Indy: Week 1

Well, Indy, the loveable demon, shark, weasel face has been with us a week......and what a week it's been!
Let's see, here's a list of what Indy's done:
*Training wise, she's a smart cookie, has sit and down solid, stay she has a good start at, She pretty much gets what drop it means, will come to her name 90% of the time. After an awkard minute or two she loves walking on leash.

*Houstraining.......I have to say she's been my biggest challenge. She can literally poop 3 times in 20 minutes....I'm good, but there's no way I can stay on top of that. I never leave my puppies unattended, but generally, if they *just went outside* you can relax a tiny bit for an hour or so. I'm guessing when she goes outside, she's not really done. She's pretty easily distracted, with her little 12 week old brain.

*She's good in her crate, but for some reason putting her in an X pen causes a major meltdown, I can't understand this one, and she does not settle down, it's mass hysteria. She has toys, chewies a comfy bed, but she can't get over the fact that she's in there!!

*Did you now Indy can run straight through our fence? Yes, it's true. Actually the pugs could when they were little too, but for the most part didn't feel the need to, Indy does! We're getting a solid fence ASAP.

*She went to the vet on Friday, and got her DHPP shot. Kittie and Abby had agility practice right after, so I brought her along, by that time it was dark out and I couldn't really see her. I carried her into the training building and her eyes were practically swollen shut and her whole muzzle was puffed up. Luckily there's a vets office right across the street, so I rushed her over there and they shot her up with steroids, allergy meds and gave her sub Q fluids. Poor baby! I was already a basket case about vaccines and I'm now I'm even worse, and she still needs another round of puppy shots and a rabies shot. I don't even know what to do, obviously she'll be pre-medicated and watched very closely, but I'm afraid to give her more shots. Thankfully the reaction calmed down almost immediately and after wating to make sure she was going to be alright, we headed back over for the last hour of practice..........

*Where Indy got to watch agility for the first time. She was completely messmerized watching! I've never seen a puppy so young completely obsessed. She was in her little wire crate, leaning to see around people. this was a nice class for her to be at, a lot of friendly, FAST dogs. She made friends with Risk, the aussie and met Nova the pap and a few BCs too. She was supposed to be tired from the meds, not so much, she was having a ball!!

Abby's dance class

Abby and I went to a musical freestyle class on Saturday.....muscial freestyle, also known as dancing with your dog. I love watching it, but I'll admit it's defintely on the fringe of dog sports, anything that involves you, a dog and costumes kind of has to be somewhat on the fringe....don't you think??

We had a lot of fun though. Abby really needed some time just with her mom (although the little monster known as Indy did come along for the ride). It was a lot of heeling, both on the left and right, cute little spins, spins while heeling, lifting each foot on cue, weaving between your legs, backing up in heel position, backing up in front of you and we're getting started on weaving backwards and having the dogs back up around us....it's really good for body awareness and I love teaching all sorts of tricks to the dogs and Abby's always been my little "clickster trickster" dog!

We're going back next month......supposedly with music picked out! Any ideas? Abby needs something quick and peppy.

Shark Attack

Managed to get some pics of Indy, otherwise known as Sharky.

What are you doing up there, don't you know I can't get up there.....yet.

See the mortified look on Abby's face? this is the only place she gets any peace when the shark is on the loose.

Take that fuzzy ladybug........it's all shark food to me!

A very rare moment where she's both awake and still, this lasted about .5 seconds.

Indy is actually learning how to stay, which she's catching on to fairly quick, but she shakes the whole time she's staying!!

She's Here!

and she's WILD!! Indie is just the best little girl. She did great traveling home, she was bit timid for about a minute when she met the rest of the pack and then she was off and running and running and running some more.

She's really smart, already has the idea of sit, is starting to figure out down. We played Susan Garretts "It's yer choice" game with breakfast this morning and it didn't take her long to figure that out. She's been running through the tunnel in the back yard....that was her idea, not mine : )She's a tugging maniac too!

The rest of the gang are going through the various stages of grief, but overall I think they're doing good. She's not exactly gentle or subtle in the least bit.

Pictures are going to have to wait, I have lots of pictures of a little black and white blur, but not much of Indie. She's either on the move or passed out. I may try to get some video of her later today.

