This might  not seem like a biggee to many, but if you know Rush it is.  And if you live with her, even bigger. Last night I was downstairs (in my new living room).  Its about a 3 step down from the main room.  Rush came into the room and stood at the doorway.  I thought she was staring at me and I made eye contact with her - she started to wag her tail, then came down the stairs, through the pack of dogs and right to me continuing to way her tail the whole time!   I was thrilled!  :)   Rush doesnt wag her tail (although she has been doing it more) and she doesnt come to people for attention (although that has been well).  For me, this is quite the break through and we have been working on it for a very long time.  I think  she is like this because of all her surgery’s because she wasnt like this as a baby.  One wag at a time!

After I take Ice out for training he earns up a “friends” session which is where all the friends get to play with him (if he does well of course).  After friends then I work with Rush.  What she does not is after the last throw and I say “house”, she stays in the farthest part of the field frozen.  she wont move to acknowledge that you have called her.  Then once I put everyone away and have come back out of the house she will come running up to me to see where we will be training!  BRAT!  She wont come in unless she has had HER turn, even if I say “WHACK!”

She just came off a two day rest because she had been overdoing it lately and had been limping solid.  She hated her time off!  Too bad!  Take it easy!  Yeah! Right!  Anyway came back to work today and of course she had absolutely NO recollection of what weaves were.  They are close enough now that she actually has to “S” her body through.  I have wires on the entry and exit (for entry work).  She would just pass everything up like she had never done them!  Again, BRAT!  I put her on leash and treated her like a baby twice - then, miraculously she remembered  :)  Shes a strange one.

I wanted to add to Rush’s blog about the changes I am starting to see in her since her surgery.  Rush stopped greeting people with tail wags when she started to hurt.  She slept alot and seemed depressed.   Just this week she has started approaching me with a smile and a wagging tail.  She goes out of her way to say hello now and seems more active.  I hope as she continues to heal that this will continue.

Her training is also increasing and she is now comfortable jumping 16″.  I dont have her jump much, I work stantions only alot because she will get sore.  Her foundation is looking good although I really need to teach heel and side. 

You may have noticed that I have not posted about my weave work in a while.  I was getting a little frustrated with the 2×2 method for Rush.  She was having a really hard time progressing through the stages and for me it just became not worth it anymore.  Before her surgery we had worked on channels with guides and she really took to it.  I decided to go back to the channels.

Yesterday I put her on full open channels (no guides) and she loved it.  She was really driving out to them and through them.  Today I added two guides to the off-side and one guide to the on-side to help her with the entries.  I dont want to teach her just to take them only when I line her up, I want her to find them.  The first session was great.  I have not worked a second session yet today.

I am very pleased and I feel that our progress will be much better.  I know there are alot of dogs out there that are loving the 2×2 method, but I think you have to go with what you are comfortable with as well as the dog.  So, here we are!

double click any photo and double click again to enlarge

Some video of Rush - she is really looking good

She has really been favoring that hip over the past week.  That is why I have not posted anything.  I have been trying to get her to stretch more and move things but she is really reluctant.  I put on the Yogo and stretching video and she just sits there!  Wont even get on the mat and try!

Yeah, just kidding…. what a dork.  I have to stretch  her and she hates it (I wish there was a video for dogs to do  :)  )  I did do weaves last week and some “no bar” serpentines, but her enthusiasm was not there for the jumps stantion stuff.  the weaves were good.  I have to get her on some supplements, that will help with the pain maybe…

Before Rush had her surgery we had started working weaves through the channel method with some guides.  We were having good success, although we did not have too many sessions under our belt.  Rush does not seem to get the 2×2 method - we spend too much time going back, we are stuck I think.  So I believe we are going to go back to our channel work, she seemed to get that.  Ice was taught on this method and his entry and weave work is wonderful.