beam, while in tournaments it starts and you have to hit it right to minimize the delay between the timer start and the dog crossing the start line, but hopefully, I'll do okay with that. Other factors weigh in the other direction: we're practicing on grass and an uneven surface, the Idol Dog was 10 - 15 feet late on her pass (because Weasel is such a spaz, she's hard to judge where to pass). It might be kind of fun to run them in pairs at the next U-FLI tournament we go to. Of course, I would also love to run Spoiled One and Weasel in pairs. There are a number of obsticals to that goal. Weasel usually runs with the team, so it might be too many heats for her to run pairs as well. I can't run two different dogs in the same race. However, someone offered to work Weasel at practice a bit, and seemed to have fun, so maybe I could sucker someone into running her and I could run Spoiled One? Hmmmm. . . .

On the way home, they each got a plain Lottaburger. As they sprawled in the living room, sated and tired, I lopped the tippy tips off of their toenails. Because I keep them in when I am at work, now, they don't get the exercise of running the fence and discussing politics with the neighbor dogs. This is probably the first time Spoiled One's nails have been long enough to trim. FWIW, the drimmel sucks, use chopper type clippers. Just my opinion.

Weasel is always bringing me little gifts to play with. She finds rubber bands and sets them on my knee and gives me the pleading, hopeful look, trying to entice me into a game of tug o war. Or she drops the unopened mail at my feet, checking to see if it's permissible to chew it up. Bottle caps and bits of scraps of things are always appearing around my feet as potential items to be tossed and caught for doggie amusement. Lately, she's been finding the cat's toy mice and offering them up. It's so cute. Well, this morning, I let her in from her morning constitutional in the yard, and she presented me with a cockroach. A LIVE cockroach.

Flyball Practice and New Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:17:00 +0000

Well, we had practice this week. It seemed to go reasonably well. Some of the puppies and newer dogs made some progress. There is a little red and white aussie that is so desperate to please her owner she pretty much can't do anything but appeasement behaviours. I think her confidence will really improve once she understands what he wants of her, and learns the concept of learning. It would be fun to try shaping with her, just to help draw her out and have her offer behaviours. It's painful and frustrating to hear him call her and see her run back to her crate and hide. She's a rescue, and I would kind of like to do painful things to whoever had her before.

Never never never call a dog to you to scold it. I don't know for certain, of course, that is what the previous owner did, but I am really suspicious that it is. It sets up an unfortunate dynamic, because, of course, when the current owner calls her, and she hesitates or starts to slink, he can't help being frustrated and even if you try to hide that frustration, a lot of dogs will pick up on your frustration and become even more distressed. She's doing better, though. He was taking her over jumps on leash, and she went from being unable to take her eyes off him enough to make it over the jump and submissively flattening herself to the ground to looking forward and going over the jumps and then sitting in anticipation of praise.

There was another new dog, named "Nacho" that I think will have a lot of fun. He did very well playing with the other dogs. He's a cute little yellow mixed breed dog that seems like he has a terrier body and and a malanois head. I'm prejudiced towards him because Z-dog and he were playing together and it was cute. It's nice to have dogs that play something other than "chase me" games.

I was kind of bad though and didn't really work my dogs. Z-dog did run in a line up being passed both ways and was fine. He still is very leery of Captain, but, he ran after him in line up fine. I should have whined and insisted on using props when my dogs ran, but I didn't. So, even though their boxturns were good during boxwork with the props, they degenerated during actual runs. It's probably the worst thing I could do in their training at this point, and I am frustrated with myself about it.

Weasel consistently dunked her frisbee in the water bowl after every run. Z-dog still overleaps the timer beam so we can't get a time on him, the blasted boinging bunny rabbit. We still need a practice space and I still want an RV.

Life goes on.

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Lake of the Woods

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 02:03:00 +0000

Well, last week the doggies and I had a little road trip. We went to Lake of the Woods in Oregon. That's a 1400 mile drive. If you do solid, focused driving, you can make it in a day and a half. The dogs and I had a misunderstanding about available sleeping space. However, it's not like I sleep well in hotels, anyway. I have a few phobias and tend to sleep with the lights on.

There were the usual hangups. We left later than I wanted to. I washed the dogs and threw them in the car without brushing them because I was desperate to get on the road, and so Spoiled One molted in the first hotel room. I tried to fix it, as best I could. It always amazes me that I can go on these trips and find hotels to stay in with the two dogs without any problems. I kind of suspect it's because I come in late at night, and they have given up all hope of renting the room, so they are happy to accomodate me.

There were many visits to reststops along the way, but my dogs are good travelers. Spoiled One didn't start barking and carrying on until I turned off the main roads to the forest road that led to the resort and he saw the pine trees and knew we were there.

They love the lake. It's such a good place for this kind of thing. They have "pet friendly" cabins and there is gravel and pine needles, so the dogs' feet don't get muddy. You can get away from people and find your own section of lake shore to swim the dogs. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the dogs at the lake. My camera batteries had died by then.

