Weasels In Flight

Nose Work!!

2012-02-02T22:10:00.004-06:00

Vinnie and Frank and I have been doing a lot of Nose Work since Vinnie and I went to a seminar in November. The boys love it and it's lots of fun to see them do what comes naturally. Becky took video of the class tonight and put this movie together. Frank starts at 6:15 and Vinnie at 12:15. If you ever get a chance to do this with your dog, I highly recommend it! Hmmm... Tammy - I wonder if you could do this with one of your CATS!!

Davenport

2012-01-29T20:22:00.003-06:00

Vinnie was such a little rock star this weekend. We had some really fun courses from Lisa Potts and Terry Smorch. Vinnie did everything I asked (only better)! I really need to work on some handling skills, but I'm trying!

How did I get so lucky to get this boy??

Snow Dog!

2012-01-15T17:33:00.005-06:00

It was finally sunny/warm enough to go outside for some fun. The snow is already starting to melt. Fingers crossed that the weave poles and jumps can go back out in the yard in a few days!!

2012-01-01T14:13:00.002-06:00

Happy 2012!!!

New pictures

2011-12-18T16:33:00.005-06:00

It seems like forever since I've gone out and taken pictures of Vinnie. I cut all his hair off in September and hated it the minute I did it. Good thing Vinnie's hair grows FAST! The continental is back and I do love him in this cut. Vinnie got a bath and a shave this morning, so we had to go out for some pictures since the sun was actually out! Winter is coming, but we're going to enjoy this while we can.

Vinnie with all his "big hair" - no bands:

A little more presentable with bright neon bands:

Vinnie got some awesome pumpkin treats and an Orbee ball in the doggy gift exchange last night at the party. He used to have an Orbee ball, but somehow, we've lost it. It was bright pink and blue and I'm not sure how we could have lost something that bright. This one actually glows in the dark!! No losing it! Thanks Tammy!!

This is just sooooo Vinnie:

Happy ICDOC!!!

2011-12-11T18:39:00.005-06:00

Happy Birthday! Happy PACH! Happy MACH!

If you had something to celebrate this weekend, we had a cake for the occasion!!

We celebrated Frank's PACH and PAX2 with pink champagne cake:

We celebrated Punkin's MACH2 with a white/chocolate mix:
We celebrated Don's birthday with pink champagne:
and a bar for everyone to sign for the birthday boy!!
(seriously, does he look like he's going to be 80 next week???)
We had to have a "special cake table". Michele even got us 600 forks!!! That's a lot of forks and a lot of eating cake. There were more cakes on Saturday and Sunday. I have never seen so many cakes at one trial. It was fabulous!!

We had a photographer at the trial and I got a whole disk of Vinnie photos - I never get shots of my own dogs running, so it was awesome!!

I was so happy with Vinnie this weekend. We both had a great time. There were NO hot laps!! He didn't Q Friday or Saturday, but saved two Qs for Sunday finishing his Novice standard and Open jumpers titles.

For a good laugh...

2011-12-03T13:40:00.000-06:00

For a good laugh on a cold, rainy, December day...

My little rockstar!

2011-11-13T18:52:00.002-06:00

We are back from the Muscatine trial and it was an awesome weekend. There were MACHs and PACHs and PAXs everywhere!! We signed bars and ate cake. I think we have a serious cake addiction. Ever read any of the Stephanie Plum mysteries by Janet Evanovich? Stephanie Plum has nothing on us. Sydney's cake was gone by 9am! Frank promises to bring supplement cake to ICDOC!

Frank was a total rock star this weekend! We ran at a place he completely HATES (ask him... he'll tell ya!). Last year he got three 2Qs and only six points. The theory in Frank's world is that if you move slowly, the boogie man can't get you. So far, it's worked for him. No boogie man has been spotted at Iowa trials. This weekend he finished his PACH, PAX2, MXP5 and MJP5!

Davenport

2011-10-30T18:50:00.002-05:00

The boys were rockin' awesome this weekend. Frank 2Q'd both days. Vinnie finished his Novice Jumpers and moved on to Open and got the first leg today. We had tons of cake and more food than was good for us. Now it's time to sit back and watch Desperate Housewives!!

Trick or Treat!!!

2011-10-28T19:57:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween from the Punk Poodle!!

Des Moines...

2011-10-23T20:13:00.002-05:00

The agility trial was at the new Jacobson Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds this weekend and it's fantastic. We didn't freeze. In fact, the weather was fabulous! We had thought about camping, but decided it was a bit risky with weather. We ended up at the Motel 6 on NE 14th. It's cheap and well worth the entertainment! It has a certain aura to it. You'll just have to experience it for yourself. Would I stay there again? You betcha! The rooms were nice and the neighbors plentiful and exotic!!

Agility was great. The building was spacious and not freezing cold!! There was no outside food allowed, but "contraband" food was plentiful (or you could just make a trip outside to your van). Unless, of course, you wanted to pay $4.00 for a pop.

Frank was wonderful and 2Q'd all three days this weekend. Vinnie, on the other hand, was a learning experience!! We definitely have some things to work on. By today, we finally found something that worked for us.

Happy Birthday!!!!!

2011-10-14T20:29:00.006-05:00

Happy 9th Birthday to Frank and Betty!! Here's a little blast from the past... a litter of seven named after the glamorous era of movie stars:

Ch Razzo Femme Fatale Bellagio JC (Ava)
Ch Razzo Pin-Up Girl Bellagio AX, MXJ, NJP, NF (Betty)
Ch Razzo Blondebombshell Bellagio RAE, JC, NJP (Marilyn)
Ch Razzo Big Screen Bad Boy Bellagio (Bogie)
Razzo Dobiegillis Bellagio (Dobie... the boy without a tail)
Razzo Chairman Of The Board Bellagio MX, MXJ, MXP4, MJP4, PAX, OF (Frank)
Razzo Screen Siren Bellagio JC (Sophia)

(you can't miss Frank - he's the one in all the pictures with the big white mark on the back of his neck)

At eight months old (left to right):
Mom Emma, Betty, Dad Pinto, Ava, Sophia, Dobie, Bogie and Frank
(Marilyn was in Minnesota)

Good Weekend!!

2011-10-02T18:50:00.004-05:00

The boys had a great weekend. Frank Q'd five out of six times (number six was totally my fault! Sorry Frank!!). Vinnie ran in jumpers on Saturday and Sunday and did great!! We NQ'd on Saturday cause I was too busy running and not doing enough watching. Sorry Vinnie!! Sunday we managed to get it all together!

Good boy Vinnie!!!

Hotel Time...

