tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25978022030600196692024-03-06T14:02:41.554-06:00Life is Better with Sheltie HairGeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.comBlogger332125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-63241191711114491482011-01-15T17:31:00.012-06:002011-01-15T19:03:17.628-06:00Shelties Like Scratches!Hi everyone,<br /><br />I know, I am a horrible person and have been slacking off on the blog-front for a LONG time now! I do have some good excuses, we've been super busy around here lately. Just no time to write anything worth reading.<br /><br />The PhD project is coming along well.<br />Gio and Romeo are both happy and healthy, no issues with seizures for a long time now!<br />I'm now a certified CARO Rally-O judge and am eager about my first judging assignments coming up soon!<br />I'm still teaching Rally-O classes for <a href="http://hckoc.blogspot.com/">Hub City Kennel and Obedience Club</a>.<br />I've been traveling a LOT for school, and the boys are loving the quality time they get to spend with "gramma" when I am away.<br /><br />Why am I dusting off the blog today? Because I've entered the boys in a really fun photo contest and I would LOVE if you could maybe help me out with some votes!<br /><br />The contest is being run by the Western Canada Lottery Association. 10 winning photos (2 from Saskatchewan, where we are) will be selected to appear on Scratch-n-Win tickets! How hilarious is that?! Shelties LOVE scratches, so a Scratch-n-Win ticket is the perfect place for them to be.<br /><br />I've entered the max of 10 photos into the contest and would greatly appreciate if you could all swing by there and give them a rating. I don't think this is a "vote every day" thing, so just once is enough! I'm trying to find the fine line between asking politely for votes and being so obnoxious so as to turn people off from helping me out. haha<br /><br />Below are the photos. You can rate them all, or just pick your favorites. I think the voting is only open to Canadian residents.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQEEB-6sQpSkFza7kHlh5sF6Nz3NtntozUny_unOvwZ_ddM3GHI_NWJmzqR9ot67Y5wsSZybe6oCKnHxsQcEfyWcHUN8rgVHK25McEI2LCK6CNgFWXEcQ64jnPLKszn9RxqZhJeBW37GW6/s1600/4346877783_edf4c01cc6_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQEEB-6sQpSkFza7kHlh5sF6Nz3NtntozUny_unOvwZ_ddM3GHI_NWJmzqR9ot67Y5wsSZybe6oCKnHxsQcEfyWcHUN8rgVHK25McEI2LCK6CNgFWXEcQ64jnPLKszn9RxqZhJeBW37GW6/s400/4346877783_edf4c01cc6_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562563942731082450" border="0" /></a><a href="https://luckydogphotos.wclc.com/default.aspx?p=r&r=c_pup_photoviewer&c=PUP4&pid=ccc4f5e4-217a-417e-9577-627f61187e78">VOTE FOR THIS PHOTO HERE</a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hDRXfXEcp8op9cOFqLX6pLjAgcGJhihVHcV6ynOzkW4-GL2nZQw0j77If-LEUPtYTclmDhlSHtxxRd0h8MXbMMahyphenhyphenG2ioimqM1kEwLc4zyPFg46A6XlxAZjgoRNYgYzkD1nX0vJbKV8p/s1600/4328328085_794eee7b5a_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 337px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hDRXfXEcp8op9cOFqLX6pLjAgcGJhihVHcV6ynOzkW4-GL2nZQw0j77If-LEUPtYTclmDhlSHtxxRd0h8MXbMMahyphenhyphenG2ioimqM1kEwLc4zyPFg46A6XlxAZjgoRNYgYzkD1nX0vJbKV8p/s400/4328328085_794eee7b5a_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562563941066203938" border="0" /></a><a href="https://luckydogphotos.wclc.com/default.aspx?p=r&r=c_pup_photoviewer&c=PUP6&pid=f365fd02-95f7-48ef-a560-fd5b748e0289">VOTE FOR THIS PHOTO HERE</a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOF97oBcK3d6YcYXzUWriH3eSekvIaFhu68p9JyZG1aPTIH2Freqk0l6tvw2VnYN9c8NDFCXNZ7iEEI8PzOwc-UU80JdcN_n0FoRWIIoHNYwiymser7F9SSPPZ2bq08XxaScu5-B02rJs/s1600/4270278608_2ee72e4c45_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 289px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOF97oBcK3d6YcYXzUWriH3eSekvIaFhu68p9JyZG1aPTIH2Freqk0l6tvw2VnYN9c8NDFCXNZ7iEEI8PzOwc-UU80JdcN_n0FoRWIIoHNYwiymser7F9SSPPZ2bq08XxaScu5-B02rJs/s400/4270278608_2ee72e4c45_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562565553641234082" border="0" /></a><a href="https://luckydogphotos.wclc.com/default.aspx?p=r&r=c_pup_photoviewer&c=PUP7&pid=f154f80f-4fd2-4c85-93f2-29269867eb0f">VOTE FOR THIS PHOTO HERE</a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JHtUj0KYoOFZGEzzAt3MwSWzLait-xz6RDlaIHHydEtfaK3dVBS5DWctlBk6VD5-04Kq86jr66Yvvn6lB3vBq_cKQoQORUhWOoOXDqHQb5sR6HAozcRvilKzPNCQuugWlGydhXc59Udr/s1600/4439985920_d7e36fd978_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 390px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JHtUj0KYoOFZGEzzAt3MwSWzLait-xz6RDlaIHHydEtfaK3dVBS5DWctlBk6VD5-04Kq86jr66Yvvn6lB3vBq_cKQoQORUhWOoOXDqHQb5sR6HAozcRvilKzPNCQuugWlGydhXc59Udr/s400/4439985920_d7e36fd978_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562565668410508146" border="0" /></a><a href="https://luckydogphotos.wclc.com/default.aspx?p=r&r=c_pup_photoviewer&c=PUP5&pid=a671b57b-9542-431a-94d1-6f8181727960">VOTE FOR THIS PHOTO HERE</a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMowf5yjP3VTAjIXuFmb8X1t-AFpNIjao1jH4qVeXmxSckeHO6sKlHQPyOHKod3ijcaUMCO2kqYAwG7F0AOcWnJY002WBg2SI5HGWggvimSt78jH_R1mgWJttRpZRDANJkyngJ-I_Uxsh5/s1600/4672423427_bfd8317e99_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 376px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMowf5yjP3VTAjIXuFmb8X1t-AFpNIjao1jH4qVeXmxSckeHO6sKlHQPyOHKod3ijcaUMCO2kqYAwG7F0AOcWnJY002WBg2SI5HGWggvimSt78jH_R1mgWJttRpZRDANJkyngJ-I_Uxsh5/s400/4672423427_bfd8317e99_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562565852579479506" border="0" /></a><a href="https://luckydogphotos.wclc.com/default.aspx?p=r&r=c_pup_photoviewer&c=PUP1&pid=2197d540-3d4e-4f6c-9efc-a03903bfa24c">VOTE FOR THIS PHOTO HERE</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtnH2h1P-kAniA9z8Q7xgnUI4LnWC4kAaDEIuadSEVq5LhlLke8uZoHLnsYyLkfThOmWvbVsw6XaKqAPt7_BJRNdA9NiP-Ht6aFAXkuHawtpp6JNldcR2f4qMkvP0xgD-7LMT1dMspfe6/s1600/4673046528_d61899789a_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 271px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtnH2h1P-kAniA9z8Q7xgnUI4LnWC4kAaDEIuadSEVq5LhlLke8uZoHLnsYyLkfThOmWvbVsw6XaKqAPt7_BJRNdA9NiP-Ht6aFAXkuHawtpp6JNldcR2f4qMkvP0xgD-7LMT1dMspfe6/s400/4673046528_d61899789a_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562566076271564002" border="0" /></a><a href="https://luckydogphotos.wclc.com/default.aspx?p=r&r=c_pup_photoviewer&c=PUP1&pid=8de362ad-3e10-4f75-84f7-a3adff9159d4">VOTE FOR THIS PHOTO HERE</a><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWCq_gotQYQAoPxTRMHeOae2IVsTsjmZJ3w8SFV2Z8ipnGyV45aajFzGPpdnmHbJN90zHsZ7VMHWN0Qc1mo4_qMuCGUEolxu0CEU3A1D-kXGCEKzTSAMCN_kAl0CtlyCFaIA0AzIs90WL/s1600/5108266215_052685d4f0_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 325px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWCq_gotQYQAoPxTRMHeOae2IVsTsjmZJ3w8SFV2Z8ipnGyV45aajFzGPpdnmHbJN90zHsZ7VMHWN0Qc1mo4_qMuCGUEolxu0CEU3A1D-kXGCEKzTSAMCN_kAl0CtlyCFaIA0AzIs90WL/s400/5108266215_052685d4f0_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562567126183421874" border="0" /></a><a href="https://luckydogphotos.wclc.com/default.aspx?p=r&r=c_pup_photoviewer&c=PUP7&pid=c3959157-1e81-420e-b263-e396c1e1fb98">VOTE FOR THIS PHOTO HERE</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusPBwEjQuHxWufYiI48gQ1xx1-Wt25055fbwpVPwW2trkBlAt8kXVcSZ26_GUmZMwZFlcivBAPfZ9-rN9-mMFuMC9JNzH-H3elfi3GbLvYtMe9M2eN0ji2j6y6T5myqH9jhKC5JAACamE/s1600/5211738065_b4b2fcba15_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 323px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusPBwEjQuHxWufYiI48gQ1xx1-Wt25055fbwpVPwW2trkBlAt8kXVcSZ26_GUmZMwZFlcivBAPfZ9-rN9-mMFuMC9JNzH-H3elfi3GbLvYtMe9M2eN0ji2j6y6T5myqH9jhKC5JAACamE/s400/5211738065_b4b2fcba15_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562567360235029106" border="0" /></a><a href="https://luckydogphotos.wclc.com/default.aspx?p=r&r=c_pup_photoviewer&c=PUP2&pid=1e1ac491-72b7-406e-b380-ceac7a099baa">VOTE FOR THIS PHOTO HERE</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRAExW51rA5aLG7EpQU4di7pabYnFdAVHTlANJvh0FysRVVJUg51r-MmHjAxkInkqLdVMgdJS22hi9NO0JWvb2lVFNSZOBSaf3qPCnmaRYsZuFdeRSXLcVANVfuy-Ir81394MdemxdlW8/s1600/5212340566_66c33b05da_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 281px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRAExW51rA5aLG7EpQU4di7pabYnFdAVHTlANJvh0FysRVVJUg51r-MmHjAxkInkqLdVMgdJS22hi9NO0JWvb2lVFNSZOBSaf3qPCnmaRYsZuFdeRSXLcVANVfuy-Ir81394MdemxdlW8/s400/5212340566_66c33b05da_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562567586657013010" border="0" /></a><a href="https://luckydogphotos.wclc.com/default.aspx?p=r&r=c_pup_photoviewer&c=PUP2&pid=f8b6bc47-b1d2-4eca-ade8-241c43927458">VOTE FOR THIS PHOTO HERE</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltOaJtbgg_iBXNMVwRCFO-V_rrvP6BRYrYNTk4vbp0B3z9_rKmHOeudaRHEs_4XDtK-SCj3y8U-J31jsv7muku16v244zwDRb6cr-L05sMGg8bN_P7Bp0qyrurjoilc9XasfV-CBi9dzZ/s1600/5321061536_52a28f8b6b_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltOaJtbgg_iBXNMVwRCFO-V_rrvP6BRYrYNTk4vbp0B3z9_rKmHOeudaRHEs_4XDtK-SCj3y8U-J31jsv7muku16v244zwDRb6cr-L05sMGg8bN_P7Bp0qyrurjoilc9XasfV-CBi9dzZ/s400/5321061536_52a28f8b6b_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562567593926525058" border="0" /></a><a href=https://luckydogphotos.wclc.com/default.aspx?p=r&r=c_pup_photoviewer&c=PUP7&pid=077d3c7f-c76c-483e-8ce5-4789123cb151>VOTE FOR THIS PHOTO HERE</a><br /></div>GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-39742664595921969552010-09-27T16:09:00.005-06:002010-09-27T16:14:39.811-06:00MISSING!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XgHRxMoIYAX2-H3Q5Edum3gNUmTe3S5ku5gYBULqTVu-VUvqyom10TFBoEueoWQ18k7bZqZmOU9T4mwb3_OcP09ePfeG6HY2vr9Ny3v6ASmSHDRNK_LEZChWTvnz-Nn7g2_L1H2eSZpv/s1600/booneposter.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XgHRxMoIYAX2-H3Q5Edum3gNUmTe3S5ku5gYBULqTVu-VUvqyom10TFBoEueoWQ18k7bZqZmOU9T4mwb3_OcP09ePfeG6HY2vr9Ny3v6ASmSHDRNK_LEZChWTvnz-Nn7g2_L1H2eSZpv/s400/booneposter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521719615409348002" border="0" /></a><br />Boone from <a href="http://manymuddypaws.blogspot.com/">Many Muddy Paws</a> is MISSING!<br /><br />Anyone in the Lethbridge, AB area, please keep an eye out for this boy! Please crosspost.GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-50191949211867367982010-09-06T16:37:00.003-06:002010-09-06T16:43:40.320-06:00Blast From the Past"Past" being June, anyways!<br /><br />Back in June, SAA held an AAC agility trial and I had Romeo entered in a couple of runs. That weekend he earned a Starters Standard Q and a Starters Snooker Q. A friend video taped Romeo's Standard run, and this weekend gave me a DVD with the video!<br /><br />For the little bit of agility that we do, I'm very proud of my boy for how well he does! He had a bit of a bobble at the weaves (was his VERY first time EVER seeing 12 weaves in a row), and he still isn't super strong on the tunnels, so some of my handling is a bit awkward to ensure that he takes the tunnel.<br /><br /><center><object width="660" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Kl9pl-vKtEc?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Kl9pl-vKtEc?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="660" height="405"></embed></object></center>GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-59341461536606261482010-08-25T18:51:00.005-06:002010-08-25T19:18:50.948-06:00ROAD TRIP continuedSo we're home now, settled in and rested up. Life is back to normal.<br /><br />Last weekend the dogs and I went on a road trip to attend a Sheltie Party! WOOHOO! <a href="http://www.circleofshelties.proboards.com/">Circle of Sheltie Friends</a> has a yearly summer party for members. Not all of us are from the same area, so this year there were Sheltie Parties spread across the US and Canada. I attended the party in Edmonton, which meant about a 6 hour drive. Took a couple of days off, packed the car with dogs and presents, and headed out!<br /><br />The party didn't start until Saturday, but the hostess was gracious enough to let me bunk at her place for the weekend. She has two stellar Shelties, Luka (9 years) and Cullen (2 years). All of the boys got along very well; Romeo and Cullen chased each other around the house while Gio and Luka stood back and barked at them. Perfect match!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVEuqTxERWgGTgCg088F42dvbcVit24O1_mYnY3VzH4hKV-DkUTWixlp_odPT17tnOVw5a5hPx0YGidBxplFyczRbzJgp8Yy-Qwn7kJIAPQVIFs7D9VQ00KCQKiuWbQh4QjXDMC7anVGM/s1600/44438_10150249979630106_737520105_14327489_3347321_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVEuqTxERWgGTgCg088F42dvbcVit24O1_mYnY3VzH4hKV-DkUTWixlp_odPT17tnOVw5a5hPx0YGidBxplFyczRbzJgp8Yy-Qwn7kJIAPQVIFs7D9VQ00KCQKiuWbQh4QjXDMC7anVGM/s400/44438_10150249979630106_737520105_14327489_3347321_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509516332312425426" border="0" /></a><br />Gio and Romeo especially loved the resident children! The young boy was a ball throwing machine, and tossed toys and balls for the dogs for ages. Easy way to win over the heart of a Sheltie ... balls and food.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitATQ9lCgufaVDxOfs1sea95QLhKfT8cazS3cqReUfE3j39bPGjkzgriA9vISXLrGf0hUUfMg9iYaxKbvXTPszfkDy3wXhm4ZwoB1g8Z_kJs4b7koP-ChOcDkG_PPfjyMxyuTeDEy2PS95/s1600/45984_10150249979510106_737520105_14327483_5287863_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 322px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitATQ9lCgufaVDxOfs1sea95QLhKfT8cazS3cqReUfE3j39bPGjkzgriA9vISXLrGf0hUUfMg9iYaxKbvXTPszfkDy3wXhm4ZwoB1g8Z_kJs4b7koP-ChOcDkG_PPfjyMxyuTeDEy2PS95/s400/45984_10150249979510106_737520105_14327483_5287863_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509516328280716338" border="0" /></a>The party on Saturday saw 13 dogs (12 Shelties and 1 Collie), plenty of food, loads of kids, and some great company! It was a great time had by all!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj907xJMrHTKYEtuR9fksA7faxACiqVylWgvkCY2DVGlHlDobkOeAiJyGtvG7gvEN_61M1pU8H3n8ep4W9B91bWgl3tVI8B8IU1CfT0hc0gwzziGyf_dqmQ0jXA_BXd3W37wt8Rqa3OSjKj/s1600/45459_10150249979325106_737520105_14327479_7307419_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj907xJMrHTKYEtuR9fksA7faxACiqVylWgvkCY2DVGlHlDobkOeAiJyGtvG7gvEN_61M1pU8H3n8ep4W9B91bWgl3tVI8B8IU1CfT0hc0gwzziGyf_dqmQ0jXA_BXd3W37wt8Rqa3OSjKj/s400/45459_10150249979325106_737520105_14327479_7307419_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509516314592758402" border="0" /></a>Remember the two ways to win over a Sheltie? Here is the second one! FOOD!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSH0bWkrJKHPoPPTjLRfxBoeGtrkZQGeYz-99slnQEU-YLf7RR9sImkQu2WMHInkdAqTUFUDESoHUev_Wc3Ri12vlnOiggoRuDdG8WcNyg0-xY5NomyhsoCNwjuN7V2Fj-iZEft7sZjtNt/s1600/41321_10150249979680106_737520105_14327492_1361587_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSH0bWkrJKHPoPPTjLRfxBoeGtrkZQGeYz-99slnQEU-YLf7RR9sImkQu2WMHInkdAqTUFUDESoHUev_Wc3Ri12vlnOiggoRuDdG8WcNyg0-xY5NomyhsoCNwjuN7V2Fj-iZEft7sZjtNt/s400/41321_10150249979680106_737520105_14327492_1361587_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509518711108932050" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_5gjHtrds1HA5O5hdTQ9BfUoWQenKvaMo53OilF8vzA5-SuRozy9mIECWMYwv573fb4VK-R6qJW2dngxvNZ9isq9sAax08C9eQ9EX-RBLs0cpTb_Moeg_WcjTVl660uk57LjUsu7wdTU/s1600/45506_10150249980050106_737520105_14327508_4173810_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_5gjHtrds1HA5O5hdTQ9BfUoWQenKvaMo53OilF8vzA5-SuRozy9mIECWMYwv573fb4VK-R6qJW2dngxvNZ9isq9sAax08C9eQ9EX-RBLs0cpTb_Moeg_WcjTVl660uk57LjUsu7wdTU/s400/45506_10150249980050106_737520105_14327508_4173810_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509518733291675858" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNRmgwF1hGOTWpMNKRoANlt28mPXWjbz2md4pcmbOaemRzAJqeuAKq-ChPJnr3A52pBVdQ6Vw2cUXWm6b8DRqU_WbLjBAXNkTHQTMVkAwtpBAYyIhTY8b2sXQ0w9m79MWWdodQ0BZEwAg/s1600/45506_10150249980045106_737520105_14327507_6198205_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNRmgwF1hGOTWpMNKRoANlt28mPXWjbz2md4pcmbOaemRzAJqeuAKq-ChPJnr3A52pBVdQ6Vw2cUXWm6b8DRqU_WbLjBAXNkTHQTMVkAwtpBAYyIhTY8b2sXQ0w9m79MWWdodQ0BZEwAg/s400/45506_10150249980045106_737520105_14327507_6198205_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509518727266156530" border="0" /></a>I guess, in lieu of food, scratches are acceptable, too.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgviYWwgl4s_62IEHvN6sn6e56tnnj9i2ie2mIpVOX8mU3LrcP7nmhnkEA169HTzXc5-5-2aKfYD13miNnoj3DbbW22NvNyG7RL8Z9aamiKgjTxJK_9AiRni1KV5Wufay5F14dp12fMDrgG/s1600/46240_10150249979820106_737520105_14327497_3080732_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgviYWwgl4s_62IEHvN6sn6e56tnnj9i2ie2mIpVOX8mU3LrcP7nmhnkEA169HTzXc5-5-2aKfYD13miNnoj3DbbW22NvNyG7RL8Z9aamiKgjTxJK_9AiRni1KV5Wufay5F14dp12fMDrgG/s400/46240_10150249979820106_737520105_14327497_3080732_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509518723568894738" border="0" /></a>And kids can supply ball throwing, food, AND scratches! WOOHOO!