Our Fun Weekend

[these pictures are of Gimme's altercation with the strange dog that lives in the mirror in my parent's motor home]

On this trial weekend Michael did about the same as he always does on Saturdays - not great, but not awful, then usually pulls it together on Sunday.  

However, this Sunday that was not the case.  Instead he bypassed four jumps. Going around the jumps I take as his way of telling me that "he doesn't think he can".  So, hard as it is to do - he is now officially retired from agility.  The salmon poisoning was an unlucky break for us - since that is when he lost so much weight and I wondered if he'd get his strength back with the weight.  I guess the answer is "no".  <sigh> 

 
Several people expressed concern afterward... and were at least nice enough to let me explain that I was aware of what was going on, knew for sure that he wasn't in pain, and was letting Michael make the decision of whether to continue playing or not, which he did.  If he'd been in pain or harming himself, I'd have made the decision for him before now.  Naturally, some other people are so judgmental and make that equally clear.  Sometimes people are such buttheads.

Retiring Michael was not the fun part of the weekend.  I am very thankful that we've already started Rally training (actually have our first novice leg), so we have something to go on with.  Just wish there were a tracking group in this area that we could join.

Gimme was a tremendous hit throughout the weekend and everyone loved her.  I got so many positive comments that I am positively fat headed about it.  I know all puppies are cute (just like I really do know she isn't the first puppy to have it out with their reflection in the mirror [though clearly she is the cutest puppy to do so).  Some puppies are just special and I think Gimme is one of those.  A couple people said as much, and suggested she be in commercials.  All those free treats for being cute meant that her automatic sit for treats had "temporarily" disappeared, though its back now that we are home and she realizes the free ride is over. 

She had a great play session with Aussie, Trey (a delightful guy).  He was totally appropriate and let her set the tone.  He ignored her and was ultra casual and then when she invited play, he let her chase him.  It was verrrry cute. 

On the other hand, I am continually astonished by the stupidity of some people.  Someone I know from trials and before thought well of, was walking by as I was taking Gimme up to the building Sunday.  She asked if her dogs could meet the puppy.  I asked "how good are they with puppies?"  She says, "So-and-so is great, she will bark in her face for a minute, but then she will play nice."  As I'm thinking of how to reply, she continues, "I don't know how this one will react.  I've never had him around a puppy, but I'm getting a puppy in a few days so I need to try him out on another puppy first." 

To say that I was shocked is a huge understatement.  On what planet does she think its a good idea to try her unknown dog out on my tender impressionable puppy for the benefit of her tender impressionable puppy.  I just told her that it wasn't the kind of experience I was looking for right now and moved away.  I kid you not - she seemed to be following me and edging continually closer, so I finally picked Gimme up and put some real distance between us. 

Overall Gimme did great over the weekend.  She did really well with all the changes, spending the night in my parents' motor home and riding in a strange car (we took her to the Halloween party, she stayed crated in the car).  Didn't show any concern about the weird garb of the "witch" that came out to meet her.  She only showed slight "concern" about all the newness when we first went in the building on Saturday.  I was just so proud of her all weekend.  I can finally say that she is completely adjusted.  Doesn't mean she doesn't still object to her circumstances -  she just has to get in the last word.  BTW she also tugged while in the trial building - she's a good tugger overall and I make sure she gets to win often.

I was kind of surprised by how many agility people handle puppies kinda roughly in their "petting".  Oddly a husband and wife who have BCs were the worst.  Gimme is not shy about showing she thinks that is rude.  "Excuse me, I'm the center of the universe and that's not the way you should treat me."

She also watched a good part of the excellent jumpers course and told me she's ready to go in and do that now.  I guess we have to get her a 2 year calendar so she can mark off the days and know when to be ready.

She totally won over my parents who are not dog people and think I'm waaaay beyond weird.  My Dad let Gimme chew and pull on his socks while his feet were still in them.  Then Sunday he was talking about grandson Harrison and said he was just the cutest kid , cuter than any other.  And I asked, "Cuter even than Gimme?"  And Dad said, "I wouldn't want to sound crazy, nothing is that cute."

And to cap it off, Michael and Gimme had a short, no barrier, interaction Sunday morning.  I took her out to pee at the crack of dawn and Michael came with.  After he peed, he came over near her and was kinda close and she moved nearer to him and even touched his tail and he just looked at her calmly.  So I praised him profusely and took him to the car for a cheese stick.

So all in all a good weekend for Gimme, a sad one that Michael is retired though.  I am just so thankful that I have her now to move forward with. 

On Monday, Gimme started learning to do a foot touch on a yellow mousepad.  She picked that up in just 5 click/treats.  Going on to repeat it about fifteen more times, even though I was moving it around and she had to sometimes turn away from me to do it.  She was very deliberate in her foot touches.  I love seeing this, since that is the foundation behavior for our running contacts.  It is sooooo much fun training a canine genius.