This weekend was our second agility fun match where I take the dogs for agility. Technically, it’s Chester’s third fun match, since I took him to one at a different facility back in December. And since my husband was home we got some video! Not great video (not his fault), but hey, it’s video of agility.

This was Lola’s first outing at a fun match. Agility has been really good for her. Even our instructor commented that she was doing really well with all the dogs & distractions. Which isn’t to say she was perfect, but she did do really well.

I only did a tunnelers course with her (all tunnels). But it was a tough course, and she’s not used to sequencing eleven obstacles. She really surprised me — she did well. Sure, she missed a few entrances & did some sniffing (she really needed to pee, despite being given the opportunity to several times, which I think explained the sniffing), but she did some of the really tough stuff well. And she didn’t run off to the dogwalk, one of her favorite obstacles.

Chester’s first run went pretty well. Since he had a bad reaction to the tunnelers last time, I decided not to do that with him. He did the teeter beautifully. I messed him up a few times by not setting him up for tunnel entrances correctly.

You can see that he zips up the dogwalk, then really slows down, which is why I clap — to get him going. It’s like he suddenly realizes he’s way above the ground (Lola never even notices; she loves the dogwalk).

He also stopped at the top of the A-frame — I’ve no idea why; he never does that. Maybe he lost sight of me?

What you can’t see at the end is that he did run off the course before the last two tunnels. That is a problem he has, sometimes — he likes to decide when he’s done. I was able to get him back & get him to finish; if that had been an actual trial, he’d be disqualified for running off the field. We did have video of those last two tunnels, but it’s not terribly exciting. Still, all in all, I felt he did well.

Chester’s second, and final, run didn’t go as well. It started off just fine; I started out with a short lead out, which is when you put your dog in a stay and walk out so that you’re ahead of the dog. The dog has to have a good stay, plus they have to actually go where you direct them to — but it gives you a chance to get ahead of them.

But when I lost my place (someone must have knocked one of the cones slightly, because I couldn’t see the number), he went off into a major sniffing stint. I finally got him back in the game, only to have him jump off the teeter. I tried a couple of more times, but he still refused it. I’ve no idea why. He didn’t run off the field this time, and we just skipped the teeter and finished with the last two tunnels.

He’s been having problems with the teeter for a while, but he seemed to finally have a breakthrough this week. Until now. It will be interesting to see what he does in class tomorrow.

Technorati Tags: agility fun match, dogs, video, tunnelers, lead out

Related posts:

The boys are at it again.

Monday I had to take Chester to the vet for a routine checkup. While I was out walking the dogs, someone stopped me to talk, so I was running just a bit late.

When I got the dogs harnessed & ready to go, the boys came rushing in with a lizard. Unfortunately, I just didn’t have the time to save the poor thing. I had to go.

I’d forgotten about it when I got home, but every time Lola went to the back door, she refused to actually go out. Finally, I noticed the headless lizard lying on the mat.

Fast forward to today.

The boys came rushing in again while I was busy in the kitchen (luckily). Yup, another lizard (what is it with these things? do they just have a death wish?).

I got a glass, and put it in front of the lizard, intending to get it in the glass and then set it free outside as I always do. Gizmo went to grab it, only he actually ended up pushing it into the glass!

Yup, my killer Gizmo saved the lizard.

Technorati Tags: lizard, headless lizard

Related posts:

Well, it feels that way, anyway. Both good & bad stories, even a sort-of bad story with a good ending.

First there was not one, but two, dead cats on one of the many routes I walk the dogs. It always makes me terribly sad to see their lifeless bodies, and I just see that way too often here. Even the outdoor cats I come to know almost always disappear over time.

I am glad the boys were older by the time we got the dogs. Otherwise I’d be very afraid of them escaping. Simba gets real close to the back door sometimes when I come back in, and he gets a good yelling-at when he does. But I think he’s just looking for a treat, rather than actively trying to get outside. He knows the dogs get treats for going to their mat when we come back inside, and I’ll throw him a treat, too (for staying inside!).

Then a couple of days ago the woman I board the dogs with called. She’d found what she estimated to be a 3-day-old kitten. Since she knew I voluteered at a cat rescue, she was hoping I could help. Unfortunately, the owners just happened to be out of town.

I called around all the rescues for her. There are tons of dog rescues; but just a handful of cat rescues, actually, I found out.

In the end, she took the kitten to the vet and one of the vet techs decided to take it. I was extremely glad it found a good home, but then I had to call all the rescues back.

And finally, a few days ago, again while walking the dogs, Chester was doing his business while staring at someone’s house. I couldn’t see what he saw, until I saw this Russian Blue making its way towards us.

Sometimes I really do wonder what goes through cat’s minds. Was he attracted by the smell of the treats I carry for the dogs? Was he wondering just what these small creatures actually are?

I treated the dogs a few times for being calm while looking at the approaching cat, then moved on. Luckily the cat didn’t follow. I once had a cat actually follow me into my garage (just like I once had a dog actually follow me into the house)!

Technorati Tags: treat, outside, cat rescue

Related posts:

I thought it was only fair to show the boys doing some of their tricks, too. So below is a short of video of me trying to get Simba to fully lay down, but since he was refusing, I had Gizmo sit and sit up.

Here you can see Simba jumping the hurdle a couple of times. He also goes through a tunnel on command (sometimes), but you can just barely see that.

Normally I use a clicker when training them, but it was too hard to juggle the camera and a clicker at the same time. They’ve done all these things so many times, though, that they could do it in their sleep.

So yes, you really can train your cats.

Technorati Tags: tricks, video, down, sit, sit up, hurdle, clicker

Related posts:

Here’s a really short video of Lola doing her “showgirl” routine. Barry Mannilow’s Copacabana (which, sadly, no longer exists). “She was a showgirl, her name was Lola” — get it?

I didn’t teach her how to do it, but it did take a long time to get it on cue.

We get wild roses growing right in our backyard. Here’s Lola with the roses.

And again.

Now it’s Chester’s turn.

Technorati Tags: showgirl, wild roses

Related posts:

The boys turned seven on Monday. I’d gotten home from a trip very late Sunday night, and almost forgot. But we did have a catnip party that night. And because I was so tired, I had the woman we board the dogs with keep them one more day. Which is a big present to Giz. Simba slept with me on Sunday night (what was left of it); and Gizmo slept with me on Monday night.

Unfortunately, they repayed me the next day by bringing in a baby rabbit. Drops of blood all over our family room floor. When they bring in birds, they won’t let them go for love or money. But they seemed just a bit unsure of what to do with it, and let me take it away from them easily.

I took it outside, and I think it breathed its last breaths very quickly. I felt terrible, even if it is Darwin at work (it must have gone right into the kennel — and I thought the birds were stupid; at least they can fly). I told it how very sorry I was.

It’s so difficult to reconcile the cat that cuddles against you all night, purring, with the heartless killer that kills even though it’s just had breakfast.

Yes, I know that that is their nature, and that nature can be very cruel.

On a more up note, Gizmo has cuddled with me on the bed a few times, once even staying after Chester jumped up and curled up behind my knees. I know it doesn’t sound like much after 2 1/2 years, but it was big for him. Lola, luckily, was outside.

Technorati Tags: cat, cuddles, purring, killer, nature

Related posts: