Weave

This is what we've been working on for about the past two weeks

We've trained the weaves vaguely using Susan Garretts 2x2 method, training was pretty sporadic at first because of the stupid weather. Initially I used 6 garden stakes covered in white tape, and because of our small garden we were carting those stupid poles to all the parks we go to. But as Pepper got the idea and got faster (which happened surprisingly quickly) the poles weren't cutting it - she was running right through them as she could just bash them out of the way. So a lady who is in the same dog club and who I also work with very kindly offered me her "proper" competition weaves to borrow - just the nicest thing, and I'm so so grateful. The above video only shows 8 poles as that's all we can fit into out garden (we have a back yard too but its an annoying shape and part concrete.) but we've been training with 12 at the park down the road (these weaves are a little less portable than my flimsy poles!) Mostly we train using a toy for drive but someone ate someones last ball yesterday. I'm really pleased with how she's going, now to work on proofing entries.

Pepper got an awesome new collar this week - courtesy of our friend Helen from "AroundaHound" - she makes gorgeous handmade martingale collars out of cool fabrics, they're so well made and now Pepper's pretty much the hippest dog on the block - so thanks heaps Helen, can't wait for my next one!

We meet up with Helen, her husband Noel-John and their dogs Snoopy & Arrow for a f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g cold walk at the beach earlier in the week. It was getting dark so the pictures are a bit blurry. Peppers not terribly sociable with other dogs - she'd rather play with her ball, but when Snoopy's around it a different story, man does she love that dog! While we froze they had a blast and acted like looneys.

"Ready Snoopy?"

"Gooooo!"
Arrow was very restrained and the only dog to stay still to have his picture taken!
It's hard work training and playing, can't go past a good snooze in the sun to recover.

Oh and this "I love my AroundaHound collar" photo got an extra smile courtesy of Leilei - thanks :)

Starting agility and a 3rd prize

So we started agility training finally last week, after having to wait an extra 3 months because of Peppers scabbie paw problems. The instructors of the class we're in seem really nice, so friendly and helpful and totally positive and into clicker training. One of them has the most awesome beautiful black and tan Kelpie that I think I'm in love with and want to steal. They take things really quietly for the first 8 weeks, with more focus on handling the dog correctly rather than equipment at this early stage which I think is the right approach.

We went to our second ever obedience show today, was originally going to go for a walk to the beach with the "aroundahound" crew but the weather wasn't playing ball so I decided to head out to Ardmore for a look at the last minute. We entered elementary and Pepper was great fun again - two lapses of attention in the ring during the short bit of heelwork, outside she was very very good though, and certainly an improvement on the last time. Again a perfect recall and nailed her stays. We always seem to be right beside a dog that breaks - this time we were in the middle of two, very nerve racking but she was a good girl and didn't move a muscle. We got third! (cue obligatory ribbon shot)

And won a sweet giant tennis ball that was rapidly destroyed and partially consumed.

And in honor of Bodies tongue tied blog post a few days ago, here is Peppers super unsophisticated side tongue effort.

My dog is an accident waiting to happen

The weather finally seems to have turned – after what seems like literally months of persistent heavy never ending rain, the sun has come out! And its been sunny for 4 days in a row (and counting!) I love love love summer.
We haven’t been to the off leash dog park just down the road for many months, its just been too wet there, the one time we did venture there the mud was over the top of my gumboots in some spots, and it’s a pretty crap place to go at the best of times anyway. But its passable for when I’m working night shift and haven’t the energy to go far.

So, anyway. We popped down there 2 days ago and Pepper was doing the whole “zoomy zoomy” dog thing speeding around when “crrrrrack” she smacked right into a really big rock that was hidden in the long grass. It made such a sickening noise and she somersaulted twice and then started crying and wouldn’t get up. As I ran over, oh god, all I could think was broken leg. Then she was up and not weight bearing. And then……. She ran off chasing another dog. Totally fine. I know she hit it hard but man she’s a real drama queen. Way to give me a heart attack.




We've been exploring different beaches as because of daylight saving starting some of our usual ones are off limits during the day. Today we went to St Leonards Beach in Takapuna, it was gorgeous, we stayed for nearly 2hours cause there were heaps of other dogs that were good players.




And the long haul up the steps to get home.

Dumbbell & Backy-upy

We started training a formal dumbbell retrieve last week and its been (so far and touch wood) surprisingly easy to train. I had attempted to teach Pepper a hold command with normal objects about 6months ago but she never really got it, so I imagined lots of dropping and chewing of the dumbbell. But we just started right from the beginning with tiny baby steps and she rapidly (within 5 minutes!) had a good sustained hold with no mouthing. Such a good girl. And man does she love the dumbbell, we worked lots on building drive for it and now she starts to screech and bounce and yowl when I get it out.

Because its been so wet we've done most of the training inside, I can tell you that a wooden dumbbell vs wooden floors isn't the best, wish we had carpet!

Last night I taught her the turn around and back up between my legs trick. She thought it was very exciting, although would get a little confused and start offering the occasional backwards circle (which shes never been taught) or would just spin and leap.

No, she didn't topple the palm tree, it fell down in the storm we had last week. But its been a source of amusement, with lots of bits to rip off and drag into the house. Such fun.

Cross-country Dog

Poor Pepper. I'm taking my horse withdrawals out on her.

Found an off leash park on the road out to Murawi beach that also has an arena and a cross-country course, so naturally she was encouraged to play horsey and zoom around and over some of them.

Weeeee over the wall

Down a bank

Bigggg jump

Its actually suprisingly difficult to co-ordinate getting the dog over jump, while holding/throwing the ball and trying to taking pictures.

And this is what I would really like to be doing again :( Soon hopefully, when I'm rich and own a farm.

Weeeeeeeeeee

Big bad earthquake

Everyone in NZ will know all this but for those of you that don't live here, there was a big earthquake on Saturday in Canterbury (which is in the middle of our South Island). It struck at 0435am and was a 7.1 on the Richter scale. It has caused widespread damage to property across the region but incredibly and thankfully there has been no loss of life (although a Lemur did die at the zoo - he drowned) We used to live (and work) in Christchurch and our families live south of there. I imagine it's been a pretty horrible two days for everyone, especially my old workmates in the Christchurch Emergency Department.

Pictures of the devastation

Now something lighter - I saw how lots of other people had taught their dogs to get a tissue out of the box and and bring it over so we played around with this one afternoon (and destroyed an entire box of tissues in the process) Such fun! Such mess......

And Pepper has another poor sore paw - its on the big pad in the middle of the right leg this time. This is the third separate pad infection in 6 weeks so discussed with the vet today and if another one crops up we're planning to do biopsies to see if there's anything weird (like an auto-immune disorder) that causing them. Back on yet more bloody antibiotics in the mean time.