2011-09-07T21:45:00.002-05:00

Tammy and I decided (ok I really didn't want to set up my tent for one night in that crappy weather!!) to get a hotel room and ended up at a "remodeled" Motel 6. They changed up their color scheme a bit and put in laminate floors. Really smart idea for the floors. I am sure they are much easier to clean. There wasn't much room to potty the dogs, but it was cheap and clean. Should I mention the enormous Great Dane that arrived in a TINY sports car? I wonder where he pottied??? Vinnie and Seeker enjoyed getting a room too!!

Rochester

2011-09-05T14:17:00.009-05:00

Saturday and Sunday, Tammy and I were in Rochester, Minnesota for an agility trial. We braved the wind and rain (ok... we hid out in her van while it was poring down and got a hotel room instead of camping). I didn't run a dog, but did get some photos. These are a few of my favorites (the rest of the photos can be seen at www.inflightphotog.com)

Vinnie's Day-But

2011-08-14T20:28:00.002-05:00

Well, it finally happened... I ran Vinnie at a trial. He was brilliant. He took a spill on Saturday in a slick spot on course and I carried him off. Everything was fine - just a little shaken (me more than him!). Sunday we managed to run the whole course without injury!! Yeah!!!

Trick Training...

2011-08-10T21:31:00.001-05:00

doesn't always go as planned... sometimes it goes better!

Off with his hair!

2011-07-31T17:31:00.003-05:00

I decided to take a bunch of hair off of Vinnie, but first wanted a few head shots. Not sure what the next "hair style" is going to be. I may just grow the HCC back out again for fall/winter. It was just getting too hot and hairy for summer.

First Full Course

2011-07-23T14:02:00.004-05:00

Today is actually the first time Vinnie has ever run a full course. He did awesome. I, however, need a LOT of improvement!! Tammy was kind enough to set up a Novice JWW course for us to run. We ran it the "right" way and ran it backwards the second time.

2011-07-02T18:34:00.001-05:00

Wishing you all a safe and happy 4th of July weekend!!

Dog Dreams Toys

2011-06-17T17:31:00.006-05:00

Vinnie loves his egg babies. He will always love his egg babies. They have a special place in his heart. BUT, it's really really hard to play tug with an egg baby. Meet Vinnie's newest love - his sheepskin tuggie:

I was looking for a ring shaped tug and found Marjorie Trebino and her Dog Dreams Toys. Marjorie makes the best toys out of sheepskin and rabbit.

I convinced her to make a ring toy for me as I find them easier to hang on to when Vinnie is tugging. This is what she came up with and we LOVE it!!

Thanks Marjorie!!!

Air Conditioning...

2011-06-12T19:54:00.001-05:00

Vinnie style...

For Michele...

2011-06-09T13:16:00.002-05:00

Vinnie made a new friend today. I don't think they are friends anymore...

2011-05-27T12:43:00.002-05:00

Have a safe and fun Memorial Day Weekend!!!

Not quite finished...

2011-05-16T13:20:00.004-05:00

The perennial garden is getting done, slowly but surely. I have gotten a bunch of Hostas from Tammy and am going to get more this weekend from Dad. In the meantime, I have gotten a few fill in plants here and there to give the shade gardens some color. I edged it in some cheap pound in plastic edging to keep the mulch in place until we can put in landscaping stone to match the front porch.

This is the before (ok... midway, when I remembered to take a picture):

And the after - I still need to put three to four more Hostas in here to fill it in.

Thanks Uncle Jeff!!!

2011-05-06T19:02:00.004-05:00

Vinnie wants to send a big Thank You to his favorite Uncle Jeff for his new weave poles!! Aren't they pretty??? We even got blue poles to match the rest of the equipment.

Of course, Vinnie had to try them out right away:

Happy Cinco De Mayo!!

2011-05-05T07:03:00.002-05:00

Plants!!!

2011-05-01T18:46:00.003-05:00

I have not done any planting at this house other than the annuals I put at the front of the house. I did put some perennials in last fall in front of the porch - we'll see if those come up. This weekend, however, was the weekend to plant!! I went out to Tammy's Friday and we (ok... she did all the digging, but I'm pretty good at splitting!) got a bunch of Hostas dug up and split. I want to put Hostas under the edge of the new deck. It's the perfect place - as long as Vinnie doesn't realize they are there and start excavating!

One of Tammy's Hostas - very happy to be a "town Hosta" out of the wind!

I am starting a shade garden up front where the corner of the porch meets the house. I have a few pots for annuals and planted three of the "Tammy Hostas" in that area. Today I took a little trip to Menard's for gloves (tore a hole in my other pair) and wandered into the plant area and three plants jumped in my cart (there were spice drops that jumped into my cart too - it can happen!).

I got a Columbine (I think it's going to be purple-ish), a Forget-Me-Not and a very cute little baby Hosta with very cute little leaves (it didn't have to work too hard to jump in my cart - it's adorable).

This is the Columbine:

Happy Easter!!!

2011-04-24T10:05:00.003-05:00

Happy Easter everyone!!!

He has no idea what I have planned for the next few holidays...

Thirteen!!

2011-04-18T12:57:00.003-05:00

Happy 13th Birthday Robin!!! Here's to many more big guy!!

Good boy Vinnie!

2011-04-10T19:44:00.003-05:00

Vinnie and I went to a three day obedience/rally trial this weekend and Vinnie got his RN!! I am very proud of him. We definitely have some homework! He is so distracted by things around him on the floor - especially dust/hair (or a random hole in the mat!). I would think he'd be used to dust bunnies since we train in the living room a lot - apparently not, as he felt the need to EAT one on Sunday during our turn in the ring. Does this mean I have an excuse to stop sweeping?

Sheryl McCormick got this great shot of him on Saturday (thanks Sheryl!!):

Deck!!!

2011-04-08T18:30:00.005-05:00

It's done!!! I have wanted to put a deck on the back of the house from the moment I bought it almost two years ago, so Uncle Sam bought me one this year. As you can see from the before photos, there is a slope right out the back door down to the yard. The goal was for the deck to cover up that slope. Mission accomplished!!

Before:

Progress!!

Robin inspecting the work... There is/was a cement step at the back door that was a bit too high for the deck, so they shaved a bit off the top to accommodate the decking:

And the final product - it's about 10 feet by 27 feet long - a really nice size. There is only one on/off the deck - next to the back door. I didn't want a bunch of foot/paw traffic to create a muddy spot on the yard, so you have to go off the deck onto the sidewalk (which is probably the next project... any volunteers?).

Now I need a nice warm day to sit out on my deck and read a book!!

It's done!!!

2011-03-27T20:50:00.002-05:00

It's finally done and on my wall!! I had Kathy Davidson do a watercolor of my very favorite photo of Vinnie. She did a fabulous job and I am so happy with it!!

