Another Year Over

Christmas 2017

In 4 days we will be bidding farewell to 2017.  It was a pretty good year me and my family, 2 more deaths however.  Seems we have them every year, it sucks getting older.

Anyway, another year at my job , which I love, most days haha.  Myself and Brad remain healthy as do the dogs, touching wood!

In 2018 I want to finish Lync's Rally Excellent title and just maybe enter 1 trial at the National in August for his CDX.  I swore I wouldn't do another outside show but he will be a year older and maybe more mature?? maybe ??!!

I am also going to start Ash in Obedience, I would love to put a CD on him as well as some rally titles.  He would probably make a good Scenthurdle dog as well but I get ahead of myself!

Kort will be 10, who knows, maybe I will enter him in a Veterans class for some fun, he did like the show ring. I will most definitely do another Veterans Obedience trial with him.  So fun!

This year in October will mark the last payment on a consolidation loan Brad and I took out 5 years ago.  Pretty thrilling for us!!

So we have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to look forward to.  Bring it on 2018!

Ash

Ash and his buddy Lync play tug while Kort tries to get in on the action 

Ash was neutered today, I am so so relieved it is over with and he is doing ok. I had him tested to determine is MDR1 status and he is mutant/mutant. For those of you who have no idea what this is google it !

His vet is well read on this condition and I trust her completely.  Ash is the 3rd of my Collies she has neutered. Of course Ash never does anything the easy way.  He was, as my vet put it, scary to anesthetise. When too little was administered he was very agitated. If too much was given he would stop breathing. He was never in danger of cardiac arrest but it was scary. My vet had another vet monitor him while she performed his surgery. She also said if he was ever to need more surgery she would send me to a specialist.

Right now he is resting comfortably with Lync by his side.  I will bring him to work the remainder of the week to keep an eye on him. I know I will have trouble restricting his activity for 7 days. He is also not allowed physical activity for 3 weeks, that sounds like a long time!  Ash and Lync play hard together so I will need to separate them for awhile.

Anyway it's done and over with, soon I will begin training him in Obedience, can't wait!

2 New Titles!!

Last weekend was our local Dog Show here in Lethbridge.  I entered Lync in Novice Obedience and Ash in Conformation. Well what a fantastic weekend we had.  I still am floating on Cloud 9!

Lync and his mom Kona

I'll start with Lync, Day # 1 he passed!! I was so thrilled, we have been to 6 trials before this one and NQ'd in each one, so passing was about due!
Day # 2 he passed again, giving him his CD title!!  Wow it's been 7 years since I put a CD on a dog. Day # 3 I almost didn't enter, I decided to put him in, thanks to Amanda, for practise in the ring.  He has a wee bit of ring stress going on so we need to work on that. Well you guessed it, he passed again !! We also went High Score in Class!  Then I got a surprise that I won't soon forget.  There was a special trophy offered for High Aggregate Scoring Novice dog in either the A or the B class, Lync ended up winning this Award . What was even more special was that Lync's mother Kona also won this award 4 years ago on the same day!
I was very honoured and proud to accept this award with Lync, we have worked very hard and are becoming a great team together.

Now for Ash, on Day #1 there were 2 shows offered.  In the morning I showed him myself, we were the only entry so we won Best of Breed and got to have some fun in the Herding Group as well.  In the afternoon I ended up with a conflict with Lync in Obedience.  I was lucky to find someone to show him for me! There was a female entry and she won the Breed so no points for Ash.
Day # 2 I had someone show Ash for me again. Ash won Winners Male for 2 points putting him at 9, 1 point to go! 
Day # 3, Ash won the points again and finished his Championship!!! Yay !! So exciting!

I will now take a bit of a break until the new year before starting Open training with Lync.

Catching Up, Again !!!

New RATN and RATI titles!!

I keep neglecting my blog, days go by and then by the time I think of it a month has almost gone by!

Lync and I went to Strathmore a few weeks back to another Barn Hunt trial. We NQ'd the morning trial but Q'd in the afternoon to complete our Barn Hunt Novice title!! The next day we were allowed to still compete for our Instinct title as we were already entered . I was excited when Lync found the right tube to complete that title as well!

The next 2 trials we had moved up to Open. In Open you need to find 2 rats and there are 3 other tubes as well, 2 with litter in them and one without. In Trial 1 Lync found the first rat right away ! yay! He then went to a corner where he excitedly pawed at another container, even though I thought it was too close to the other I called it, it was not a rat tube. I was disappointed that I had rushed into calling it before I had checked the other side of the ring. We are learning though! I wish we had been able to try the tunnel as well. In Open he tunnel has a turn in it. When looking in it appears dark.  Lync has trouble going into one that he can see out the other side so I knew he probably wouldn't go into this one but wanted to at least try. In the second trial I called rat again and it wasn't a rat.  I am having some trouble distinguishing between when he is actually on a rat and when it is just a tube containing litter.  We will keep at it though as we both enjoy it so much!!

Our next trials wont be until the spring so I have something to look forward to :)

Happy Anniversary!

