A Little Progress

Miss Bella is starting to get her shit together.



Trying to be a good girl


Sometimes, though, an argumentative shit


I will lie down. Just very, very slowly

:-)


Sometimes hard to admit you don’t know everything


She’s working through it, though


We may get there yet

Don't You Love The Oldies?

This is our trainers’ old trial dog, Kate

Not to be confused with Dingbat Kate

I think she’s about 103. And I’m not even talking dog years. She is one of those old dogs that just has that look in her eyes that tells you she’s had a good life. Very round, very friendly eyes. Despite her age and one bum leg, she still takes her sheepdog duties very seriously.

Whilst us with the Dummy Dogs chase herd work sheep, she quietly watches the gals in the front pasture.



Occasionally she decides they have had enough of that little bit of grass and could you please meander to another spot? Thankyouverymuch



When the gals have taken up the new spot, Miss Kate can even find the time to smile for a picture

You have to love a dog with a desire to be useful.

Wish I had one.

:-)

Been A Little Busy

And by "busy" I kinda mean completely lazy.

On the dog health front:

Did I tell you that Kate hurt herself? I may have. That’s 2 fun matches we have missed due to Kate being a dingbat. I think she was either getting on or off the recliner that has the dog bed in it and had her leg slip between the arm and the seat of the chair. Healing was slow going on that. I guess we are just going to stick to the more expensive fun matches that many people just call trials. I have her entered in one in July. Gosh help us all.

Bella. Health like horse. Except she has her first lump. And not a lovely lady one. Just one of those fatty things, but still, kinda sad. Another we-ain’t-getting-any-younger reminder.

The agility front has been slow. Trials all clumped together, so flurry of 3 weekends in a row then nothing for 2 months.

We have started working sheep again. OK – sheepdog sidebar here – I know I’m not supposed to say “herding.” I know that would make me one of *those* people, but I feel a little weird saying “working” too. I mean, to me “work” means being useful and none of us are that yet when it comes to sheep. So, for those hard-core Border Collie folks who read this blog, the h-word may slip occasionally. Please don’t think poorly of me for it.

The place that we are going to is very different. Looking for same end product, but approached from different angle. For whatever reason, this angle seems to make more sense to Bella. She seems more settled, more focused. Like something is clicking. Very interested in watching when she is not working (didn’t do this before) and no poop eating! Yay.



She was not thrilled with the long the long line. She has never been on one. To her, leash means not doing anything. First time in she had to be convinced that she wasn’t being set up.



I don’t know enough to put my finger on it, things just seem different now.



And in non-dusty news…. New backyard! Woot!


Although, right now, not so cool. It’s sort of like when people put white carpet in their living room and then don’t allow anyone in there. Can’t use it or walk on it or pee on it or do jump grids. No, no. Needs to do whatever sod does when it comes to live with you.

Looking longingly is allowed.


They think that kinda sucks. :-)

Logic I Don't Get + Trial Pics

Why is it when someone is being an asshole and you point out that they're being an asshole you suddenly become the asshole?

I don't get this. I complain about it at work all the time. Since this is a dog-related blog, I am complaining about it with regard to the general dog owning public.

A friend from agility is having issues with her dog. He's not aggressive, just young, a little insecure, and intolerant of puppies and rude adults. Who isn't?

This is Koda

Quite the scary beast, yeah?

So, we met at the park a few days ago so I could get an idea of how he was acting and get them on the path to recovery. Probably more than 12 steps involved.

We were sitting on a bench just outside the dog park. I see a woman coming with a great dane puppy. Probably 500 lbs already. I get Koda eating. Hard to try to remove puppy face when you are stuffing your own with pastrami.

The woman walks right up to us, proud isn't-my-new-pup-great smile plastered across her face, stops her dog about 8 inches behind Koda's head and just stands there. I don't recall getting the RSVP.

I say, "Could you back your dog up, please? We're training."

Not even mean like.

She gets the most offended look on her face, rolls her eyes a bit and walks away muttering, "I didn't know."

So, I'm rubber, you're glue thing? Now I'm the jerk for saying something? She couldn't bother to ask first? "Hi, I have this brandy new pup I'm socializing, can he say Hi?" Would that have been too hard? I would have gladly said he can greet the brown one, but leave the other 2 alone unless you want his lip pierced.

WTF, people?