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDvnQdCflR7jcZJqvG-_dpwBcRZseAMyI703PzShuZQ8JGL5d1Zap1aK3NkSmKssNDI8eomRjCIZHACwQ_pImDs5vNHiYpHJq_CTabwCAVQMC9x4HW2k8z_fGXQz8x4nsDoNSxDvszbmq/s1600/46240_10150249979815106_737520105_14327496_5794372_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 321px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDvnQdCflR7jcZJqvG-_dpwBcRZseAMyI703PzShuZQ8JGL5d1Zap1aK3NkSmKssNDI8eomRjCIZHACwQ_pImDs5vNHiYpHJq_CTabwCAVQMC9x4HW2k8z_fGXQz8x4nsDoNSxDvszbmq/s400/46240_10150249979815106_737520105_14327496_5794372_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509518714383740242" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-BYKqn6EdMAWwkLaWlTRYRiU4itr46OXS1WYC0DQh97I4dPpCKxEd1ixtaPSMErmcgYidx1a-j2LyNzzzXRSBMRUxi64U4JnEBHh2zGgeBFGfEYuDLBN7cmii-7ykNdAKkqc6HNKsGgt/s1600/45251_10150249980350106_737520105_14327527_5636715_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 326px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-BYKqn6EdMAWwkLaWlTRYRiU4itr46OXS1WYC0DQh97I4dPpCKxEd1ixtaPSMErmcgYidx1a-j2LyNzzzXRSBMRUxi64U4JnEBHh2zGgeBFGfEYuDLBN7cmii-7ykNdAKkqc6HNKsGgt/s400/45251_10150249980350106_737520105_14327527_5636715_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509519728261937986" border="0" /></a><br />Gio made a new buddy in Jake, the other super-sized Sheltie at the event. I think they are the most handsome super-sized Shelties EVER! Even down to their matching front leg markings.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSGRJbTZqmW-YNpfPyeNO2n4NYFPzFuVk7llA1pcEAaj-wnaCE3ULCr4Nme3OB6EIpJhPU7kRuabj43K-1uMWL8H83-53S4A3s4oxZGy19Ly_azBY8_2YOtzoKUAzfTEugpLrIt2gUFWB3/s1600/45251_10150249980355106_737520105_14327528_207640_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSGRJbTZqmW-YNpfPyeNO2n4NYFPzFuVk7llA1pcEAaj-wnaCE3ULCr4Nme3OB6EIpJhPU7kRuabj43K-1uMWL8H83-53S4A3s4oxZGy19Ly_azBY8_2YOtzoKUAzfTEugpLrIt2gUFWB3/s400/45251_10150249980355106_737520105_14327528_207640_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509519735080535058" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqts_63YPqX3ndbM4kfYK_hIl_8MtYci4kvJJtE1P_JdLUeiYie7BLhKPeTL9y88lxHklkf6PUtyFFVtgL61pdujWyrlpzPhQXcZUYjZvv79PeXZ29gOVe35H2tvKIXAmqa6ozjs4Qeuw/s1600/40930_10150249980745106_737520105_14327535_2007709_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqts_63YPqX3ndbM4kfYK_hIl_8MtYci4kvJJtE1P_JdLUeiYie7BLhKPeTL9y88lxHklkf6PUtyFFVtgL61pdujWyrlpzPhQXcZUYjZvv79PeXZ29gOVe35H2tvKIXAmqa6ozjs4Qeuw/s400/40930_10150249980745106_737520105_14327535_2007709_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509519749988455106" border="0" /></a><br />All of these festivities resulted in plenty of tired Shelties.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqv5drIfqbf-NM5X00Pu81XxodyZDx4vZXlLjIsxw50x4KL6GFXTXghQl6qo2vyrqulnLwNfO5owzS9DZhUgzfJetznl0RuzQPOwEf7ICx5jntbZnnHhJpWiFhglTqWX1nYPWS_BBY2vB4/s1600/45929_10150249979395106_737520105_14327482_748412_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 389px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqv5drIfqbf-NM5X00Pu81XxodyZDx4vZXlLjIsxw50x4KL6GFXTXghQl6qo2vyrqulnLwNfO5owzS9DZhUgzfJetznl0RuzQPOwEf7ICx5jntbZnnHhJpWiFhglTqWX1nYPWS_BBY2vB4/s400/45929_10150249979395106_737520105_14327482_748412_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509516322921171362" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodv8cCFMuDDDtYOqu366pirwAf5ex9lAxBMIKgBLAHgTehJM9_oB4RSP4AM-htUTi2lsAtMybzn_jGkNk5MiKAls_y1KMttVlCdZiwnZRbYDekX1hUGRT5SyQefa2TeCL3PANjXdJd-9s/s1600/44438_10150249979635106_737520105_14327490_6606845_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 385px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodv8cCFMuDDDtYOqu366pirwAf5ex9lAxBMIKgBLAHgTehJM9_oB4RSP4AM-htUTi2lsAtMybzn_jGkNk5MiKAls_y1KMttVlCdZiwnZRbYDekX1hUGRT5SyQefa2TeCL3PANjXdJd-9s/s400/44438_10150249979635106_737520105_14327490_6606845_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509516341020415874" border="0" /></a><br />We hit the road again on Sunday to come home. One pit stop along the way ... Vegreville!<br /><br />Vegreville is between Edmonton and Lloydminster and is home to the world's largest Pysanka (ie. Ukrainian Easter egg). This has always been my favorite roadside attraction. I have an odd love for those giant statues or sculptures that many towns have and would some day love to go on a road trip and visit all of the big monuments, statues, and small town museums that I come across! Some day ... when I have more money and time than I know what to do with.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZcOnVOtcuQEioNGw65V0_YX8NmRXe-ArbqU17LYyKSxlMGX2vkPETu8LuAWK8mWSPfatE-IFMkaT-dAPdIBEptVgIKmYE78IIsmk6lWi51u4lCNcwO7tp-SGBdbaCjDkkpXTznp3EhXn/s1600/45936_10150249980820106_737520105_14327540_4279964_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZcOnVOtcuQEioNGw65V0_YX8NmRXe-ArbqU17LYyKSxlMGX2vkPETu8LuAWK8mWSPfatE-IFMkaT-dAPdIBEptVgIKmYE78IIsmk6lWi51u4lCNcwO7tp-SGBdbaCjDkkpXTznp3EhXn/s400/45936_10150249980820106_737520105_14327540_4279964_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509519758791407138" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqts_63YPqX3ndbM4kfYK_hIl_8MtYci4kvJJtE1P_JdLUeiYie7BLhKPeTL9y88lxHklkf6PUtyFFVtgL61pdujWyrlpzPhQXcZUYjZvv79PeXZ29gOVe35H2tvKIXAmqa6ozjs4Qeuw/s1600/40930_10150249980745106_737520105_14327535_2007709_n.jpg"><br /></a><br />I have a photo like this from when I was much younger. Thought it was only appropriate to get a picture of the dogs with the egg as well!GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-24885315087686955722010-08-19T20:24:00.001-06:002010-08-19T20:25:28.527-06:00ROAD TRIP!!The boys and I are going on a very special road trip!<br /><br />But you'll have to wait to hear details and see pictures until after we get back. ;)GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-28134484625802516712010-08-17T18:09:00.004-06:002010-08-17T18:11:27.162-06:00Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?I found this on the <a href="http://manymuddypaws.blogspot.com/">Many Muddy Paws blog</a> and just HAD to re-post it here!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><u>WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?</u></span><u></u><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(Dog Trainer Version)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Author: Unknown</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pavlov:</span> we fed the chicken on the opposite side of the road each day at 4p.m. until the chicken’s autonomic system actually began causing the chicken to cross the road at 4 p.m. without even questioning the “why.”<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">B.F. Skinner:</span> on prior occasions when the chicken voluntarily crossed the road, this behavior was followed immediately by a reinforcing consequence.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cesar Milan:</span> I bullied, chased, poked, and intimidated the chicken until it raced across the road, because I am a strong leader.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Barbara Woodhouse:</span> You just say, “Walkies” with the right accent and place a crumpet on the other side of the road.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Karen Pryor:</span> by associating R+ with road crossing and P+ withstanding still, with a VR schedule, and offering a reward in keeping with the Premack principle, we increased the intensity and frequency of the road crossing behavior.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bill Koehler:</span> a few well-timed pops on the choke chain and the chicken was cheerfully to crossing the road.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Nicholas Dodman:</span> I gave the chicken fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, carbamazepine, and azapirone and then it was happy to cross the road.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Patti Ruzzo:</span> I crossed the road, pausing every step to spit a treat out of my mouth like a human pez dispenser and the chicken followed along catching the treats.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Electric Collar Advocate:</span> whenever the chicken does not cross the road I give it an electric shock. But do not worry, the shock is no more than you would feel if you walked on a carpet wearing socks and it does not bother the chicken at all. The feathers standing up and the smell of burning flesh mean nothing. In fact, they are happier having nice clear communication than they would be otherwise.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yuppie:</span> chickens are just like little people in feather jackets, and if you love them and give them diamonds and feel sorry for them all the time, they will be happy to cross the road for you.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Paris Hilton:</span> Because I put it in a Gucci bag and carried it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Shelter director:</span> Any chickens that do not cross the road will be euthanized for their own good, and the others we will ‘adopt’ out tomorrow for only $200 each. Please send us money so we can keep doing more of this important work!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">HSUS member:</span> I do not know anything about animals, I have never been around animals and am not really fond of animals, but we passed a law mandating that chickens be kept without cages because animals belong only in the wild and cannot be happy coexisting with man, so now they are walking wherever they want.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">PETA member:</span> chickens have the right to live in world without roads. Any chicken that lives within a hundred miles of a road is suffering an inhumane existence and might eventually be hit by a car so we should kill it today to ensure that it does not die tomorrow.GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-9464850434714878992010-08-15T14:30:00.002-06:002010-08-15T14:56:35.530-06:00In ReverseI've received some requests via my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/sheltie.hair">Sheltie Hair Facebook page</a> for videos explaining how I do my training.<br /><br />One request asked for a demonstration on how I train a "back up". So here it is!<br /><br /><center><object width="660" height="525"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZbLaft5YvxM?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZbLaft5YvxM?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="660" height="525"></embed></object></center><br /><br />And, while I was at it, I made a video showing how I train a backward heel. There are more techniques to clean up the backward heel once the dog has the basic idea, but this video shows the very beginning steps with a STRONG focus on heel position.<br /><br /><center><object width="660" height="525"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qtAYn6iNFac?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qtAYn6iNFac?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="660" height="525"></embed></object></center>GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-50768194450586756152010-08-01T15:17:00.005-06:002010-08-01T15:36:46.456-06:00Happy 4th Birthday Romeo!Today is the little shit's 4th birthday!<br /><br />I can't believe he is 4 years old already. Boggles the mind, it does!<br /><br />I still think of Romeo as the little puppy. He's the young one, the little one ... not the adult dog! It's so weird!<br /><br />But, while he certainly cannot be called a pup anymore, at least he still acts like one! Definitely not a mature bone in this little turd's body.<br /><br />Just to convince myself that Romeo really is a big boy now, here are some pictures of when he first joined the family at 9 months old.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOIwZQrTlcpJn7-s63kagjiDahmjVLfaOJKnIrmea9FT-L3yZbZWNeP5qlMCCCq20La7pYE2Ais8oX-RBQ58u_c120p-4feC80wBZN7a304YjJ51OaReWGmntHeevufq4dEhNIIIMSg3h/s1600/DSC00954.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOIwZQrTlcpJn7-s63kagjiDahmjVLfaOJKnIrmea9FT-L3yZbZWNeP5qlMCCCq20La7pYE2Ais8oX-RBQ58u_c120p-4feC80wBZN7a304YjJ51OaReWGmntHeevufq4dEhNIIIMSg3h/s400/DSC00954.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500555259284858706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">The first meet and greet with Gio. Gio assumed the "maybe if I ignore him, he will go away" expression on day 1 and has maintained it ever since. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVv0U0AQkjC4mul220Hy2nH5aMjgLcUtHiZLFOm11F2IgnLspjVP3T80ygcTO-84y6yRcstyOwlm_b2CDtT22fo0GzKCEJUZVGiyyK5h24tCqdEFvLkycRNRs1Imt9M_Lux_YvLcfRnFj/s1600/DSC00960.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVv0U0AQkjC4mul220Hy2nH5aMjgLcUtHiZLFOm11F2IgnLspjVP3T80ygcTO-84y6yRcstyOwlm_b2CDtT22fo0GzKCEJUZVGiyyK5h24tCqdEFvLkycRNRs1Imt9M_Lux_YvLcfRnFj/s400/DSC00960.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500555262421541170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Romeo hid under the coffee table for most of the first evening. Gio continued to assume the stance that if he didn't look at Romeo, he would just go away. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DlZBj76BQC4nxo-PtVvkufj8F7Z7PfOtVtuFlUmOzxChx-oFa-ARTuP5eJYo2wHbUuI3yN2aYJOlAWDIrg2bqfQKgnM92QsPw5I0diWDuFdBXy5Z-vOn1xa0eSUi2BXoO7T3zM2oTyAz/s1600/DSC00981.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 387px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DlZBj76BQC4nxo-PtVvkufj8F7Z7PfOtVtuFlUmOzxChx-oFa-ARTuP5eJYo2wHbUuI3yN2aYJOlAWDIrg2bqfQKgnM92QsPw5I0diWDuFdBXy5Z-vOn1xa0eSUi2BXoO7T3zM2oTyAz/s400/DSC00981.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500555274278636770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">But they both lightened up once they realized there were tennis balls involved!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXOWCBiEmcqSi4Ex91QmFn3L0fJF-nexNmLxiqx7rJviq64CkO-VwDB8l09Xu30XM90fwjYIQuv7vbgmdyLofc_jiEKdwyws2js8GnMMHwC1SinGwJgsQFmk0GGSNkRTlBhKd0F_XhbJf/s1600/DSC00991.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 324px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXOWCBiEmcqSi4Ex91QmFn3L0fJF-nexNmLxiqx7rJviq64CkO-VwDB8l09Xu30XM90fwjYIQuv7vbgmdyLofc_jiEKdwyws2js8GnMMHwC1SinGwJgsQFmk0GGSNkRTlBhKd0F_XhbJf/s400/DSC00991.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500555277824733058" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">And became fast friends.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTSR3d7UEhQBfWIQy4yFYlAamXyJt6U9dEe0-7paiqqDVPmMo3ZTTBfG-xm25ro5lPHWf5piukb1-a0MrCoF6-HdwueCqfe3K48vVFZfpX6fbbjVxIWBpfNzgUX4fy8rQPdxHYIivhXQL/s1600/DSC00993.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 337px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTSR3d7UEhQBfWIQy4yFYlAamXyJt6U9dEe0-7paiqqDVPmMo3ZTTBfG-xm25ro5lPHWf5piukb1-a0MrCoF6-HdwueCqfe3K48vVFZfpX6fbbjVxIWBpfNzgUX4fy8rQPdxHYIivhXQL/s400/DSC00993.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500555281134197906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">The scrawny little puppy, affectionately named "you little black bugger" ...<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-knnizI6kGjkNK75r7KbdLwIpfR5OE5H9Op_gmFPLzT-SMdVq5LxvR4O7LZcTr9TvOb5m-osuT9UOpxyI-qtpBMUAX1OmdgR08NfR9TCr8jK5u5Y9e6IWjTlRawt465TysFimOW3STq72/s1600/IMG_4754.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 338px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-knnizI6kGjkNK75r7KbdLwIpfR5OE5H9Op_gmFPLzT-SMdVq5LxvR4O7LZcTr9TvOb5m-osuT9UOpxyI-qtpBMUAX1OmdgR08NfR9TCr8jK5u5Y9e6IWjTlRawt465TysFimOW3STq72/s400/IMG_4754.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500558113192616258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">... has turned into quite the handsome little man! </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6uypLMCp9gge7gAHMl2tmf3G7YLLpQDfuXUnRGGox10u35SnauPs0xif9Rzfb5tcr9T1H2sDm4KNSEAom5YO-nb3a1BO4iYxGogOMqK69JLswW35savBJJLSvgTfJFRrGSNK5JqjctIZ/s1600/IMG_4958.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6uypLMCp9gge7gAHMl2tmf3G7YLLpQDfuXUnRGGox10u35SnauPs0xif9Rzfb5tcr9T1H2sDm4KNSEAom5YO-nb3a1BO4iYxGogOMqK69JLswW35savBJJLSvgTfJFRrGSNK5JqjctIZ/s400/IMG_4958.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500558132940167842" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2iPDQWLAcSxfnQ3_HQjH8RI1qJkEaGXZxr6vfgAQRpZ4Gvhmw_u-xDpX8yaNxwy0HWy31cFx8s8CM8AO4BnK9h5t7pX3zQ8kSbU4XMD0re0WQRiGjZyilGEKYHMkHFcE0baEFy3fWyt8/s1600/IMG_4729.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 340px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2iPDQWLAcSxfnQ3_HQjH8RI1qJkEaGXZxr6vfgAQRpZ4Gvhmw_u-xDpX8yaNxwy0HWy31cFx8s8CM8AO4BnK9h5t7pX3zQ8kSbU4XMD0re0WQRiGjZyilGEKYHMkHFcE0baEFy3fWyt8/s400/IMG_4729.