Lots of Conditioning Focus

Our last training session with Terry went well, as usual.  We’ve got alot to work on over the winter once we get the basement ready for dog training.  Karl started cleaning the floor down there.  So we just need to finish that and lay out the rubber mats.  We looked at bathroom paneling to put up down there so it’ll look a bit more finished until we have time to wire and then put in the sheetrock.  We also have a lot of conditioning exercises we can do now too.  I’m being immersed with all of these exercises that are quiet and don’t require alot of space but that use up energy – physical and mental.  I think I am finally starting to see the value and ease of them.

I weenied out of Schutzhund training last week.  It was too cold and wet out.  I spent much of the day in bed resting as I was exhausted.  That night we met Cortney and Ryan at the Park Tavern for karaoke.  Karl and I got there early and had dinner – yum!  It was fun.  It was loud though so we didn’t get much opportunity to chat.   Sunday I also spent much of the day in bed resting – still exhausted.

Thursday I went to dinner with the girls – Cortney, Tanya and Gina.  That was fun.  I was there almost 4 hours!  We went to Chili’s and got 2 of the 3 for $20 deals.  So we each had an entree and then we shared the 2 appetizers and 2 desserts.  It’s alot of food!

I may have gotten a few contact and weave sessions in with Seven at the beginning of the week.  I feel so behind with him.  We are going to be at the bottom of our group at the seminar in a few weeks.  😦  His stay needs alot more work too.  In his Polishing class I feel like I am putting him back more then he is successful and then he starts to stress.

Over the weekend I attended a canine massage, acupressure and ball work seminar with Cindy Hickey.   I really enjoyed it and learned alot in general and alot specifically related to poor Copper.  So we are making some changes that Cindy recommended and getting some tests done at the vet (he goes in on Friday).  Hopefully we can get him feeling better.  He acts like he’s feeling great but Cindy found alot that could be improved.  He got massaged and acupressure done on him too – by me so not a professional session.  But I can do them often and I will get better at them.  And I can do them on all the dogs once I get faster.  Copper was pretty tired by the end of Sunday so Vada got to do ball work.  Cindy suggested that I not work on any conditioning exercises with him until we get his body in balance again.  Vada enjoyed it.  Cindy took a look at her too and suggested we go see Dr. Heather again as her chest and back are out again.  She goes in next Tuesday.  It was fun to learn more about these topics.  I’ve learned some in the past and I went home and dug up my books to start reading again.

Last night was Copper’s last Conditioning the Performance Dog class.  He was thrilled to have a third day that was all about him!  He did well and was a good demo dog when requested.  We learned more advanced exercises to keep doing with them now that their muscles should be stronger.  And we did some disc work and some ball work.  Copper got to do both.  I also put him on the wobble boards since he’s never been on one.  I was able to get him to lie down and relax for a bit and he was much less reactive with the other dogs doing stuff very close to him.  Since we’ve been doing the “wave” exercise lately now when he wants a cookie that is one of the first exercises he offers – before the bark.  It’s neat to see him wanting to learn and do stuff.  I think we forgot the quiet old dogs and think that just bringing them with and letting them be around more at home is enough.  I think Copper enjoys those but enjoys having his brain challenged a bit too.  Another reason to start working utility exercises with him this winter – even if he’ll never compete.  Especially since they are low impact.

Yesterday was also our 2nd anniversary!  It’s gone by fast!  Karl and I agreed to go together on a gift that we agree on instead of individual gifts.  Something like a night out to a play or something.  We gave each other cards last night.  Both we awesome cards and were very fitting.  Karl also gave me a heart zipper pull.  🙂  And we both got celebration desserts.  I got a cake from Target and had them write Happy Anniversary on it and he got some two bite brownies with orange frosting and chocolate cups on top.  They were VERY yummy!  I am very lucky to be married to such an awesome man!

Tonight is Vada’s first agility class of the season in the barn.  Our instructors for this session will be Alex again and Brett.  I have had Brett in class as a fellow classmate but not as an instructor.  Vada will be thrilled to get to do something again.  She’s been very patient while Copper’s been doing all these events the last few days.