They did lots of swimming, too. Z-dog would prefer to spend the entire time there spiky as a hedgehog and smelling of lake water. Every time we stepped out of the cabin, he lunged toward the lake and strangled himself pulling toward the water. He got close to getting his wish. When we threw sticks out in the lake, Weasel would bolt and leap like a dolphin to get there first, then Z-dog or Sugar would steal it from her as she swam back. One time I saw Z-dog slap a paw on top of Weasel's head and deliberately push her under to get the stick. The observation was made that Weasel is even more funny looking when she's soaking wet. Scarey, but true.

I would like to announce that I achieved my goal of not catching any fish. At one point, someone made me use abuse an earthworm, but most of the time I used this neon colored stuff called "power bait" because it looked so strange I assumed that the fish wouldn't go near it.

Alas, on the ride home, not ten miles out, my car pretended to die and flash idiot lights at me. There resulted some frantic phone calls and riding around in a Lexus with four dogs, three people and all of their stuff, and then camping out at the Honda dealer with the dogs in the waiting room. Eventually, all was resolved and we made it home.

Anyway, the car trip sort of precluded any flyball practice.

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Long, Boring Day

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 22:02:00 +0000

Between my websites, designing, and ickyrealjob, I often feel like I have two jobs. Unfortunately, ickyrealjob is the only one that pays. I try to fix that, but that means working even harder on websites and affiliating in my home time, and the poor dogs are getting so neglected.

Today, for example, flyball was cancelled because the person who's house we were going to hold it at was sick. So all day, since I got out of bed, I've been sitting at this computer figuring out code and html and how to make the affiliate banners work for this page on the Weasel Puppy website: http://www.weaselpuppy.com/TournamentPackingList.com I want DreamWeaver, or something, to make this easier! Whine, whine, whine.

The poor dogs were so bouncy this morning, thinking flyball thoughts. Now they just sleep. I think I'll breakout a tug toy and give them a little love.

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Holly - Aussie/bc mix Available Through Bro & Tracy

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Sun, 31 May 2009 17:01:00 +0000

I was sent this information from someone in the rescue organization who wanted to get the information out on this bright-eyed girl.

The foster describes her as "Holly is a 3-4 yr old medium sized Aussie mix. She is a happy girl who will give you kisses & roll over for you. But when it's time to get serious, Holly is very bright and follows commands. She is capable of being a good working dog & could also be good at dog sports. Holly needs daily exercise and prefers to be interacting with her humans.
BTW, she gets along with other dogs. I hear she co exists with cats too (ignores them), from her last owner. She can also be found on the Bro & Tracy rescue website: http://www.broandtracy.org."

Imagine that face looking up at you and wiggling with pride over a Q agility run, or begging you to throw the frisbee, or staring down a flyball lane! She is a bit of a chunky monkey in her pictures, but that is nothing a little playtime and proper diet won't fix.

Got Space?

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Sun, 31 May 2009 16:49:00 +0000

Alas, we are "cast out" from our practice space and looking for another. Anyone have a 100 foot long by at least 8 feet space with an even floor we could use for practice? Let us know.

Factors to consider:

Shouldn't be immediately adjacent to housing - flyball dogs bark.

Indoors, like a warehouse or large storage unit, would be really cool, but covered parking or something similar could also work.

We need to be able to fence or block it off so the dogs can't run out into traffic or something.

A lockable storage space where we could leave our stuff (jumps, flyball boxes, crates, mats, etc. would be really nifty.

We are a small club of people who do this as a hobby - $1000 - $1200/month is out of our price range.

Any ideas? Let us know!

Boxturn Progress - Slowly

noreply@blogger.com (Weasel Puppy) — Mon, 11 May 2009 01:45:00 +0000

Z-dog did better boxwork at practice. I don't know how his boxturns during runs were, though. There were issues, a collision, a spooked dog, someone sitting right beside the box with their dog on a loose leash. However, his boxwork seems to be getting better and better. Maybe I'll get a real turn on a run out of him eventually.

Or not.

We're working it, though.

We had the timer set up and Weasel ran a 4.1 something! Multiple times! I would like her to break 4.0, but I am very excited. The fastest she's been clocked in a tournament was 4.2 something. She's getting faster.

I don't know if I am becomming a prima dona type in practice. It just drives me buggy when people let their dogs interfere with other dogs while they are working, or don't keep track of their dogs, or park themselves in the way with their green dogs so that they can watch. I don't object to people watching - I watch all the time trying to learn stuff, but, for the love of God, crate your dog first! Especially if it's a green dog. You aren't teaching it a good thing by letting it zero in on dogs running past it over and over, and it's a bad distraction to the dogs hitting the box to have a strange dog a foot away zeroing in on them like a pirahna and lunging at them. Also, if the dog is green, all the handler is teaching the dog is to completely ignore them and go crazy trying to chase whenever a dog is running. I think people believe I make an issue of it because I'm afraid Z-dog will eat the other dog. He won't. He's never eaten anyone, even if they deserved it. But, he will come screeching to a stop to check it out, or he will veer off to avoid the dog, or just totally boff his box turn I am working so hard on.

Of course, I do all this rant, but my Z-dog loves to make mischief, and Weasel is a carpet bombing raid of affection who is always assaulting people with her devotion, well, one person especially. That person has been quite patient and forgiving of the various bruises and pee showers. Maybe I am being a bit of a (not nice word) but I would really like people to be more aware of these things.