The original photo:

The finished product:

A close up of Kathy's awesome work:

THANK YOU Kathy!!

Happy St Patrick's Day!!!

2011-03-17T06:55:00.003-05:00

More art...

2011-03-12T11:41:00.003-06:00

After moving some framed pieces around in the living room, I had an empty space on my wall that just screamed for a little bit of Poodle art. I could not find anything I liked online that would fit the area, so I called Kathy Davidson to see what she could do for me. She did a watercolor of Tammy's Seeker that I absolutely love.

I had her do a 16x20 of my very favorite photo of Vinnie. She also looked through some photos that I had of Vinnie on my website and asked if she could do one of him as a puppy. I could not turn that down!! So here is the smaller piece that she did of Vinnie.

You don't get to see the large piece until I get it framed and hung, but I have to say... it's GORGEOUS!!

The original photo:

Kathy's original:

It's the little things...

2011-03-07T19:57:00.005-06:00

It's the little things in life that make you happy. The things that bring you joy. They don't have to be large extravagant things. The simple things are usually the best things. What brings me joy? Target's cinnamon coffee cake muffins for breakfast every morning!

Want to know what else brings me joy? My dog being able to wear his coat while he pees. I'll bet you weren't expecting that, were you? It's one of the joys of having an IG. They need coats. When you take them out at an agility trial and it's bitterly cold, they need to actually wear them. Now, this is no problem for Betty in all her girly-ness, but Frank has always had a problem with, uh, "soiling" his coat when he urinates due to his outdoor plumbing set up. He has a really deep chest and it tends to get in the way.

One of our clients has IGs. They are actually the same family that gave me Tessie (nice family!!). They have coats by Voyagers K9 Apparel for their girls and every time they came in I would always wonder if they would work for Frank. I called the company Thursday and explained my concerns. I was assured that Frank would not be able to mess his coat. I ordered the coat and it came today (Voyagers is in Wisconsin).

Frank thinks he is the hottest thing on four legs (he's right):

He took it for a little test drive:

The front is made of a really nice, thick fleece and has a little hole at the base of the neck in back to attach your leash to the collar if needed. The fleece comes all the way up to his ears and covers them or it can be scrunched down. I think he kind of likes having a hood!

And for you curious sorts: I put the coat on Frank at lunch before letting him outside and, yes, he can wear his coat outside! Remember... it's the little things!

Before and After

2011-02-27T16:14:00.006-06:00

I love before and afters. Home makeovers. People makeovers. Business makeovers. It's all good. Any kind of before and after pictures are great. Show me what you've done, but you need to give me a picture of where you started so I can be suitably impressed :-)

So, this morning, it was time for Vinnie to get groomed (again!). I thought a before and after picture would be good as I was planning on taking off a lot of that hair he's been carrying around all winter. Time to go back to a nice sporting clip (short body, longer legs blended into the body). This is the before. His hair was longer around his neck, shoulders and chest area (2-3 inches long in places) and getting shorter as you go towards his tail where it was about 3/4" long.

And here is the after. My first picture was taken at 10:07am and the second at 1:03pm. I usually only take about two hours to groom him, but I was taking my time and trying to get things "right".

He is now squeezable, hugable and smells so good!

A little bit of "art"

2011-02-26T18:39:00.003-06:00

It's finally done!! When Frank finished his PAX, I vowed this particular ribbon was not going to sit in a tote and get wrinkled. I have totes full of ribbons and rosettes, but some just have a bit more meaning and need a little special treatment:

I had this done at Michael's - they do really nice work. Sorry for the not so great photo - I had to stand at an angle to try to reduce the reflections from the flash. Now I just have one more area in my living room that needs a piece of Poodle art... working on that one!!

Happy Birthday Vinnie!!

2011-02-20T18:55:00.005-06:00

Vinnie is two years old today. I can't believe how fast the time flies. It seems like only yesterday that Melinda and I were driving to Chicago O'Hare to pick him up. He was the set of lungs we heard screaming to get out of his kennel in cargo when we went inside to pick him up. Thankfully, that has changed!!

However, some things never change...

May 2009 (11 weeks):

February 2010 (one year)

February 2011 (two years)

Happy Birthday Vinnie - here's to MANY more!!

Focus on the Good!

2011-02-12T21:27:00.002-06:00

Vinnie and I went to an agility practice in the Quad Cities today. It was a good thing. I learned a lot. Our biggest problem is that Vinnie will get the "rips". I have not decided what causes this yet. It could be a lot of things. If he runs one way, I run the other with his toy and today he was right there back on his tug. This is a vast improvement from over the summer. We are focusing on the GOOD. I like the drive I get with a toy, but he seems to be able to focus a little better with food. We need a balance here. At home I do a lot of throwing a toy and feeding for the retrieval of the toy - we'll give this a try next time. After watching my video from the practice session today (THANK YOU Tammy!!!!!) I am feeling much better than I was during the session. I learn so much by watching my training videos:

1. Yes, he was getting the rips a bit today, BUT he was running right back to me within a few seconds. (even though it seems like an eternity when you are gasping for breath!).
2. I need to be a little faster with toys and food (even if that means packing my cheeks like a hibernating hamster!).
3. We need to work on some lateral distance this summer (I am NOT fast enough to run him like I run the IGs).
4. I need to run with more intent - I am still to hesitant with him.
5. I need to tell him while we're running when he's done something good.

So... since we are focusing on the GOOD - here is the good stuff from today:

Snow Dog!!

2011-02-05T19:27:00.003-06:00

Brian decided today that after the nasty snow we got this week, the dogs needed some paths plowed in the back yard. It turned out awesome!!

I took Vinnie and his Wubba outside to "test drive" the paths - they are a huge success!! Vinnie needed to burn off some energy - winter needs to go away NOW!!! I miss grass!!!

You can see in the video that the snow is about a foot deep in most places (Vinnie is about 18" at the shoulder and it's a bit deep for him).

Meet Warren...

2011-02-01T20:59:00.003-06:00

Meet Warren... the water heater (everything needs a name, right?). So let me tell you a little bit about how Warren came into our lives. Once upon a time, Brian woke me from a dead sleep with these four little words: "Marsha... the water heater!!!!!".

You'd be surprised how fast you can wake up when someone yells at you (not nearly as fast as when your dog makes that horrible pre-i'mgonnabarfupeverythingi'veeatenforthelastthreedays sound, but pretty darn quick).