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500558121579668658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">With plenty of *sproing*!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Happy 4th birthday, little pig! </span></span><br /></span> </div>GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-64232841210935176322010-07-27T21:04:00.004-06:002010-07-27T21:17:10.169-06:00More From WatrousHere are a couple more pictures from our agility demo at Watrous last weekend. Thanks Greg and Andrea for taking them! Love to see my boy at work!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxnfzG_SO13dgt5jHbFkuvGHgEBnERxWiPlldI7jOlpqtxZy6aY6Wx6EBiWGvwb4weWbKgHtetUaRtFSBwuba7KGR1mnf5L3rKUQMm2y2CVdk2JS9vlwAqKPZ5ov2F9vSIk1sb4OseVUX/s1600/38412_426339386560_631216560_5239278_5925235_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxnfzG_SO13dgt5jHbFkuvGHgEBnERxWiPlldI7jOlpqtxZy6aY6Wx6EBiWGvwb4weWbKgHtetUaRtFSBwuba7KGR1mnf5L3rKUQMm2y2CVdk2JS9vlwAqKPZ5ov2F9vSIk1sb4OseVUX/s400/38412_426339386560_631216560_5239278_5925235_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498787944445414082" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Catchin' up</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCswWb8gS_Sy2PwMqrqmRUIVyu-LGrxd4HKkKqpUbob8z9L4ibZusfdeqGmHXzZFL78ZPC-abb6MagV01XuXfUcjjDn_iAlDf1ys8_GtFwAezz7Jc-1eS7mukLc_uJyLszxlywIG4YjkN/s1600/39144_426338676560_631216560_5239235_6889589_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCswWb8gS_Sy2PwMqrqmRUIVyu-LGrxd4HKkKqpUbob8z9L4ibZusfdeqGmHXzZFL78ZPC-abb6MagV01XuXfUcjjDn_iAlDf1ys8_GtFwAezz7Jc-1eS7mukLc_uJyLszxlywIG4YjkN/s400/39144_426338676560_631216560_5239235_6889589_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498787952854531938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Bad crop ... but the uncropped version with me included looked like I had a pole wedged<br />in my butt crack. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ollHBBsaD1Zq1GFkJKOqhDQ5WxyrIgT_uguLHGcagoROfanLkYnFV1D8XIQ9Ei9hFSKAkPm8noWapQsP7OGNcJ0DBvqoe7y-yPh5an__A8GacqKeKg_jeWxwqD1-0Lp8l664Rmn_sdA_/s1600/39144_426338681560_631216560_5239236_1911777_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 297px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ollHBBsaD1Zq1GFkJKOqhDQ5WxyrIgT_uguLHGcagoROfanLkYnFV1D8XIQ9Ei9hFSKAkPm8noWapQsP7OGNcJ0DBvqoe7y-yPh5an__A8GacqKeKg_jeWxwqD1-0Lp8l664Rmn_sdA_/s400/39144_426338681560_631216560_5239236_1911777_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498787958686942274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Weeee! Tunnels! At least this picture makes it appear as if he has tunnel drive ... he doesn't. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_5hbPrMitkNK61M8o65trquMCLFmM4l4I8RxFenLxPW3M_CCcPMbHpzgxnJ4xNFZEtzhX-yM6cAcAPw76fLd09OtG8pcGcCxSRLYWnQtmVtXUwB5Q3rPcJVG3ghNSC0zdhP4KUOr2aER/s1600/39144_426338686560_631216560_5239237_7433703_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_5hbPrMitkNK61M8o65trquMCLFmM4l4I8RxFenLxPW3M_CCcPMbHpzgxnJ4xNFZEtzhX-yM6cAcAPw76fLd09OtG8pcGcCxSRLYWnQtmVtXUwB5Q3rPcJVG3ghNSC0zdhP4KUOr2aER/s400/39144_426338686560_631216560_5239237_7433703_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498787962033941714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">My bouncy little guy. This must have been his ONE set of nice weaves all day.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX987Kze4zD70qRf703UjIo-qep6JVRi-pNkGG5WrZkpoRcdLDEHqj4wDo0QL2mfaM6RwwmThjqRzeoqgYWUZxUHIrMR6grG_W9TgRzGE96ALKVCsXd-eC18DlJXXylt8hAbuZl4y51D38/s1600/39144_426338691560_631216560_5239238_5049712_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX987Kze4zD70qRf703UjIo-qep6JVRi-pNkGG5WrZkpoRcdLDEHqj4wDo0QL2mfaM6RwwmThjqRzeoqgYWUZxUHIrMR6grG_W9TgRzGE96ALKVCsXd-eC18DlJXXylt8hAbuZl4y51D38/s400/39144_426338691560_631216560_5239238_5049712_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498787971200770098" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Weavin' is serious bizniz. (The finger keeps him in there ... we're working on weaning it out.)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4GaadPCy4CXdzUbAjdVY2x3W-tPU5U7zx4xrmuo6in_jmfv99RXfpMH3oQj80YB7sCLfUeAUZS1AnndTrzaEZoj5Sk0PFBm_vOBMG2pwTWbG-4FGhFgdYXk2ewEfbpOjNYLfvHv54OBW/s1600/38749_426338491560_631216560_5239224_3604340_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 374px; height: 346px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4GaadPCy4CXdzUbAjdVY2x3W-tPU5U7zx4xrmuo6in_jmfv99RXfpMH3oQj80YB7sCLfUeAUZS1AnndTrzaEZoj5Sk0PFBm_vOBMG2pwTWbG-4FGhFgdYXk2ewEfbpOjNYLfvHv54OBW/s400/38749_426338491560_631216560_5239224_3604340_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498788147087516066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">He loves that tire now.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVkK4Mx1OEiVXYoIOavJQf0wtaPz4nPXHvMFE88OimnfqYDOMddqypYiTkMf60nXd-cAJkTdqpqHTSV47FdboMTgeRO3YaXnraU064q8G3VHrr3XUXJ_FAfQNGEZFn_ZztmioShk8FtSz/s1600/38382_426338101560_631216560_5239196_5225672_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVkK4Mx1OEiVXYoIOavJQf0wtaPz4nPXHvMFE88OimnfqYDOMddqypYiTkMf60nXd-cAJkTdqpqHTSV47FdboMTgeRO3YaXnraU064q8G3VHrr3XUXJ_FAfQNGEZFn_ZztmioShk8FtSz/s400/38382_426338101560_631216560_5239196_5225672_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498788151684584194" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Chilling in the shade, waiting for the next demo to start. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HPnTtsrswjGL4N3ytMsZosaXIoFvHmQhou9oN0LUvQlWUBp6bMk7O-ufaRAGsfjQGsOk0M2UzSLry0oI1DlJewv_tMZAk9ssbv9Mmq1tVpaqaKc5u3XkcJ6PrIJDv8x-SQkMy_nDPPFR/s1600/37753_426337926560_631216560_5239191_6819698_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HPnTtsrswjGL4N3ytMsZosaXIoFvHmQhou9oN0LUvQlWUBp6bMk7O-ufaRAGsfjQGsOk0M2UzSLry0oI1DlJewv_tMZAk9ssbv9Mmq1tVpaqaKc5u3XkcJ6PrIJDv8x-SQkMy_nDPPFR/s400/37753_426337926560_631216560_5239191_6819698_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498788141334748402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">A slightly better angle on the group shot from last post. </span><br /></div>GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-65466026525522610832010-07-24T18:26:00.007-06:002010-07-24T18:53:30.472-06:00Remember Us??The summer is just so darned busy, I've been letting the blog slide. I've been taking on a lot of little projects, plus the dog stuff, school, upkeep of the house and yard ... Blogging is getting neglected. I'm sorry.<br /><br />So here is a little catch up of what we have been doing the past couple of weeks!<br /><br />Beginning of July was Pets in the Park. An annual fun day put on as a fundraiser for the Saskatoon SPCA, New Hope Dog Rescue, and SCAT Street Cat Rescue. Local pet related businesses set up booths, local dog clubs put on demonstrations, and groomers and vets offer cheap nail trims and microchipping. It's always a great time, and this year was no different. We luckily had beautiful weather and there was an awesome turnout! The boys and I spent all day at the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog booth and organized a couple of talks about the therapy dog program.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKCEUKR_eEHMDs0exWfn5oNm99c-M65uXa1UdOBWgvPrLFH1qU4u_OzfBuNqX-7nndxXmVBAxtSRRcKZvgh-_T-9yrZYpnd5pZJotFsnbP9RyARl5w3tXQD45o-LD8iUFNKzu5I4gc6Uc/s1600/IMG_4804.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 359px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKCEUKR_eEHMDs0exWfn5oNm99c-M65uXa1UdOBWgvPrLFH1qU4u_OzfBuNqX-7nndxXmVBAxtSRRcKZvgh-_T-9yrZYpnd5pZJotFsnbP9RyARl5w3tXQD45o-LD8iUFNKzu5I4gc6Uc/s400/IMG_4804.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497631994352376722" border="0" /></a>While we have had plenty of rain still, there have been a few really gorgeous days to enjoy the summer weather! Lots of running at the park and frisbee catching.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZothZbibH2_u-gEs-BDPWjWQhhhyphenhyphen1JRDBbDOFV90WFlzOYgTF4vAOggQgj0B3hBWRdZ_U56Xl0xObXRKKoVhK015cPq68alnhFbvIO_3mherFRuPxObzJiyNWRWVIyloQ7odgD4WGQJul/s1600/IMG_4857.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZothZbibH2_u-gEs-BDPWjWQhhhyphenhyphen1JRDBbDOFV90WFlzOYgTF4vAOggQgj0B3hBWRdZ_U56Xl0xObXRKKoVhK015cPq68alnhFbvIO_3mherFRuPxObzJiyNWRWVIyloQ7odgD4WGQJul/s400/IMG_4857.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497634182410575234" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHwDzp8DUvwyt_nTFjXOCoU0eOTn1zmGzcan3Z0Q2SFYZhfFqlzzOSZJhdGUeUhoyGEzOQfGuIAYvmiOHRAX5w_1KOMmNuDl-j_9hVUldeCw7CRxxMvwV07aj_B9kz2UozQ2sVYBDaVQn/s1600/IMG_4849.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 305px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHwDzp8DUvwyt_nTFjXOCoU0eOTn1zmGzcan3Z0Q2SFYZhfFqlzzOSZJhdGUeUhoyGEzOQfGuIAYvmiOHRAX5w_1KOMmNuDl-j_9hVUldeCw7CRxxMvwV07aj_B9kz2UozQ2sVYBDaVQn/s400/IMG_4849.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497634173349480210" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYI5BzyftVfMUg4o_EoMmyilXXO4C-bggdK2eq2CRhdr-sZELW1tMX8jvPJOhi2tBm1pktk2Z8J215YGCRTJLhiws_VWRlWOoHvrrHUjzHZEYdUVUY5n0V-Dg1BGXIMkLQRrdAzwkyAPc/s1600/IMG_4845.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 382px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYI5BzyftVfMUg4o_EoMmyilXXO4C-bggdK2eq2CRhdr-sZELW1tMX8jvPJOhi2tBm1pktk2Z8J215YGCRTJLhiws_VWRlWOoHvrrHUjzHZEYdUVUY5n0V-Dg1BGXIMkLQRrdAzwkyAPc/s400/IMG_4845.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497634156175475554" border="0" /></a><br />Plenty of frisbee missing, too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnhg2KpX77gw6KfPDFyIBIz49MmxwYYJoLgqvJZjfDFTKTAeyyanF5XstgKRzYTEnnDZP0cUddikeVEZk4yCSl7E_v5W0Tlb96srDLbY7rXdfL2R5B7E1LXV2Si-G_TbFySio1mk9R177_/s1600/IMG_4837.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnhg2KpX77gw6KfPDFyIBIz49MmxwYYJoLgqvJZjfDFTKTAeyyanF5XstgKRzYTEnnDZP0cUddikeVEZk4yCSl7E_v5W0Tlb96srDLbY7rXdfL2R5B7E1LXV2Si-G_TbFySio1mk9R177_/s400/IMG_4837.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497634167910259506" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNmn9ibkGWAJ83AyW1xyxNVqojgfzjMiQNF7SnodHIjmFK-aQsNlp-_C4Q3NHBWsOPbtf5sqz5O8jEr7Yyi1SojUd7XTuqoHWljRb8_0RY4VjKyzzJxU056pMlL1abkozD0WMicAca1Jc/s1600/IMG_4904.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNmn9ibkGWAJ83AyW1xyxNVqojgfzjMiQNF7SnodHIjmFK-aQsNlp-_C4Q3NHBWsOPbtf5sqz5O8jEr7Yyi1SojUd7XTuqoHWljRb8_0RY4VjKyzzJxU056pMlL1abkozD0WMicAca1Jc/s400/IMG_4904.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497635371327254898" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8NObxn6LFJnH3_z-WdXMAxmkN-8XLia9DdRzkAyVz2dlmBZXx9LaGQ9TuYB1PG5VL67XFvKB5nzbYVaynFw5OGb5jHSj2h8p2QClAbsbaS7EOMiNZdmyM1F2Ej4ipNfJe-kR8lVdmyq4/s1600/IMG_4865.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 341px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8NObxn6LFJnH3_z-WdXMAxmkN-8XLia9DdRzkAyVz2dlmBZXx9LaGQ9TuYB1PG5VL67XFvKB5nzbYVaynFw5OGb5jHSj2h8p2QClAbsbaS7EOMiNZdmyM1F2Ej4ipNfJe-kR8lVdmyq4/s400/IMG_4865.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497635364040299346" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLICOXGvr0J5ztH062C1Cuo_Db049SBxASbY6YuyJaufsswGL1q53zXSv7lw8gwmhh0xNHrlFqw8VjmTmhsPqI73HSD-skFl_1-MkjOYv3Csr-qk0BkKdLBTUDIDaXUai3X6mSKsVPP8RZ/s1600/IMG_4844.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLICOXGvr0J5ztH062C1Cuo_Db049SBxASbY6YuyJaufsswGL1q53zXSv7lw8gwmhh0xNHrlFqw8VjmTmhsPqI73HSD-skFl_1-MkjOYv3Csr-qk0BkKdLBTUDIDaXUai3X6mSKsVPP8RZ/s400/IMG_4844.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497635357743781650" border="0" /></a><br />The Flickr challenge for last week was "action blur". Of all the blurry (and often humorous) action shots of the boys playing frisbee, I chose this one. I just think it is so much fun!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvw85_MtK6_f0YcI7Fr9FaolCTIcmVkcxz6I0tiUY8xA88t1nimLWFnph7KI-KD8iJf66o9nNW3taQ64KTECqMkS1w6rTTNoZ4XDOHkfk1cPqqzzEzaKvaQVLOZ13dhvzieRiHywP41Gok/s1600/IMG_4882+Wk28%283%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvw85_MtK6_f0YcI7Fr9FaolCTIcmVkcxz6I0tiUY8xA88t1nimLWFnph7KI-KD8iJf66o9nNW3taQ64KTECqMkS1w6rTTNoZ4XDOHkfk1cPqqzzEzaKvaQVLOZ13dhvzieRiHywP41Gok/s400/IMG_4882+Wk28%283%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497639433219754498" border="0" /></a><br />While there was plenty of barking and running at the park this week as well, it was a more subdued experience. Gio ventured off to explore the grounds.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghe3onqobWjD_TgKiCO6qaCfVdMPzLF4_7S3MLodxWIxZDANvu3gnqaWnm6BNeLaqF88EKkRyXrL3PtxDYzHUh8saWZXDAB4D-Onf_1QQTQDikRarIHpGc1gzLtnqklBQ2hnLF7YNj3ODI/s1600/IMG_4945+Wk29%281%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghe3onqobWjD_TgKiCO6qaCfVdMPzLF4_7S3MLodxWIxZDANvu3gnqaWnm6BNeLaqF88EKkRyXrL3PtxDYzHUh8saWZXDAB4D-Onf_1QQTQDikRarIHpGc1gzLtnqklBQ2hnLF7YNj3ODI/s400/IMG_4945+Wk29%281%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497636888650905762" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAyfXk9hrDnU2a14PCzhbR-AIUQ7hut3ANXy8xcd776v0VYQgYLp_NoFoY4xmeCO7TxE06TocpeT1Gj-iLCtFME6a8GevYc8dpapKEoInscTPXF5CqfsNPl6sHUM8Tw6zsRDfW3VGD8Kw/s1600/IMG_4944+Wk29%283%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAyfXk9hrDnU2a14PCzhbR-AIUQ7hut3ANXy8xcd776v0VYQgYLp_NoFoY4xmeCO7TxE06TocpeT1Gj-iLCtFME6a8GevYc8dpapKEoInscTPXF5CqfsNPl6sHUM8Tw6zsRDfW3VGD8Kw/s400/IMG_4944+Wk29%283%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497636887017277842" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6rgutBki1x4wjTdV7QeKyUShShKnPb0OyItJJLVKiJnY7HkWYebjVYUnTyv2IJyjn7yPl_GZry3mewLCySVlvrZaubLRau9iSoUUkCq-nmYZxEt7v6YdvTcazLyEv4TUwPX-JwXV1O9n/s1600/IMG_4939+Wk29%282%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6rgutBki1x4wjTdV7QeKyUShShKnPb0OyItJJLVKiJnY7HkWYebjVYUnTyv2IJyjn7yPl_GZry3mewLCySVlvrZaubLRau9iSoUUkCq-nmYZxEt7v6YdvTcazLyEv4TUwPX-JwXV1O9n/s400/IMG_4939+Wk29%282%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497636876077339234" border="0" /></a><br />While Romeo ran around me in circles "talking" about how awesome he thinks the park is.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzDs6sV55B2SMXERNlP9K0rwrmUyqQ-zXaUH7TyEMOsUGoU2x0DPMf8-o1el_5km8a7VTUsZj9PiWwsKM0LrKKTQUDsjPN7f3IL9t37aTwW7zw4Xl_HCz1Ua2LNrdGcUxVqyyph8zL2ew/s1600/IMG_4936.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 322px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzDs6sV55B2SMXERNlP9K0rwrmUyqQ-zXaUH7TyEMOsUGoU2x0DPMf8-o1el_5km8a7VTUsZj9PiWwsKM0LrKKTQUDsjPN7f3IL9t37aTwW7zw4Xl_HCz1Ua2LNrdGcUxVqyyph8zL2ew/s400/IMG_4936.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497638702416453586" border="0" /></a><br />All that circle running and talking makes a boy tired and hot. That is when the Monster Tongue makes its appearance. It never ceases to amaze me how he can fit that humungo-tongue in his teeny little head. Might account for the lack of brain power some days.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMjH3zq2hquF97YCwzU8EspjtXST_XCQRmC6PikM-E8adkWpWnzTpQQsbluj-sCgLR_47Xt0UbaRl7n1V0RgVV8owUwHIKpUZxezSatK-V6G3gWAZoYbGWNzv1BonK-_Z-lRbbGZbfAYL/s1600/IMG_4953+RomeoTongue.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 328px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMjH3zq2hquF97YCwzU8EspjtXST_XCQRmC6PikM-E8adkWpWnzTpQQsbluj-sCgLR_47Xt0UbaRl7n1V0RgVV8owUwHIKpUZxezSatK-V6G3gWAZoYbGWNzv1BonK-_Z-lRbbGZbfAYL/s400/IMG_4953+RomeoTongue.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497636894577072162" border="0" /></a><br />I was pleasantly surprised that I caught a shot of Romeo running towards me WITHOUT his mouth hanging open and that obscenely large tongue flapping around. See, he CAN look cute!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxJ_qd0KjRGSvu3MB4-cG-g3mViW3rjwTz83JbuEvg0O5krx50XPkS8gzZ50Yh_6dUwKJJme_j5kAmT31U2ZEQMf8Y2EVxd0FFihX0lSf7cP9Qt-zl2UTsZ43ry3qKNakt9YUqJZ5hVsC/s1600/IMG_4966+RomeoRecall.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxJ_qd0KjRGSvu3MB4-cG-g3mViW3rjwTz83JbuEvg0O5krx50XPkS8gzZ50Yh_6dUwKJJme_j5kAmT31U2ZEQMf8Y2EVxd0FFihX0lSf7cP9Qt-zl2UTsZ43ry3qKNakt9YUqJZ5hVsC/s400/IMG_4966+RomeoRecall.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497636903746308914" border="0" /></a><br />On Friday the boys and I participated in a Therapy Dog demo at a local care home. The residents always love to come out and watch the dogs do tricks and entertain them. But visiting time is the best!<br /><br />As always, Romeo collected a new friend and admirer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0SN8zU-pmJVuv2NHJmDkWgkm1133FT4jK-CT7DqTPyoXM7LQ96TTTm-bkjRf84C_wMTiVnSZAGk1RIRv2lclgpy8G_c8WbGe4m1jfaOlHm3IVgOGD-zasGgPnjTYIDT3YUChgHcqq86au/s1600/IMG_4970.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0SN8zU-pmJVuv2NHJmDkWgkm1133FT4jK-CT7DqTPyoXM7LQ96TTTm-bkjRf84C_wMTiVnSZAGk1RIRv2lclgpy8G_c8WbGe4m1jfaOlHm3IVgOGD-zasGgPnjTYIDT3YUChgHcqq86au/s400/IMG_4970.