Resq TailsThe trials and triumphs of rescued dogs

A couple unexpected things have happened to close friends of mine lately that really made me do some self examination. Life can change so quickly! Things that we take for granted can be gone before we know it. I really think that the world that we live in makes is difficult to be content and grateful for what we have.

I hate to even admit it, but I think that it’s even true in how I view my dogs. Especially with my training, I’ll find myself spinning over thoughts that, “if I had only done this or that things would be so different.” Or, I think, “with my next dog, I am going to do this and this and this.” I don’t know if everyone else has this same problem, but it’s difficult for me to just focus on now and to enjoy today. Between wishing I could change the past and hoping for a perfect future, I’m worn out. LOL

Having said that, I think that’s really important to look back and reflect on how our choices turn out, and I also think it’s important to set goals for the future, it’s just finding that balance where I don’t lose the present that’s difficult for me…

I know I haven’t been posting alot lately. The weather cooled down a bit and I’ve been in a bit of a panic to finish up projects around the place that need to be done before winter. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been spending a good portion of most days outside trying to get a coat of stain on the log siding. So far I’ve got the cat’s building, the new trellis type thing over the swing in the yard and 3 sides of the house completed. Only one more side of the house to go! I’m hoping to finish it today. It’s a big relief to finally have the end in site. I’m getting pretty sick of staining.

The weather is cooling off quite a bit. But, on the bright side…all the leaves in the mountains are changing colors, so it’s time to head up with the dogs for some pictures. We’ll have to see if we can fit that in this week some time.

For months now we’ve been signed up for the Control Unleashed Seminar that is coming to Utah. Now it’s almost here! I bought and read this book shortly after it was released and I really was intrigued by the training methods that it presented. It is a training program designed to give you tools to help your reactive dog. (I hate to mention any names…Rogue). LOL

I find the ideas in the book fascinating, but sometimes I learn more quickly when I can actually see what someone is doing rather than trying to picture what I’m reading. So I’m excited that I’m getting the chance to actually see these ideas presented firsthand. I am signed up to audit the seminar on Saturday and Sunday and then I have Rogue scheduled for a private lesson with Leslie McDevitt on Monday.

I’m hoping that we’ll come home from this seminar with some new ideas and some motivation for training. I feel like we’ve hit a big brick wall and I don’t know how to get past it. Ooohhh, I almost forgot. Zoe was specially invited to come and be a “non-reactive helper dog for the seminar”. Cool huh! Let’s hope that she behaves herself.

Silly Lucy’s always trying to fit into beds that are too small! Our friend Cynthia took this picture of her while she was visiting. Think she might be responsible for the edges of the basket being broken….

I don’t know what has happened to our training routine around here this last couple of weeks, but ever since Zoe finished her MACH and Twist finished his CD, I’ve slacked off in training everybody. LOL I think that part of the problem is that we’ve worked so long to reach those goals, I haven’t really looked ahead to what we’d do when those were accomplished.

I just went to a convention this weekend and one of the talks was about setting and reaching goals. It suggested putting your short-term goals in writing. Then identify possible obstacles to reaching those goals that you can foresee. Finally, come up with practical ways that you can overcome these obstacles. It was also suggested that you talk about your goals with other people because they often can see things from a different perspective that may help you.

So…I think that my short-term goal for this week, will be to write down some goals that I’d like to work towards with each of the dogs. I have some things in mind for Raven and Twist, but I’m going to have to do some more thinking for Zoe and Rogue.

It was a long weekend. I had every intention of posting something when I got home Friday night with the new car, but we didn’t get home till midnight and then I still had to pack and get ready to leave at 6 am Sat. morning for a convention. Sorry!!! Needless to say, I’m beat. Thank goodness I had a chance to sleep in a bit this morning.

The really good news is that I love the new car! I don’t think I’ve ever had those words come out of my mouth before. LOL The dealership actually gave us more than we owed for the Camry on the trade-in, (I’ve never had that happen before), so our payment is about the same as it was before. That was my biggest concern. The bonus is that now we have a brand new car (without 157,000 mi.) and all four of the crates for the Shelties fit in the back with the seats down. Woohoo! It also is getting a little better than 40 mpg, which is better than I expected too.