Just about time

It's just about time to go pick up my puppy.

Willy and Abby are warming up her crate for her. She'll probably sleep next to our bed for the first couple of nights and move into the dog room/office once I know she's comfortable and reliably sleeping through the night.

She's getting some hand-me-downs, my grandmother made the little plaid coat for Rudy, the little orange sweater was Rudy's as was as the purple sparkly collar, I think each of my dogs has wore the sparkly collar at one time...even Willy! The soccer ball is new, just for her.

Rudy thinks the coat makes a better hat.

Name Game & brrrrrr

I picked Rudy, Willy & Kittie's names before I ever met them. I had a list of possible names before Abby came home...Abby was not on that list.



I'm going to wait until I get to know "puppy", as she's been referred to lately before naming her, but I do have some names I like.



*Indie- This is the current top pick, she's from IN, it sounds fast, think Indianapolis 500

*Puck- I know it's not exactly girly, but I like it, based on the mischevious Fairie from A Mid summers nights dream

*Scout- Again, not really girly, but I love the character from To kill a mockingbird

*Lilah- no real reason, just rolls off your tongue well and it is girly, in case she strikes as me as bit of princess (I hope not too much of a princess)

*Zoe- Love it, but I know a lot of Zoe's



The breeder is keeping her brother and his call name is "Colt", I like it!!



Don't even get me started on Reg. names, I'm terrible at picking those!

It is *SO* cold here, I don't think I ever remember it being quite this cold. The air temp is -7 and the windchill is around -20. I walk my dogs in all weather, I've never said it's too hot, cold, wet etc to go for a walk....until now. They go out in the back yard and literally within seconds they start limping and falling : ( their poor little feet are just freezing up. Maybe it's a good thing, "puppy" won't be here until tomorrow, when the weather should warm up into the 20s...I actually really like it in the 20s, crisp and cold, but no frozen feet!

How's the puppy forecast?

I need to get my hands on this little girl, but I'm not sure the weather is going to cooperate!

Right now there's a very good chance of snow on Saturday....lots of snow. That's supposed to be the big day, I need some No Snow vibes!! Truely there are no worries, I'll just have to wait an extra day to get her.....I have patience, really I do.....

Crown Classic Dog Show 2008

Look what I found. That's me and Kittie from last month. she's right around 3:10 I believe right after my friend Jan and her pom. I think the beginning is the best part, Kittie's such a cutie!

Back to Work

Yesterday was my first day back to a full schedule of work after the holidays.

Here are some common phrases which you may hear me saying in a typical work day.

*Drop it
*drop it, drop it drop it!!! (usually said when a dog is running towards you with something dead and stinky)
*No, put down that frog!
*Stop humping him
*They're friendlier than they look
*I'm sorry
*What's wrong with you
*What's wrong with your owner
*What's that smell
*What are you eating now
*No, not in the car, we do that outside!
*Look out! (usually said when a big dog decides to try to carry a small tree instead of your usual stick)
*no you can't go swimming today, stop trying to break through the ice
*Good job
*Good dog

Look at those Ears!

Pretty cute, don't you think?

She looks like she wants to do some agility!

Here's her mom, isn't she adorable?!

Getting a head start for 09

left to right: Rudy, wearing her holly collar, Abby as Mrs. Claus, Willy as Santa Pug, Kittie as an and Elf

No, this isn't late, we're getting a head start for 09

Happy New Year

I'm starting the new year off right......and getting down to business about finding my next dog! I finally started making some serious inquiries, instead of just staring at breeder websites, so I have to wait and see. I always get so nervous when looking for a dog, no matter how long I've owned dogs and no matter how much I've accomplished....and lets face it, my crew has a very, very good life, I still feel like I'm going to get turned down by good breeders.

On another note, I do have a goal relating to agility for the new year. I want to get my mental game tuned up. I rarely get nervous, or forget courses, but sometimes I'm almost too relaxed and sometimes my mind just drifts for a split second....and that's usually about the time that they pull off a jump, or dart ahead of me and take an off course! The runs that are really awesome, I'm totally focused, maybe just a bit on edge, but still relaxed if that makes sense, I want to be able to put myself in that place every time I step up to run my dogs.