This weekend was spent in New Mexico letting the girl visit the boyfriend. I decided that I would take Ice with me since I apparently have a really tough time being without him. My mother also went on this trip - a little bonding time I suppose (we all had a good time).
Most of our time was spent in the hotel room - which I didnt mind because it allowed me to work on computer stuff and play with the dog. LoL. He was performing his rear foot tricks all weeknd, mostly for my mom but the entertainment value was really high. Mom had not spent alot of time with Ice so she worried about things like getting up on the desk or going through her coat. Once I explained to her that IF Ice was doing anything that appeared “wrong”, most likely there was a toy involved, she relaxed and found out that I was correct
Anyway, what I wanted to say was that Sunday morning we went down into the lobby for breakfast and I brought Ice. I asked him to lay down next to the table while we were fixing our breakfast plates and he did, tucking himself neatly under the edge of the table. A gentleman walked in with his little dog on a 8′ leash (of course not under control). I was across the room and I told Ice to “stay” and “leave it”. He did. The man of course felt it necessary to let his little dog close to Ice (not close enough to touch, but you know the length that says “my dog is friendly and I want to see if you dog will eat him or play” closeness). Ice stayed and stayed quiet. The young man at the table next to ours looked over and Ice and said “What a GREAT dog!”. Of course I was beaming and very politely said thank you!!!! He wanted to know Ices name and later at the elevator told us he had so much personality and wished he had a free hand to pet him. :) When he said Ice’s name Ice of course went over to him tail wagging - but was very polite and did not jump up.
I was extremely pleased with Ice this weekend - he was so “correct” with everything he did. :) I say this as I am sitting in the Co. Spgs Tech center listening to a “so call” service dog BARK inside the hotel outside of the rooms where the poor children are trying to focus on their tests!!!! I have recently gotten myself involved once again to the plight of people with disabilities who are using service dogs to assist them. The problem always is access and the publics lack of education in allowing access for these dogs. BUT sitting here being totally annoyed by the dogs constant whining (its a GSD) and the out of the blue “barks” I can once again see the point that is always made. Your dog MUST be well disciplined to do this kind of work. They cannot go into public and ANNOY people.
I know! Im a die hard. I went back to the board on the ground but still could not get any lights to go on in Ice’s head… so I kept working on something until the light went on… I have the board on a 24″ table and the hoop off the board (at the end) by about 2′. We have light! We have had four training sessions and he has not missed one. He is solid four in the contact. We need to move higher but I dont have a table that goes higher - lol. I will have to think about it.
Well last night was the test. I used Ice’s cool out coat and his elevated bed to see if I could keep him from limping. His usual Wednesday night three-legged issue did not show up this week. Yeah!!! I have not allowed him to play prior to class and then once in building 2 I kept him warm. I did not see any issues for the first time in three weeks. I feel really confident of his soundness as time goes on.
The weekend showed me no limping and then this week.. I think that keeping his muscles warm is really helping. Will keep you posted. The coat is called “Back On Track” and its the mesh sheet. Pricey, but I think its worth it. www.backontrack.eu
We had a great weekend at AKC - Ice run three runs both days and did an awesome job. We both did! I got my boot off on Wednesday, so immediately got into the ring. Lots and lots of running, I tried a new warm up and cool down routine with Ice and Baby. I have been so worried about how sound Ice is that I have been making myself insane. Because this was the big trial for CKC in Denver there was lots of shopping available. I went over to shop for a “cool down” coat for Ice. I wanted something light, airy, high on the neck, low on the legs. I cant believe I found one! So far I am in love with it, bought one for Baby and one for Ice and used them all day today. No stiffness in either dog, no limping no lameness. The coats are made with some special ceramic bits lining that is supposed the be this “all healing” product. I have been reading about it the last couple days and I figure, cant hurt to try. Except for the fact that they carry a very pricey tag - what the heck. We also bought some dog beds (the ones that are elevated). I will have one in my building to try and keep Ice off the cold ground during my class nights. He will also be wearing his new coat. I am hoping that the combination of these two changes takes away the weekly lameness that I have been seeing. If this weekend is an indication, I am jazzed.