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497638708885534034" border="0" /></a><br />Here is our snazzy looking collection of doggy entertainers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzu9F169-1Ro30YXISNIZrze-lY2kUbvVUuRWQS64jpMKvV3hIpf4ybHVeB9bhGsofwUfDCJRYOV3PHAk8-Y6o46nYpP-rlGhBlQVh7_QHXj5fQi6QVYLmzGqhsJ2vrR6oQpS2blB_pkwl/s1600/IMG_4971.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzu9F169-1Ro30YXISNIZrze-lY2kUbvVUuRWQS64jpMKvV3hIpf4ybHVeB9bhGsofwUfDCJRYOV3PHAk8-Y6o46nYpP-rlGhBlQVh7_QHXj5fQi6QVYLmzGqhsJ2vrR6oQpS2blB_pkwl/s400/IMG_4971.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497638720043829730" border="0" /></a><br />And finally, today was an afternoon of agility demos out in Watrous. Watrous was having some sort of car show/farmer's market/bands and entertainment day. I'm sure it has an official name, but we will go with that. Apparently SAA (Saskatchewan Agility Association) has been going out to Watrous for this event for a number of years now. This was my and Romeo's first time tagging along. The demos were a lot of fun with a great turnout of specators and talented doggies alike!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXLkn49diO63oFJsn8uORXxgWPFeIKl-ZrRViqEVb-efSB6O4qvo7E-oo127R1tGTS09TAOm9oPzVaKT7bPVMpha0azwKIYvqkewZwUn4QeAoI8KyG0ONfwygaaZLxRQSIOLmibpyJFbS/s1600/IMG_4973.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXLkn49diO63oFJsn8uORXxgWPFeIKl-ZrRViqEVb-efSB6O4qvo7E-oo127R1tGTS09TAOm9oPzVaKT7bPVMpha0azwKIYvqkewZwUn4QeAoI8KyG0ONfwygaaZLxRQSIOLmibpyJFbS/s400/IMG_4973.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497638728974398146" border="0" /></a>Romeo had a great time and made yet another new fan. This time a young girl who was absolutely smitten by him. Her mom (grandma??) got a really cute picture of them together, but I wasn't fast enough to grab my camera. I had just placed Romeo in a stand stay beside the kneeling girl and turned to walk behind the photographer so I could get Romeo's attention. When I turned back around, the girl had poor Romer in a headlock, held tight to the side of her face. He's such a trooper, and put on a big happy face for the camera despite the clearly uncomfortable situation.<br /><br />And for that, and all the hard work he did running in the three demos in the scorching heat, he deserves a little nap.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAziBO2K7NRSFHX1zqVb7wqHGeDAdu1tqMX7-AioeW6qzmu0XKS0d2rXRyflPtL759XA8BGC9rUb8UK4e-7sFrZwpojL5IEWuiBQz6TR93OVuucLbYfAwWZWi57-6gyz8bNK1xCm3ybUj5/s1600/IMG_4927.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAziBO2K7NRSFHX1zqVb7wqHGeDAdu1tqMX7-AioeW6qzmu0XKS0d2rXRyflPtL759XA8BGC9rUb8UK4e-7sFrZwpojL5IEWuiBQz6TR93OVuucLbYfAwWZWi57-6gyz8bNK1xCm3ybUj5/s400/IMG_4927.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497639862871929666" border="0" /></a>GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-29786085548779553272010-07-16T14:56:00.000-06:002010-07-16T19:58:26.985-06:00Sheltie Hair Review: Nina Ottosson Interactive Dog Toys - Finder and CasinoAs a continuation to my previous <a href="http://sheltie-hair.blogspot.com/2010/06/sheltie-hair-review-pawsitively.html">review of Pawsitively Purrfect</a>, here is my review of the <a href="http://www.nina-ottosson.com/index_english.htm">Nina Ottosson dog toys</a>, the Dog Casino and Dog Finder.<br /><br />This line of toys has been out for a number of years now. I discovered them online a couple of years ago and have been lusting over them ever since. There are very few retailers in this area of the world. Yes, I could have searched online for a retailer that would ship, but I just never got around to it. Finances were always an issue, so I continued to put a purchase aside.<br /><br />I finally got around to purchasing two of the Nina Ottosson toys this past weekend: the <a href="http://www.nina-ottosson.com/DogFinderplastic.htm">Dog Finder</a> and the <a href="http://www.nina-ottosson.com/DogCasinoplastic.htm">Dog Casino</a>.<br /><br />The basic premise behind the toys is that the dog is encouraged to use their nose and paws to manipulate moving components to reveal treats. The toys are rated at difficulty levels of 1, 2, and 3, with 1 being the most easy and 3 being the most difficult.<br /><br />The Dog Finder and the Dog Casino are both rated as 2/3, meaning that they can be adjusted to make the puzzle more difficult to solve.<br /><br />I find it very difficult to judge the size and quality of the toys from online resources. My primary concern was that the removable pieces would be too small and pose a choking risk. Or that the plastic would be thin or flimsy. Having seen the products first hand, I am very reassured! The plastic is thick and hard, but textured so as not to become slippery once it is drooled on.<br /><br />A brief description of the two toys that I purchased is as follows.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Dog Casino</span></span><br /><br />Purchased for $40 CDN<br /><br />This is a flat slab of plastic with 8 small plastic drawers along the side edges. The drawers slide out quite easily and smoothly, and have a sturdy handle that can be manipulated with a paw or the mouth. On the top of the body of the toy are 8 holes, one corresponding to each drawer. A plastic bone-shaped peg can be fit into each hole that, when in place, locks the drawer closed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulehzNx2Cn-6T_GVFhcyD5Py2SuJgbYCFT_cJOf6q2lBO0VM_NrZf763HnO9fhI9nYs-JZyCS66uq7BH1dUtc0wJZyJaGtcKq0o6f1_b_Uv-xSQC5MhN-lp9sLkuEDxiXykyNRhtDmtNv/s1600/IMG_4693.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulehzNx2Cn-6T_GVFhcyD5Py2SuJgbYCFT_cJOf6q2lBO0VM_NrZf763HnO9fhI9nYs-JZyCS66uq7BH1dUtc0wJZyJaGtcKq0o6f1_b_Uv-xSQC5MhN-lp9sLkuEDxiXykyNRhtDmtNv/s400/IMG_4693.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488363608250561170" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXX7Y7wONvBUvlwx2qzI54pOfOm2J-U5rNmeSeobSI4tjiepGZWYoHrmKVKbZ-Rl7zcqyckskadJ8RPGF0L_lcTrClrHMlrhP8DQBkV9kjUadHvYTLntyJ5rEMehEe8ZgSqywHXZsfPEOV/s1600/IMG_4694.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXX7Y7wONvBUvlwx2qzI54pOfOm2J-U5rNmeSeobSI4tjiepGZWYoHrmKVKbZ-Rl7zcqyckskadJ8RPGF0L_lcTrClrHMlrhP8DQBkV9kjUadHvYTLntyJ5rEMehEe8ZgSqywHXZsfPEOV/s400/IMG_4694.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488363621897167186" border="0" /></a><br />The bone-shaped pegs are thick and sturdy. They are small in comparison to dog toys we are used to seeing. For a dog the size of Romeo (average Sheltie-sized) they are not too much of a concern. Gio (a large Sheltie, average Border Collie-sized) can handle the small pieces well, though I have had to remind him with a "drop it" once or twice. A larger dog or one that has a harder mouth may have difficulty manipulating the pegs safely. Below is a picture of the bone-shaped peg in the palm of my hand and next to a house key for size reference.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONyKbq0dn70Asfxm7BfQgUOO3qQrh1YutHVSiiERiKldLUMtOQ4li8Pywfgh5Sm1KnsXZtcr3Z2hZl3mUl-NygB7p28IXsqYZrSQ7LhIVjJ_ZSnGjMoOjza-aFikh9lUHJNDlUpYLj2_6/s1600/IMG_4675.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONyKbq0dn70Asfxm7BfQgUOO3qQrh1YutHVSiiERiKldLUMtOQ4li8Pywfgh5Sm1KnsXZtcr3Z2hZl3mUl-NygB7p28IXsqYZrSQ7LhIVjJ_ZSnGjMoOjza-aFikh9lUHJNDlUpYLj2_6/s400/IMG_4675.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488359801461702834" border="0" /></a><br />The quality of the product is fantastic! Both Gio and Romeo have climbed on, scratched, bitten, and stood on the Dog Casino and it holds up very well.<br /><br />This is a toy that should be used under supervision only! In addition to the safety concerns, you will need to encourage the dog to work certain areas of the board and you will also have to replenish the treats.<br /><br />I noticed, in perusing the different Nina Ottosson products, that some toys are designed to be better for "mouth dogs" and some are more suitable for "paw dogs". Having one of each (Romeo uses his paws while Gio uses his mouth), I wanted to get a toy suitable for each. The Dog Casino requires a dog to use his paws to open the drawers, while it seems to be easier to pull the pegs out of the top with the mouth. Gio manages to open the drawers with his mouth, though he has to learn some finesse to excel at this. He particularly LOVES pulling the pegs from the top. Romeo pulls the drawers open with his paws and is struggling slightly with the pegs. He will push the pegs aside to get the treat underneath, but doesn't always remove the peg completely. I'm confident that he will figure this out in time.<br /><br />As for difficulty level, I like the 2/3 split of the Casino. Romeo figured the drawer thing out in about 15 minutes, and is now quite adept at that portion. After two play sessions of roughly 15 minutes each (after which, both dogs were completely exhausted!!) he is still learning how to pull the pegs. Gio figured the peg thing out nearly instantly, though the drawers took a bit longer (about 15 minutes). Neither dog has yet figured out that the pegs lock the drawers, so there is still room for them to explore!<br /><br />Here is a video of the boys playing with the Dog Casino.<br /><br /><center><object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/K8qYsvF8GBk&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/K8qYsvF8GBk&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object></center><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Dog Finder</span></span><br /><br />Purchased for $40 CDN<br /><br />This is a flat piece of plastic with a number of channels molded into the top surface. Each channel is narrower at one end and wider at the other. Plastic bone-shaped cups fit into each channel and slide smoothly back and forth. When the cup is slid to the narrow end of the channel, it cannot be removed. when the cup is slid to the wide end of the channel, it is possible for the dog to nose or paw the cup out and reveal treats underneath.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3z8PXfc63eMVpesmZQbnHk1WlPxRxh3XVgDYdQA77OXjakxeNJiRp37iiAw1wa0Rm-p_6a_qoZ5uEQgGYbA9OI2UbBgOJ_U20gmBww_doN62ULYD-tLFzSzNtMQ5AoZEtxccpsiocCSg/s1600/IMG_4691.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3z8PXfc63eMVpesmZQbnHk1WlPxRxh3XVgDYdQA77OXjakxeNJiRp37iiAw1wa0Rm-p_6a_qoZ5uEQgGYbA9OI2UbBgOJ_U20gmBww_doN62ULYD-tLFzSzNtMQ5AoZEtxccpsiocCSg/s400/IMG_4691.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488359847295126066" border="0" /></a><br />Like the Casino, the plastic base of the Finder is sturdy and well made. The bone-shaped cups are larger than the bone-shaped pegs of the Casino. Definitely not a swallowing risk for medium-sized dogs, though a large/giant breed may be a different story. Below is a picture of the bone-shaped cup in my palm next to a house key for size reference. As well as a size reference between the peg from the Casino and the cup from the Finder.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXhtQL7MpDdU18S8NqmojEqs9Qg71JcSAtTYmU0SFAzRLoWId7o5OilajMoS1DSpec7SUXFyM1SPNNCzaor6yyZzG73Hk9z0wG_6YndyGHaLVj_FjMNwUA8Df-W4JQsA9u89QFS0sZYx3/s1600/IMG_4676.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXhtQL7MpDdU18S8NqmojEqs9Qg71JcSAtTYmU0SFAzRLoWId7o5OilajMoS1DSpec7SUXFyM1SPNNCzaor6yyZzG73Hk9z0wG_6YndyGHaLVj_FjMNwUA8Df-W4JQsA9u89QFS0sZYx3/s400/IMG_4676.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488359813411202370" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwim8o83svgyacX6CD82Mfl2TkrVSA4dQgmhyphenhyphenVlxQICZ1P1a9xL0g7JY_JYWqJ6tpSMFU07kVBXVOvsrZJYodlYSNp78RT24HpAg6VsNW8JVYMX30wBbBi9TJGmucAs2LmbxthLLLSYCh/s1600/IMG_4680.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 347px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwim8o83svgyacX6CD82Mfl2TkrVSA4dQgmhyphenhyphenVlxQICZ1P1a9xL0g7JY_JYWqJ6tpSMFU07kVBXVOvsrZJYodlYSNp78RT24HpAg6VsNW8JVYMX30wBbBi9TJGmucAs2LmbxthLLLSYCh/s400/IMG_4680.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488359824623605250" border="0" /></a><br />As always, supervision is important. For safety, encouragement, and treat replenishing.<br /><br />The Finder appears to be more suited to dogs that are prone to using their mouth and nose to manipulate things. Gio easily slides the cups along the channels with his nose, and is learning how to scoop them out of the channels with his nose as well. The shape of the cups prevents him from pulling the cups out of the channel with his mouth, though another larger dog may have more success with this approach. Romeo has attempted to play with the Finder with his paws to varied success. He can move the cups back and forth along the channels with his paws, and some vigorous scratching will displace the cups when at the wide end of the channel.<br /><br />The Finder, like the Casino, is rated as a 2/3, though both Gio and Romeo seem to be finding it more difficult than the Casino. The difficulty is increased to a 3 if extra cups are placed in the channels to prevent the treat cup from sliding. The extra cup must be removed before the treat cup can be displaced to reveal the treats.<br /><br />A nice bonus is that each cup has a small hole in the top. This can be used to thread a thin rope through to assist in lifting the cup out of the channel (I have no yet tried this). It can also facilitate scent games, where all of the cups are placed in the channels, though a treat is only placed under a few cups. The dog must determine where the treat is hidden and then work to reveal it.<br /><br />The big down-side of the Finder is that there is a long opening along the sides of the channels at the narrow end. I assume that this is to allow the cups to slide smoothly, but I find that it tends to allow the treats to fall through the base onto the floor beneath. Perhaps once the dogs become a little more skilled at removing the cups without shaking the toy around too much, this won't be an issue. You could also use larger treats that don't fit through the openings or spread some soft treat (wet dog food, peanut butter, etc.) on the inside of the cup to serve as a reward.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAqWYpD-aH4oSQC5CQyCXA81o3bmVOUuUdkjQaJD_zNqUvJutPQwdVH_9qGURxorvC00kX3CRRgPPYQPUhVTvLsCYWfnh_uRUpg1mKfbvQlnbFSvV9bzfaecW2QtyA3WaAZAikoNRVTOm/s1600/IMG_4687.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAqWYpD-aH4oSQC5CQyCXA81o3bmVOUuUdkjQaJD_zNqUvJutPQwdVH_9qGURxorvC00kX3CRRgPPYQPUhVTvLsCYWfnh_uRUpg1mKfbvQlnbFSvV9bzfaecW2QtyA3WaAZAikoNRVTOm/s400/IMG_4687.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488359838979371954" border="0" /></a><br />The boys have each worked with the Finder for two sessions of about 15 minutes each. They have had varied success and understand now that they must remove the cup to get the treat. They have not figured out that the cup can only be removed from one end of the slot yet. Both still need some practice at learning HOW to remove the cups.GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-89347662426450570462010-07-10T20:00:00.003-06:002010-07-10T20:22:50.918-06:00After the StormThursdays are officially cursed.<br /><br />I have been TRYING to hold my regular Rally-O classes on Thursdays for the past month and a half now. In the summer, I like to hold my classes outdoors. There is a fabulous field near by that we have been given permission to use with the dogs. It cuts down on costs for me, so I can offer my classes a little cheaper than when I am training with <a href="http://hckoc.blogspot.com/">Hub City</a>. But nearly every Thursday since the beginning of June we have been hit with a thunderstorm or torrential downpour of some variety. Up until this week, I have only been able to have one class outdoors. The rest have either been postponed or moved to my fall-back indoor training facility. Reasonably priced, available at very short notice, but too small and not an ideal space for training.<br /><br />This week, we were finally able to get outdoors again! Made it all of the way through Beginner class before the downpour hit. I waited to see if any of my Advanced/Excellent people would show up for drop-in practice as I watched the storm clouds roll in. Taking shelter under a tree (I am safety conscious during thunder storms!) the boys and I, and one die-hard student decided to see if the storm would pass quickly. After 10 minutes or so and no sign of the rain stopping, I declared that I was going to pack up the car and head home. Of course, because I was eagerly optimistic, I didn't wear appropriate shoes for wet weather ... only a pair of Dawgs sandals, which are super duper comfortable, but not at all grippy when wet. Carrying a huge Tupperware container of my "Rally-O Crap" to the car, I had to straddle-hop a low fence to get into the parking lot. As soon as I found a tenuous foothold on the wet ground in my slippery sandals, and swung one (pork hock) leg over the crotch-high fence, it decided to hail. HAIL HARD!! Sure sure, just pea-sized stuff. But being pelted unaware by small frozen peas still stings a little!