Tri To Leave Me Out of it

I was asking Bill for some help coming up with a registered name for Indy, I told him I'd like to incorporate "Tri" into the name, someone suggested "Tri to get me" which I like, but I still think I can do better, I'd also like to work moonlight/moon into her name.

Bill's response, "Tri to leave me out of it" he's honest if nothing else : )

So, any suggestions? The Kennel name is Pasun (pronounced pay sun) I'm open to just about anything, not just names with the above criteria, just want something I won't mind hearing for years and that her breeder will hopefully like as well.

Back at Boyce

We went to Boyce park again yesterday. Rather than go to the park that's walking distance from the house, I've been driving about 20 minutes away to walk the dogs at Boyce park. We don't see as many other dogs...and that's the main point. I just don't want Indy to have bad experiences at this age and she's just too tiny to be around big dogs unless I know and trust their owners.

Abby in the lead, as usual, Indy coming up from behind and Willy holding up the back. Kittie's most likely right behind my heals, that's her usual spot. Rudy was with Bill.

Indy! Yes, she has a coat but she keeps ketting stuck in it, so we had to ditch it within the first couple of minutes. She didn't seem to mind the cold.

Several poor attempts at a group photo:

Here's the girls; Kittie, Rudy, Abby & Indy

Indy, Willy & Abby

I had to settle for this! Kittie staring at the sky, just waiting to chase an airplane. Rudy, Willy & Abby looking down the trail wondering what Bill's up to....no idea what Indy's looking at!

Done with that

Indy says she's done with this fear period nonsense. Puppies are so funny the way they change for the better or worse each and every day, seemingly for little or no reason. What scares them one day, winds them up the next!

It was 65 degrees out yesterday and I think everyone who wasn't working was outside. Indy went on 4 short walks around the neighborhood, some just me and her, others I brought along one of the pugs. There were kids running around at the small playground near us, dogs barking in every other yard, none of it phased her. When I ran into a neighbor she was able to settle down and let us talk too, which was quite nice of Indy to be so patient!

The tiniest teacup, with the biggest ears

Indy & I went to the "Teacup Social Hour" held at animal friends, http://www.thinkingoutsidethecage.org/ and she was the tiniest one there, but made up for it with those ears of hers. All dogs were just 10 lbs or less. She had fun, but it seems she's going through some sort of fear period, which while not unusual, still always worries you a little. She was pretty scared at first, but then came out of shell and was playing like crazy, then she got a bit clingy. She was up ALL morning before, so she was probably a little tired too. She's nervous on neighborhood walks right now too, barking dogs really scare her. We weren't able to do any walks like this before because of the salt on the sidewalks.

Overall Miss Indy is doing well, the others dogs don't exactly love her, but they tolerate her quite well. Abby thinks it's pretty funny to play tug with her.....especially since Abby always gets to win! Training wise, it's a lot of the same thing; sit, down, stay, come all for toys as well as treats. We're playing lots of shaping games as well, she's not the frantic throw a million behaviors at you kind of dog Abby and Rudy both are, but she seems to really think through what might get that click-treat. We're working on backing up and she can already scoot around me backwards with a lure, too cute! The pugs have always had trouble with that, I think it's easier for her to bend around me. She seems to really understand housetraining too and hasn't had a single accident in over a week, although I still wouldn't trust her for even a minute alone without someone watching her!

She's due for her vaccine booster this coming Friday, the 13th....and I don't think we're doing it, espcially not on Friday the 13th!!! I'm going to have her titers checked instead of just blindly giving the vaccine and hope she's protected.

Another decision I need to make is whether to go to puppy classes or not. Rudy is the only one of my dogs that went to a true puppy class and I have no idea if it helped her in any way. When Willy & Kittie were both little I owned a small pet shop and we had a weekly puppy play group held in the store and they both had a ball there. Abby just came along to meet some of my clients and to Kittie's agility classes and trials. Kittie is by far my best socialized, easiest to live, compete, train etc with dog, I don't know if it was anything to do with what I did, or didn't do, but I would love to be able capture those traits in Indy. The only reason I would go to a puppy class would be for socialization, Indy already knows more behaviors than are taught in those classes.....although working with distractions would be good for her. Any opinions??

Silvia Trkman seminars

Silvia Trkman's coming to the US again for several seminars. They're not until next Nov. & Dec., but I'm planning early.....I missed out last time. She's won many world championships and her dogs are well known for their running contacts, tight turns and tricks!

http://www.silvia.trkman.net/

Snow Day in Boyce Park

Indy's ears present a interesting challenge when taking photos of the pack

Weeeeeeeeee

Time to go home.....walking 5 dogs at once, when one of them is barely leash trained and another desparately wants back to the car (Willy) is tougher than it looks!

Indy week 2

I haven't had much time to keep up here....Indy's keeping me pretty busy and there just isn't much going on, with no trials and only the occasional agility practice.

Indy's been doing a lot though. She's all better after her vaccine issues. I realize now, she really wasn't feeling well, but by Monday night she was back in action.

We're continuing working on sit, down and stay.....stay is tough for her, but she's coming along. I started playing some shaping games with her, just clicking for almost any novel behavior. At first she really didn't understand, and would look at me like "just tell me what you want me to do!" but she's starting to get the hang of it now. She learned hand touches very easily and I'm shaping her to sit in a large food bowl and we're working on riding a skateboard too. The skateboard, aside from just being really cute and funny, gets the dogs used to things moving under their feet, which is very important for agility dogs. We're playing, playing playing ALL the time right now.

She's been coming out hiking with us and I'm amazed at how well she keeps up and handles the cold and the snow. Socialization is a big focus right now, she's met several of my dog walking clients (both dogs and owners), and she came along with us to the Strip district yesterday, which is an area of town with lots of variuous food markets and street vendors, it's pretty hectic but Indy took it in stride and came inside some businesses in her little carrier bag too.

Agility wise, we started working on a low teeter. The criteria for her teeter is to run all the way to the end, and ride it down and exit as soon as soon as I say OK. she has not one bit of fear and just charges out to the end, while I hold the teeter up and gradually lower it, she's not phased by riding it down either!

We're also working on some agility foundation skills on the flat, both front and rear crosses on the flat with no equipment and recall to heal.

The pugs are coming around. Abby as been playing with her a bit, but I swear it's just because it makes ME happy whenever she interacts with Indy...no major issues with anyone at this point, I think they're coming to terms with the fact that she's here to stay