Ice finished his Novice Standard title yesterday (onto to Open today) and his Open jumpers with weaves today (so onto Excellent). He also did two rounds of FAST, one of which was a first place (with all 80 possible points) and today was a 4 th place (should/would have been first if he had not jumped his 7 aframe and knocked the 8 double). He did however do both distance challenges with grace and speed. He hit every entry for weaves this weekend with fantastic speed. I kept all the pressure off him and I think both of us had a fantastic time. I will post video when I have it.
We had a wonderful training session tonight, although I must say that maybe taking 3 dogs down to train may not have been my most brilliant though
I have continued to live with my denial about my contacts. I have always felt that Ice man was one of those dogs that could “get” a running contact concept. I spent months and months on it and it ended without success. I have talked about giving them up, even went in and taught and “touch and hold” along the way, but somehow always returned to the hopes that he would someday have them. So, like I said I have continued with my denial.
I took some time off because of my foot and inability to run but Sunday night I went out and ran the contacts (being that I have a show this weekend) LOL. I placed a stride regulator right above the yellow as well as a hoop at the end and we ran that a couple times. I was not pleased with Ice’s questions about what to do (I completely understand he would be confused since I have managed to paint him the most perfect gray photo of his critera,) He would do a nice up and over but creep the down. I removed the stride reglators and swapped my square hoops for my round ones. He responded much better but not exactly as I would like - I accepted it as a start.
Tonight, when I began I moved the hoops well off the contacts and used my clicker to mark the stride that I wanted. The first run was awesome!! Lots and lots of praise and tug. I love when he is really pleased with himself because he wags his tail as he tugs. :) Way cool. Second run, going the other direction, he strided completely over the yellow. I didnt say anything, just ran back and tried again. Third run was gorgeous again, lots of priase and celebration. Forth rep was equally as successful. And we quit.
We came in the house and pulled out the doggie crack and worked on some of our new tricks. He was very eager to work… success!
I was thinking that Ice had an issue or two in his back that was presenting in his right rear leg so I took him out to Jim DeKeiffer this weekend to get him a massage. Jim says that basically he is a little tight back there but nothing major. He gave me some exercises/stretching to to do that I had been doing with Ice prior. He says if I can get him to stretch the rear we could get a much better stride. Glad to hear that all his muscles are even, recommended some road work of some sort - I am thinking a nice trot on the tread mill to keep everything even. May have to teach a lunge to him for warm up. Headed out now to see what I can do. Its cold!!!!!
His back has been giving him trouble so I took him to Jim deKeiffer for a massage. He says he just feels alot stiffer in the back. I think he feels better tonight and ready to work. I watched Susan Solos dvd on jumping and I think we will start working on things… building him back up
Ice and I have been really working hard on our foundation discrimination and distance work. Since I am locked into my stinkin boot for 2 more weeks running is a bit of a pain. So, distance is the thing. I am working on getting him to take the obstacle that I am “looking” at (not pointing at) on verbal and eye only. This is coming along Our “left” and “right” commands are getting much better as we learn to read each other and listen. I have to be quicker with the command and he needs to actually pay attention to the words and not guess the answer.
As I was teaching the “around” (to take the backside of a jump) I realized that I had one word that meant two different things. I send him around me with an “around” and I was asking for the back side of a jump with an “around” me. I couldnt figure out why he just did not seem to grasp this move until the little light went on for me. So I changed the word to “push” which some of my students used and low and behold the little guys light went on too - so that is now progressing well.
Our discrimination from tunnel head to tunnel head has been going awesome as well. Things not going well…. hhmm. Wraps.. this dog will not collect himself on a jump if there was a fire to avoid on the other side! We will be working with gates (as suggested by my favorite instructor) so we can gain the muscle memory for these collection/wraps. Oh, contacts - still struggling with the running contact. I know that this dog is super smart and if he is not grasping this its because I have not found the right way of presenting it, I will keep trying. We do have a nice aframe, but still have trouble with teeter, dogwalk and the shut down on the table, other than that and collection/wraps and confidence to drive out on something other than weaves I am very happy with what we have. Two more weeks of boot and then we will compete again at CKC after being out for 4 months.