<br /><br />In between gasps of laughter and squeals, I glanced over to see the brave and wonderful Sophie holding a blanket over top of the X-pen that my dogs were in, trying to shelter them from the hail while getting pelted herself. And two very soggy and very un-impressed Shelties glaring out at me from under the blanket canopy.<br /><br />Tossing the bucket of "Rally-O Crap" into the back of the car, I raced back (as quickly as slippery sandals will allow) to release the dogs from their captivity and allow them to "sprint to freedom". Apparently "sprint to freedom" means different things to different dogs. To Gio, it meant high-tail it towards the parking lot, leap gracefully over the low fence and take shelter in the relatively dry car interior. To Romeo, on the other hand, it meant run frantically in circles, freaking out whenever he left the shelter of the trees and got pelted with rain/hail, eventually give up and pout in a soppy little Sheltie puddle to wait for me to rescue him and carry him to the car.<br /><br />Of course, as soon as everything was loaded into the car, the rain immediately stopped and the sun broke free of the clouds.<br /><br />The asphalt in the parking lot was covered in a sheen of water, the hot sun making steam rise in a few areas. I just couldn't pass this up to take a couple of pictures. Heck, the dogs and I were wet enough already, what's a little more puddle splashing, right? Romeo decided to remain in the car and pout over his miserable wet-dog existence. Gio was more open to a photo-shoot.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPptmQk8w2rnWDJafJlLUltl1Ago8pUA-iTEPlyf45q5e1tO_eDVP7AgwOCQ9RoWPT3wrpvv6cYw4vNf5s4nR3X8Uiyq7WkjpLlpLlrOzUG_y28mTDv0OEKMtLjyb4X8w8t09ZVKQIa9NU/s1600/IMG_4791+Wk27%282%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPptmQk8w2rnWDJafJlLUltl1Ago8pUA-iTEPlyf45q5e1tO_eDVP7AgwOCQ9RoWPT3wrpvv6cYw4vNf5s4nR3X8Uiyq7WkjpLlpLlrOzUG_y28mTDv0OEKMtLjyb4X8w8t09ZVKQIa9NU/s400/IMG_4791+Wk27%282%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492467236530129554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Thought this one was just too cute. Gio checking himself out in a puddle. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFTsju58uJDpfjNo6q6FIYHK8JMzBPeAARPNayA7IYGOGWdAdcdUtQWGDc4UsypzNEnDt1MntM7Y9RVSHZphDOFxPlRG57lAE0xjzxnyKl9dDyqq-mc5rTSo-oML6yN86b9tXaqpofqVQ/s1600/IMG_4785+Wk27%281%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFTsju58uJDpfjNo6q6FIYHK8JMzBPeAARPNayA7IYGOGWdAdcdUtQWGDc4UsypzNEnDt1MntM7Y9RVSHZphDOFxPlRG57lAE0xjzxnyKl9dDyqq-mc5rTSo-oML6yN86b9tXaqpofqVQ/s400/IMG_4785+Wk27%281%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492467230750931762" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-style: italic;">This one really shows the rising steam nicely! I love the reflection of Gio in the puddle an the bright sun shining through his fluff. </span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPY-5LmgmNvltuEI0E2n_e4kKYLA_hoBWwlZCZ_jwWEoJLGz7Y583ZedXev9smWF6-wRikcP8Jb73g5rd-76nbaICogXu-3nGOaKG9InUY6w7hCdSdVbF2wMA-wI6440pOx1lQWYU-TCW3/s1600/IMG_4800+Wk27%283%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 304px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPY-5LmgmNvltuEI0E2n_e4kKYLA_hoBWwlZCZ_jwWEoJLGz7Y583ZedXev9smWF6-wRikcP8Jb73g5rd-76nbaICogXu-3nGOaKG9InUY6w7hCdSdVbF2wMA-wI6440pOx1lQWYU-TCW3/s400/IMG_4800+Wk27%283%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492467241970691074" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Despite how much I loved the other two pictures, I kept coming back to this one as my favorite. The sun flares and rays are just too awesome! It is our submission for our 52 Weeks for Dogs project this week. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">If you would like to see Gio's entire (so far) 52 Weeks for Dogs project, check out our <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/45550824@N02/sets/72157623148381218/">set on Flickr</a>.<br /></div></div>GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-21436564211955030772010-07-01T16:54:00.003-06:002010-07-01T17:10:36.220-06:00Happy Canada Day!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2iFhwcLFAdMZIdoCYTevW1TVgMKsVvEWBVaVB95gpf9upRcDqOuwievDpyI9ofvEbUEwrGKRs4V-epKUAYbAXWLpxnbM1HBGj1tFU_hg15MFQllmt9RSlkpoXpO2z0HJh-laIF7Sj8Bqb/s1600/IMG_4716+Wk26.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 372px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2iFhwcLFAdMZIdoCYTevW1TVgMKsVvEWBVaVB95gpf9upRcDqOuwievDpyI9ofvEbUEwrGKRs4V-epKUAYbAXWLpxnbM1HBGj1tFU_hg15MFQllmt9RSlkpoXpO2z0HJh-laIF7Sj8Bqb/s400/IMG_4716+Wk26.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489075116497404674" border="0" /></a><br />I wanted an appropriately Canada themed photo for this week's 52 Weeks for Dogs Flickr photo project. Unfortunately, I seem to have misplaced my flag. So I had to make due with a luggage tag and a stuffed beaver. Yes ... that brown thing is a stuffed beaver. They really don't have much of a shape to them, sorry.<br /><br />Oh ... don't forget the cheesy photo editing for the background!<br /><br />To make up for my lack of Canadian flotsam to take pictures with, I am drinking a fine Canadian beer and listening to Neil Young while preparing this blog post.<br /><br />I think last year I posted some YouTube videos ... probably the "I am Canadian" beer commercial (never gets old!). To keep with tradition, here is some Classified. Love it!<br /><br /><center><object width="873" height="525"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XjiwBwBL4Qo&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XjiwBwBL4Qo&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="873" height="525"></embed></object></center>GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-88335850014487352092010-06-29T11:06:00.003-06:002010-06-29T11:47:13.687-06:00Sheltie Hair Review: Pawsitively Purrfect<div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">The boys and I are going to start a new aspect to the Sheltie Hair blog, a review section! In our various travels and adventures in all-things-dog, we often come across products, services, or businesses that really make an impression. As we discover these items, I'm going to make a point of posting a review here. If the Shelties approve, maybe your dog will, too!<br /></div><br />The idea for a review section of Life is Better with Sheltie Hair came to me this past weekend on a trip to Brandon, MB for a CARO rally-o judge's seminar.<br /><br />This first review is really a DOUBLE review ... so to avoid being too long winded (more than I normally am, anyways), I'm going to split it in two.<br /><br />I have been attempting to get my hands on some Nina Ottosson dog toys for quite a while now. An online acquaintance from the USA started her own pet boutique a while back and last year started stocking the Nina Ottosson toys. Wanting to support a new business owner, I decided to order some toys from her, risking potentially higher prices or shipping fees to help out a friend. Well, 9 months later and multiple e-mails back and forth ... still no toys.<br /><br />Since no one (to my knowledge) stocks Nina Ottosson toys in my home city of Saskatoon, a training buddy recommended a place in Regina, SK called <a href="http://www.onestopdogshop.com/">Pawsitively Purrfect</a>. Knowing that I would be traveling through Regina on my way to Brandon, I checked out their website and saw that they have LOADS of really great stuff! I sent the owners of Pawsitively Purrfect an e-mail asking about the Nina Ottosson toys and they promptly replied with what they have in stock. Last Friday I stopped in at Pawsitively Purrfect during a break for lunch and a refill of gas in Regina. I was very pleased with what I found!<br /><br />The store appears quite small, but this is likely due to the hoards of product that they have on display. Everything from <a href="http://www.onestopdogshop.com/food.html">high quality pet foods</a> (grain free and raw ... none of that grocery store Purina crap or, even worse, the "vet recommended" Science Diet BLECH!), to <a href="http://www.onestopdogshop.com/toys.html">toys of all sorts</a>, <a href="http://www.onestopdogshop.com/grooming.html">grooming supplies</a>, and <a href="http://www.onestopdogshop.com/health.html">health supplements</a>. They have a couple options in the line of corrective training collars and electronic devices, which I would rather not see associated with a business that seems to be on the right track in all other aspects. But I guess you can't have it all. Also to be mentioned, an on-site <a href="http://www.onestopdogshop.com/salon.html">grooming salon</a> that is WIDE open to the store. You can see exactly what is going on while the dogs are being groomed, no question about whether your pup is being treated well after you hand them over!<br /><br />I didn't have the amount of time I would have liked to browse through the store, but on my quick run-through, I encountered a couple of the employees. One employee was on the phone with a customer giving food recommendations based on what appeared to be some very specific requirements on the part of the customer. Selecting the perfect brand and agreeing to have it all packed up for the customer when they arrived. Another employee helped me find the <a href="http://www.onestopdogshop.com/toys.html#Games">Nina Ottosson toys</a> (to be discussed in an upcoming review article), indicating that he recalled my e-mail earlier in the week. I purchased two Nina Ottosson toys, both of which were very well priced, and he threw in a baggy of PureBites liver treats (sure to go over well with the dogs!).<br /><br />A point that definitely begs mentioning ... THEY SHIP! I was assured that, should I ever want anything else, they would gladly ship it out to me.<br /><br />In summary, Pawsitively Purrfect is a lovely pet supply store with friendly and helpful employees and an apparent real concern for the health and total well-being of your dog!<br /><br />Sheltie-Hair approved!GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-7747289901378069852010-06-20T19:09:00.003-06:002010-06-20T19:27:20.915-06:00Back At ItAgility, that is.<br /><br />Romeo started trialing late last summer in AAC agility. And by "trialing", I mean that he was entered in a couple of trials, not that we are particularly ready for trials. We had limited success in the two trials last year, earning one Starter Jumpers Q and a bunch of ring experience.<br /><br />We took a bit of a break over the winter (due to the group we were training with at the time upping their class prices), and got started back in classes with this spring with <a href="http://www.saskatchewanagilityassociation.ca/mambo/">Saskatchewan Agility Association (SAA)</a>.<br /><br />When SAA hosted their spring trial, I decided to give the ring another shot and see where we stand. Since agility is not my primary focus (that belongs to Rally-O), I'm taking a very laid back approach to it. We'll do some local (or at least provincial) trials, play around, have some fun, and hopefully earn a few Q's along the way!<br /><br />On Saturday, I helped out as ring crew and gate steward all day. Then on Sunday Romeo was entered in two Starter Snooker runs and one Starter Standard run. I had never tried Snooker before, but with some help from some awesome agility friends, I was able to figure it out. Have to say, Snooker might be my new favorite agility game! It was so much fun! I really like the strategy involved, and being able to improvise if your intended course doesn't go completely as planned. And the class moves along very quickly, so not a lot of waiting around, which is a big bonus for the impatient people like me.<br /><br />Romeo totally rocked it today! He earned his first Starter Snookers Q and his first Starter Standard Q (that one with a 1st place in his division). He was doing awesome on his second Starter Snooker run, until I stuck myself a little too close to a jump and forced him back over a previously completed "red jump" (a no-no in Snooker). My fault completely. So three really great performances from Romeo, and two passable performances from me!<br /><br />I didn't get any pictures, apart from this one of Romeo's private abode.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LkGpp7YMw33C0dlyl0A7JGb0YOLALM9njSeaLSnOfaagAIYvE7rGTAvGjGZq11taQM5KSKLH0vplYaCOkkcnV_gARhc50jXRehB2o33fZVliXzgYchCREbwuJT7sLKOKIFTfpY96gVoq/s1600/IMG_4669.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LkGpp7YMw33C0dlyl0A7JGb0YOLALM9njSeaLSnOfaagAIYvE7rGTAvGjGZq11taQM5KSKLH0vplYaCOkkcnV_gARhc50jXRehB2o33fZVliXzgYchCREbwuJT7sLKOKIFTfpY96gVoq/s400/IMG_4669.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485031546618077522" border="0" /></a><br />It was SUPER HOT this weekend (I have the lovely patchy red sunburn and vague outline of sunglasses on my face to prove it), so much effort was made to build a shady cool spot for the pooch to hang out in between runs. There was, of course, a doggy paddling pool available for cool-downs, but the little princess doesn't like getting wet, let alone sharing bath water with other dogs, most of which weren't even Shelties ... FOR SHAME!! So the watery cool-downs were forced, usually consisting of me trying to lure Romeo into the pool, then resorting to picking him up, dunking him in the middle and slopping water over his back before he made a mad dash for freedom. Little drama queen.<br /><br />A friend got an awesome video of Romeo's Standard run. I'm going to try to get my hands on a copy, and will, of course, post it here when I do!GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-72850928830518043032010-06-18T19:04:00.004-06:002010-06-18T19:52:41.348-06:00On Strike!Past tense.<br /><br />Blogger was being a stupid-head and wouldn't let me post pictures the past few times I tried. So I went on strike. That, and I have been super uber crazy busy lately and this is my first free moment for blog writing.<br /><br />So, a summary of the past few weeks ...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Rain.<br /><br />Rain.<br /><br />A brief pause in the rain, in which I frantically shot a couple of pictures for Gio's photo project.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_xMn4q1nWKUK1s8vl2RIzDHWI4pu7YdWWWIBerx3Je-xvL0O79vkbQgDNCQSq01mT-xFBYLPOowr1tbgvPNz0wHyCy2Ke4UZ_s5qYr7oBh28mLHdbEWQb3KvJmc-8XNtLqZ1vwdaqFKM/s1600/IMG_4535+Wk22%281%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 275px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_xMn4q1nWKUK1s8vl2RIzDHWI4pu7YdWWWIBerx3Je-xvL0O79vkbQgDNCQSq01mT-xFBYLPOowr1tbgvPNz0wHyCy2Ke4UZ_s5qYr7oBh28mLHdbEWQb3KvJmc-8XNtLqZ1vwdaqFKM/s400/IMG_4535+Wk22%281%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484285616436048642" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Rain.<br /><br />More rain.<br /><br />Another rainless hour or two for another photo.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3O5OC1zD85OjKNSD315aHw2cyDzUzBhyQD5UMioVqSUvp4CHAPB2AXGePH979Q_p30D-bvZ0H7Mraw3aIjAcVJW1HF_-ubOaDIxaCt0B7sKSseRnoRF4TM0RurTXwd7LCGTx_8Ht4VYni/s1600/IMG_4567+Wk23+%281%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 330px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3O5OC1zD85OjKNSD315aHw2cyDzUzBhyQD5UMioVqSUvp4CHAPB2AXGePH979Q_p30D-bvZ0H7Mraw3aIjAcVJW1HF_-ubOaDIxaCt0B7sKSseRnoRF4TM0RurTXwd7LCGTx_8Ht4VYni/s400/IMG_4567+Wk23+%281%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484285631566920114" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Rain.<br /><br />More rain.<br /><br />Then there was today, when the clouds finally parted for what we HOPE is longer than a day!<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I took the boys out to visit Romeo's breeder again, where we were greeted by 5 MONSTERS!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9i_n-WWTZc92rcZN1tuLFDGSJpQ-zSv25v9iTRRiPXCtPt6BdyoAUMifmA_OIMz1P6kibAvWmYv_YEf_ABOHpIse0M3ihixoUqFEKWksbp2Fz9rqcs2zA9YpaDvGirOYyPdRj9OctWqPa/s1600/IMG_4591.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9i_n-WWTZc92rcZN1tuLFDGSJpQ-zSv25v9iTRRiPXCtPt6BdyoAUMifmA_OIMz1P6kibAvWmYv_YEf_ABOHpIse0M3ihixoUqFEKWksbp2Fz9rqcs2zA9YpaDvGirOYyPdRj9OctWqPa/s400/IMG_4591.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484290478929659762" border="0" /></a><br />These monsters were VERY mean. They taunted Romeo until he cried.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JNl9T2HlN_GYUU4WwdqEk3WnBvChCPk1f_xegpqCPQS1EmkWTwDW4GE8M7IhqZuzih2LspwCFoiHlSgOf9y0-MQGjdhXb_jwZxvZAUmCPkFXt8GKiCn8nBVmUZp4egcY2qqmsR_ET91K/s1600/IMG_4594.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JNl9T2HlN_GYUU4WwdqEk3WnBvChCPk1f_xegpqCPQS1EmkWTwDW4GE8M7IhqZuzih2LspwCFoiHlSgOf9y0-MQGjdhXb_jwZxvZAUmCPkFXt8GKiCn8nBVmUZp4egcY2qqmsR_ET91K/s400/IMG_4594.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484290495699844930" border="0" /></a><br />Except for this little monster. He is the Cutest Puppy in the World!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">GRABBY HANDS!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDeEI7uVAFMJ8UvblFLHic3ByFe9wWWUOInZMpQ4XMc3TyqhRBtcnLMgZeTFiwIyTbDXCBoo8o_pDbstp_V61B-NpYwFSI3Ir3-o4M3V10HuXp8HIX9JNTCgq0otmIdl_qDgqdZdYwzFXx/s1600/Charlie+June18_10.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 362px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDeEI7uVAFMJ8UvblFLHic3ByFe9wWWUOInZMpQ4XMc3TyqhRBtcnLMgZeTFiwIyTbDXCBoo8o_pDbstp_V61B-NpYwFSI3Ir3-o4M3V10HuXp8HIX9JNTCgq0otmIdl_qDgqdZdYwzFXx/s400/Charlie+June18_10.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484290508803835858" border="0" /></a></div></div></div>Meet Charlie. No, he is not mine. I wish. He is just the cutest puppy in the world, and he stole my heart as he ate my face.<br /><br />Prior to our puppy visit, Gio had his monthly therapy dog visit to Stensrud where he shows off for his ladies. He felt the need to reiterate that he really is a Super Dog.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuURBcDwZ6aBIM6pxQl4Ifdo4Gm-06opyxhyD4z7vGSiolOujKPHbrEHks685um-owySh0YnbNO89qtIrB_KdyU3g6YQumTq4g9y4Bj86FUGzncm0reXgavb1zllx733rWc8JreUvYOQsw/s1600/IMG_4583+Wk24.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuURBcDwZ6aBIM6pxQl4Ifdo4Gm-06opyxhyD4z7vGSiolOujKPHbrEHks685um-owySh0YnbNO89qtIrB_KdyU3g6YQumTq4g9y4Bj86FUGzncm0reXgavb1zllx733rWc8JreUvYOQsw/s400/IMG_4583+Wk24.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484296618256143170" border="0" /></a>GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-45778115161499610742010-06-06T14:54:00.003-06:002010-06-06T15:46:35.433-06:00Rally-O VideosAt the CARO Rally-O trial held at Paws n Train in mid-May, we were fortunate to have Sophie Brunet available to take some video of the performances! I always enjoy seeing my boys working, and videos like these show me a completely different perspective to their performances. I get to see what they are doing well, and what I miss when we are actually working.<br /><br />So HUGE thanks to Sophie for putting these videos together for me!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Gio</span><br /><br />Gio was entered in one Excellent round and two Novice Team rounds.<br /><br />Here is his Excellent run, qualifying with a score of 197/200 AND completing his RXMCL title!<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='500' height='405' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwURyvUnIO407WvDPfyRO9Q2KaBqOPj4kxU-xCBs63udWXIsWzIDu3GF6Uq36KrcV_b2os65zgr5sjnWT0VZw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Here are Gio's 2 Novice Team rounds. This was our first attempt at Team events, and they are a lot of fun! How they work is that a normal course is split into two roughly equal halves. Two dogs/handlers are paired up, with each dog/handler taking one of the two halves. The first dog completes the first half of the course, and then the second dog completes the second half. They are scored as if they were one dog, with a qualifying score being the usual 170/200. In CARO, there are Team events at the Novice, Advanced, Excellent and Versatility levels, but both dogs need to have earned the appropriate level title before attempting that level in Team. The Team category is quite new, and this was the first time that it was offered in Saskatchewan. So everyone was starting out at the Novice level!<br /><br />Gio was paired up with Buddy, a poodle-y type mix. Buddy is a super fun little worker, so they were a great team!<br /><br />Novice Team round 1<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='500' height='405' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxJ0Jr78bPppkbaRRbc6wObyG1tE7G-_0hx1rsZ8Alt945VbGloyWHd4CVW_YP4Zut9-pHa1LTwSS1b2tncuw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Novice Team round 2<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='500' height='405' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxW1QfTpe6_cr7-uExVd-zFSQs3BC6EtWiqpfc0I04Zr2uZrgHSQ8MEj2xCQXTEkT23C9DQ-07WD0wOkTNVcA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">Romeo</span><br /><br />Romeo was entered in 2 Novice Team rounds, 1 Excellent C round, and 2 Versatility rounds. Since he qualified his first Versatility round of the weekend, he was able to complete his RV title and the second Versatility round counted towards his C Stream Gold title.<br /><br />Here are Romeo's Novice Team runs. Romeo was paired up with Bent the Border Collie. I have to say that Bent is probably my favorite Border Collie. Ever. Ever ever. Super sweet little dog and really fun to watch working! Romeo and Bent were a great team, taking a perfect 200/200 score on day 1 and a still respectable score of 190/200 on day two.<br /><br />Novice Team round 1<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='500' height='405' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwR6zwljmEOzu7dt0ZmQdRJfX5YjkWhnhDxO8C6O_p-Rqbz-N-E2CcHIbFkIH8nX1PQc35CrPzo8EQA_oHc7A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Novice Team round 2<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='500' height='405' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz5qeaw7wCh1xBMXwF2HbS9LBMP4aOKntC9KLpA0B2HiArDQPG1CCA_1GwUcNNmcUmoJ8PBw34c6H8kPVmtSw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Here is Romeo's Excellent C run. The qualifier goes towards his CARO C Stream Gold title.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='500' height='405' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx7E3IxfJmIte1B05U1t669KtRHID5KIgOk83rgPjzjbTsXqoAzDTQY3QFA5hFjJuuy_7ke_vrRUmWi-dCDFg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />And finally, some Versatility runs! Versatility is the 4th standard level of competition in CARO. It consists of all of the Novice level signs, plus weave poles and tunnel, in addition to 7 new stations that direct you to switch heel position from left to right. So the dog must be able to perform all stations on the left and the right, while switching back and forth between left and right at least 4 times.<br /><br />The first video only shows part of Romeo's run. And, while the title of the video says "Novice Team", it is in fact Versatility. Mistakes happen, deal with it! Anyways, this run wasn't beautiful ... Romeo was having a drama queen moment. But it was good enough to qualify and earned his Rally Versatility title! HOORAY!<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='500' height='405' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwWOsKtnQmi9MQIWtd3yDdmmqF0z1KaSCyh7Y4wSnNmvDRrm_FzSqaJURqjQdH-nfk-G93tHik8oBZAyEkG' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />This second video is a much nicer Versatility run! The qualifier goes towards his C Stream Gold title.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='500' height='405' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzuiFiKvICfKUttmjT6nlNM3gjSBaxj-4rP6Otk8yos7lgBlXZ8ldczQ8UdUOviWXTKBYuvEYIeeXDBSPjf' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-58359620036222208732010-05-29T17:42:00.005-06:002010-05-29T17:55:02.762-06:00Okay! Okay already!<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">It's wet. We get it.<br /></div><br />Good on the rain. But enough is enough! It's been raining nearly constantly for weeks now. And no, that is not an exaggeration. My driveway has yet again been converted into an outdoor swimming pool, so that I have to back into the driveway to ensure that all doors of my vehicle have decent access to relatively puddle-less surfaces.<br /><br />This is part of the reason that I haven't been posting for the past while. Really haven't been doing much of anything worth writing about! The regular therapy dog visits, this time toting along a towel to dry off fluffy puppies after our mad dash from the car to the building. A lot of sitting around and being depressed because of the grey weather.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, I love rain. Give me a good booming thunderstorm and I am a happy happy girl! But this is quite enough of the downpour. I believe the radio informed me the other day that this is the wettest spring that Saskatoon has seen ... ever. Or, at least since people began keeping track of these things. I'm sure things were pretty soggy after the glaciers melted after the last ice age, but really, I wasn't around then and didn't have $100 worth of bedding plants in the ground that would REALLY appreciate a good sunny day or two!<br /><br />Last week's 52 Weeks for Dogs photo op was dampened (*pun!*) by the rain.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nXdjMK2m2B3Ohwo31zpD5QI3dl3zsRn5dP4cQ5UUZ_CHE3uf-CBU5ksg_3QmcE-t0ods3PM-35A8WJreBjr85ObCesATc5pHX5gGWIzmr9GaQLOs51oFh043hHf2FSrU3PrSnQ2DRdjy/s1600/IMG_4450+Wk19.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nXdjMK2m2B3Ohwo31zpD5QI3dl3zsRn5dP4cQ5UUZ_CHE3uf-CBU5ksg_3QmcE-t0ods3PM-35A8WJreBjr85ObCesATc5pHX5gGWIzmr9GaQLOs51oFh043hHf2FSrU3PrSnQ2DRdjy/s400/IMG_4450+Wk19.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476844481739400946" border="0" /></a><br />This week saw a similar situation.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj95e5_pxmQg1vBmB-SX9koxd68ZuohPgbCkE6JSCRR7eGd21hYEF-UrnwMaSO-469p3oZxsLHs1peMHWxjmZZZ4-wV3u6YBYnpAjotsP6Qxa7lJ4o-QgvjxQ4zKOMxm8rgt7nt-qN1Gccs/s1600/IMG_4471+Wk21.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 391px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj95e5_pxmQg1vBmB-SX9koxd68ZuohPgbCkE6JSCRR7eGd21hYEF-UrnwMaSO-469p3oZxsLHs1peMHWxjmZZZ4-wV3u6YBYnpAjotsP6Qxa7lJ4o-QgvjxQ4zKOMxm8rgt7nt-qN1Gccs/s400/IMG_4471+Wk21.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476844492300472066" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifBCWfe1WEs7tSYQHpfo0MoIfcCB453cbXE4h5DCi_3buASlZ-WOEkn3INrsOWu5PElWiPPj-j_mcvJuh_SesKD0u_C1CK2xlB7jNSYDC9eQKIj1LegbUpTaSrFLwSj4qr70J32e4QL5YI/s1600/IMG_4487+Romeo+Cabin+Fever.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 358px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifBCWfe1WEs7tSYQHpfo0MoIfcCB453cbXE4h5DCi_3buASlZ-WOEkn3INrsOWu5PElWiPPj-j_mcvJuh_SesKD0u_C1CK2xlB7jNSYDC9eQKIj1LegbUpTaSrFLwSj4qr70J32e4QL5YI/s400/IMG_4487+Romeo+Cabin+Fever.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476844500853757730" border="0" /></a><br />The boys are both getting very antsy with this rain business. They don't mind thunderstorms, neither are sound-phobic, but they are suffering from some serious cabin fever. We've been working on scent games and some new tricks to keep furry little brains busy, but it just isn't the same as their regular walks or runs in the park. The dullness of it all has turned Romeo into a pouty lazy bones. He just flops from one doggy bed to the next, not sleeping, just laying there in his own depression. Gio, on the other hand, is taking the opposite route. He's the gurfy pacer, wandering from room to room puffing and sighing, or as he is doing right now, standing at my feet and staring up at me from under the computer desk, hoping beyond hope that I will somehow make this rain stop so that he can get outside again.<br /><br />Mr. Weather Man says that it is supposed to break next week. Let's hope, for the sake of all our sanity, that this is true.GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-56225057702579084002010-05-17T09:42:00.003-06:002010-05-17T10:09:33.366-06:00Can I have a Weekend Yet??Despite the lack of posts, I can assure you that the boys and I have not been merely lazing around and neglecting our duties online!<br /><br />The weekend after the Sheltie National (and our last post) was the River Runners' flyball tournament. I'm still a member of River Runners, though I don't currently have a dog competing in flyball. So I still put in my time at the tournament. There were a lot of great new successes at the tournament. One of the fun things about the River Runners' tournament is that it is early in the running season so a lot of the teams bring out their new "green dogs" for their first tournament warm-ups and runs. I love seeing the new kids playing the game!<br /><br />This past weekend was a CARO Rally-O trial at Paws n Train in Saskatoon. They offered the relatively new "Team" option in CARO Rally-O for the first time in Saskatchewan, so a lot of people were eager to give it a try. Team is a lot of fun, actually! You are paired up with another handler and dog (either choose your own partner or leave it up to random draw) and the course is split in half. The first dog does the first half of the course while the second dog waits in the middle. Once the first dog is finished, the second dog begins the second half while the first dog waits in the middle. Sort of a relay-race pass-the-baton situation. The course is scored as if it were one dog completing it, with the regular requirements of 170/200 to qualify.<br /><br />Novice level Team was offered this time around, so I had both boys entered. It was a lot of fun, and I am excited to try to run Advanced, Excellent, and Versatility Team once we and the rest of the province progress that far! Gio was paired up with Buddy and they earned their first two legs of Novice Team. Romeo was paired with the cutest Border Collie of all time, Bent, and they rocked it as well, earning their first two legs of Novice Team. One of those runs was a perfect 200/200 score.<br /><br />In addition to Team, I had the boys entered in some other levels. Romeo was entered in Versatility again, after the very surprising qualifiers from the KAOS trial last month. Romeo, continuing his streak of surprising me (I really should stop being surprised when Romeo is a superstar), completed his Versatility title and earned another Versatility and Excellent leg in C Stream to apply towards his CARO Rally Gold title.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnlCXJbljUJJTlnraYT1xlEnecIDfbpLspoY1-cntC87RC-GEeH8HDYskIaJBrwGIWtV6McUE_DPefWFygXGQOw35s9zWuBZVXfLZi7t9zUAoXGXBr8F50rMVsTReXP5ZZ1NsfGy7J-BZ/s1600/RomeoRV+May15_10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnlCXJbljUJJTlnraYT1xlEnecIDfbpLspoY1-cntC87RC-GEeH8HDYskIaJBrwGIWtV6McUE_DPefWFygXGQOw35s9zWuBZVXfLZi7t9zUAoXGXBr8F50rMVsTReXP5ZZ1NsfGy7J-BZ/s400/RomeoRV+May15_10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472270110957485410" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Romeo earning his Rally Versatility (RV) title under judge Jeanne Shaw. </span><br /></div><br />Gio was entered in an Excellent run as well, which he qualified with a lovely score of 198/200!! This finally <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">FINALLY</span> completes his Excellent title, with Magna Cum Laude! HOORAY!! This title has been nearly 2 years in the making. Silly boy just couldn't put it all together enough to Q, despite some really nice runs. I realized that it has taken Gio nearly as long to complete his Excellent title as it has taken Romeo to earn ALL of his CARO titles. Gio finished his Advanced title and began working on his Excellent title at nearly the same time that Romeo entered his first Rally trial ever. So in the same amount of time that Gio took to complete his Excellent title, Romeo has finished his Novice, Advanced, Excellent, Versatility, Bronze and Silver titles. haha Oh Giovanni, such a silly man! But he always has so much fun competing and showing off, so it was worth it all the way. Now we get to play in C Stream while we start training Versatility!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2mwLMxdgXwmgI8blVNkQ4nkh3riAkx73eq4L4_AKBL6Xku9PYCaZXOccKBvdHUYzFYc2DlhfI60fkCrTkwhAmUVfxhiu9NgBB0Cc_zQjpeLEJ4Z-q6tbuxm_YpROuT13iE4TdH9feHGV/s1600/GioRXMCL+May15_10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 294px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2mwLMxdgXwmgI8blVNkQ4nkh3riAkx73eq4L4_AKBL6Xku9PYCaZXOccKBvdHUYzFYc2DlhfI60fkCrTkwhAmUVfxhiu9NgBB0Cc_zQjpeLEJ4Z-q6tbuxm_YpROuT13iE4TdH9feHGV/s400/GioRXMCL+May15_10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472270109934028882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Gio earning his Rally Excellent (RXMCL) title under judge Jeanne Shaw. </span><br /></div><br />And yes, we are still participating in our Flick photo project!<br /><br />Last week, I started another leg of my career journey. I started my PhD at the University of Saskatchewan looking at canine color genetics and gene interaction. As such, I've taken a pretty significant pay cut, going back onto a student stipend. So I told the boys that they have to start earning their keep. Gio decided to do his part by parking himself in front of the neighborhood convenience store and look pathetic in hopes of donations.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5CEHqZmtJg2wNqluD21UCTmnDoftl97psoVJtm4uyeqqqr9hcxPsi6z_H5q8MO3MR4YxCV3bpWRB_hX0sYovq-pv2-AJdILX4hbdY5XgTQAWautagZEALGovhpih4OTpNd-KcQmvjzeG/s1600/Gio+Wk18.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 275px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5CEHqZmtJg2wNqluD21UCTmnDoftl97psoVJtm4uyeqqqr9hcxPsi6z_H5q8MO3MR4YxCV3bpWRB_hX0sYovq-pv2-AJdILX4hbdY5XgTQAWautagZEALGovhpih4OTpNd-KcQmvjzeG/s400/Gio+Wk18.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472270095186472498" border="0" /></a><br />And this past week there was a group challenge on the Flickr project stating simply "Pop Culture". I struggled as to what I might do to represent pop culture. I don't even really know WHAT pop culture is, the definition is pretty vague. When I think of what pop culture is, I think of things like poodle skirts, The Beatles, and Andy Warhol. But what is pop culture in 2010? Fifty years from now, what will the teenagers of 2060 think of when someone mentions 2010? Will our pop culture be reality TV shows, big brands, and social networking? Kinda scary actually.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVNE1_7jYHyG3NLc4bBZOJ6E8VbUr3NCTPSkfXN90TMl6zP8p_0-4N7k1Pbm67BngHDcyKjiQeXttGvO-AFLjzlzdXIAGHOLDJE-vlRE8MX5xYW36TIpGFPxTCaiCiQ31NtWLu2w_9tQY/s1600/Gio+Wk19.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 343px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVNE1_7jYHyG3NLc4bBZOJ6E8VbUr3NCTPSkfXN90TMl6zP8p_0-4N7k1Pbm67BngHDcyKjiQeXttGvO-AFLjzlzdXIAGHOLDJE-vlRE8MX5xYW36TIpGFPxTCaiCiQ31NtWLu2w_9tQY/s400/Gio+Wk19.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472270105629441858" border="0" /></a>GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-61138397860303709242010-05-02T19:55:00.006-06:002010-05-02T20:47:58.646-06:00CSSA 2010 Sheltie National SpecialtyFirst things first, sending a BIG shout-out to the people that approached me this past weekend having recognized Gio and/or Romeo from the blog! It's very humbling to realize that real people actually read this blog! It was awesome meeting you all. Sorry I couldn't chat much, but I was working hard on literally running my feet off.<br /><br />This past weekend was the <a href="http://ww.cssa2010.ca/">Canadian Shetland Sheepdog Association 2010 National Specialty</a> in Saskatoon, SK. Of course, I just HAD to enter the boys!<br /><br />With well over 300 Shelties entered, it was quite the sight! The Specialty offered conformation, obedience, Rally-O, and agility. I had both dogs entered in Brace Obedience and Rally-O, and Romeo entered in conformation.<br /><br />Despite the <i>really</i> long days, we had an awesome time! It was so amazing to see all of the Shelties there doing what they do best ... looking cute and working hard!<br /><br />Since the Specialty was offered in conjunction with the <a href="http://hckoc.blogspot.com/">Hub City Kennel and Obedience Club</a> show, I was also signed up for obedience and Rally-O stewarding the whole weekend. I think this played a significant part in the less than stellar performances that the boys showed on Friday, but even so, they did really well!<br /><br />We were fortunate to have Michel Calhoun judge the obedience and Rally-O trials. He is an awesome judge and so much fun to show under! Definitely added to the experience, even if he did tease me mercilessly the entire weekend (good-naturedly, I hope!).<br /><br />This was our first attempt at Brace Obedience, and while it wasn't perfect, it looks decent on the video and was enough to earn us a score of 190.5/200 and 3rd Place!<br /><br /><center><object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WZV9bU6uXyw&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WZV9bU6uXyw&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object></center><br /><br />Rally-O went along the same vein, with both dogs entered in Advanced B and Excellent B. They finished off their CKC Rally Excellent titles last year and, since I wanted to enter in the Specialty, I decided to try for a leg of their RAE titles (even though I have no real intentions of pursuing it very far). Romeo had two scores of 99/100, one earning him a 3rd Place spot in Advanced B. Gio had scores of 95/100 and 97/100. To give an idea of what the competition was like, I will state that there were 11 Shelties entered in Advanced B and 15 Shelties entered in Excellent B. Of the bunch, I believe there was only 1 non-qualifying score, 2 scores below a 90/100, and the VAST majority of the scores above 95/100. In fact, in Excellent B there were 2 dogs tied for 1st place with perfect scores of 100/100 and a 6-way tie for 3rd place with 6 dogs earning 99/100! It all came down to who could make it through the course the fastest. That is the most intense Rally-O trial I have seen, with a lot of fabulous working Shelties from across Canada!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qFiIPbaWXs4SQvuLGCZS1-gRC1dly6dWhVQSypH6NyPhRbX2ofAno_EO8J84Yp2NtQHyePw_1nmiQKPcF8wOcCrw805zCrxnjBTJEREVOQ3iUuKB_QqbmrMN5CQGInsxHjYzJ6FU9eRP/s1600/IMG_3156.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 290px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qFiIPbaWXs4SQvuLGCZS1-gRC1dly6dWhVQSypH6NyPhRbX2ofAno_EO8J84Yp2NtQHyePw_1nmiQKPcF8wOcCrw805zCrxnjBTJEREVOQ3iUuKB_QqbmrMN5CQGInsxHjYzJ6FU9eRP/s400/IMG_3156.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466861649144808690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Romeo and Gio earned 3rd in Class in Brace Obedience, and Romeo took 3rd in Class in Rally-O Advanced B, under judge Michel Calhoun.</span><br /></div><br />Rounding off the weekend was Romeo's first adventure in the conformation ring. He was neutered long ago, but probably could have finished his Championship had he been allowed to keep his boy bits. I entered him in the Altered Class and his breeder, Brenda Newlove of <a href="http://canyonview.ca/">CanyonView Shelties</a> trotted him around the ring for me, where he took Reserve Winners Dog! I always knew Romeo was a good looking dog, so I guess his success didn't come as too much of a surprise. But that doesn't dilute how proud I am of his accomplishments! Huge "Thanks" to Brenda for primping and preening my little man and putting in the leg work to show him off for me.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EewHasVkDC0hmJmVnohsM4Y3YdOnkbn9wBHZPr70VuDm43qNqo07ZwC61Un03ucUCCKmLlxIBV2gLm-b9ON9w_63nhogqw4UYK469Zrbb9kzKm3U5VlaOWphxEnFqd7Gqi8bNNfxWOVL/s1600/IMG_3254.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EewHasVkDC0hmJmVnohsM4Y3YdOnkbn9wBHZPr70VuDm43qNqo07ZwC61Un03ucUCCKmLlxIBV2gLm-b9ON9w_63nhogqw4UYK469Zrbb9kzKm3U5VlaOWphxEnFqd7Gqi8bNNfxWOVL/s400/IMG_3254.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466861656722822162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Romeo took Reserve Winners Dog in Altered Class under judge Judith Kelsey.</span><br /></div><br />Now, on to the fun stuff!<br /><br />Our obedience/Rally-O judge, Michel Calhoun, asked a favor of some of the Rally-O dogs after the trial on Friday night. I missed most of the story as I was running to my crating area to get my camera, but it is something along the lines of promising to do a favor for a class of children at a local school. He is carrying Flat Stanley (a colorful paper doll of sorts) around with him and documenting Flat Stanley's travels in photographs. So, to prove that he was at a dog show this weekend, he wanted a picture of Flat Stanley with a Shaggle of Shelties*. So here are just <i>some</i> of the dogs entered in the Sheltie-only Rally-O trial, with Flat Stanley front and center. (Sorry I couldn't get a better angle, but it was difficult to elbow my way through the throng of handlers urging their dogs to "stay" ... you try keeping that many Shelties sitting so close together without them spontaneously breaking out into zoomies and play bows!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7l6Vb82i5snefQt7yMwEXY891tyf-gkv-P0Uk6sg9ymRb7wWBm6o3ZGQ_MZB6LJyl2stlpcxadQbNuUqJOfao9zeTzHBkypKWnKL7Ia3lzr9wHgCmHp4VyOW22ndtDxro-Yp6qCHfsxPU/s1600/IMG_4297.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7l6Vb82i5snefQt7yMwEXY891tyf-gkv-P0Uk6sg9ymRb7wWBm6o3ZGQ_MZB6LJyl2stlpcxadQbNuUqJOfao9zeTzHBkypKWnKL7Ia3lzr9wHgCmHp4VyOW22ndtDxro-Yp6qCHfsxPU/s400/IMG_4297.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466864791792245570" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglytLcowdoa4bbSntn5wLFKW90uxg37H1ObtK7l1iaS7s-f9yVb4vscXtm-L1sndhGvOA5hGDHPpUBjMrLMRONjBa-BZnhhOFxaQfJiq9EriGCLm4EfcWJL_L9wZfWH6ZIXlGWzwvPX8Pc/s1600/IMG_4299.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 203px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglytLcowdoa4bbSntn5wLFKW90uxg37H1ObtK7l1iaS7s-f9yVb4vscXtm-L1sndhGvOA5hGDHPpUBjMrLMRONjBa-BZnhhOFxaQfJiq9EriGCLm4EfcWJL_L9wZfWH6ZIXlGWzwvPX8Pc/s400/IMG_4299.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466864800761558514" border="0" /></a><br />Just a moment of serious stuff, now. I have to share a pet peeve of mine with you all. Well, maybe this is a little more than a mere pet peeve. It is bordering on downright disgust! There were a lot of dogs in the trials this weekend, Sheltie-only as well as All Breed. And, with pressure running high and crazy competition, nerves flare up for both handlers and dogs. In cases like this ... shit happens. Literally. There were a fair number of dogs having accidents in or around the rings this weekend. Some newbies and some seasoned vets. And, while really stinky and not pleasant for your friendly neighborhood ring stewards to have to clean up, it happens. We all understand it. What I CANNOT stand is a handler chastising or blaming their dog for soiling the ring! It is NOT their fault! If you want to scold someone, smack yourself upside the head because it is your own darned fault! I do NOT want to see you leaving the ring yelling at your dog and yanking the hell out of their collar all because they had to do a number 2. It is YOUR job to make sure your dogs are pottied before they enter the ring. It is YOUR job to monitor their diet and their nerves before and during a trial weekend. And if, after all your efforts, they still end up soiling the ring, the proper procedure is to quickly apologize to the judge (and stewards for good measure, as it is them picking up your dog's droppings) and rush your dog outside to finish its business without causing a scene. Scolding your dog for doing what it has to do, especially when it is clearly attempting to PREVENT soiling in the ring as you dawdle around trying to finish your performance while blatantly ignoring the dog's distress, is the very LAST thing you want to do. Both for your dog's sake and the sake of your own reputation. I know I'm not the only person tasting bile after witnessing you jerking your dog around after their accident. Smarten up people!<br /><br />There. That feels better.<br /><br />Following the "Sandwich Protocol", begin and end with something positive while sticking the nasty bit in the middle, this weekend was absolutely awesome! Lots of great successes from the Sheltie side of things as well as the All Breed side. HUGE congratulations to everyone on their accomplishments! When my feet stop throbbing and I catch up on some sleep, I will post more pictures of the boys with their prize haul. And I have heard rumor that there are some ring-side pictures of Romeo's conformation debut floating around. When I get my hands on those, I will certainly be sharing them here!<br /><br />* For the definition of a Shaggle of Shelties, check out this <a href="http://sheltie-hair.blogspot.com/2010/04/shaggle-of-shelties.html">previous blog post</a>.GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-46627737239600006052010-04-27T19:27:00.004-06:002010-04-27T19:37:00.870-06:00The Big Boy Turns 8!<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:130%;">Today is Gio's 8th birthday!!<br /><br />Happy Birthday to my big man!<br /></span></div><br />As a treat, Gio got a big bison RMB for dinner. He had to work for it though, no breaks on birthdays for this boy, especially when "mom" is a blogger! So the work in this case involved candles, balloons, a (homemade) party hat, and a good "leave it" command.<br /><br /><br />Of course, Gio takes "leave it" very seriously.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiObB1HKNL7ZzwDSMM0QRCuQpBWshf9YE7NhJ5wJTgHyJsp858uZkB87WlfWLNQr450xriYjd4B3xxp9ypxQh0ef4Nh9Ix_kfEMMc69SIC7sQ0UCA-4vpbCOtLLbnI1ny5ed9gf-FdDQsZ2/s1600/IMG_4272.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 379px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiObB1HKNL7ZzwDSMM0QRCuQpBWshf9YE7NhJ5wJTgHyJsp858uZkB87WlfWLNQr450xriYjd4B3xxp9ypxQh0ef4Nh9Ix_kfEMMc69SIC7sQ0UCA-4vpbCOtLLbnI1ny5ed9gf-FdDQsZ2/s400/IMG_4272.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464995759802855042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Like this.</span><br /></div><br />So in order to get him to appear as if he is enjoying this photo shoot experience, I need to use words that will make him prick up his ears. Words like "cookie", "hungry", and "what's that?". These words, when coupled with a lovely hunk of raw bison-y goodness, result in pictures like this.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yjboIYZhIdgmarhJzSCLTIBnsMnhP6S7giz2-_2Vj6KPfLbbg9I0Se2Hit_c0hEcwjDVsOGf40rXUDLUVIRinteQaz1Nkwh1yzVUeCJ3uQVTehMcUjJWQrsu2df_pG253vVNx-WZGUdC/s1600/IMG_4276.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yjboIYZhIdgmarhJzSCLTIBnsMnhP6S7giz2-_2Vj6KPfLbbg9I0Se2Hit_c0hEcwjDVsOGf40rXUDLUVIRinteQaz1Nkwh1yzVUeCJ3uQVTehMcUjJWQrsu2df_pG253vVNx-WZGUdC/s400/IMG_4276.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464995753314918946" border="0" /></a><br />So the "ear prick" words were punctuated frequently with "leave it" words. "Leave it. Cookie? Leave it leave it! What's that? Where is it? Leave it! Are you hungry? Leave it leave it leave it."<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCFY4eYYkMjQAwuDqLYqtp7zXDqEHzlQHciD_1f8DY-d-9Y4ctgzYoj-CTu3URHdk1GIOGCOzxbzAX9at-M1ZDNZrkyeZxiPC8xdIK2zfoQxLrqX5vDLxl1TD2xUxIhGZ4H7mQVaOBT7j/s1600/IMG_4277+Wk17.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCFY4eYYkMjQAwuDqLYqtp7zXDqEHzlQHciD_1f8DY-d-9Y4ctgzYoj-CTu3URHdk1GIOGCOzxbzAX9at-M1ZDNZrkyeZxiPC8xdIK2zfoQxLrqX5vDLxl1TD2xUxIhGZ4H7mQVaOBT7j/s400/IMG_4277+Wk17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464995787038642882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Oh, he's such a good boy.</span><br /></div><br />By the time I finally got a picture that I liked for our 52 Weeks project, poor Gio was literally quivering from the effort. I removed the flaming candle from the vicinity, and Gio was happy to indulge in his reward without worrying about the hat and balloons.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtIdk8_gQWPHcw9bSSh0YPZgDgTZvkVYvBQnLzrX1HDzAxLLLWraOnA9Ylyx-l7XetJ14fH2hWjkiagCFwM07agH6rwxu-tacibhljQUvXt_9HOxesuEXOqtNzrFHfmgdBUoa9eFdtaOd/s1600/IMG_4279.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 357px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtIdk8_gQWPHcw9bSSh0YPZgDgTZvkVYvBQnLzrX1HDzAxLLLWraOnA9Ylyx-l7XetJ14fH2hWjkiagCFwM07agH6rwxu-tacibhljQUvXt_9HOxesuEXOqtNzrFHfmgdBUoa9eFdtaOd/s400/IMG_4279.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464995781238952962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Busy. Can't talk. Eating.</span><br /></div><br />Happy birthday my big boy! Let's say we plan for many many more of these, eh?GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-72544374179739150662010-04-24T14:31:00.004-06:002010-04-24T14:44:39.557-06:00Slip Slidin' AwayOn our walk the other day, we stumbled upon an empty playground. The sun was so bright, and the clear blue sky, fresh green on the trees, and glaring red slides were too hard to pass up. The boys humored me by posing on the play set.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NMrB_WiWPZGqi7tyQ3Jjzr9y6-Kzi6pPm3QDAzfHEOFObxsNLatwyC3SdhBOMcha1v7P8Nn89D8KeHCTV_4ctZueXrGmk-luu8b7G4BS3Q5BmgFHEfHNUvAXA4QU0s0ytqKbZ97XxTck/s1600/IMG_4237+Slide+Shelties.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 347px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NMrB_WiWPZGqi7tyQ3Jjzr9y6-Kzi6pPm3QDAzfHEOFObxsNLatwyC3SdhBOMcha1v7P8Nn89D8KeHCTV_4ctZueXrGmk-luu8b7G4BS3Q5BmgFHEfHNUvAXA4QU0s0ytqKbZ97XxTck/s400/IMG_4237+Slide+Shelties.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463805954070818322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">I really wish that this double slide was on the OTHER side of the play set so that I could have better taken advantage of the bright sunlight. But regardless, I love the colors and swirly blue lines. </span><br /></div><br />Just to the West of the park is a group of apartment buildings. There is a chain link fence that separates the school yard from the parking lot. Leaning on that fence the entire time we were taking pictures was an older man. He was either giving me the long-distance stink eye for having dogs on the play set, or was just horribly confused about what I was doing. Possibly a bit of both.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MsGjIouFHwFcV-E9m-1OjQzaf63ZPlAUN0D2VTJPN-DXzNwQIjEnU8RdwmmVsSq5i3qyCquJikU7RYeEIu17NWGIZzFh5yIpyx6h-HzQUbL-vjXylEFuLWtamqMxzda7uA06cKfsPUva/s1600/IMG_4242+Romeo+Slide.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MsGjIouFHwFcV-E9m-1OjQzaf63ZPlAUN0D2VTJPN-DXzNwQIjEnU8RdwmmVsSq5i3qyCquJikU7RYeEIu17NWGIZzFh5yIpyx6h-HzQUbL-vjXylEFuLWtamqMxzda7uA06cKfsPUva/s400/IMG_4242+Romeo+Slide.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463805945207096642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">This picture cracks me up every time I see it. Romeo is just so silly!<br />Always a happy dog. Always. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTveiglfzCK2_IUYcBVgwPvi0vPeLFdICKQv1WaXQ0fxXBG2uVhAYUdg03Gwe5H9PvIP4S3r0U9WpAmPndpBeHSbmeoW3rCrXt4-NGIX9npJPLmNGjOpGOQKOgb8RvIFsYfo7_S4JjRFx/s1600/IMG_4243+Wk16%281%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTveiglfzCK2_IUYcBVgwPvi0vPeLFdICKQv1WaXQ0fxXBG2uVhAYUdg03Gwe5H9PvIP4S3r0U9WpAmPndpBeHSbmeoW3rCrXt4-NGIX9npJPLmNGjOpGOQKOgb8RvIFsYfo7_S4JjRFx/s400/IMG_4243+Wk16%281%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463805936370102706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Gio is such a trooper. He was having a hard time keeping his grip on the slide, but was still able to spare a smile for the camera! </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">This was Gio's 52 Weeks for Dogs entry for this week.</span><br /></div>GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-39218054019406712352010-04-22T19:02:00.005-06:002010-04-22T19:27:13.199-06:00A Shaggle of SheltiesThese are pictures from last week. I'm just getting around to posting them now. OOPS!<br /><br />Anyways, I took the boys out to visit a friend (who also happens to be Romeo's breeder) one evening last week. She has a varitable shaggle* of Shelties, and a huge property just made for Bark 'n Chase. So after I squished the cootie-wootie 5 week old babies inside (sorry, no pictures ... but imagine fluff and pointy puppy teeth), we took the bigger dogs out back for a romp.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUEogh-j4iizvgUKjuPKc8bl13uxHIoY7p6Fctpd-vqJIC2TzlarvCsUt14ierLfAuxvMuBeAuNbcshfqoTI1BPUx_DE1aWd6DHpvoBVuuBP3GfhuDCJ5Tu5ib0EgwNhzdMux8IeykLCQ/s1600/IMG_4187+Wk15+%283%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUEogh-j4iizvgUKjuPKc8bl13uxHIoY7p6Fctpd-vqJIC2TzlarvCsUt14ierLfAuxvMuBeAuNbcshfqoTI1BPUx_DE1aWd6DHpvoBVuuBP3GfhuDCJ5Tu5ib0EgwNhzdMux8IeykLCQ/s400/IMG_4187+Wk15+%283%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463135076845196450" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"> This is Gio's submission for the 52 Weeks photo project for last week.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCdV7Ck8ovleUotGZnGoPcBd7ZnMxIz2kQgsCm_oihmk8MJs_WeyEnL392UkfGcHjUqXbJkaN-WkOK5-gsSXu6gix3yoFjSV06JTx2qLZVcYMx7_5TV050g9XUVbCP_vQLe_AnP-GfUf8/s1600/IMG_4193+Wk15+%281%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCdV7Ck8ovleUotGZnGoPcBd7ZnMxIz2kQgsCm_oihmk8MJs_WeyEnL392UkfGcHjUqXbJkaN-WkOK5-gsSXu6gix3yoFjSV06JTx2qLZVcYMx7_5TV050g9XUVbCP_vQLe_AnP-GfUf8/s400/IMG_4193+Wk15+%281%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463135066838040530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Gio leading the charge! </span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngV6BL5Au5N7VCuq0l4FX5hWTPp9ESnltaxBAWrixXLY-9xCRiDck8U1csafjcFHYFoJuLgqzMOKC_1LyCW73Hm0oCMzd9Qo7aWaJZqpC2CdzrVjbfeTbHXo8G_yfcls9aNJdsk3gkHCo/s1600/IMG_4184+Romeo+Flying.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngV6BL5Au5N7VCuq0l4FX5hWTPp9ESnltaxBAWrixXLY-9xCRiDck8U1csafjcFHYFoJuLgqzMOKC_1LyCW73Hm0oCMzd9Qo7aWaJZqpC2CdzrVjbfeTbHXo8G_yfcls9aNJdsk3gkHCo/s400/IMG_4184+Romeo+Flying.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463135050064131522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Flying Sheltie!</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3jdpd6JsYM7QNO4XFsqhrpfDpKsQZ50EeLjbzaOocDrKhtkfJeVfTSKpZ17fLUSp9KTB59M-0dQc7i0Zu3CVL0l6Z07QamLhutkoGa9NXhVvt68V9o7KAU9lmRQhscsgNOuCs7Uofamq/s1600/IMG_4183+Wk15+%282%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 341px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3jdpd6JsYM7QNO4XFsqhrpfDpKsQZ50EeLjbzaOocDrKhtkfJeVfTSKpZ17fLUSp9KTB59M-0dQc7i0Zu3CVL0l6Z07QamLhutkoGa9NXhVvt68V9o7KAU9lmRQhscsgNOuCs7Uofamq/s400/IMG_4183+Wk15+%282%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463135087262578626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Breaking out the gallop. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAw_OQi_qiy01W4eNwfVH-Mh2n9oWKRQSIH0I9g26tvZEK3eY7ZE7e9IjyHX2N3gVYp7xpg9LBvVONIRkpCVPcoYfjg_0tSnAE_KOOyvMeoPQp9eWZJdw894ssF25waXWDP4NGgOjBcXc/s1600/IMG_4194.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 338px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAw_OQi_qiy01W4eNwfVH-Mh2n9oWKRQSIH0I9g26tvZEK3eY7ZE7e9IjyHX2N3gVYp7xpg9LBvVONIRkpCVPcoYfjg_0tSnAE_KOOyvMeoPQp9eWZJdw894ssF25waXWDP4NGgOjBcXc/s400/IMG_4194.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463136282897431522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">If you fail to get the ball, then the game becomes making it back to the tosser first.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-G4Ls-3UqgfLRNT_1Zy8_mwiLBevtHi22TTiRn51_kj0M3sBN8hBWHLSGxq0tVt8AWe2tPAydoVfg21sefIAjQzzsv1Yz8eRdI-ybRJAG2sxKBcHyZVqN4961sabhsOty8Pn0KSc8M1g/s1600/IMG_4185.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 343px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-G4Ls-3UqgfLRNT_1Zy8_mwiLBevtHi22TTiRn51_kj0M3sBN8hBWHLSGxq0tVt8AWe2tPAydoVfg21sefIAjQzzsv1Yz8eRdI-ybRJAG2sxKBcHyZVqN4961sabhsOty8Pn0KSc8M1g/s400/IMG_4185.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463136269201399986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">And if you DO get the ball ... run like hell!! </span><br /><br /></div>There was much running and barking. And in the end there was much slobber and lolling tongues. Fun was had by all!<br /><br />Once Romeo was sufficiently worn out, we (read: Brenda) got to work on Project Extreme Makeover. See, next week is the 2010 Canadian Shetland Sheepdog Association National Specialty. It is being held right here in Saskatoon, so there is no way that I wasn't entering the fools in for some fun! Romeo is going to be making his debut in the conformation ring in the No Nuts category (more appropriately named Altered Class). For this, he needs to pretend that he isn't a goofy little fluff ball and play Big Boy for a while. Brenda put me on strict No Trim orders for the past couple of months so that Romeo would grow enough hair in the right places so that it can then be trimmed by a more skilled hand. This was very difficult for me ... apparently I have a thing about toe hair. Rogue toe hair drives me CRAZY! While the show, at the time, was still 2 weeks away, Brenda agreed to give Romeo a bit of a trim for me before I went nuts. I had already been grooming Gio's feet overtime to make up for the lack of trimming on Romeo. There were fears that poor Gio would wind up with completely shaved poodle feet if Romeo's tufts weren't tamed soon.<br /><br />So after a bit of a primp, we wound up with a significantly tidier Romeo. There is still the fancy beauty pageant grooming to come, but that will be closer to show time. For now, though, I can (reluctantly) tolerate the *almost* Hobbit Toes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjY_HgVICiR-WlbjTqSP2UzJnFNvO33hYHahkVByNnLDfaBaXAyhJsgGKape2xNk4sf7GM0vAXnZN4MCfy5eQ8XtZsUDwgUFFb64McG6BAGzQt3hfORrX2texQmBDDyq8jdNjaeIFjXSHB/s1600/IMG_4207.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 377px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjY_HgVICiR-WlbjTqSP2UzJnFNvO33hYHahkVByNnLDfaBaXAyhJsgGKape2xNk4sf7GM0vAXnZN4MCfy5eQ8XtZsUDwgUFFb64McG6BAGzQt3hfORrX2texQmBDDyq8jdNjaeIFjXSHB/s400/IMG_4207.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463136294905961394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Such a handsome boy!</span><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">* Shaggle: the totally official I-just-made-that-up term for a bunch of Shelties.<br /><br />Bonus points if you immediately thought of Templeton the Rat from the Charlotte's Web movie at the mention of the word "veritable". All together now ... "<span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Oh the fair is a veritable smorgasbord orgasbord orgasbord, after the crowds have ceased!</span> ..." </span>GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-71584212696061781262010-04-11T20:35:00.003-06:002010-04-11T21:04:53.224-06:00On Cloud Nine!The boys and I just got back from a CARO Rally-O trial and seminar in Regina, hosted by KAOS Dogsports, and judged by Laurie Albright.<br /><br />As always, KAOS did a wonderful job in organizing the event and Laurie is a blast to work with. The seminar on Saturday covered the basics of all 4 CARO levels (Novice, Advanced, Excellent, and Versatility). I like to take in seminars like this to learn new ways of training certain obstacles so that I can pass them along in my classes. It's also nice to get an inside opinion on how certain performances are judged.<br /><br />Sunday included two CARO Rally-O trials, one round of each level. I had the boys entered, of course!<br /><br />After a significant stagnant period, Gio finally broke his streak of NQ's and earned his 2nd Excellent level leg! Only one more leg needed for that elusive RX title! Not only did he qualify one of his Excellent rounds, but he also took High in Class, bringing home a snazzy rosette and a big bag of toys and goodies. The second Excellent round was beautifully done, except for one measly little sign. As is the case with Excellent, one false move and you are done for. In Gio's defense, though, this was honestly the HARDEST Excellent course I have EVER seen. EVER! Head's up students ... guess what is going to be making an appearance in class one of these days!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg49plykuiqfA_OgGO5TVbkdU8oLu6mNpEwnhIOuBUgbNIg0OCJeuAc2Dc4uQFHH6G4TA99Oe5BCtbc1hJasrxEbgjyisMP5d8bFEXf_T8YMxIO8ySYHclnMH1ujpJlxqdO48D5uS60Eie/s1600/IMG_4164.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 397px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg49plykuiqfA_OgGO5TVbkdU8oLu6mNpEwnhIOuBUgbNIg0OCJeuAc2Dc4uQFHH6G4TA99Oe5BCtbc1hJasrxEbgjyisMP5d8bFEXf_T8YMxIO8ySYHclnMH1ujpJlxqdO48D5uS60Eie/s400/IMG_4164.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459080860183132050" border="0" /></a><br />Romeo was a little show-off, as usual. I had him entered in 4 rounds, 2 Excellent C and 2 Versatility. He qualified his first Excellent C round with a score of 199/200, successfully finishing off his CARO Rally Silver (CRS) title. Two the best of my knowledge, Romeo is now the FIRST dog from Saskatchewan to have earned his CRS title!<br /><br />His second Excellent C round was qualified with a score of 195/200 and High in Class! This leg goes towards his CARO Rally Gold (CRG) title.<br /><br />The C Stream titles are CARO Rally Bronze (CRB), CARO Rally Silver (CRS), CARO Rally Gold (CRG), and CARO Rally Master (CRMCh). Each level requires a dog to earn a certain number of Advanced, Excellent, and Versatility legs with scores of 190/200 or higher. No re-dos are allowed and the handlers are only allowed 3 minutes to walk the course prior to their run. Romeo was the first dog from Saskatchewan to earn his CRB back in October of 2009. There are currently (as of the date of his post) 2 dogs from Saskatchewan with C stream titles, Romeo being one, and the other a crazy cute little Schipperke named Taz.<br /><br />Versatility is a level in CARO Rally-O that requires a dog to work both on the left and right side of their handler. They perform an altered Novice level course, switching from left to right and back again in a variety of ways, at least 5 times. Romeo and I have been doodling with Versatility stuff for a while now, but certainly not what I would call "serious training". I had entered him in these two Versatility rounds just to get a bench point mark of where he is at and where we need to go. Essentially "just for shits and giggles". Well let me tell you, I was certainly giggling after that was over! Not only did Romeo do VERY well in his Versatility rounds, he qualified BOTH legs with High in Class! Scores of 198/200 and 196/200. I am THRILLED! He only needs one more qualifying leg for his Versatility title. This was VERY unexpected this weekend!<br /><br />I will say, though, that Versatility is a serious challenge! I found myself questioning my ability to count, my knowledge of left versus right, and, at times, my own existence. This is not for the faint of heart. But, despite my confusion and aimless wandering around the course, I found myself really enjoying the challenge. I look forward to our next attempt at the chaos and confusion that is Versatility!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tyYQis_pY7IZkRua7UphyFgKBWqh-1Ui4pCcJJtUjWBmSlc_SAH3n0AHftNBJ29MWflGi3StZDlzTd4UTDnEwyqDFp7MpFhq8q4H4Mal68V8k3wL4HNHsIpLJN50wQKQRSoTCX9TF-rT/s1600/IMG_4163.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 374px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tyYQis_pY7IZkRua7UphyFgKBWqh-1Ui4pCcJJtUjWBmSlc_SAH3n0AHftNBJ29MWflGi3StZDlzTd4UTDnEwyqDFp7MpFhq8q4H4Mal68V8k3wL4HNHsIpLJN50wQKQRSoTCX9TF-rT/s400/IMG_4163.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459080843362106738" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-style: italic;">Romeo after completing his CARO Rally Silver (CRS) title.</span><br /></div><br />In addition to a literal stack of rosettes and qualifying flats, the boys also brought home 4 big bags of toys and treats, prizes for High in Class wins.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffmD1zPKvLcAHgF-NrABykzL-NpHo0Zoa1IWRXd_vyYis3mhhwPo9HoO1diQ4K71PHQwIi4XWOmi7ZvzCK9hPFuyq6oWAjXjejIg3i6gz0pCFAZLQdDG5OJLV-_hCWQHs9T5BKQMy5OKh/s1600/IMG_4167+Wk14+%282%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffmD1zPKvLcAHgF-NrABykzL-NpHo0Zoa1IWRXd_vyYis3mhhwPo9HoO1diQ4K71PHQwIi4XWOmi7ZvzCK9hPFuyq6oWAjXjejIg3i6gz0pCFAZLQdDG5OJLV-_hCWQHs9T5BKQMy5OKh/s400/IMG_4167+Wk14+%282%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459080826130690770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Gio's winnings. A High in Class rosette from Excellent B.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDRF5F6O4Mw6uB0GHN0pA18rIKVnV_bPaZWuWJs_Yit5Tm6FzxnioX4Y2QBx9nJ_sVP3dVAbor_mHG4tBR2p2R4bRKfyaEtWlSJx2IFdrO3bbiiODi3_PC97CYOFbSqArdSuOAOYe6kja/s1600/IMG_4170+Romeo.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDRF5F6O4Mw6uB0GHN0pA18rIKVnV_bPaZWuWJs_Yit5Tm6FzxnioX4Y2QBx9nJ_sVP3dVAbor_mHG4tBR2p2R4bRKfyaEtWlSJx2IFdrO3bbiiODi3_PC97CYOFbSqArdSuOAOYe6kja/s400/IMG_4170+Romeo.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459080840881343954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Romeo's winnings. A High in Class from Excellent C, two High in Class from Versatility, and a New Title rosette.</span><br /></div><br />We had a fabulous time. The boys have, yet again, inflated my ego. I am not only floating, but bouncing up and down on Cloud Nine!GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2597802203060019669.post-78684634841945044972010-04-09T07:52:00.003-06:002010-04-09T07:59:33.682-06:00Romeo is WeirdI've said it many many times. And I don't think people really "get" how weird he is. Yes, he is an incredibly smart dog, flamboyant, eager, and animated. But he's just really REALLY weird, too. He does things that are just strange. Things that, I'm sure, other dogs do. But while other dogs may do a couple of strange things, he seems to do them all!<br /><br />From snorkeling in water dishes to bathtub jumping to taking his frustrations out on his rage pillow.<br /><br />Since people just don't seem to believe me when I say that I have the weirdest dog ever, I've decided to make my way through his list of oddities and put each one to cue. I'll make a video of each training attempt, and can then take his weirdness on the road to prove to the masses how strange he is!<br /><br />So here we go, Parts I and II of "How to Train Your Dog to be Weird".<br /><br />Romeo Blowing Bubbles<br /><center><object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CTZrWYJduDI&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CTZrWYJduDI&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object></center><br /><br />Romeo doing an Elvis Impersonation<br /><center><object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5nuLa0nf2kk&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5nuLa0nf2kk&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object></center>GeeRomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17884508026032198770noreply@blogger.com3