This past weekend, September 29, was Brad and my 22nd Anniversary!  I can't believe it's been that long! We went to Waterton to celebrate it.  It was very sad to see how much damage the summers fire did to the landscape.  It came so close to the townsite and had it not been for the hard work of the firefighters the townsite would have been lost! Thank goodness it wasn't .

Most of the shops and restaurants were closed however, the owners just decided not to reopen after they were evacuated because of the fire. I guess it saved me money as there were less places to shop!

The weather cooperated and it was a lovely relaxing weekend until we were coming home.  A full on  blizzard with whiteout and slippery conditions all the way to Cardston. I just crawled along going no more then 50-60 kmp.  Then like magic it turned to just rain and then dry the rest of the way home.

The dogs were all happy to see each other and are fast asleep now.
I'm already looking forward to next year, I just love Waterton!

Scary how close the fire came to The Historic Prince of Wales Hotel

All the mountains looked the same, totally void of trees

Playing Catch Up!

So much to post! I am so behind in doing so.  Not that anyone reads them anymore, like my friend Diana says, more people post on Facebook then blogging now, sad, I love to read blog posts and I love to post!
Warning, VERY long!
Here goes....

Spruce Meadows
Trial 1, Lync was such a good boy, focused and happy.  We got through all the exercises but on the heel free he found a smelly spot on the grass and I couldn't get him away from it, I ended up giving him 3 extra commands which failed us.

Trial 2
Lync was again doing well, somewhat more laggy then the day before but still good, today was a Q for our first leg!! yay! We got a score of 187/200 which was pretty good I think.

Trial 3
Lync was much more unfocused today.  Just as we were entering the ring a flatcoat walked by us and Lync spent the entire time in the ring looking for him. I couldn't believe the bad timing.  Our dogs are supposed to be proofed for all situations but this was very hard for Lync. We were still passing when it came to the recall, he just sat there! I couldn't believe my eyes, I was so disappointed.

Edmonton
Trial 1
This was another outside trial.  The dog just before us was a female Rottweiler.  On her heel on leash she peed in the ring, seriously! What bad luck we are having. The judge was kind enough to make our heeling pattern away from the spot but it was not far enough for Lync.  As we passed by the spot he left my side to check it out. Another NQ for us.

Trial 2
Lync was doing ok, I could tell he was not happy though, he just wasn't his usual happy self.  Maybe I entered him before he was ready? Maybe it was the heat? Who knows. Anyway he didn't come again on his recall, at least the judge had me return to him instead of calling him again, she didn't want him to get used to getting a second command, I agree.

Aldersyde
Trial 1
Lync did fantastic! He was a pass all the way up to his long down.  The Golden right beside him decided to flop down on to his side, it was too much for Lync to handle, he got up to look at the Golden, another fail and a very very disappointed Jolene :(

Trial 2
Lync was horrible on his off leash heeling, lagging was behind me, even stopping at one point and not coming to my side on a halt.  Then on the recall he just sat there AGAIN!! What the heck? This is becoming a bad habit and I don't like it, of course his long sit and down were perfect.

I am not sure what I want to do from here.  I am taking a break to think about it.  There is our local trial in November.  I might enter Novice or I might enter Rally Advanced, I'm just kind of frustrated still.

Soooooo, that brings us to last weekend.  After only one workshop I decided to enter Lync in Barn Hunt in Medicine Hat.  I LOVE this sport!!! More importantly Lync loves it too!  There are 4 levels, Novice, Open, Senior and Masters.  Each level gets more difficult and more cylinders are added for the dog to find.  The cylinders contain gerbils as Alberta is Rat free. The gerbils are perfectly safe in the metal cylinders.  In Novice we are given 2 minutes for the dog to search the course of hay bales and find the cylinder that contain the gerbil. There is also an empty cylinder and one containing litter.

In Trial 1 I talked Lync into indicating the wrong tube.  In my inexperience I got excited that he found a tube.  I was saying things like " is that your rat? " Lync in his inexperience pawed at the cylinder,  unfortunately it was the cylinder containing just the litter, bummer NQ
We had another trial that afternoon.  I was quieter and let Lync work , he found a cylinder, pawed at it, I called it but nope , it was another litter tube.

The next day we had 2 more trials.  In the morning trial I let Lync work.  He found a cylinder which I called, it was the rat!! yay! To Q the dog must also climb onto a hay bale and go through an 18X18 tunnel. In Novice the tunnel is straight and they can see the other side.  It is difficult for the large dogs as they basically have to crawl to get through. We had our climb and just needed the tunnel. Lync was having trouble, he did not want to go through, after about 10 pleadings on my half he finally did it! yay! Our first Q! Our time was just under the 2 minutes, lucky!

The afternoon trial went great as well.  Lync found the tube, got his climb, and after just 2 commands of tunnel he went through, Q 2 in a time of 37:50 seconds.

In October we will be travelling to Strathmore to compete again.   He is entered in 4 trials so hopefully he will get his last leg.  We will then move up to Open where we have to find 2 rats and there are 2 litter tubes and 1 empty tube.  The problem will be the tunnel, there is 1 turn in Open so he can't see the end.  I don't think he will do it but we will try.

Whew! that's all our news for now. Stay tuned for more after the next trial.