The old nameless water heater was spewing water all over the basement floor at an alarming rate. We could not find a water shut off valve for the water heater, so I shut off the main to the house (boy that puts a damper on things!!). Brian soaked up all the water with towels and shop vacs while I tried to contact plumbers. Guess what? Plumbers are not open at six in the morning!! They do, however, have answering services. After a couple calls, I found a plumber that would come replace the water heater that morning. Yeah!!! So.... $988 later, we have Warren (who has nice water AND gas shut off valves). And so they lived happily ever after (or at least for the eight years of Warren's warranty)

Now... we are getting the storm of the century (so they say). It's just snow and wind... a lot of both. This means drifts and convincing the flat coated weasels to go outside. The curly coated weasel doesn't seem to mind the snow although he was rather quick with the pottying tonight. So this little film is for you Melissa... Florida here we come!!

The Unknown Weasel - Episode Three

2011-01-30T19:26:00.002-06:00

In this episode, our heroine (the Unknown Weasel) attempts to complete another double Q and is totally thwarted by her handler. Much to her disgust, the UW is continually "pushed" by said handler. As is demonstrated on multiple occasions, one does NOT "push" the UW. The UW can only assume that the handler is insane as the definition of insanity is: "doing the same behavior over and over and expecting different results". Our handler WILL learn her lesson... eventually!

The Unknown Weasel... part II

2011-01-29T17:46:00.004-06:00

The very pretty Unknown Weasel:

Well, the Unknown Weasel and I have improved our communication and we did a lot better today!! Now, we're still a little confused on the whole "stay" issue - she thinks it means sit there and look pretty. I think it means stay there and then COME when I call you. No big deal - I'd rather have the start line stay thankyouverymuch!! Lesson for the day - I need to run with more INTENT and the UW will run with more intent and less bouncing!! We'll try for that tomorrow.

Unfortunately, YouTube doesn't like me using this music, so I'll look for something else... In the meantime - here is the video without music:

The Unknown Weasel

2011-01-28T19:12:00.003-06:00

Ok... maybe not "unknown" so much as un-run. Betty has been out of the ring for about two years. I wanted to concentrate on getting Frank's PAX and it was easier to focus on one dog. Plus, Betty is a bit... well... easily distracted. She has been known to visit judges (she's a bit more social than Frank!). Now that Frank has his PAX, I decided to enter Betty in a three day trial. I ran her a bit over the summer at home and got her on some equipment last week to brush off the cobwebs. I was not expecting a whole lot this weekend - I mostly wanted the two of us to start together and finish together and have a little fun in between. Day one has exceeded my expectations and taught me some lessons. The unknown weasel moves a LOT faster than Frank - time to put on the running shoes. There are some things that I can expect of Frank that I canNOT expect of the unknown weasel (ie... my little screw up in standard that cost us the leg). Oh well - we had fun!!

Vinnie's first fun match...

2011-01-22T14:20:00.005-06:00

4RK9's was having a fun match this morning - eight minutes in the ring for five bucks ($1 for additional runs) - can't beat that with a stick, so Vinnie and I got up early this morning. OK - I got up early - getting him out of bed in the morning is like having a teenage boy. He lays there like a limp noodle grunting and groaning about having to get out of bed. If you know him, you would not think he's that way, but wow - get out of bed already!!

He was a very good boy at the fun match. He needs fun matches to get used to all the distractions - he likes to look at and touch everything (butterfly... shiny object!!). Kathy Davidson set up a couple of nice little novice Rally courses for us (Thanks Kathy!!) and Auntie Rilda taped us on the second one.

He is now taking an afternoon nap... I guess fun matches are exhausting!!

Frank PAX

2011-01-15T21:10:00.003-06:00

Back on December 10th, Frank finished his PAX. I'm awfully proud of the little guy. He is very brave (he finds all those crowds of people and noises pretty frightening). My friends were VERY kind and chipped in to buy me one of those really neat blankets that you have made with your picture on it. I decided to take a photo of Frank at home (where he would be comfortable and relaxed) with his PAX bar and ribbon. As fate would have it, Frank's PAX certificate arrived in the mail today (I was getting a little nervous - the AKC had him sitting at 19 legs for a loooooong time!). Here are a few of the shots that I am considering for the blanket (any votes?):

My. Dog. Has. A. Problem.

2010-12-21T20:38:00.002-06:00

My dog has a problem... maybe it's an addiction. He loves balls. Squeaky balls, rubber balls, plush balls, Chuck-it balls, Hole-e roller balls... he doesn't care as long as it's a ball and there's someone willing to blow out an elbow throwing said ball for him.

His newest, brightest, best ball is a Christmas gift from Tammy. I think this was meant as a torture device for the humans connected to the dogs. Everyone got one - no one was spared. Fortunately, the ball Vinnie got was a bit shy in the squeaker department (thank you God!!). He loves his ball - it goes with him everywhere. I think the egg babies are being neglected. That's fine by me. The egg babies get stuck under the furniture. This results in said Poodle scratching at the side of the offending furniture until I can't take it anymore and move furniture to get an egg baby - and it must be THAT egg baby. Never mind that there are TEN other egg babies scattered about the house. But I digress...

Here is the newest addiction in the house:

Martha's Fault...

2010-12-13T21:51:00.005-06:00

Don't worry about Martha... she'll take the blame for poor Vinnie's addiction (ok... it's the best toy ever!!). When he was a poor innocent little puppy (yeah right) she gave him an alligator with these yellow "eggs" in it's belly. I don't think Vinnie has ever played with the alligator, but he has loved those eggs for the last year and a half. A couple of them have "died" and gone to egg baby heaven. He carries those eggs everywhere and panics if they get under the couch or dresser. He will pace and scratch at the offending furniture until the egg baby is rescued from the grips of rabid dust bunnies.

Today, after finishing up some Christmas shopping, I came home to some boxes on the porch (love UPS!!). Sitstay had been delivered. Did you know they make egg baby refills? Someone was thinking!! The funny thing about this video is that Frank NEVER plays with toys...

ICDOC 2010

2010-12-12T18:04:00.002-06:00

ICDOC (Iowa City Dog Obedience Club) had another successful trial. It is always a great trial with lots of good friends, food and FUN!! This year our days were color coded. Friday was orange. Saturday was pink. Sunday was red. Saturday's pink was for breast cancer awareness. Jeff made some fantastic agility equipment (I REALLY REALLY wanted the weaves, but they went to Tony O. in Minnesota - I offered to store them for her, but she declined) and they made over $1000 for the Susan G Komen foundation!! Here's a little sample of our weekend:

Moley Moley Moley Moley

2010-08-20T15:49:00.003-05:00

I don't post much - I am a baaaaaad blogger, but some things are cause for celebration. I have captured a mole that has been wrecking havoc in my yard. I am NOT one to have a glorious, gorgeous golf course perfect yard, but I don't want to be tripping over mole mounds and staring at all the little trails they make around the yard. Those little mounds and trails also make it difficult to make my jumps and weave poles sit up straight.