Serious post, serious agility dog

Seriously doesn't like collecting
More running, less turning

Bella's Cheering Section

Now, I am not normally a put vids or photos of one's self on the interwebs person, but this one cracks me up. This is Bella's Jumpers run from last Saturday. Jumpers not not funny. Kate, of course, has to be the show stealer. You can see the row of shades on the opposite side of the ring. Kate is in the last one to the left.

Turn your sound up. Listen for the chorus of "iiiiieeeeeeeeoooo" that begins at about 13 seconds.

HAHA. Every damn vid from this weekend soundtracked with screaming.

What can I say? She likes to SING!

You Ever Get That One Shot That Totally Sums Up Your Dog?

Yeah, me too.


I can’t even tell you how Kate that is.

Except maybe to show you that the expression is commonplace around here


Seriously, she was made for that parental expression…

Wipe that grin off your face….


She even effs up shots with a smile


Although sometimes look of concern that Sister may come take her toy


Usually because Sister comes and takes her toy


All good in the ‘hood, though. Sharesies!

Belly's C-ATCH Schwag

The goods are in! I can now fill in the hole on my office wall that used to be filled by ribbons that have since been recycled.

Are you really going to make me do this?


She wasn’t expecting there to be props


Her preferred use for props


I think it’s just peachy that The Bay Team customizes ribbons. However, I’m not sure how I feel about the second billing. :-)


And, of course, we can’t leave out Miss Always A Bridesmade, Never A Bride.


Now, I’m not holding my breath that Kate will ever get anything with a CH anywhere in it, but she is going to her first fun match next weekend! That in itself is a miracle. Cross fingers and paws that she doesn’t stress out!

The Tongues Say It All

“L” is for “Leave me alone”


“M” is for “Man, she’s bitchy”


Did you just call me….wait…M?


How did she do an M?


I can only dot an I over here


I guess I’ll settle for rolling my GRR’s

Back In The Saddle

And sometimes you get back in that saddle head first.

We are talking about Kate here, right?

I guess, if you are going to get back at it, may as well be full steam ahead

I think she takes that reference a little too literally

I think it’s safe to say she’s feeling better

No prob stretching those legs anymore!

Back to the pain-free blank stare

O hai! Alls bettrz!

She's Torn For No Reason

Sorry - crappy cell phone pics enclosed

_________

Normally, Belly the smart one. When she does stuff like this I just stand there with my eyes slightly squinty, head cocked to one side and brow all furled. Did you guys switch bodies?

Let's see here... Raining felines and canines. Already soaked to the bone. Been chasing balls through all sorts of puddles, but, god forbid you step into the puddle to get a drink out of the bowl in the middle of the puddle?

Really Bella? Really?

"Maybe I can streeeetttchh over there"

Seriously, she wouldn't do. Note the fountain right behind here. There's a dog bowl there, too. And, of course, one could always just drink out of the damn puddle, right? Even Kate's looking at like she's a dummy.

Kate would walk through fire to get a drink. Waterholic.

Miss Kate Kate is doing much better. I started letting her run a bit before our two week lockdown ended. Partly because she was feeling better, partly because she was driving me batshit crazy. She only got meds the first few days because she was so painful.

No more gimpy Kate. No more stoned Kate. Although, it is a bit hard to tell the difference between stoned Kate and normal Kate.

The Lone Woof: A Kate-Free Installment

So Kate, being the dingbat that she is – I may have mentioned that a few times - is currently on injured reserve. I have no idea what she did, but she hurt her back. Poor Kate is the perfect example of the fact that ‘biddable’ does not equal ‘smart’.

She wants to do what you ask the nanosecond you ask it. No planning. No thinking. Just move.

Go out to pee? Will do!! Right now!! Ow, the screen’s not open.

Get in the car? Will do!! Right now!! Oww, the door is on the back, not the side.

In my expen? Will do!! Right now!! Owww, I can’t fit through those tiny little wires

And so on.

I think she twisted herself going to bed. Yes. This is the dog that hurt herself falling off of grass, remember? To go to bed, one needs to go down the carpet covered hall. Make a right into the hardwood floored bedroom. 180° turn. Hop on bed. You can see where this could be an issue at 90MPH? Yeah, me too.

So, I have 5 more days of “rest” and we see where she’s at.

Bella has been loving it. So much so that I fear she may start injuring Kate on purpose.

Not only did she get Kate-free time today, she got everyone-free time. Not a soul at the park this morn.

Little brown dog. Park to herself


Enjoying the little patch of morning sun


Freedom tastes good


You can even throw in some smack talking when there is no one around to hear you


You should always double-check, though


Enjoy it while you can, Punk. I suspect there will be barking in your ear in the very near future.