ResqTails

I went out yesterday and took another short video clip to show where we’re at with training of Layla’s weaves now. I’ve taken the more visual grid guide things off the poles, except at the entries at both ends. I replaced them with guide wires, and now I’m taking the guide wires down little by little. You’ll see they are attached to one pole each, but no longer forming a complete guide. Next I’ll be taking those down. Hopefully the weather keeps on cooperating long enough that we can get to that point before we get snow again. I’m still working on me being on both sides of the weave poles, and running ahead of her and behind her, but this clip is short and I just don’t have the patience at this point to do all the fancy editing and stuff that a lot of you do with your videos. So, it just shows her going through one time, one way. Oh, and as a little side note, I do see that my stick in the ground weave poles are starting to look like they are about ready to fall over too. I may have to move them if I get some ambition later today. LOL

So, the snow melted off the grass again, and I decided that I’d get out my stick in the ground weave poles out while I could still pound them into the ground. Plus if they get snowed on, that’s fine.

I took Layla out to work on her weaving today. I am still using the grid guides right now. She is doing really well, I was pleased. I am trying to get her comfortable enough to weave regardless of where I am, so in the clips I am on both sides moving with her, and in another one I am behind her sending her into the weaves without me moving. In both clips she seems to be focusing ahead to the target rather than on me, so that’s good.

Let’s just hope this next storm on Saturday doesn’t bring much snow, and we can keep training!

Here are some pictures of most of the crew here playing in the snow. I’ll do another post of Dare’s pictures.

So this picture has Twist, Dare, Raven and Layla in it. Course, all you can see is Layla’s legs cause she’s such a shortie. LOL

Zoe looks vicious in this one. Silly girl!

Go Layla Go!

Then I got several of Dare and Twist

I really don’t know where to even start. I have good news, training updates, and lots of photos to share.

First, the good news. Over 2 months have passed since Layla came up lame. I have to admit, the pessimist in me had begun to give up on her ever being sound again as time the weeks and months passed. However, last Saturday I thought that she looked sound. Everyone that’s seen her agrees! I haven’t seen her limp for a week now, and I have weaned her off the anti-inflamatory meds and she still is doing great. Woot!!!

We have the next couple of months off of trialing, so I hope to take advantage of that time to focus more on training.

DARE: I am working on foundation skills for obedience and agility with Dare and she’s doing great. Her beginning heelwork is coming along really nicely. We are also working on her “wait” and “stays”. Her “sit” and “stand” are great, but “down” remains her least favorite signal. LOL Lately we’ve been working on “right” and “left”. She prefers “right”, right now. I’m have been able to transition it from how I started with her facing me, to having her walking on either side and still turning. Next I want to transition it to going through the jump standard, (without the bars up) and turn either direction. Honestly, I don’t know that I’ll ever actually think fast enough to get a “right” or a “left” out when I’m running a course, but it’s fun to train anyway.

LAYLA: I just got the new One Jump, Two Jump DVD from Clean Run and if Layla stays sound, I hope to start working through the skills in that DVD with her. It will be a nice winter project. I’m also still working on her Novice Obedience. It was so fun to be able to work with her on some Obedience the other day. She is such a cutie!

TWIST: Twist is still working on his Open Obedience. I really hope that by next summer he’ll have his CDX.

RAVEN: I had every intention to start re-training her A-Frame, but the weather changed on me too fast. I’m afraid that all the agility equipment is going to have to come in the barn next week to be stored for winter. I’m sure that we’ll figure out something else that we can work on that can be done in the barn or house.

Last but definitely not least, I have pictures of Dare’s first fall and first snow. I’ll post them separately though, since this post is getting to be pretty long already.

On the way home from DOCNA Championships we decided to take the scenic route for once and just take our time. Here’s some pictures from one of the lakes that we stopped at. It was gorgeous. The pictures don’t do the scenery justice, but the dogs were more important. LOL

We’re back! DOCNA Championships were a lot of fun! Zoe did fantastic. She ended up taking 1st place in Traditional Gamblers and her trigility team took 1st place. She took 1st place in both Rd. 1 and 2 of Standard and again 1st place in the Standard Finals. She was in 1st place after Rd. 1 of Jumpers, Rd. 2 I totally had a brain glitch and forgot a loop of the course. That took her out of the finals for Jumpers. In the big class for the Nationals…North American Challenge, she took 2nd place Regionally and then the next day her score held up to maintain 2nd place Nationally! She had a fantastic weekend. Flowing courses, nice people, great judge, beautiful ribbons, and even a little warmer weather than we’ve had here at home. Who could ask for more?

Here is the video of Zoe’s NAC run and then a picture of Zoe and her ribbons and then of all the girls…

We’re off again! This time we’re headed for Prescott, AZ for DOCNA Championships. Should be lots of fun! Three days of agility We are leaving first thing in the morning. It’s about an 8 hr drive. Thank goodness Randy is going along this time so we can take turns driving.

Zoe is the only one entered this weekend, but Layla and Dare are tagging along. My mom is coming in to take care of the rest of the crew here. I’ll try to post updates if we have any internet service at the hotel. Well, that and if I’m not dead tired by the time I get back the hotel at night. LOL

I wish I had some progress to report as far as Layla is concerned. I don’t. She is just the same. She is still getting rest and the anti-inflamatory meds, but the limp remains. We’ll continue until the first part of next week, and then I guess we’ll check back with the vet and see how to proceed from here.

Thanks for all the concern and kind thoughts for Layla. We got x-rays done today and they didn’t show any signs of a break or even a crack, so that’s good news. They are going to have the orthopedic specialist take a look at them when he comes in midweek. If he happens to find anything that the other vets missed, then they’ll let me know. In the meantime, their advice is to give her crate rest for 10 days or so. That way if it is a strain, it will have a chance to heal up a bit.

So, that means that I’ll have my hands full keeping her occupied without allowing her to zip around everywhere like she usually does. I’m sure that neither of us will find it very enjoyable. It will be worth it though if it helps.

So, Layla is lame. It all started a couple of weeks ago when I was taking care of the farm for my parents. Layla and Dare came along while I did the chores. On Friday (August 28th), they were due to come home, Layla started limping. I couldn’t find anything when I looked at her leg or foot, and I figured she’d just run herself silly on the 20 acres.

That Monday (August 31st), I took her into the vet and he said that he felt some thickness and that it was warm to touch by her elbow. He gave us some anti-inflamatory meds and told me to watch her. Well, of course, the second day of the meds, she was back to her normal bouncy self. On and off though, since she’s been off the meds, I’ve questioned myself whether I was seeing the slightest little limp again. Especially at the beginning of this week.

On Tuesday night we went to agility class, and the limp was noticeable enough then for our friends to spot it too. Needless to say, we didn’t do any agility. I’ve been trying to keep her less active this week, with varied success. If she gets the chance she does just about everything at top speed. I am considering just giving her crate rest the next few days, till I can get an appointment to get x-rays. I think we’ll have to head to Salt Lake to get the x-rays done by a vet up there, rather than do them here. The vet here is mainly a large animal vet, and I don’t want him to overlook something that we need to address.

Anyway…here’s hoping that we can figure out this out soon!