At agility class Wednesday night, I was explaining my dilemma to Bill and he offered to let me borrow one of their mole traps. I got a lesson in setting the trap and headed home to begin my quest. Unfortunately, memory being what it is, I forgot about the trap in my van until last night. I checked the yard and it looked like Mr Mole had left for greener pastures (aka my neighbor's yard). I stomped down his trails and put the trap next to my fence so if he decided to come back into my yard, he would... well... not get very far.

So.... look at your own risk...

He's not pretty...

You've been warned...

LOL - that scene always cracks me up... so here is MY mole:

Evolution of a jump...

2010-07-05T20:57:00.002-05:00

I had two jumps. Well, I DID have three jumps, but one died a tragic death this spring when we were getting the agility equipment out for the summer. Oh well - it was time to make more. The plan was to make three more jumps for a total of five. I ordered six "five way" joints from CleanRun and bought some goodies at Menards. I cleaned the PVC and marked where everything needed to be cut and drilled and let Brian do the rest. I have everything glued and capped, so hopefully no bugs or water will get inside them. I had the dogs try them out to make sure they met with their approval:

When it's too hot to play outside...

2010-06-26T15:32:00.000-05:00

2010-06-24T21:37:00.002-05:00

I have had a few folks ask me if my dogs notice the fish. My tank is in the bedroom and almost right next to the bed, so just at nice eye level for the dogs. They've all looked a bit, but Vinnie (of course!) seems to pay the most attention.

The white-ish fish that you see darting around (they are feeding) are my Bosemani Rainbows. They'll get color when they are older. The little bottom feeders are Black Sail Cory Cats (the big ones with the spots), Emerald Green Cory Cats (the baby green ones) and Otos (the skinny ones with the black stripes). They are all after an algae wafer.

Fish!!!

2010-06-21T20:02:00.004-05:00

I love my fishies - they are fun to watch and are very peaceful. I decided that I hated the "fake" look and wanted to go with real plants and driftwood. This is the before (before the fish were even in the tank - they were in another tank).

And this is what I have so far. I have been buying a few plants here and there (real plants are much cheaper than plastic/fabric and they will spread - as long as they are happy).

I am sure some things will need "re-arranging" as the plants grow and spread. They don't come with little tags like the perennials (no idea on height and width). The fish really seem to like the new plants and driftwood. They seem much more relaxed and like to play in the plants. This is one of my Otos on a Crypt plant:

My tank inhabitants are:

7 Bosemani Rainbows (I suspect one is actually a Turquoise Rainbow)

6 Black Sail Cory Cats

6 Emerald Cory Cats

6 Otos (they eat algae - good fishy!)

One grumpy Dwarf Gourami

Ames Video

2010-06-08T13:11:00.002-05:00

Frank was such a good boy this weekend and went 3/4 - Here are a couple of his runs - the jww run was 4.09 yps, which is REALLY good for Frank!

Plants are finally in!

2010-06-07T21:29:00.002-05:00

The plants are FINALLY in. I have had them sitting in their "positions" in front of the porch for a couple weeks now - trying to decide if they will like their new home. Well, it looks like there is enough sun and shade for everyone involved. Of course it started to rain when Brian and I were planting... oh well. So here is a little before/after video... I love when they do those on TV. Next year, this will really look nice and filled out!

2010-06-03T20:33:00.002-05:00

Did a quick training session with Vinnie tonight. His teeter is really coming along nicely - it needs to go up one more to get to regulation height. The second teeter is my favorite - nice speed almost to the end. He is doing well on the dogwalk. I only have a "little" dogwalk - eighteen feet, so we'll see how he does on a big boy dog walk in class.

flowers!

2010-05-23T07:33:00.004-05:00

I FINALLY got some flowers planted in front of the house. The back yard is off limits - that belongs to the dogs and the agility equipment. Here is the "before":

After planting eighteen Coleus and nine Sweet Potato Vine:

This is the Coleus - I cannot remember what it's called, but I think it looks really nice with the green Sweet Potato Vine.

Three more Coleus and six black Sweet Potato vine next to the door.

This was a little different, but I could not resist the Lantana - I LOVE Lantana. Hopefully it will get along with the pink Wave Petunia! I think they'll have enough sun next to the driveway.

Aren't they cute?

Leftovers...

2010-04-19T21:35:00.004-05:00

After the bunny ears were so well received by Vinnie, I decided that he needed to start a hat collection. At agility trials, we usually have a tub of neat goodies to choose from. It's one of those "One toy/treat per dog entered". I had Frank entered at a NADAC trial a couple months back on a Sunday. Apparently all the "good" toys were gone when I went to choose Frank's toy. Well, this cute little hat was left and I had just the fella to wear it!! Now I am on the hunt for more Vinnie sized headgear!

Happy Birthday Robin!!

2010-04-18T17:43:00.004-05:00

Where does the time go? It seems like only yesterday I was driving home from Wisconsin with him...

Robin and his best buddy Kruz a few days after I brought him home:

Robin today... 12 years old and enjoying retirement.

Sunshine!

2010-04-10T10:14:00.002-05:00

It is SO nice out this weekend!!

From the Easter Bunny...

2010-04-03T20:18:00.003-05:00

hmmm... I guess you could call these the "out-takes" or maybe the "after-takes"?

It's time for my monthly post...

2010-03-26T15:03:00.002-05:00

Yep... I finally got around to posting again - I am not a responsible poster!!

Frank and Vinnie and I went to the DMOTC trial last weekend and Frank did really well. He was VERY brave (no Betty to rely on for moral support - she stayed home). I picked out a couple of my favorite runs - Frank really does seem to be getting braver (is that a word?) the more we go to trials. He only gives the crowd a little look as he gets close to the fencing and the people and is getting faster as he gets more confident. What a good boy!

Vinnie was also a VERY good boy. His focus is getting SO much better. He is still very easily distracted, but recovers and gives attention much more quickly. He's getting there!

His scruffiness:

Run Forest... Run!!

2010-02-24T13:16:00.003-06:00

Frank and I went to the Quad Cities Sunday for a NADAC trial and were lucky enough to have Michele to video us (thanks Michele!!). His first run was jumpers and he ran REALLY well (5.22 yps). He ran well in both regular runs, but had a little misdirection by me (oops!). I think by tunnelers, he was ready to go home!

Grooming... AGAIN!

2010-02-15T21:31:00.005-06:00

I thought it would be fun to take some photos (not good ones for sure!!) of Vinnie as I groomed him yesterday. He was NOT amused and thought we should just get on with it so as we were wasting a perfectly good sunny day.

