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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

K9 Kindergarten



This is Calli enjoying a sunrise earlier this week. She loves to sit and watch the birds and squirrels in the trees. I only had my cell phone close to hand so its not as sharp a picture as I would like.... but I got the shot! She and I were up early as she couldn't sleep due to the bright daylight at 5:30 am, so she whimpers and whines. (Yes, her kennel was covered.) Calli is apparently an early riser. Others here, not so much!

So we have moved her kennel into a corner in our bedroom where roll-down blinds darken the room and  keep the sun at bay a bit longer. Presto! No more morning whine!  That's as close as she will come to our bed as I don't hold with animals sleeping on human beds. You only have to find one tick on your dog to understand the why-not's!

That just leaves the one remaining issue of being 'testy' around other dogs and we've been working on that. We just had our third session at the Intermediate classes at Petsmart. She is good with the basic training and so looks like an ace in the class with the younger dogs. We're there because of the other dogs.. she needs to be around other friendlies so to show her that not every dog wants to charge and challenge her.
So, first up, my apologies for the fuzzy pictures but the session can get to be be crazy with 4 dogs, well, doing a dog pile! None of the subjects stand still for long and you need 4 pairs of hands at times, so perhaps I can get better shots another class.


This little cutie is Hayden (aka Romeo) who has decided that Calli is the love of his life and dances all around her. He's a miniature Schnauzer and must weigh 7 or 8 pounds tops and she weighs 50.


I'm surprised that this picture looks as good as it does and both of them move at lightning speed playing!


This is Baby and she's a St. Bernard and only 7 months old. She weighs 70 pounds. Her companion is Junior and he's also 7 months old but weighs a lot more. I didn't get a shot of him but he looks almost identical to Baby but a bit larger. They move S.L.O.W.L.Y and only do a command if there is a treat at the end of it. They play too but they tend to wait until Hayden and Calli are tuckered out and tired. A successful training moment from Baby and Junior get a round of applause! They have their own personal ramp to get in and out of the car!

It appears that simple repetition and consistency with commands and routine is winning the battle and its been easier of late to get what we ask of Calli each day.  When it comes to 'other strange dogs' she still acts up (and sometimes even starts the fight) and so we have an electronic collar for when she lunges and barks. That's the only time we use it and it's a matter of  precise timing. (As one trainer said, its the dogs across the street that needs it... I thought the owner might like one too!  :)

Spring is in full swing here and we are doing a bit of yard clean up. Seems some critter chewed through the lawnmower cables so its gone to the shop for a tune up and repairs!  Bruce's tractor got stuck mid field and sat for a few days until he rounded up some scrap lumber to  use to get out of the muck. During this time in the field he found a lone small white rabbit tail and so it seems that little Peter was caught by a cat or coyote.


It's sad but Nature is a revolving cycle of life and death. The fiddle heads are up again..... and the trillium has bloomed again. I can't reach it to take a picture since the deck staircase was moved and maybe that's a good thing. It will last longer that way if it is left alone. I can see the white blossoms from the kitchen window and that's good enough for me.


On the fibre front: I have wound and beamed a warp on the Louet and will share more on this next post. I have been weaving on the towel warp and I think it will be far more interesting for you to see a finished project as they all look the same on the loom. I must admit that I don't get much time on either loom due to a variety of reasons, including back pain on occasion. I did get my CAT scan done this week after 4 months of waiting. We have been wading through documents for annual tax time and such. We also have continued viewings of our place, so housework is almost a daily thing. Then we are searching for a new home to go to and that has meant some re-examination of our wish list and our reasons for staying local or moving a bit further afield. Discussions happen daily but we seem to have found a happy balance and narrowed our search as of today.

So with so many stressful things going on, sometimes you can indulge in a nap.

or just plain old relax!


Clearly life is good!

13 comments:

Sandra Tyler said...

Funny, been research hypoallergenic dogs recently, as both myself and my son are allergic -- I think this one came up on the list!
Wonderful pics and so interesting about your weaving.

Joanna said...

Ahhhh, belly rubs!

Maggie said...

Callie is one lucky dog to have such loving owners! Good luck with the training!

Anonymous said...

Calli looks like she is adjusting well! I know what you mean about the constant house cleaning as my house is up for sale also.

dorothylochmaben said...

What a lovely post ! you have so much going on right now the days must be rushing by. Hopefully with spring in the air the house will sell soon and you can get on with the move. Great pics of Calli and the tales from the training make fun reading. D

barbara said...

Susan - I noticed on Dorothy's blog you said that you did not know where to find alligator clips! They are available at Lee Valley, you can order on line, and they sure are not expensive.

I hope they get to the cause of your back pain, and get you better again. Also, it will be nice when you can get settled into the home you really want to be in. Selling and looking for a new home can be very stressful.

Love the story on Callie, she is one lucky dog.

Weaverly yours ... Barbara

Peg Cherre said...

I do love reading your posts, regardless of subject matter. Calli is adorable, thanks!

Dawn said...

Susan, you know I can identify with everything you are going through!

While waiting for that next great dog in my life, I am enjoying reading about life with Calli. So glad I got to meet her!

Denise at Autumn Sky said...

I had an Airedale named Sophie and she was the dog love of my life. Enjoy Calli, she will bring you many years of fun.

Anonymous said...

Susan, love the nap pictures of Callie and Bruce! Callie's little smile is the best. Very happy to hear that Miss Callie is adjusting to other dogs and kindergarten - I had feeling she would do just fine. Also wanted to thank you for being my very first follower on my blog, you are a gem.

hugs, - Martha

Peg in South Carolina said...

Susan, I just read your bio. I too have been fascinated by tapestry. I have taken some workshops and every once in awhile I get to work on something, but somehow I never like doing it as much as I think I would. So for me, it is probably something I will keep in the back of my head should my body grow weary of the floor loom. And thank you again for you comment on my blog.

Two Guys and a Loom said...

Love that dog!!!!

Sandra Rude said...

I've been bitten twice by ticks the cats brought in, so like your dogs, they no longer are allowed on the bed. It's nice to have a pet to cuddle, but not so nice to be bitten. Calli is a lovely dog!
Happy weaving, Sandra