Roxee

There is a new Rescue group in Lethbridge, it is called Windy City Rescue. They are geared toward older dogs, but will take on younger ones in need as well.
I was trying to come up with some way to help them out & Wendy suggested grooming. The idea was perfect for me and today I got to help out my very first dog.
Meet Roxee, she is an Am. Cocker Spaniel. She is super sweet and was super good to groom!
Here are some before and after pictures of Roxee, hopefully she will find her forever home soon, who could resist her!
Before......

After......

Before......

After......

Before......

After......

Birthday Wishes

I'm sure everyone will join me in wishing Diana, aka: "Squishy's mom", a Happy Birthday today!!
Have a good one!

Ups and Downs.....

Tonight at our Scent Hurdle practice Kort blew me away!
Today has been a day of mixed emotions regarding Kort, let me explain......
This morning started out rather badly when I had to cut our walk short due to Kort refusing to stop barking. We had gotten about 10-15 min. into our walk when a couple of dogs walked by in the distance with their owner. For some reason today I could not get Kort back in control, & the barking & whining escalated into howling!, so, I turned around & went home, end of walk....this stayed on my mind all day, wondering if I was doing everything I could do to help Kort become the well behaved dog I know he can be.
Then tonight happens......to fully appreciate this I need to mention that Kort has "just" started to hold & pick up his dumbbell, like maybe 2 months, no more. So at Scent Hurdle practice tonight we worked on retrieving the dumbbell over 2, then 4 jumps, & bringing it back over the jumps. Kort had no problem, I put him in a stay, ran up to the end of the 4 jumps, placed his dumbbell on the box, returned & told him "take it"....he flew over the 4 jumps, grabbed his dumbbell & returned back over the 4 jumps with it in his mouth !!!! It wasn't just a fluke either, he did this about 4 times!! WOW!!... seriously !!! WOW!!
Then we worked on scent discrimination. Kort retrieved his own dumbbell each time. The final time it was his dumbbell, plus 2 others. He ran up, sniffed each dumbbell, grabbed his & returned back with it. He made me very very proud tonight....I love this dog, really really love him, I just wish he didn't mess with my emotions so much!

Wow !

What a difference 5 months can make!.....
Kort, October 2009......

Kort, March 2010......

I knew Kort's coat was in great shape but I didn't realize just how much length he had grown until I looked at the picture from last Oct.
Years ago I was told that my collies would never carry enough coat as I bathed them too much, but I didn't listen. I believe a healthy coat is a clean coat.
What do you think?

Crate Games

I didn't think I would ever see a crate in my living room again......not when I have 8 year old & 2 year old dogs !
However it became very apparent after my dog show weekend in Camrose that I need to do something with Kort. Kort is a wonderful , smart dog. Amanda says "too smart", & I agree. He travels in a crate in my van all the time, but when we are at rally, agility, scent hurdling practice , or at a dog show he is a different dog. He barks, constantly, whether I am away from his sight or in his sight. In Camrose it escalated to a terrible level, so bad that I couldn't leave our benching area without him barking. I would try to sneak away when he fell asleep, but within minutes I could hear him barking across the room. At one point our Sheltie neighbour told Dianne that she was tired of the barking. I'm not sure if it is me he is barking for, I didn't think he had separation anxiety, but who knows. He is a stubborn boy, always wanting his own way, spoiled , well, perhaps a bit !
I am embarrassed & annoyed at myself for not getting this fixed sooner. So, out comes the crate again. I am starting him over....making the crate an exciting place to be, many times a day I ask him to "crate", he runs in & I treat him for being inside, he can't come out until I release him with an "ok". Next I will be closing the door with him in it & building up the time I am doing that, if he is quiet he will get a treat. Eventually I will close the door completely while I am doing things around the house, or training Tate. Hopefully he will learn at some point he is not the center of the universe.
Anyone who has any other suggestions please feel free to post them!