1:45pm - Scruffy Dog:

1:52pm - all brushed out:

2:19pm - bathed, conditioned and towel dried:

2:47pm - dried and brushed (his big hair look!):

4:00pm - All done!

I took a couple of head shots and had some fun with them:

Scruffy:
Groomed:

Eggs... revisited...

2010-02-01T20:30:00.002-06:00

Remember the eggs that Vinnie loves so much? Martha gave them to him waaaaaay back over the summer for a puppy present. He absolutely adores his eggs. There are five of them that pop up at random around the house - usually when I am moving furniture. Most of his stuffies only last a day or so, but all five of these eggs are still intact - they may not squeak, but Vinnie loves each and every one!

2010-01-29T20:22:00.003-06:00

It's very rare that I cook - I am NOT, repeat NOT, Martha Stewart, Paula Dean, Rachel Ray, Cat Cora, or any of those other brilliant TV chefs. I enjoy watching THEM cook very much (usually while munching on some non healthy, pre-made snack food!). Today was one of those rare days. I got this recipe from a co-worker and since it sounded, well, me-proof, I gave it a shot. The dish starts with BBQ chips (seriously!)

Two boneless chicken breasts, split and trimmed:

and some melted butter:

Crush up the chips - Next time I do this, I will crush them up a bit more - they were a bit coarse and didn't stick to the chicken as well as I would have liked.

Coat the chicken in butter and roll in the chips - note there are only three pieces here to head for the oven... There was not much room in the pan for the last piece, so it got cut up for the dogs... YUMMY!!

After an hour in the oven at 350 degrees: It was pretty moist and very tasty. You could also try this with regular chips and add some different seasonings to them. Martha will probably try this with her weird vinegar chips!! Ewwwwww!!!

Bad to the Nylabone...

2010-01-04T21:24:00.006-06:00

I wanted a Flip to use for training - watching my agility runs and all that, but... I have been having more fun just filming the every day stuff these guys do.

What NOT to do... don't teach your puppy that slippers are a fun toy. Vinnie LOVES these slippers. I would feel more inclined to put a stop to the behavior if it carried over to other shoes or he did it when I was actually walking, but he only shows interest in them if I am sitting down or if I am not wearing them. Really, a behavior like this could turn into a very bad thing... Tammy, you know which dog I am thinking of... I'd have to keep treats in my pockets :-)

From yesterday... another fun time was had by all (well... Vinnie) in the snow:

Thanks for the toy Auntie Michele!!

Gotta luv the Wubba! Thanks Melissa - it doesn't squeak!

Fetch It!!

2009-12-30T19:15:00.004-06:00

This Flip has been way too much fun!

Vinnie loves loves loves his Wubba and his Cuz, but does NOT like to get cold things in his mouth. He doesn't like it when his food is partially frozen or cold and as you can see from this video, he really doesn't like his Wubba or his Cuz to get cold. He really takes his time picking them up out of the snow. Sometimes he'll roll them over a bit in the snow to get the best spot to pick them up. Also... you can see that it is NOT easy to hold the camera steady and throw a toy at the same time! Sorry!!

Flip!

2009-12-25T19:09:00.003-06:00

Yipeeeee!!! Santa brought me a Flip video camera for Christmas!! Of course, I had to try it out on the dogs (what else would I shoot, right?) So here is a really short video - I finally figured out how to load the music - THANKS Tammy!!! So here it is with "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" by the Muppets:

A New Perspective...

2009-12-22T13:10:00.004-06:00

I have always taken photos of Vinnie by throwing a toy and shooting as he comes back to me. A fresh snowfall inspired a new perspective on the subject. I had Brian stand at one end of the yard and throw the ball towards me and I shot as Vinnie was going after the ball. It turned out pretty neat - the un-brown dog has some ice on his windshield!

It's NICE outside!!

2009-12-13T13:11:00.003-06:00

It was so nice out this afternoon that Vinnie and I went out for a good game of fetch. You would NEVER catch Frank or Betty doing this! They were inside under a blanket dreaming of summer!!

Getting the boot...

2009-11-26T20:45:00.003-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

I was rooting around in the hard drive and came across some videos... fun fun fun. This was taken May 16th... four days after Vinnie arrived. I should have known that kid would be trouble. LOL. He still LOVES this pair of boots. I love them too - they are LL Bean's storm chaser clogs. I keep them by the back door to wear outside. I have to keep them out of his reach. He never hurts them - just likes to chew on the leather part.

This photo was taken two months later... stinkin' adorable.

For Martha...

2009-11-05T20:13:00.004-06:00

The Un-Brown dog is NOT obeed-gent!

I was organizing totes in the basement and found Robin's scent articles, gloves and dumbbells. Hmmm... wonder what the un-brown dog would do with a dumbbell?

He would do this:

and this:

He really wasn't naughty... he did a whole lot of this:

(looks like a pretty good fit!)

I think he might like some obeed-gence!

Two weeks!!!!

2009-11-05T07:19:00.001-06:00

Two weeks from tomorrow New Moon comes out!!!!

Fall Fun...

2009-10-25T18:06:00.002-05:00

I decided to take advantage of the semi-nice day and the last of the leaves and headed out to the back yard to get some shots of the dogs... I am so used to my "brown dogs" that all match... Vinnie just does NOT match my pre planned color scheme! LOL

Betty:

Robin:

Frank:

and Vinnie (now known as "the un-brown dog")

Just because...

2009-10-19T12:39:00.002-05:00

I groomed Vinnie Saturday and got some fun shots of him - I LOVE this one:

The Coleus Project

2009-10-10T19:28:00.002-05:00

The Coleus Project... sounds like some top secret spy movie! I kinda got this idea from Martha. I am planning on putting some Coleus in the planter that runs along the front of the porch next spring. It's about fifteen feet long and that means a LOT of plants. Martha has a cool "Lava Rose" Coleus and is going to give me cuttings from it to grow over the winter in the house and then I'll be able to plant them outside in the spring.

This got me thinking... Culver's Garden Center is ten minutes from my house and I'll bet they are getting rid of their annuals pretty cheap... This required a little shopping trip Friday afternoon. I had a moment of panic when the area that is normally filled with Coleus was EMPTY of everything! Day late and a dollar short... story of my life. Oh well... I thought I would look around while I was there... and (cue angel trumpets and "Hallelujah" music here) there they sat on a table in the next building!! I have this great little built in planter in the new house (south facing windows!) and here are the little darlings:

This is Mississippi Summer:

Pineapple:
Moon Glow:

Aren't they cute? Culver's is usually pretty expensive - these guys would normally be about five bucks apiece, but in October? A dollar and seven cents each! Total bargain of the century!!! Now if I can just keep them alive over the winter, I'll take cuttings from these plants in early spring and plant those cuttings in front of the house and in the fall, I'll repeat the process for keeping them over winter. You know what they say about best laid plans? I'd better go water these guys...

Seven Months!

2009-10-01T20:53:00.002-05:00

I can't believe he is seven months old already... time flies for sure. This is one of his favorite toys - the Kong Wubba. It's a great outdoor toy. You can fling it pretty far.

2009-09-03T19:50:00.002-05:00

Here are the other shots of Vinnie and Robin playing - Robin seems to be getting into the playing a little more now.

They REALLY are playing - Vinnie just took a cheap shot at Robin and Rob was a little bit honked off.What's the saying... "Old age and treachery beats youth and enthusiasm!!"

Just a note...

2009-09-02T21:19:00.003-05:00

I'm actually in my house!! I have internet!!! I'll get posting again soon!! But... here is a little taste of the boys playing a couple days ago:

Welcome Home!

2009-08-17T18:25:00.002-05:00

I got home from the Peoria trial yesterday and Brian and I decided to head up to the house to take the rosin paper up from the floors and pick up the mail. Imagine my surprise when I found this at the back door!! It's a genuine Rilda Sue petunia in a Michele pot!! Thanks ladies!!! It is so cute!!!

The Outside...

2009-08-09T19:39:00.002-05:00

I am not planning on doing a whole lot to the outside of the house this year. Next spring will be a different story for sure. However, there were a couple things that needed to be done. This was the yard as it looked during the inspection:

Here are a couple views of the yard after being fenced (a BIG priority for the dogs!!):
It's a nice sized yard and has a lot of shade.

The previous owners used to garden a bit, but didn't do anything this year. This is what we had to clear out: Not quite done, but the fence posts are out and the knee high weeds are down. We have a few piles of yard waste to take out and we will be bringing in some dirt next year to level it out a bit, but it's getting there. I will be able to do a bit of agility back here.

This is where the deck is going to be someday - it will go from the back door to this corner of the house and will be a great area to sit and enjoy the yard, barbecue, and let the dogs play. We have already moved the air conditioner around to the north side of the house (just to the left of the photo - it was sitting on that cement pad behind the bench) and the gas meter will need to be moved next year to make way for the deck.

Hmmm... I'll have to show you my plans for the front of the house next!

Some Before and After...

2009-08-05T20:30:00.004-05:00

We've been doing a lot of work on the new house over the last several days and I thought a few before/after shots might be fun. We put in a new furnace and air conditioner - this is the old furnace:

and the new one:
The old air conditioner unit - the house was built in 1961 and the furnace and a/c were original:

And the new air conditioner - moved to the north side of the house to keep in shaded and to allow us to put in a deck next summer:

Most of what we have been doing the last few days is painting (and LOTS of it!!). This is one of the bedrooms before - note the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling:
And... the after (that's two coats of primer and a coat of paint to get rid of that dark blue paint!!- you can't see it in the photo, but the ceiling cleaned up very nicely and took paint well):

There's lots more to come... I'll have to take more photos once all the painter's tape is down and the rosin paper is off the floor and our furniture is in.

Can we make a return???

2009-07-29T13:20:00.007-05:00

Hello... it's us... you know... the "adult" dogs. We'd like to return an item that our mom purchased. It's been slightly used, but is still in great condition - it shows NO SIGNS OF QUITTING... EVER.

Looks can be deceiving... You can see he looks all cute and fluffy, but...

Let us show you some of his finer moves - as demonstrated here by Robin (who seems to be the target of said "item"):

That's gonna leave a mark!

Good thing the old man can still move!

Can you say chiropractor?

Puppy Power!!!!

Good thing the "item" is loosing baby teeth!!

On the plus side... Robin is getting a lot of exercise and he leaves us (Frank and Betty) alone!

It's just not right...

2009-07-25T15:33:00.002-05:00

Nope... it's just not right.

So you think YOU can dance?

2009-07-19T15:30:00.006-05:00

This is Vinnie's version of "So You Think You Can Dance?" or "How to make the old dog play". Take your pick. Speaking of picking. That's exactly how you get an old dog to play - you pick, pick, pick at him until he can't stand it anymore... First you start with the invitation:

maybe just a little nibble...

pick, pick...

Then, maybe a driveby on the old dog that THOUGHT you were done picking at him...

pick, pick... he's getting a little response now!

Care to dance big fella?

We've got movement (and irritation!)...

and a little annoyance! Game on you little twerp! The old man still has some speed on him (notice the front foot out to try to trip Vinnie - clever old dog!)

C'mon... get up... let's do it again!!!

Grooming

2009-07-18T18:19:00.004-05:00

Grooming... I am NOT a groomer, but I want my boy to look good, so I try. I decided before the Ames trial that he should be "short and sporty". Mistake. I cut off all that pretty neck hair and ruined that nice outline that Karin had on him. Ah well... live and learn. So now I am trying to grow out Vinnie's do. I shortened his rear a bit and am kinda aiming for a German trim. So now you are all scratching your heads wondering what the heck that is, right? Here you go - this was taken at a grooming competition (unsure of the photographer, but love the cut!):Vinnie's cut won't be quite as long and his tail will be different, but you get the idea. Anyway, I bathed and groomed Vinnie last night. He still needs a ton of hair up around his neck and on his rear legs.
I emailed some photos to his breeder, Karin, and got some good ideas from her for next week's grooming session.

Vinnie and I are getting better each week!

Now... just so you don't think this was actually a semi serious post, here is Vinnie doing one of his tricks: "Be a pony" - kinda cute.

When Vin grows up, he wants to be a Portuguese Water Dog. He's been very clear on this. He even said he'll bring his own fish. His hero is Mad Dog and he wants his hair cut like her - I told him he has to wait until next summer when he is a little more grown up.

Holl-ee Rollers Batman!

2009-07-06T20:45:00.004-05:00

The Holl-ee Roller is the new favorite toy around here. Everyone loves them. They are a soft rubber ball with holes - kind of like a soft whiffle ball. I put food in them (bananas, biscuits, etc...) and it keeps the guys busy. They all have their different methods for retrieving treats. Betty likes to kick hers around and hope something falls out.

Robin pokes his and hopes something falls out.

Frank has the best method - he squishes the ball and crunches the cookies to make them come out. Works every time.
Vinnie doesn't really have a method. He just wants you to throw it or play tug with it.

Here you have a Holl-ee Roller conference. The boys need to learn... you don't mess with a girl's Holl-ee Roller!

2009-07-05T08:48:00.002-05:00

I met Sheryl and Pat at the fireworks last night and got a few good shots - these are a few of my favorites - you can see the rest here: http://agilityig.smugmug.com/gallery/8795988_khfwV#582423257_NGatp

Puppy Crack!

