Friday, December 28, 2007

Back Again

I stayed at K9 Kindercare for a week while Barbara went to NY so I haven't been able to blog. I had a good time there with my Boxer friend Dutch. I was sad when his person came to pick him up because none of the other dogs wanted to play "bump and run" which Dutch and I enjoy. But Barbara finally came to get me yesterday and I am very happy to be home.

Barbara's mother sent a Christmas present for me which was a stuffed penguin. I like it a lot and it squeaks very well. I will probably tear his legs off when I get a chance. Barbara got to meet my new cousin Coby and two other Golden Retrievers. I am very jealous. I missed out on a lot of fun. Next year I will insist that I go to NY for Christmas.

Barbara got a new camera for Christmas and says that she will put more pictures of me on my blog. Well she will if I sit still long enough to have my picture taken!!

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

More Tracking-No Beagles

I went tracking again the other day in the same field where the beagle stole my sausage biscuit and some of the articles. When Barbara and I got there Trotter and Dreamer were already there with Chris. She had brought cheeseburgers from Burger King for tracking rewards. I was very worried that the beagle would be there to steal the cheesburgers but the coast was clear. Barbara and Chris laid the tracks, let them age and then I got to work.

I do so love to track. I made the first two turns easily and found the hairbands with the pieces of cheeseburger under them. There was a can near the track but I ignored it. The last turn was near a woodpile and some sawdust and the scent went all around. I had to circle around many times. Barbara helped me and I made the turn and pulled hard to the last article- a sunhat stuffed with cheesburger!!! Yeah!!! Trotter and Dreamer ran their tracks and got cheesburgers too. A very successful afternoon.

That evening Barbara wrapped Chrismas presents. I love presents and really enjoy tearing up wrapping paper. I inspected all the presents very carefully looking for a dog toy or treats. Barbara seemed quite annoyed when I drooled on some of the presents. I can not understand why-it is only saliva. Alas, I did not find any present for me. I think that Barbara needs to do some more shopping.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Sausage Biscuit Tracking

What a great morning! Barbara and I went out to meet Chris and Dreamer to do some tracking which I love. On the way to the field Barbara stopped at a Burger King and bought some sausage biscuits. But she did not give any to me and I was a bit miffed because they smelled wonderful and even though I had eaten breakfast I could have found room for something as delicious as sausage.

When we got to the field Barbara gave me a tiny piece of biscuit. I thought that she was being stingy. Little did I know that she was going to lay the track with pieces of the sausage biscuit at each interim article and stuff the final article full of sausage! I had to stay in the car while she laid the track and I was whining and carrying on while she was gone. She finally came back and we had to wait while the track aged. Meanwhile Chris was laying a long track for Dreamer. I was very anxious to start my track and was very happy when Barbara finally put me in my special tracking harness. I had a drink of water - it is always easier to track when my mouth is wet- and we set off for the start flag.

There was a bit of biscuit on a sock at the start flag and Barbara said there would be more biscuit to follow. This track had a lot of turns and she wanted the reward to be extra special. I couldn't wait to start tracking and took off in a straight line, nose down into the track. Well we were tricked. While we were waiting for the track to age a beagle came into the field and ate the biscuit pieces and ran away with some of the articles!!! Barbara was bit confused but Chris was walking behind us and helped us restart. I made my turns but that beagle had stolen a glove and a sock and ate the biscuit out of a sun hat. The nerve! Fortunately Barbara has some more biscuit in her bait bag and rewarded me as we went along. I was doing a good job on the track even though it was messed up.

We got to the final leg and I found the slipper which was stuffed with the remainder of the sausage. I am so glad that the beagle didn't find that. Barbara gave me lots of praise for doing such a good job in a difficult situation (and some more treats too). I like the idea of tracking for sausage biscuits but I will be keeping away from kleptomaniac beagles!

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Woe is me

My life is just awful. I am in heat and it means that I missed one of the most exciting events of the year- the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Holiday Parade was yesterday and I didn't get to be in it. It was supposed to be my first time in the parade and I was especially excited because my person Barbara was named the Grand Marshall and the Drill Team was going to march in the very front of the parade. Barbara got to ride in a 1955 Thunderbird convertible. I don't know what a convertible is but I love riding in cars and this would have been fun to do although Barbara was afraid I would jump out. So I missed all the fun with my Drill Team friends. I don't like being in heat and I have to wear nasty bloomers so I don't make a mess.

The day got even worse. Barbara made lots of delicious food and then took it away to my friend Lucy's house for a party! I didn't get any of it and staying home by myself with a rawhide chew was NOT my idea of fun.

Friday, December 7, 2007

Bath Pictures



Here are some pictures from a few weeks ago when I had a bath at Max's Dog Wash. You can see how much I am enjoying myself. NOT!! I love to splash and swim in Jordan Lake but I am not happy about sitting in a tub and having water squirted on me and even worse is the blow dryer. I do not understand this human obsession with clean dogs. We are just fine the way we are.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Tracking Workshop

I love to track. This past Sunday I got to do a lot of it at a tracking workshop at the APS. Gretchen and Marge came back to help us. Unfortunately I just went into heat so I couldn't come in the building but I could go out in the fields and track which is what I love to do anyway. Mona, a nice young German Shepherd Dog, was also in heat so we were sequestered at the end of the field so we wouldn't distract the boy dogs at the workshop.

In the morning I got to work on two tracks, one that was straight and one with turns. Gretchen followed behind us and gave Barbara tips about how to work with me (I already know how to smell things-she is the one that needs to learn!!). Sometimes I quarter a bit to find the sent and Barbara stops but when I am right on track we get to go, go, go! I love to lean into my tracking harness and pull. I am learning to target the articles and I get to eat all the delicious treats Barbara stuffs in them.

In the afternoon we went back to the big field on Hwy 54. Barbara laid another track with several turns in it. I was very impatient for my turn to track and did not want to wait while Laura laid a track for Mona. When I get frustrated I bite my leash a bit which Barbara does not like. Anyway I bit through the tracking line and took off to run the track. I found the sock at the start flag and then raced down the track to the 1st article. I realized that I was free and started to run around the field. I made a big circuit and Barbara called me and I came straight to her very fast. She gave me lots of liver. It took me a while to settle down (and even a longer time for Barbara's heart to stop pounding I think) I was very proud of my great recall and then I still got to do the track which was lots of fun. Can't wait to do some more tracking with my friends.