The kinda bad news is that when we got back to our friends house to pick up the Sheltie crew on the way home last night, we pulled up to see Twist spinning in the window. That might sound innocent, but the only way to get into that window is by jumping onto their computer desk and there “were” miniblinds in the window. When we got inside, he had lived up to his name “Twister”. Their office looked like a very localized tornado had hit that room of the house! All the paperwork, (there was alot) that was on the desk, was strewn about the floor along with the pens, pencils, scrapbooking supplies and disks. In hindsight, I’m grateful that this “Twister” only affected papers, not the computer itself. Fortunately, our friends have dogs and they took it all in stride, although I’m going to have to send them a giftcard to somewhere to get new blinds since they wouldn’t just take money. Guess that will teach me a lesson that I should have crated them…

Anyway, we’re home now, and here are some pics of the now dirty new car. I took some with the plastic crates in it that we used this time, but I don’t like how the overhang of the sides of the plastic crates takes up space, so…I’m going to buy a couple more wire crates for the car. Anyway, with the two plastic in the back and two wire in front of them the dogs all fit nicely.

No…it’s not a typo in the title of the post. Even though I’m terribly out of shape, overweight, and need to get “fit” myself, that’s not what I was referring to. Instead, my husband and I are going to go pick up our new Honda Fit today!

For probably the first time in my life I’m a little excited about buying a car. I usually HATE car shopping, buying, the whole experience. It always makes me feel like I’ve been ripped off. Well, I think the main difference this time it’s more than just a way to get from point A to point B. This car is perfect for the dogs! This car is tiny on the outside, but the inside cargo space is large enough, I should be able to fit crates for all four of the Shelties in the back! I’m soo excited. I also should get even better gas mileage with this little car than I do in my Camry, and with gas prices the way they’ve been lately that’s a huge bonus.

Anyway, enough for now, I’ll post some pictures when we get it home!

I got a call on Monday from a family that adopted a Sheltie from me a year or two ago. They had just had to put their other old dog to sleep and they needed to get away from the house and all the memories for a couple of days. So, when they asked if I’d watch Zack while they took a short trip, I jumped at the chance to see the old boy again. When I told my husband he was so excited to have Zack coming for a visit I couldn’t believe it! LOL

Zack was always a real character and he never did a darn thing that he didn’t feel like doing, which my husband just thought he was hilarious (I found it pretty annoying at times). I was thinking back and he was according to the vet’s estimates, no younger than 5 and no older than 8 when we transferred him out of the shelter, so that would make him now no younger than 11 and no older than 14, (if I’m figuring right). Anyway, he still looks and acts like he’s in great shape. The only complaint I have is that he is slightly overweight now, and they’ve had him shaved for summer. I just hate it when people shave their Shelties!!! Other than that though, I know that he’s very well loved and spoiled to a fault!

Here’s a picture I took of him this morning. His new mom always has him in a different bandanna. I sure hope Lucy doesn’t try to chew it off him before they come back! LOL

More old pictures. This is Raven and her sister Hannah when they first came to us. What a pair!

It’s definitely September in Sevier County. If there was any doubt all you would have to do is look at the road that runs in front of our house. You would see a steady stream of ATV’s driving by on their way to the trails.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I have anything against ATV’s in general and I certainly think that people have a right to enjoy to scenery around here…as long as they don’t trash it. My gripe is that ever since this “ATV Jamboree” started up several years back we’ve been getting more and more and more people coming. When it first started the crowds of people were pretty much confined to the couple of weeks surrounding the actual Jamboree. Now, the ATV’s start to come as soon as the snow melts off the trails in the spring and doesn’t end till winter.

One of the things I loved most when we moved here was walking the dogs on the trails, but now it’s getting more and more difficult to find times when they aren’t full of ATV’s. Anyway, that’s my little rant for the day.