Squirrels

The squirrels have been very busy chucking cones out of the trees. It seems awfully early for them to be doing that, could it be they know something we don't?  They are keeping Davie very busy, almost got him on the head yesterday. They are a wonderful training tool!!

Old Man Fir

There has to be a way up there!

Notice: a clean ruff!

Are you sure there isn't an elevator?

Some of Davie's Hound Friends

Davie has met some pretty hounds. They can't figure out why his ears stand up, they keep smelling them.

This is Bella the Basset, she and Davie keep watch while we weed the rose gardens. Oh yes and supreme purse guards.

This is Penny, the Redbone Coonhound that is learning how to trail/track.

Sorry about the picture quality, I need to take a real camera instead of iPhone!

The 11th is a happy day and a sad day

Happy because it is exactly 6 months today that I met Davie for the first time and it is my son's birthday. Sad because it is 8 months today that we lost Maggie May, my beautiful Bluetick Hound. Davie has come a long way since the picture below and he has helped fill the huge hole in my heart.

My first view of Davie

Maggie May

Sorry no picture of my son, I value my life too much to post one of him because he would get even with me!!!

Davie, me and the sheep.

So we went to our second herding clinic this weekend. This video is from day two. Day three was even better, Davie had gained so much confidence and I wasn't quite as scattered (good luck). He was up to the challenge of 20 sheep and took no guff from any of them.

http://youtu.be/kYt0hQyR9zs

The herding is doing soooo much for his confidence. I just need to figure out a way to train the commands with out sheep! And no I can't keep ducks or geese either, although it is a water fowl type of year up here! Any suggestions from anyone reading this would be greatly appreciated.

The Perfect Puddle

Davie found the "Pièce de résistance" of puddles today. Lots of water, enough mud and the perfect depth! What more could a guy ask for???

We do actually do some training.

Since most of the pictures I post in this blog are of us running around or in puddles I thought I had better get some of us having fun doing classes. So this morning a very kind person took some pictures of us. Davie has been taking classes in obedience and agility building blocks since about March. This morning was an obedience/rally class. Davie is so much more relaxed in class.

Heeling Practice

The great thing about Davie is he is both food and toy motivated. And if he starts to get stressed you only have to have a play and he is back in "lets go mode".

He does like to tug!

When I were lucky enough to be able to spend a day and a half at Crufts three years ago I first heard of Cani-Course races. It is an awesome way to either hike or run with your dog but still have them on leash and your hands free. It is especially good for hiking hills as you can still use hiking poles and get a little help up the hills. Going down involves a lot of "easy" training. It develops great thigh muscles! Cani-Cross uses a padded waist belt, a special line that has a section of bungee like cord which is connected to a harness with good chest padding. We have been using a sled harness. The equipment very similar to that used for skijoring. I have had Davie in this since about May. There is a Cani-Cross Meet and Fun Run in Quesnel in August. So Davie and I and one of his husky buddies and her person are going to go try it.  This is the first one I have heard of up in this region.

Davie in training for Cani-Cross

Yes we have been in a mud puddle.

It has definitely been a prime year for "Puddle Man".

So Quiet!

Well Catja and Benji have gone home and Davie misses them, even though he gets to walk with them every day. Although I do think he enjoys the fact that no one is borrowing his bed. But we have discovered he likes the bed I had upstairs for Benji. He is a little large for it but doesn't seem to care. His head won't fit but the carpet works as a chin rest.

Huh, what, I do so fit!

Sorry eyes won't stay open.

Davie likes spending time on the deck surveying his domain. It is a good spot to keep an eye on those pesky squirrels

I'm listening to you!

And sometimes it is just a nice place to relax.