Cookies, they are magically delicious

Tonight we went to Petco to practice my heeling. Our next lesson in Monday and we've only done our homework once so far in almost two weeks. So we are a little behind.

I was very good, though. We heeled with attention while a family came in with a Springer Spaniel. The dog was so out of control, and the man was kind of embarrassed. But it shouldn't be such a big surprise for him, 'cause you should have seen the kids! When they couldn't get their dad's attention they started yelling "Dad Dad Dad" and running around the store. The little boy was on roller skates and almost ran into me. If those parents can't train the kids, no wonder they couldn't train that poor spaniel. Actually the spaniel was better behaved than the kids.

Anyway, despite all this, I just looked at my mom while we walked around. She says I am very good and reasonably smart too.

Then, we bought some cookies, one bag for big dogs, and a small bag for puppy dogs. I guess Jewel gets the small bag.


Yum! 

Green!

We got a green ribbon! We didn't score very well, but hey the wind was up, it's spring, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping....anyway, we qualified and got our first Novice Rally leg.


Waiting in the car 


Here's the course all set up 


I won a green ribbon! 

Tally-ho Rally-O

Today mom and I are very busy getting the (new) refrigerator fixed and packing up the car to go to the dog show. Mike's babysitter is coming to stay with him. He's having a bit of trouble lately with walking and standing up, so it's better if he doesn't have to get in and out of the car. Jewel, annoyingly, is coming with.

Here's a couple of photos, the first is me doing a stay (I do hate that flash), and the second one is me summer before last when I was about 8 weeks old. I was much cuter, smarter, and nicer than Jewel, if I do say so myself.


I have a good stay, as long as there's nothing better to do 


This is me when I was a puppy, in case you were wondering what I looked like 

Rally-O

Last night mom and I locked up the other dogs in their crates and went for a walk. We really should do that more often.

She's a little worried about my heeling, since we're entered in a Rally trial on Sunday. But I showed her how well I remember everything. I really like Rally, because mom talks to me the whole time. A guy needs a little feedback, you know?

Hopefully tonight we will practice some more. I'll try to get a photo.

Gamesmanship

I like to play games with Jewel. I don't always get to, because I'm so big compared to her. But she's growing fast (see chart at right). One of our favorite games is tug o' war. I let her win sometimes.


Tug o' war (right to left: me, Jewel, Mike who is annoyed by the game in general) 


Still playing..... 

Training report follows:
1) worked on go outs to the Alley Oop target
2) worked on that darn dumbbell thing. Now I'm totally confused, so we went back a few steps. Just don't get that. I think it has something to do with backing up...?

Jewel says she is going to the Alley Oop about 5 feet away. She is working on NOT biting mom when she is following mom. Also, she had two accidents this morning. Next she is going to work on "go to your place". I think that one's dumb, my place is next to mom, so I was never very good at that.

Party all day

We are very tired. Yesterday was Sunday, which is not a mom-work day. We slept late and got up at 5 am when Jewel woke everyone up because she had to go out.

Then, because the weather was so nice we worked in the yard. Jewel got to play in MY POOL.


Playing in the pool 

Still playing 

Still playing......! 

Later I played with Jewel under the coffee table. Note to the guy at Starbucks who said I was fat -- I can still fit under the coffee table. I prefer to think of myself as sleek.

Under the coffee table 

My to-do list

Last Monday we had both agility and obedience. That was great. Afterwards, mom made me cookies.

Here's our list of stuff to practice:
Obedience
(1) Heel in big circles with varying number of steps so I don't know when the click will be and so I have to work real hard
(2) Come in to front, but now I have to come closer and bumping mom is okay now but before it wasn't so I'm a little confused by that. I think mom is too.
(3) Stand up from a sit with mom at my side. That's dead simple.
(4) Stays for about 20-30 seconds with major distractions like when we are outside the Starbucks and everyone is noticing how handsome I am and they are right of course.
(5) Mom has to figure out what exactly she wants from me regarding the dumbbell. She says she has to think that one over so we are taking a break from that game, although that game is one of my favorites.
Agility
(1) Mom has to move the big heavy board to the back yard and set it on the PVC bump so I can work on 2O/2O some more because I seem to have forgotten where my back end is. I can start near the end of the board if mom says it is okay.
(2) We also have to set up the weave poles now that it is spring so I can go through those.
(3) Jewel has to start on the tunnel now that she knows all about the bobble board.

Clicker games

Lots to report, I'm a little behind. Monday night there was no agility class as the facility was too wet from rain. But I got a special invitation to come and play, provided we brought Jewel so our instructor could play with her. Fine by me. I got to play frisbee with mom, and I caught quite a few. We also played 2 on, 2 off of the wobbly board. I was beat after that, and so was Jewel. Mike waited in the car.

Last night mom and I played the clicker games in the kitchen, as it was raining hard. We are playing this game, haven't quite figured out all the rules as they keep changing, but it has something to do with the dumbell and me picking it up. Thought I had it cold, but now I have to hold it? I'll let you know what I figure out. Mom says I am very good at clicker games, so it shouldn't take me much longer.

Jewel says she went to the target plate at arm's length (whoa don't strain yourself there), did left and right, and demonstrated she knows what the clicker sound means. She also got to sit in MY BED in the office while mom did email, photo evidence below. Note this is MY BED.

Jewel likes the hammock 

Almost summer now

It's starting to get pretty warm around here! Watch out Cal, we have not forgotten our bet. The spring flowers are already fading, and the grass is growing very fast. Mom's not happy about that.


Tulip tree