Christmas portraits 2010

Taking photos of five dogs, with props, with bad lighting, when two of the previous mentioned five dogs would rather do almost anything other than sit still......is very, very difficult....but equally funny.

Here are some out takes

Cute pug book

http://www.amazon.com/Mimi-When-Get-Big-Pug/dp/0615410421

My friend Caryl put this together....I mean everything, the little outfits, back grounds, photos and text. I recently got my copy and it's way too cute.

Good bye Thanksgiving * Hello Christmas

It was another great year for watching pugs camp out in front of the oven all day, Willy didn't even attempt to break in and steal the turkey this year, so all was good.

We did the unthinkable this year and bought our Christmas tree the day before thanksgiving, there just wasn't going to be time, and refuse to get a tree late in the season, what's the point? So, we had the "turkey tree", just lights with a wooden carved turkey on the top. The turkey's coming down today and the real decorating starts.

Indy and I went to a trial on black friday. Just so much fun running the baby. She's really getting into it now, she's pulling to get to the ring, she shakes in anticipation to run. No Qs, I made a poor choice (would have worked with the pugs) in jumpers and Indy hopped off the teeter....I am going to have to do some work getting her on more teeters. I'm thrilled though. The comments I hear about her at every trial are "she's a speedy little thing" and "she's so happy" and to me these are the best compliments ever to receive about a new baby dog just starting. The finer points will all come in time.

I did get one comment that bugged me....."oh you switched breeds? You wanted an agility dog"....well yes, I did decide to get a breed other than another pug, partially so I'd have a dog better suited to agility. I also wanted a dog suited to us in general. We're really active people and I wanted a dog who could keep up, but I only wanted to consider smaller dogs and I didn't think a terrier would be a good fit. Pap's personalities really appealed to me. Yes, I was curious to see what working with a more traditional breed would be like. What bothered me was the implication that the pugs aren't "agility dogs". I always just comment back that the "pugs have to work three times as hard". They have a lot working against them, but most pugs have such love and character that they do it anyway. No, they're not going to be able to beat the more traditional breeds, but they absolutely can be just as much of an agility dog.

Mountaineer kennel club Trial

Really pleased with how Indy's doing. Sure there are things that need work, but I'm just not worried about them. She's such a fun girl, and she did just turn two! I think she was a little tired on the 2nd day. We drove back and forth and I was up at 4am, which means Indy was up at 4 am following me around.

No video of Abby. She just ran in jumpers, *open* jumpers. I can't even believe she's still in open, she has her AXJ title, but can't manage her AJP. She had I believe the fastest time of all the open dogs, but of course she skipped the last few weave poles. CPE and USDAA are looking better and better for abby....no weaves in jumpers!

Another beautiful day!

We've been on a beautiful weather kick around here, not complaining. Could make due with a few less people making out in the park.....I think Indy spotted all of them today, seriously who rolls around in the grass at 3 in the afternoon in a public park. Indy, not a fan of public displays of affection.









That tennis ball on a tug is dangerous

Silvia's cik & cap turning video

I finally went ahead and bought Silvia Trkman's first training video on cik and cap turns. It's a bit pricey, but it's really well made, thorough and easy to follow. I love watching her work with her dogs. Her website says it can take a few hours to download, but it only took about 15 minutes.

I found her method to be similar, (but different) to Linda Mecklenburg's method for teaching jumping. Both teach collection and turning first, both place the reward in position to encourage the dog to turn over the jump, but there are some key differences. I do wonder if Silvia's method would encourage more speed. I don't think the two really conflict in any way. This is a verbal based skill, but as she says in her video her handling is supporting it 99% of the time, it's simply more information.

I'm going to work through her method with both Abby and Indy over the next couple of months. Should be fun and it certainly can't hurt.

Home for a change

Just a quiet day at home today. Made that pie I was thinking about the other day, apple cranberry....and ate some of it. Did some dogwalks with Indy using the manners minder, looked good, but who knows her contacts can't actually be seen with the naked eye. For the most part I just played with the dogs outside in the beautiful fall weather.

Sassy Seniors rudy & willy


Rudy


Kittie & Abby


Abby


Indy

I Love Fall

It's the best season ever. The past two days have been cold and rainy, but who cares, it's Fall! Everything is so crisp and cool, i always have energy to spare...so much better than summer-slugfest, where I barely want to move.

The Fall always makes me feel like baking and decorating. I don't even really eat baked goods. I turn into Martha during the Fall. Who wants some apple cranberry pie? I'm probably a little annoying to be around during the fall.....hyper perhaps? It's just so festive!

It's the perfect time to hike with the dogs too, no worries that it's too hot/cold. We hike so much during the Fall it's wonder i have time to bake and decorate like Martha.

I'm off to hike in the rain and annoy people with enthusiasm over the snow they're calling for tomorrow!!

Do you see the pain?

That's one of Abby's special no one but Abby can touch toys in Indy's mouth. It's piggy...second only to cow-cow. These are toys that only come out for agility and special occasions because they make Abby lose her mind.





A look of pure horror on abby's face


Which gives way to a look of utter disgust.


Indy pretty much always gets her way with the pugs, but not this time. Abby won. all is right in her world again



Just a quick note about the photos. Not well composed or anything, still just playing and learning at this point, but these were taken in manual, inside my house with pretty poor lighting, so I'm very happy. I've alway had trouble getting pictures of Indy; Miss perpetual motion, especially with poor lighting. I was worried I'd never venture from automatic mode, but I dare I say, shooting in manual actually seems pretty easy.

Indy's running dogwalk

100% are in for AKC, but only a few would make USDAA's smaller 36" contact. There are a few really good ones in there, but I'm still not completely happy with it. If I could only feel confident in what I'm seeing an give better immediate feedback I'm sure I would make progress.

Some photos....finally!

All my posts have been photo free for a few months now (yawn), but I finally got a new camera this past weekend. I researched like crazy, asked anyone and everyone's opinions on point and shoot, dslr, canon, nikon until my head felt like it was going to explode. I finally made a decision and got a Canon EOS rebel 2ti and I'm so glad I did. I was pretty happy with my old camera, but this is night and day...not even comparable. I'm in the process of learning how to use it, but here's what I got playing around yesterday.



Abby



Rudy



Kittie