October

October is here and it definitely feels like fall!  I’m still hoping it’ll warm up again before winter strikes.

The last 3 weeks have flown by.  I’ve been super busy but I don’t feel like I’ve gotten much training of my own dogs in.  It’s been alot of helping out at weekend events lately.

Copper’s conditioning class went really well.  She evaluated each dog individually.  She said for his age Copper was in great shape.  His core is a bit weak and can use some work.  We are all given exercises for the 2 weeks til the next class.  I did his exercises once a day and averaged every other day.   Probably not a bad thing for an old dog.  This Monday we had our second class and we were given advanced exercises.  She watched us try each one to make sure we were doing it right.  She said he was doing well and was able to do the advanced exercises that I wasn’t sure he was conditioned enough for.  He’s definitely been feeling very good lately! He likes being able to go to a class instead of just going along for the ride too.   So now we have new exercises and some old exercises that are modified to be more difficult.  We have 1 more class in 2 weeks.

Vada (and Fringe) had her last outdoor agility class for the season.  Now we’ve got 2 weeks off til our next class starts.  For winter session I we are doing Tuesday nights at 9pm.  That’s going to make for a late night but at least I won’t have to rush home and rush off again or deal with rush hour traffic.

All of my TV shows from last year are on again this year.  Plus a new one that I like.  It’s hard to find time to watch my shows along with everything else.  Thank goodness that TV shows are so readily available on the internet these days!  I’m watching House, Lie to Me, Glee, Bones, Fringe, Dollhouse, Desperate Housewives and Brother and Sisters.  24 will start in January too.

Last week was Seven’s last Super Puppy class.  This week we went to our first Proofing class an hour earlier.  It’ll be good to be in an advanced class so it’ll push me to hopefully do some homework.  Sue will start another Super Puppy class in a few weeks.  I am going to sign up for that class with Prozac.  She will LOVE it.

My Database Design class is going pretty well.  I think I’ve got a pretty solid A so far.  We are half done with the class.  5 chapters down and 4 more to go.  We have no class next week as the school is closed.  So I’m meeting the girls for dinner that night instead.

The weekend after the North Central Championship was my flyball team’s tournament.  I went on Saturday and helped out all day.  It was fun.  The people who I do not enjoy seeing were all not there which was a bonus.  I worked the table all day.  Then Sunday we went to Holmen to visit Karl’s parents.  We left the dogs home and took his new car so his parents could see it.  It was nice not having to worry about the dogs.  But we really had to keep an eye on the time to make sure we weren’t gone too long.

Last Monday night I had dinner with Cortney after work.  I have not chatted with her much in a long time.  It was nice to catch up.  She’s got alot of changes going on in her life lately.  I’m not sure if they are good or not though.  Or maybe both.  Karl and I are going out with her and Ryan on Saturday to listen to karaoke at the Park Tavern.   It’ll be fun to have a couple’s night out.

Saturday  I was able to get the dogs to Schutzhund training.  I had to leave before the meeting though as Karl and I were meeting a tree guy in Blaine to get an estimate to cut down the willow and apple trees.  The willow tree’s roots had rotted and the tree had tipped over.  It would have fallen on the neighbors garage and house if the 6′ fence post on the corner had not held it up.  From there we met Dad and Dianna at Olive Garden to have dinner and celebrate our anniversaries.  We had found a beautiful personalized wooden laser engraved plaque for them as a gift for their 20th anniversary.  They gave us a beautiful pot of mums.  The biggest fullest pot I think I’ve ever seen!  The flowers are purple and white.

Sunday we were able to stay home and work on the house.  We’ve got the library almost done.  The border is up and the bookshelves are back in the room.  I was able to put some books away.   I have 1 spot on the wall to patch and paint and then the rest of the books can be put away and the room finished.

Tomorrow night is our last training session with Terry for the year.  Winter is coming fast!  But we’ve got lots of exercises that we can work on all winter.