2009-07-03T15:27:00.004-05:00

Tracy came into the clinic today and dropped off a puppy present for Vinnie. How nice is that!!! I got off at noon and Vinnie and I headed home. After letting everyone out, I showed Vinnie his fun new toys... a cool tuggy tiger, some cookies, a ball (orange, of course!!) and this ultra cool dental dinosaur... otherwise known as "puppy crack". Who knew? Vinnie rolled on it....

chewed it...

Showed it his new big boy teeth...

and he loved it...
I told him to "just say no", but this was the response I got. Kids...

Thanks Auntie Tracy and Auntie Paula!!!

Eggs!!!

2009-06-27T16:16:00.004-05:00

Martha - this is your fault! Vinnie is obsessed with eggs - not the kind you cook and eat. The kind that comes out of a stuffed alligator. The kind that comes with EXTRA eggs. Martha gave Vinnie this cute little green and yellow alligator that has an opening in his belly and you can put his little yellow squeaky eggs inside. He can fit three eggs and came with a spare two. Vinnie could care less about that alligator - it is totally pristine. But the eggs... oh the eggs, now that is another story. They are everywhere: in the house, in the van, in the yard... I found one under the deck yesterday. Vinnie likes to spend time with his eggs. He'll give ya the stink eye if you think about taking them

He contemplates their existence (so was it the chicken or the egg?) He will moisturize them - yuck - they get a little slimey - but at least this one is clean (for now).

He LOVES to retrieve them - you can throw them pretty far.

He will squeak them - NONSTOP Martha!! A few of them don't have the ability to squeak any more :-)

But... he sure does love them.

Thanks Auntie Martha!!

No more fluff!!

2009-06-20T07:03:00.003-05:00

No more fluffy puppy (at least for another couple weeks LOL). Thursday night I decided that it was too hot out, summer was here, and it was time for Vinnie to go short and sporty (look at the first picture in the last post - very fluffy!). I think there was more of Vinnie on the floor than on the table when I was done. You can see the silver really coming in above his eyes now. It looks like he has silver eyebrows.

Pigman Report...

2009-06-07T11:53:00.005-05:00

Here I am, Vinnie, your roving reporter! Today I am reporting on a local sprint triathlon called the Pigman. Hmmm... I didn't see any pigs. Anyhow, Auntie Tammy was entered in the Pigman. This means she had to do a 0.5k (543 yards) swim, 25k (15.5 mile) bike ride, and a 5k (3.1 mile) run. Whew... I get tired just thinking about it.

So this is where it all begins. Unfortunately, being a "dog", I am not allowed in the beach area. So, we'll just watch from here.

The competitors have to swim out from the beach around the buoys and back under that big blow up finish. I'll bet I could poke a hole in that big blow up finish thingy!!They are very organized here. They are color coded by their caps when they swim. Auntie Tammy had a black cap - we think she should have had PINK!!! See all the pretty pink caps?

These are the buoys that they have to swim around. See the boats? If my mom did this, she would need one of the boats to rescue her.

There's Tammy - She is doing AWESOME!!! She didn't need a boat.

Here she is again just finishing... Sorry - mom's not so good with the point and shoot! That's Tammy's niece, Daphne, in the background cheering her on. Go Tammy!!!!

2009-06-02T06:40:00.002-05:00

Hi all - Vinnie here again. This weekend, I went to my very first agility trial. Frank and Betty got to do agility, but I got to do BUBBLES!! At first I wasn't sure what Auntie Rilda was up to.

Then she got out this magical wand and blew bubbles! It is soooooo cool!!

They taste a little soapy, but they are FUN FUN FUN!!!

C'mon Auntie Rilda - do it again!!!!!

YeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaw!!!!!

Caught one!!!!
Mom bought me some Catnip bubbles (cause they didn't have dog ones!) and we're going to take them to the park today!!

Poodle-Hound?

2009-05-29T19:25:00.003-05:00

Hi All!! Vinnie here. I think it's time for me to blog. Here I am - one little Poodle - living with three sighthounds. They tell me that sighthounds hunt by sight, rather than scent (like they're all superior or something and a Poodle can't do it!). Okey dokey - so how do I go about hunting by sight? First I need to get secrets from the master... this means some sucking up.

He says I must run FAST... quick like a bunny. And I should practice a LOT. See my SHARP puppy teeth? I will use them to catch the RABBIT!!!

Practice pays off!!! I got the bunny!

I don't know why the old guy is giving me the stink eye... a blue rabbit is just as good as one of the brown ones.

Ok... I know it's not the real thing, but I need to start somewhere.

C'mon dude - pay attention - I need pointers!

Spring Cleaning

2009-05-25T17:14:00.002-05:00

(Can you stand it? TWO posts in one day!) It's that time again - the Ames agility trial is next weekend and I decided that Shorty needed an overhaul of the interior. Frank, Betty and Vinnie will be going with me, so Robin's crate needed to come out to make more room. First step - empty and clean out Shorty. This is what he looks like without anything in him - seems like so much room!

Once everything was clean (heck, I even shampooed the carpets up front!), it was time to start adding stuff back in. First you need to decide on a crate configuration. This takes a lot of thought. The dogs need to be in the front of the van behind the driver's seat. Then two more crates for storage. The bottom crate is my closet (or junk drawer). All the stuff that would be rolling around my van in one spot - dog coats, rain suit, slip on shoes, clamps, bungees, fleece coat, etc... The top crate will have other misc stuff in it for the weekend. Then it's time to start putting in the larger items - ex-pen, chair, mesh screens, and blankets. Still seems like a lot of room, but later on this week I'll add: sleeping bag, camp mattresses, pillow, cooler, CB, lantern and anything else I can think of to make my "bedroom" more comfortable.

Play Ball!!

2009-05-25T13:26:00.002-05:00

I thought it would be fun to get Vinnie a ball and teach him to push it around with his nose. This ought to be interesting!! I clicked him a couple times for showing interest and then he just took off. If you listen closely, you can hear him growl at the ball. Now we just have to figure out how to get it out of a corner!

Vinnie's First DQ

2009-05-23T16:18:00.003-05:00

I took Vinnie to the Fairfax Dairy Queen for some... uh... socialization. Yep, that's it... socialization. Of course, while we were there, I bought us some ice cream - just to make it all legit, of course.

Tammy and Bill met us at the DQ (socialization - remember?)
Vinnie LOVED his ice cream... a LOT!
He's not the neatest ice cream eater in the world...

but he does pretty well with a spoon.

I'm sure we'll have to make more trips to DQ in the future for socialization (and to perfect his ice cream eating style!)