First Trial

I had one of my last practises this morning with Lync.  We leave on Friday afternoon for Calgary and Lync's first Obedience Trial!  I am pretty excited even though his heeling didn't go so well today.  This week I will work on changing things up more with heeling and making it more fun for him.  I don't want him to lag continually throughout the off leash heeling.  It will become even more important when we enter Open and ALL the heeling is off leash.
We didn't practise stays today but his recall was nice and his stand for examination was good considering his breeder was the one to examine him .  It would be nice to come home with his CD, I'm not expecting to however as training and being in the trial are two different things.  It's not that I don't think he is ready, it's just that you have to take in account ring nerves and to expect the unexpected!
Wish us luck!

3 months & 2 weeks

It's now been 2 weeks past the 3 month mark on my diet. Things have started to slow down now but I am still pleased with my results so far.  Now that warm weather has arrived I am going to find an aquatic aerobics class to attend, that should boost my metabolism a bit.  I have noticed this month I am struggling more with the desire to snack.  The yummy comfort snacks I used to enjoy, pizza, muffins, bread, all carbohydrates!  But I am pleased to say I have not waivered , I am determined!
The picture above was taken last night.  I am no where near my end goal, however, I am seeing a big difference from 3 months ago, yay me!!

3 Months

This past Friday I hit the 3 month mark of my weight loss journey.  So far it has been easy, I had 1 cheat night however.  Brad and I went out for lunch and I had a burger, then we went for ice cream, otherwise I have not cheated at all.  Of course I would love to see the weight come off faster but I am being patient.  It is hard also as I made the decision to NOT weigh myself at all so I can't see the results.  I do know my clothes are looser and I have more stamina. So, I will continue to plug away at it, slow and steady .  One day I may even join a gym !

First Title

Yesterday I travelled to Pincher Creek for a Herding Instinct test with Ash.  He passed with flying colours and I was very proud of him !

1 month

Today is 1 month since I started on my weight loss journey!  I can't say it has flown by but it has been pretty easy to stick to, I am very committed this time.  I am not weighing myself so I don't know if or how much weight I have lost.  I did take measurements on the first day and again yesterday.  I am thrilled to say I have lost 2" from my chest and hips so yeah me!!  I am hoping to get comfortable enough to eventually get into some sort of fitness class.  I am not comfortable enough to go right now however.
Here's to starting my 2nd month!!

1 week in

It's been a week now since I decided to do something about my diet and eat healthy.  I have struggled, not going to lie, but I have not cheated.  I am trying to eat 3 times a day with a couple of snacks in between.  I find the evenings the most difficult, that time after supper and before bedtime is when I am the hungriest.  It sucks.  Hopefully it will get easier as I go along.  I don't ever expect to be this skinny girl, but I do want to be more comfortable, something I am not right now.  I would love to be able to show my own dogs again if I feel like it, Ash anyway , that's if I decide to show him again, still on the fence about that.
Well there you have, 1 week down!

Juice Plus

I am about to embark on a new journey in an attempt to get healthy.  Have you heard of Juice Plus? If not take a moment to read about it.  It has great reviews and lots of science behind it.  This is not a meal replacement diet.  It is a jumpstart for me to start eating properly and getting the right nutritional needs.  I am optimistic and excited to begin, I want to be comfortable in my own skin again, I want to be healthy. I will keep you all updated as to my progress.  Wish me luck!

This and That

Lync, Ash and Kort yesterday during our walk

Not much has been happening since my last post.  I signed Lync up for some obedience classes focusing on heeling.  We are getting there slowly, there is a lot of room for improvement however especially when cutting back on the treats. Lync works much harder when the treats are involved .
Work is going really well, I am actually surprised I am enjoying grooming again. I am still working part time, 30 hours a week, but that suits me just fine.

The dogs are doing well, the horrible cold snap we had has finally passed.  We had days of -40-45 C on a few days and I couldn't get the dogs out even to exercise them.  With the warmer weather now we have been getting out for some fun runs 4 times a week.

Tomorrow I am taking Kort to work to bath and groom him, I had Ash done last week.  I love this perk of working at a grooming shop, sure saves on the mess in the house.

That's about all for now!

January 1 2017

Welcome 2017!

Today we are having a blizzard, it is the perfect day to stay inside, take down Christmas and just chill with the dogs.  Brad is working nights so he is fast asleep.

I am glad to see 2016 go, it had a lot of downs, the worst being my sweet sister passing away in April, my heart still hurts so bad, but it did have some ups as well.  I finally found a job, one I have now been at for 6 months, grooming, I never thought I would do it again but here I am.  I guess if you are good at something you shouldn't fight it, grooming is my calling I suppose.  I am not sure how long I will be able to continue, it' not an easy job, but I will continue as long as I can, at least until Brad and I are more financially secure.

I have some goals for this year, one being trying for Lync's CD title.  I need to get back into classes, I'm putting those off until Spring, I just don't like going out in the winter, especially at night. I will also get back into tracking with Ash in the Spring hopefully, maybe even take Kort out as well.

I hope this year brings nothing but happiness to you and yours, Happy New Year!