Who knew He liked water???

Rainy Day

Since it is pouring rain and we can't continue yard work it is time for an update. Well week one of retirement is complete and I love it. Not sure Davie does, I seem to be wearing him out. We have been going to the training centre to do some work almost every weekday morning. He really enjoys going down there to play and train. We are so lucky to belong to an agility club that has this indoor facility available to work in. Training at home is okay but the extra space there and equipment are wonderful. Then we have been doing spring clean up and of course our daily walks.
We went horse hauling last Wednesday and Davie got to play with some red and white border collies. But his biggest fascination was the cat. The cat that followed us everywhere! Then when I sat down to watch a riding lesson she preceeded to climb up my back and then cuddle up and go to sleep in my lap.

 
Poor Davie didn't know what to do. He finally decided sniffing the cat was a safe idea. The cat continued to purr and looked at him as much as to say, "Sorry you don't fit I do so buzz off."

We have had some additional helpers in the garden. They seem to think crocus are a spring delicacy. Sorry about the wrong date forgot to reset on the critter cam.

That's it for now

Davie practicing for scooter pulling

Since Davie has decided that all trees have a squirrel hiding in them we have started to do harness practice when walking on bush trials. Recall off squirrels needs some work!
This is only his second day and he isn't doing to bad!!

http://youtu.be/K1qggTc6Z6A

The Last Two Weeks

Well spring may actually be here. And the nice white snow that has been keeping the handsome Davie's ruff so white is slowly melting into wonderful water/mud that is turning him into this throughly wet, dirty, very happy guy. He loves puddles. It is "whoopee" lets see how many we can run through. So next project is a video of this mud monster. I am thinking that when it comes to swimming this summer he will be a fast learner. And he is dropping enough coat to provide the birds with some very soft nest lining

 Davie and Catja have a new game called "Let's see how fast we can run holding a rope at either end." It is a joy to watch them

This is a clean puddle.

 Davie also discovered that squirrels go up trees then sit and chatter at you. Way different than gophers that go down holes. He was insisting he was going to sit under the tree and wait until we convinced him it was more fun to run up the trail. Besides once he learns he has his own set of squirrels at home he can spend all the time he wants looking up trees.

We have also been working at shaping with the clicker. It took him under 3 minutes to learn how to pray on a chair. Second time we tried it it had it in three clicks. We are now working on a perfect prayer. And we have pushing a large ball with your nose close. We just have to get out of the lying position when we push the ball.
Somewhere I have a telescoping target ball I bought at Crufts 4 years ago, but do you think I can find it!! Found everything else but. The hunt is on.

And we only have 7 more sleeps left until Davie has to put up with me full time!! And he and Dan are now walking to the mail boxes and down the road. Riding in the truck seems to be a good thing. He will take treats from Dan's hand. The forced close proximatety seems to be good. Dan deserves a big metal for patience.

The little sweetie below is Davie's wire haired Dachshund buddy who came to spend yesterday afternoon. Davie likes her and she thinks he is OK for a Border Collie, she is deer watching.

This is the deer

Bad Blogger

It has been two weeks since the last update. Time is going too quickly, winter has left, well according to the calender, and spring is here. Although from this picture you would never guess!! Hungry moose from the kitchen window.

Davie's own private frozen moose turd provider!

It has been six weeks today since Davie came home. That is such a short time but it feels like he has been here forever. He has really settled into the routine around here. The only remaining issue is his lack of trust with the guy in this house. It is SLOWLY getting better. Especially now that that person has realized this is a long term project and that if he is patient it will happen sooner. I must admit the two of them have had me in tears which doesn't help either of them. It has also forced me to do more research on fearful dogs and to realize he is on the far left of the spectrum if you call the far right the worst.

He loves out daily runs on the bush with his two buddies. We are lucky to have a place where the snow has been well packed so we can still do a good walk without the dogs or us breaking though the snow.

Davie has also started classes and is a pro at "no mugging". He is comfortable in class and it is good that there are two guys in class so he isn't just surrounded by females of both the two legged and four legged variety.

Shiloh, Ivan and Lexi

We went and watched the huskies sledding for two Sundays, Davie didn't get to try because the last day it was too hard packed for a beginner. He has however got his own harness now thanks to his Auntie Franny so we will be trying that with a waist belt over the summer so he gets used to it. If we get really brave we may even try him on the dog scooter!!
Davie is an awesome dog, he loves to play with toys, is food motivated, and likes other dogs, so I could not ask for much more. He is very well behaved, but also has a mischievous streak, he loves to steal shoes and clothes. We will work though his fear of people. After all Maggie and Abby couldn't leave me with the perfect dog or what would I have to challenge me. Abby was my perfect dog, Maggie was my teacher..
For now Davie's job is to help fill the hole in my heart that they left behind. He is doing a very good job. He looked at me today, when a little brown Abby turd appeared from under the snow and I almost started to cry, as much as if to say. "It's okay I am here now and we are going to learn so much together."

It has been a Month!

Only thing better than this would have been Heli sking!

Since the horrible drive from Jasper to home! Hard to believe. So what have we done in the last week. Well winter was still here last Sunday but it was -8 and a beautiful sunny day. We broke a new snow shoe path and played out a Border Collie!! Davie really likes the snow.

Then on Monday we had a visit from a moose that left Davie his own pile of fresh frozen turds. Apparently you don't roll in them any more, they are actually yummy!
And he got to meet Kim who started all this! Thanks Kim!

Sleepy Moose

Best of all on Wednesday the moose was standing in the back yard and Davie saw him up close from the back window. Apparently BCs don't bother this moose he bedded down in the back and had a 4 hour rest then moved to the front and trimmed the apple trees. And actually did quite a good job. I won't have much to do in the spring.

Saturday was a busy day. Davie got to come to work with me and rest in the truck. It was a short work visit so he was quite happy to have a nap. Then the fun began we went down to the Agriplex to watch the Top Dog Agility Trial. We sat up in the stands and people came to meet him. He was a perfect gentleman and got to meet a terrific bunch of dog people and eat a WHOLE bunch of treats. Thanks to everyone who was sooo welcoming. It is wonderful to be able to have help from such a great bunch of people. He was comfortable enough that we made a short swing through the crating area to go find some of those nice people. He loved watching the dogs run!!
After that if was time for Davie to get to go into the real bush. We went for a two hour walk/snowshoe up one of our favorite trails. There he got to see the really big trees. He is now sound asleep on the ceramic floor in the bathroom. He opens an eye once in a while to make sure I am still here.

A prairie boy in the trees

Davie and Catja

Oh yes and spring arrived today. It was +9!!  Tomorrow we are going to go sledding with the huskies and probablt drop in on the Top Dog Agility trial again. Then this week we start classes with Davie. And continue working on trusting the man person in the house. We are still scared of him and he is being very patient. We are close.

Wow a week has gone by!!

It has been a busy week and we have gone from -32 with wind chill to a beautiful -5 today with some sun. And a pile more snow which Davie happens to love. We had a near encounter with a deer this morning. The poor thing was in the middle of the yard finding something to eat. Luckily Davie was more interested in his Jolly Ball so ignored the poor thing when it took off out the driveway. Snow on the level in the yard is probably at least a meter and a half deep. Here are some more snow pictures!!

Help I'm sinking!!

Catja

Davie has settled in nicely but is still scared of the man person, we are making slow progress. It will take a while. We start doggy classes on Monday night.